1:00 pm Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles

1:00 pm Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1:00 pm Denver Broncos @ New Orleans Saints

1:00 pm Green Bay Packers @ Tennessee Titans

1:00 pm Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

1:00 pm Kansas City Chiefs @ Carolina Panthers

1:00 pm Los Angeles Rams @ New York Jets

1:00 pm Minnesota Vikings @ Washington Redskins

4:05 pm Miami Dolphins @ San Diego Chargers

4:25 pm Dallas Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers

4:25 pm San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals

8:30 pm Seattle Seahawks @ New England Patriots

8:30 pm Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Giants

YPC- Yards Per Carry

TDR- Touchdowns Rushing

REC- Receptions

YPR- Yards Per Reception

TDC- Touchdown Catches

PPG- Points Per Game

YPA- Yards Per Pass Attempt

C%- Completion Percentage

TD- Touchdown Passes

INT- Interceptions

SKS-Sacks

WR Pryor 7, WR Coleman 7, RB Crowell 4, WR Hawkins 4

QB Kessler has just 3 TD passes over last 3 gms... Kessler with 0-1 TD in all gms he’s played in but 1... HC Jackson wants Kessler to take his progressions deep more often... Kessler’s YPA over last 3 gms is a pretty solid 7.9... BAL is 4^th in the NFL creating INTs with 9... CLV QBs have thrown 9 INTs this yr... WR Coleman ripped BAL wk2 for 5-104-2 TDs... Coleman made his comeback from inj last wk; 3-41 on 7 tgts... he knocked off the rust and should be a dangerous tgt for Kessler vs a BAL secondary that will give up the big fly... QBs threw 6 TDs over last 3 gms vs BAL... BAL pass rush is heating up and the D has 4 INTs over last 4 gms... WRs latched onto 14 TD throws vs BAL, 2^nd most... BAL DBs burned for 5 WR TDs over last 3 gms... WK2 WR Pryor checked at 3-32-0 vs BAL... Pryor’s gm was still developing in that one... Pryor has 4 TDs in the 7 gms since... Pryor has been kept under 10 YPR 5 of last 6 gms... WR Hawkins held under 50 yds last 3 gms vs BAL... Hawkins under 50 yds in his last 4 gms this yr and has 4 tgts 3 of last 4... BAL has yet to give up a TE score this season... TE Barnidge just 4-37-0 wk2 vs BAL... in 2 gms last season vs BAL, Barnidge was stellar in grabbing 15-230-1 TD... BAL has checked RBs sharply at 3.0 YPC over last 2 gms; 2.9 YPC in last 4... BAL has allowed just 3 rushing TDs to RBs and 2 gms of 100+ yds rushing... RB Crowell owns 1 of each (wk2)... in wk2 Crowell blitzed BAL for 18-133-1 TD... RBs have beaten BAL LBs for 10-92-1 TD receiving in last 2 gms... RB Johnson has at least 4 catches 3 of last 4 gms; 15 receptions in 3 gms vs BAL... CLV will likely be forced to take to the air to move the football... BAL’s stout run D, at home, will be tough to move off the line... the addition of Coleman opens room for fellow WR Pryor... WR Hawkins has given savvy veteran play but is unreliable as a FFB producer... RB Johnson will be active as a receiver... Coleman brings both PPR value and big play potential this wk... Pryor has a nagging hammy that is limiting his playmaking top end... Kessler won’t take shots down-field as it is not his skill-set.

RB- West 29, Dixon 20... WR- Smith 58, Aiken 41, Perriman 35, Wallace 35... TE- Pitta 58, Waller 23

