Week 10 of the NFL season has arrived and the playoffs are creeping onto the horizon.
This week kicked off with a thrilling Thursday Night Football matchup as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 35-34. Cincinnati’s two-point attempt for the win fell short, causing another frustrating loss. This now drops the Bengals to 4-6 on the season and their deep playoff hopes are truly threatened.
Four teams have a Week 10 bye as the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks will each be off. There also is a game kicking off in Germany this week, meaning there will be all-day football starting Sunday morning. While the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants do not quite represent America’s finest teams, football is still football.
As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here’s a look at a few players who could have the inside track to outperform their price points. Be sure to get some superstars in your lineup, but here are some lower-budget names who could help you win your competitions!
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterbacks:
Sam Darnold ($6,200)
After a strong start to the season in which Sam Darnold played himself into MVP conversations, the 27-year-old has come back down to reality. However, he had a strong performance last week throwing for 290 yards along with three touchdowns, although he did throw two interceptions. Darnold finished as the eighth-best fantasy quarterback based on DraftKings scoring.
Heading into this week, Darnold has an excellent chance to get fully back on track against the Jaguars. Jacksonville ranks 30th in points allowed and 31st in total yards allowed this season. Looking at the passing defense, they rank 31st in yards given up, 30th in touchdowns, and 31st in net yards per pass attempt. They allow 28.0 points per game and have not held an opponent under 16 points or 295 yards all season.
While Darnold is unlikely to reach the peak of how he flashed to start the season, this is about as great of a matchup as he could hope for. Expect the Vikings to get back on track in this matchup and exceed their average scoring output of 26.1 points per game. Darnold has tallied as many as 23.2 fantasy points on DraftKings scoring already this year and should be expected to replicate this level of production this week.
Justin Herbert ($5,200)
The Los Angeles Chargers are set to face off with the Tennessee Titans at home. This is an interesting clash that should provide Herbert with a strong chance for production. Despite allowing the fewest yards in the NFL, the Titans rank 27th in points allowed. Turnovers have played a role in this, and this issue has a chance to show face once again this week as Will Levis returns from injury. Levis has thrown seven interceptions across his five starts and has fumbled the ball three times.
Los Angeles has also taken some strides forward as an offense over the past few weeks. After playing incredibly conservatively to start the season, the Chargers have opened up the offense to Justin Herbert. The Oregon product was held to 20 or fewer pass attempts in two of the first four weeks and did not throw for more than 179 yards in any of the four games. In the four games since, Herbert has attempted 27 or more passes per game and has thrown for at least 237 yards in every game. Over the past four weeks, he is averaging 286.5 passing yards per game and has thrown for five touchdowns.
Looking at the fantasy football production, Hebert was held to 11.2 fantasy points or fewer in each of the first four weeks. He produced 24.1 fantasy points and 19.5 fantasy points in the past two games. While he likely will not be in the mix for top scorer on the week, Herbert is due to reset the bar for his best performance and could be worth putting in your lineups to save money for other positions. Expect him to outperform his price point as the 21st most expensive quarterback.
Running Backs
Austin Ekeler ($5,800)
The Washington Commanders face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Austin Ekeler enters as the 35th-ranked running back in terms of fantasy production. He is averaging 10.9 fantasy points per game and has seen his role in the offense grow in recent weeks. Ekeler is coming off a season-high 11 carries and 14 total touches, which he converted to 83 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. He has tallied as many as 97 yards from scrimmage in a game already this year.
This is a difficult matchup for the Commanders. Pittsburgh ranks second in points allowed and ninth in yards given up. They have especially been effective at stopping the run. The Steelers have held opponents to the fourth-fewest rushing yards and third-fewest rushing touchdowns on the season.
Where Ekeler has a chance to make his impact felt is in the passing game. Ekeler has tallied 22 receptions on the season, tied for the third-most on the team. Expect Pittsburgh to put a stop to the Commanders’ rushing attack and for Washington to be more reliant on the screen passing game. Look for Ekeler to be the beneficiary of this and for him to outperform his price point as the 29th most expensive running back.
Bucky Irving ($5,700)
The injury bug has not been kind to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin suffered significant injuries, and Jalen McMillan is battling a hamstring issue that kept him out last week. This has forced Bucky Irving to climb the list of weapons in the offense. The rookie running back has produced with the opportunity.
So far this season, Irving ranks 28th in fantasy production based on DraftKings scoring. He has tallied 10 or more touches in eight of the nine games he has played in. Overall, Irving has produced 419 rushing yards, 174 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face off with the 49ers this week. San Francisco has not lived up to their usual level of defensive prowess, currently ranking 16th in points allowed and 10th in yards given up. They also rank 27th in rushing touchdowns allowed.
Expect the Buccaneers to continue putting more on Irving’s plate, and for Tampa Bay to show a commitment to the run game. While he had a down week last week, Irving also had his best receiving performances in the two games prior. Look for Irving to continue to grow in the pecking order of the Buccaneers’ offense and outperform his $5,700 price tag.