WR Smith 7, WR Wallace 6, WR Perriman 4, RB West 3, TE Waller 3, TE Pitta 3

QB Flacco has not been sharp at all this season... he has gone over 300 yds 2 of last 3 gms vs CLV, and notched a total of 7 TDs (5 pass- 2 run) in those 3... CLV has allowed multiple TD gms to QBs 8 of 9 gms... CLV ripped for 12 TD passes over last 5 gms... QBs have toasted CLV secondary for 22 TDs, 2^nd most... the Browns DBs have let up 36 completions between 20-39 yds, 3^rd most, and 9 throws over 40 yds, 2^nd most... strong-armed Flacco gets a pitiful 6.1 YPA; CLV slashed for 8.5 YPA, highest rate in the NFL... it’s now or never for Flacco to let it rip... WR Smith started his routes slowly last wk coming off his ankle inj; still logged a team WR high 58 snaps... interesting that WR Wallace was 3^rd in snaps, tied with Perriman (35)... wk2 Wallace caught just 4-41 vs CLV, but snared 2 TDs... Smith has never scored a TD vs CLV in 6 gms... Wallace has 120 and 124 yds in last 2 gms... had 97 the gm prior... CLV has allowed 12 WR scores this season; 6 in last 4... 5 WRs have topped 80 yds over last 5 gms... CLV’s propensity to give up the home run bodes well for WR Wallace... WRs rock 15.1 YPR on CLV this season; 16.0 YPR in last 3... WR Perriman’s role is growing some but he has to thrash through several Raven WRs to make FFB hay, though he does bring some instant deep-ball potential... TE Pitta torched CLV LBs 9-102-0 wk2... CLV has let up 8 TE scores, 2^nd most... DAL TE Witten aced 8-134-1 TD on 10 tgts last wk... TEs broke 100 yds 2 of last 4 gms on CLV... after a hot 3-gm run (there’s that 3-gm theory at play again), RB West has failed to reach 1.5 YPC in last 2 gms... RB Dixon battling through a minor chest inj but ready to play... RBs have gashed CLV ground D for 7 rushing scores over last 3 gms... West is set for a rebound in wk10... WR Wallace is playing with new-found sticky hands and a surprisingly fuller route tree... he has become a dangerous catch-n-go playmaker... CLV’s secondary is chocked full of gaping holes... WR Smith also brings century yds potential on PPR work... QB Flacco has his get well opportunity here.

Fanballers and FFB pundits are anxiously anticipating, pushing and pining for rookie RB Kenneth Dixon to take the lead role from Terrance West. But the threat of Dixon has inspired West to attack his craft with consistency and work like a professional. Though West barely out-snapped Dixon last week, 29-20, he out-touched the freshman back 16-11, in a low-scoring, AFC North skirmish. The Ravens have another divisional tilt this week, but the competition is ground-gashed Cleveland, a defense that has let up 7 rushing TDs in the last 3 games. Dixon is also working through a chest injury, and though he will suit up, he’ll play a clear 2^nd-fiddle to West in a perfect matchup for the current starter. It’s also a personal game for West as he was given up on by the Browns.

Browns’ RB Isaiah Crowell is slowing a bit much over the past 5 games. Crowell has slugged his way on the ground under 2.7 YPC 4 of the last 5 games, and under 2.0 3 of last 5. He was pretty much at a standstill last week, at home versus the Cowboys, getting 4 yards on 6 carries. The Ravens are playing darn stout run D these days and Crowell has to try and crack the blackbird D in Baltimore... not good for his fantasy coaches.

We’ve been waiting for QB Joe Flacco to get his game going. He hasn’t looked confident in that repaired knee, despite what he may say. Flacco has not been accurate (61.7%), explosive (6.1 YPA) or productive (6 TDs). The Browns’ secondary has made opposing QBs pretty accurate (64.4%), greatly explosive (8.5 YPA) and ultra-productive (22 TD passes). Now or never, Big Joe!

WR Jones 11, WR Sanu 7, TE Hooper 6, WR Gabriel 5

QB Ryan leads the NFL with 23 TD passes and 2980 yds... He has at least 3 TDs a gm in 3 of last 4 gms... 7 scores in last 2 gms... PHL has allowed 12 TD passes all season; 6 in last 2 gms... Ryan gets a league high 9.5 YPA and 69.6% passing... WR Jones mostly will matchup with CB Carroll... a mismatch... PHL DBs have allowed 6 WR TDs over last 3 gms... ATL’s fantasy WR offerings are limited to 2 players; Jones and WR Sanu... Jones has topped 110 yds 3 of last 4 gms... he’s seen 40 tgts over last 4 gms... 1 TD over last 3 gms a bit disappointing... WR Sanu with 17 tgts in last 2 gms, snaring 14-158-1 TD... Sanu tgt’d 10 times 2 of last 4 gms... eye-up sleek and slender WR Gabriel... the nifty wideout has a TD scored in 2 consec gms (1 rec- 1 run) and 8 for 8 catching the ball for 120 yds in those gms... he’s lucky if he weighs 165, but is fast, elusive and a YAC-getter that can run away from interior DBs... TE Tamme is still out injured... rookie TE Hooper has a TD 2 of last 4 gms... over 40 yds receiving 4 of last 5 gms... PHL has let up just 2 TDs to TEs all season... RB Coleman remains a spectator at practice this wk... even with Coleman out RB Freeman is not being over-worked; no more than 17 carries over last 4 gms... Freeman has alternated 100+ YFS gms over last 6 gms... had 105 last wk... PHL is soft vs the run, RBs gain 4.4 YPC on PHL... PHl has allowed just 1 RB rushing TD since wk2... RBs snared 10 passes over last 2 gms on PHL LBs... Freeman has 3 combined TDs (2 run- 1 rec) over last 3 gms... defenses held Freeman under 4.0 YPC 4 of last 5 gms... ATL WRs Jones and Sanu are good mismatches vs iffy PHL CBs... Freeman likely to break his 100 YFS alternating gms this wk and break the century mark... Ryan looks unstoppable.