Wide Receivers
Khalil Shakir ($6,000)
The Buffalo Bills are off to a 7-2 start and rank fourth in the NFL in scoring. However, they took a notable hit this week as rookie Keon Coleman suffered a wrist injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks. Buffalo addressed their wide receiver depth by trading for Amari Cooper, who has been limited to just five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown across his two games with the team.
While Cooper will play a role, look towards Khalil Shakir as the pass catcher to step up. Shakir remains the team’s leading receiver, catching 42 of his 45 targets for 471 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the season. Shakir ranks 23rd among wide receivers in fantasy production. He has three years of experience playing with Josh Allen, which has proven important as he is on pace for the best season of his career.
Heading into this week, the Bills are set to face off with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts rank 12th in points allowed, but 29th in yards given up on the season. They also are vulnerable through the air ranking 26th in passing yards allowed. Expect the Bills offense to look formidable and for Shakir to be the name to step up. Count on the 24-year-old to vastly outperform his price point as the 19th-most expensive wide receiver, and don’t be surprised if he is among the league leaders this week.
Jordan Addison ($5,300)
The Minnesota Vikings are looking to return to form, and have a great chance to do it in this matchup. They are set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have been dreadful defensively. On the season overall, they rank 30th in points given up and 31st in yards allowed. They also are 31st in passing yards allowed, 30th in passing touchdowns given up, and 31st in yards per pass attempt.
Minnesota ranks eighth in scoring on the season and has produced 26.1 points per game. This matchup is an excellent chance for them to pour on points. While Justin Jefferson will headline the wide receiver production, there is room for all of the Vikings’ skill players to eat in this matchup.
Jordan Addison should be in line for an uptick in targets and is coming off a season-high five receptions. He has tallied 273 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns already this season, but has yet to have a breakout performance. He currently ranks 66th among wide receivers in fantasy production. Look for the Jaguars’ disappointing defense to be the cure to his underwhelming output, and for Addison to re-announce his presence with production this week.
Parker Washington ($3,900)
On the other side of the Vikings’ matchup sit the Jacksonville Jaguars. They appear likely to be without quarterback Trevor Lawrence this week, and Mac Jones will step in as the starter if this is the case. While this isn’t ideal, Jones is a more competent backup than some of the other options around the league.
Expect the Jaguars to fall behind early and be forced to attack through the air as they try to play catch-up. Parker Washington has been disappointing thus far, as he has tallied just nine receptions for 108 yards on the season. However, he has tallied six receptions for 87 yards across the past two weeks, and logged 74% and 85% of snaps in these games. He had not previously logged more than 34% of snaps in any game this year.
There also can oftentimes be an uptick in production for wide receivers deeper on the depth chart with a backup quarterback due to familiarity. Washington has almost certainly practiced more with Jones compared to players like Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis. Both these receivers are listed as questionable, and if they cannot go, it would force Washington up the depth chart. This is a bit more of a longshot, but if you need a value play, have your eyes set on Parker Washington.
Tight End
T.J. Hockenson ($4,700)
Last week marked the long-awaited return of T.J. Hockenson after rehabbing an ACL tear sustained last season. In his first game back, he tallied three receptions for 27 yards.
Hockenson will also be a beneficiary of the struggling Jaguars defense. The two-time Pro Bowl tight end tallied 960 receiving yards in the 15 games he played last year, and should be expected to be a key part of the offense once he settles in.
Entering this week as the ninth-most expensive tight end, expect Hockenson’s price point to grow in the coming weeks. He is one of the premier tight ends, he just hasn’t yet found his footing. This is a perfect opportunity for a get-right spot, and Hockenson should be one of the leading producers at the position this week and moving forward.
Hunter Henry ($3,900)
Hunter Henry ranks ninth among tight ends in DraftKings fantasy production so far. He has tallied 39 receptions for 414 yards and one touchdown this season. Henry leads the Patriots in receptions and yards, and has climbed the pecking order further since Drake Maye took over at quarterback with at least five targets in every game the rookie has started.
New England is set to face off with the Chicago Bears, who appear to be on the verge of disaster. After appearing to briefly right the ship following a slow start, the issues that plagued them at the start have popped back up.
Expect Henry to be at the forefront of the attack for the Patriots as this pair of rookie quarterbacks square off. Look for him to outperform his price point as the 13th-most expensive tight end.
Defense & Special Teams
Tennessee Titans Defense & Special Teams ($2,700)
While my typical strategy is to save as much as possible at the D/ST slot, there is more significant appeal with some of the top teams this week. However, to stick with the same logic, there is some value with the Titans at $2,700. This is 14th in price out of the available units.
The Titans take on the Chargers on Sunday. While LA is trending in the right direction as a team, they rank 24th in scoring and 22nd in yards gained. Los Angeles does not have the same blowout ability as some of the other teams and seem content with running the ball to milk the clock when they take a lead. Expect this to equate to a satisfactory defensive output for the Titans, and if a few mistakes go their way, they could be in line for a strong performance.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