RB- Sproles 60, Mathews 8... WR- Agholor 69, Matthews 65, Green-Beckham 49... TE- Ertz 62, Celek 21

WR Matthews 10, RB Sproles 9, TE Ertz 8, WR Agholor 7, WR Green-Beckham 5, WR Treggs 4

RB Sproles has clearly taken over as the RB1 in PHL... as expected rookie WR Treggs can get behind a defense and has unappreciated pro chops... signs of life from WR Agholor; let the shaky Eagles WR string a couple of gms together before committing... in a majority of FFB formats QB Wentz is a bottom-feeding points producer... Wentz with 2 TDs thrown over last 4 gms... his 364 yds passing wk9 produced 0 TDs... the speed of the gm and defensive scheming at this level has now caught up to him and he is struggling in progressions and pre-snap reads... HC Pederson’s play-calling is extremely beige-toned lacking imagination and aggression... running 5’6 RB Sproles up the gut constantly is counter-productive, but that’s what’s going on... Sproles has seen 28 carries over last 2 gms... RB Mathews just 9... Mathews still gets the goal line looks; 1 TD in 2 consec gms and 5 rushing on the season... ATL has stiffened vs the run over last 3 gms, with a paltry 3.4 YPC allowed to RBs... RBs have rushed for 5 TDs on ATL over last 4 gms however... ATL is picked apart by RBs out of the backfield in routes; 71 receptions given up to backs are 2^nd most... Sproles might be a very busy back catching the rock here... ATL has let up 14 TD catches to WRs, 2^nd most; 7 in just last 2 gms... WR Green-Beckham was awful last wk; 0 receptions on 5 tgts... WR Matthews secured 6 of 10 for 88 yds... Matthews with 17 catches in last 2 gms... no secondary has given up more catches to WRs than ATL (141)... gm flow and the prolific AL offense will likely force QB Wentz to throw to keep pace or catch up... Wentz and TE Ertz finally got on the same page last wk; Ertz snagged 8-97 on 8 tgts in wk9... that’s now 12 catches in last 12 tgts for Ertz... ATL has given up catches and yds to TEs over last 3 gms, but kept TEs out of the endzone... WR Matthews thrown at 24 times over last 2 gms and he is the go-to here for Wentz... eyes-on WR Treggs... if the gm is out of hand he’ll see extended snaps and get a long look for Coach... RB Sproles is a great fit vs the ATL LBs and a solid FLEX or even RB2.

Obviously the Falcons’ Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Devonta Freeman and Matt Ryan are all in play vs the Eagles. Philly has to try to keep up with the dirty birds, and the best weapon available for QB Carson Wentz is RB Darren Sproles. Atlanta has proven quite tough to run on over the last 3 games, but the linebackers are poor in coverage and Sproles thrives in routes.

Carson Wentz will have to chuck it more and more as the game goes on this week, but more of Wentz has not translated into more scoring, on the field and in the virtual arenas. Wentz has 2 TD passes over his last 4 games and his 364 yards last week were quite "empty"; zero TD tosses. He’ll be under pressure from pass rushing demon Vic Beasley and doing the check-down thing that produces little.

Eagle rookie WR Bryce Treggs is fleet and more polished than given credit. He made a couple o splash plays last week as he stepped in for departed Josh Huff. Atlanta will give up scores to WRs and Treggs is likely to see a fair amount of targets as the Eagles throw to stay in the game. With enough plays his way Treggs is bound to pop another big fly or two and pick up instant fantasy points for a lucky fanballers.

DNP

QB Cutler was sneaky-good wk8 vs a darn solid MIN secondary... Cutler completed over 64% and gained a super 8.1 YPA in the stingy purple clad DBs... Cutler has just 2 TD passes thrown in his 3 gms played this yr, but he maintains the 8.1 YPA... wk16 last yr at TB Cutler connected for a sharp 74.1% on 27 throws, but just 156 yds (5.8 YPA) and a single TD... TB has given up 4 TD passes to QBs 2 consec gms... this is Cutler’s best chance to thrive this season... QBs have strafed TB secondary for 46 pass plays of 20+ yds, 2^nd most... 9 of those have traveled 40+ yds, also 2^nd most... WR Jeffery has always been a dangerous downfield tgt for Cutler and this is a perfect setting for Jeffery to have his best gm of 2016... WRs have ripped TB DBs for 12 TDs, 3^rd most... 3 WRs have surpassed 100 yds receiving and combined for 3 TDs on TB over last 2 gms... Jeffery caught half of his 8 tgts last wk for 63 yds and a TD... it was Jeffery’s 1^st score of the yr... Jeffery last faced TB in 2014; 3-22-1 TD-4 tgts... WR Meredith has been almost invisible after his 2-gm blow up wks 6-7... Meredith is no fluke and those gms were legit... he has 4-60-1 TD potential here... WR Royal may be available this wk; check his reports... rookie bruiser RB Howard is now the apple of Coach Fox’s eye... Coach says Howard os flat out RB1 going forward... so much for RB Langford; he is best used as a relief back anyway... Howard has shown he gets better as the gm wears on and he gets high carry numbers... in his 4 gms with more than 15 carries, Howard has topped 110 yds rushing 3 times... Howard is also helping as a pass-catcher, though is not overly creative or elusive in that capacity... though TB looks good on paper vs the run, RBs gain 4.4 YPC on the Bucs in last 3 gms; just 1 RB rushing TD in that span... RBs have caught 2 receiving TDs in last 3 gms on TB... TB has allowed just 3 TE TDs this season, but all 3 have come in last 2 gms... TE Miller is a HOT play for the position... CHI is best when Howard is pounding the ground and moving the chains... he is a plus-play for wk10... QB Cutler and WR Jeffery have a prime time opportunity to rack up numbers this wk... don’t sleep on WR Meredith here.

RB- Barber 36, Smith 24, James 20... WR- Humphries 73, Shorts 62, Evans 50... TE- Brate 53, Stocker 23

WR Evans 17, WR Humphries 7, TE Brate 6, RB Barber 5, WR Shorts 4, RB Smith 4

QB Winston took a huge shot in the 4^th qtr of last wks gm and injured his knee... however, Winston has been at practice and appears to be a go... he may be limited in mobility and his shaky accuracy may be even shakier this gm throwing on a compromised knee... CHI secondary is playing way over the talent level available... maybe the talent is actually better than perceived... CHI has allowed 7 TD passes over last 4 gms; 5 on the road... Winston plays at home this wk... Winston has thrown 8 TDs over his last 3 gms; 5 in 2 home gms... if the knee is ok, Winston has TD potential in wk10... side note; backup QB Glennon was superb in relief, though it was mop-up duty... RB Martin has been cleared for practices and is getting in limited work... check his status, but chances are even if suited up Martin will see very limited action... RB Rodgers is making progress with his foot but won’t be able to go this gm... rookie RB Barber gets 1 more gm to show his wares... Barber was avg at best last wk vs ATL... he surprised with good pass-catching work; 4-24... speedy RB Smith injured a knee and is now on IR... Barber and RB James man the backfield here... CHI has allowed just 1 RB rushing TD since wk4... Bears’ LBs and safeties cover backs well out of the backfield; just 11 receptions by RBs over last 4 gms, 0 TDs on the yr receiving... WRs have better luck scoring on CHI... CHI secondary has given up 4 WR scores over last 2 gms... WRs have hauled in 134 passes on CHI, 2^nd most... WR

Evans has made it through concussion protocol and is playing... CHI will use bracket coverage to try and limit Evans but he has learned to use his length and body to out-muscle and high-point against DBs well... Evans has 41 tgts over last 3 gms; 4 TDs in that span... Evans has scored 6 of 8 gms this season... WR Humphries mopped up most of his 5-46-1 TD with the gm out of reach in wk9... Humphries’ role is mostly a chain-moving one with TB... TE Brate has a TD in 2 consec gms and is a hot look for Winston inside the 10... he is a sweet router in that zone... Brate has 7 TDs in last 18 gms... CHI has let up just 1 TE TD since wk2... the Bucs offense can put up some points vs CHI at home... RB Barber will earn every yd as CHI handles RBs rather well... WR Evans is the key and about the only reliable tgt for either QB Winston or Glennon.

Rookie Jordan Howard has the confidence of his head coach now and is the clear leader in the Bears’ backfield. Howard sets the tone in week 10 crashing through a Bucs’ defense giving up 4.4 YPC to RBs in the last 3 games. Howard will have to buckle up and earn his TDs, but a score and close to 100-yards is likely.

Jameis Winston got rocked late in the game last week and hurt his knee. He may be a tad off target here as he tries to play through the bum knee and his probable compromised mobility.

WR Alshon Jeffery and his QB Jay Cutler performed admirably last week against a darn good Viking secondary. They didn’t roll out prolific numbers (252 yards for Cutler, 63 yards on 4 catches for Jeffery) but they were effective. Cutler and Jeffery have a much smoother road to travel this week in Tampa Bay and should end their travels with the best game of their 2016 campaigns.

WR Sanders 11, WR Thomas 10, TE Green 4

Big news, or potential news, is the ever-shifting slant of the Bronco backfield... with RB Anderson done for 2016, hyped rookie (and he is a good one) Booker was handed the RB1 assignments... Booker was sharp and explosive off the bench behind Anderson but has been far less dangerous in the starting role... a similar performance model is happening this season in HOU with RB Miller as a feature back; not many big-bang plays in expanded role... one-time deep reserve Bibbs has exploded in similar fashion as Booker did as the backup... Booker and Bibbs now may be sharing snaps going forward... Booker is the better all-around back and needs to just play to his natural skills; less thinking-more doing... Bibbs is a TD machine and could very well eat up Booker’s touches inside the 10... playing the Saints in New Orleans should translate to plenty of touches for both... in a potential expanded passing application, Booker ends up with the majority of touches and this should be his "prove it" opportunity to HC Kubiak... RBs gain an explosive 4.5 YPC on NO over last 3 gms; same for the season... RBs have logged 11 rushing TDs vs NO, 2^nd most... because the Saints force teams into air wars, only 1 RB has broken the 100-yd rushing mark on them... RBs roll up 10.7 YPR receiving on NO LBs (3^rd highest) and 3 TDs (2^nd most)... Booker has a potentially big day ahead... flawed SF QB Kaepernick fired off 398 yds passing on NO last wk... QBs have tossed 2 TDs 5 of last 6 gm vs NO... QB Siemian was inaccurate last wk vs OAK and is a bad gm or 2 away from losing the job... still, Siemian has avg’d 279.5 yds a gm in last 2... Siemian has thrown 0-1 TDs 6 of last 7 gms... WR Thomas under 60 yds receiving 4 of last 5 gms, and 1 TD over last 4... WR Sanders has 0 TDs over last 5 gms... Sanders has topped 100-yds just once this season... WRs have scored just 1 TD vs NO DBs over last 3 gms... 2 in last 5... TEs on DEN are not FFB worthy and NO does a good job handling the opposing big men... DEN is going to have to air it out to keep up with Saints’ QB Brees under the dome... Siemian will likely break 300 yds here, but TDs are not a given as Saints do limit TD passes... RB Booker may yield some ground snaps to Bibbs, but he is a superb receiver and those skills will be needed here.

RB- Hightower 37, Ingram 33... WR- Thomas 72, Cooks 58, Snead 52... TE- Hill 64, Fleener 30

WR Thomas 8, WR Snead 7, WR Cooks 6, TE Fleener 6, TE Hill 4

The backfield has quickly morphed into a two-headed RBBC... rugged vet Hightower is hammering out chunky but unspectacular yds consistently; 189 rushing yds in last 2 gms at 3.9 YPC... after flopping badly vs SEA wk8, RB Ingram rebounded with an inspired and spectacular 10.5 YPC on 15 rushes and 2 TDs (1 run- 1 rec)... DEN’s stout D has not been quite that stout stopping RBs lately... backs bludgeon the Broncs for 5.3 YPC over last 3 gms... OAK RB Murray powered in 3 rushing TDs vs DEN last wk... DEN ground D has shown signs of cracking since wk3... NO can and will run on DEN here... Hightower’s style is better suited vs DEN... rookie WR Thomas has risen to go-to status among the talented Saints pass-catching corps... Thomas has scored all 6 of his TDs over last 6 gms... he is big, physical and athletic and plays with energy and passion... some compare him to a flashier version of former Saints WR star Marques Colston, but more accurate would be OAK’s Crabtree... DEN has allowed just 1 WR score since wk1... WRs gain a paltry 10.3 YPR over last 3 gms vs DEN DBs... Thomas is stealing some of WR Cooks shine... Cooks has been under 70 yds receiving 6 of last 7 fms but does have a TD 3 of last 4 gms... WR Snead hasn’t scored since wk2 and is proving to be a 3^rd option slot man... TE Fleener’s snaps are evaporating but his tgts remain steady; had 6 last wk... QB Brees may face the NFL’s best secondary here, but he is a force at home regardless of the defense... NO will run the rock consistently this wk, hitting the weak spot of the DEN D... Brees’ bad gm is 260 and 2 TDs.

The backfield duo of Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower are the hot reads of this very contrasty matchup. The Saints can throw it on anyone, and even the vaunted Bonco secondary will be tested by the air-it-out QB. However, Coach Payton knows the Broncs are playing run D with the solidity of warmed over butter. Backs are busting the Broncos for 5.3 YPC over the last 3 games. Bet on both Hightower and Ingram mixing in quality RB2 numbers here.

As good as rookie WR Michael Thomas has been, he IS a rookie and will have to figure out how to free up against the deep and air-tight Denver secondary. When a freshman has to "think" about getting open, it slows down his game and ability to produce. There you go!

Many are already jumping off the Good Ship Booker. REALLY? Yes, he has looked sluggish and unimpressive since taking over for injured CJ Anderson, but I’m betting HC Kubiak is more than willing to give Devontae Booker one more full shot to shine in the starting gig against the very RB-friendly Saints defense. New Orleans forces the opposition to throw and Booker is a fine router and pass-catching back. On a fast turf, under a roof and against a high-speed offense, Booker is set in the right setting to re-establish his RB1 status... and he does!

WR Nelson 13, TE Rodgers 10, WR Adams 8, WR/RB Montgomery 3

Once again the Packer backfield is a quandary... more of the same folks... WR/RB Montgomery starts in the backfield and works his multi-tasking magic on the Titans... since assuming RB snaps Montgomery has rushed 19-119 for 6.3 YPC... Montgomery has yet to score a TD, rushing or receiving... HC McCarthy decoyed Montgomery as a receiver last wk, seeing just 3 tgts as he drew coverage up and opened zones deeper in the 2^nd level... WRs Adams, Cobb and Nelson snuck in those open zones for a TD each... QB Rodgers has 10 TD passes and 1 pick over last 3 gms; just 1-300 yd gm this season however... TEN has let up 2-3 TDs passing 5 of last 6 gms; 8 in last 3... TEN has not picked off a QB since wk5... QBs completed 34 passes of 20-39 yds, 4^th most... WRs have 4 TDs over last 3 gms vs TEN... WR Nelson may not be as explosive as before his lost 2015 campaign, but he is effective, scoring 7 TDs on the yr and 1 in 2 consec gms... Nelson has 94 yds in 2 consec gms... WR Cobb has a TD in 3 straight gms... TEN has let in a TE TD in 3 straight gms... TEs have hauled in 52 passes on TEN LBs, 3^rd most... TE Rodgers had a terrific matchup last wk and HC McCarthy dialed up the TE often... R. Rodgers secured 6 of 10 tgts for 64 yds... RB Jackson has rushed for just 26 yds on 8 carries over last 2 gms... Jackson is a hard-working but very average runner, with limited receiving skills... inj’d RB Starks is making headway to playing and may be able this wk; check Starks’ inj reports... SD RB Gordon destroyed TEN last wk, rumbling for 196 yds on 32 carries... TEN has checked RBs out of the endzone this season; just 4 rushing scores allowed this yr... GB will once again "create" a rushing aspect with short passes to WRs Montgomery and Cobb... WR Adams has thrived in the chip away run gm extension role over last 3 gms... 38 tgts, 29 catches, 8.5 YPR (the run-extension effect) and 2 TDs over last 3 gms... more of Adams here in a double-digit tgt performance and a PPR producing point-get... Montgomery may be wearing down a bit and his touches may slip in wk10.

RB- Murray 62, Andrews 6... WR- Matthews 58, Sharpe 54, Wright 44... TE- Walker 52

WR Matthews 10, TE Walker 9, WR Sharpe 8, RB Murray 7, WR Wright 5

QB Mariota is dealing with an ankle but playing... check his status for potential slowed mobility... Mariota has tossed at least 2 TDs in 5 straight gms... the TEN QB avg’s 274.5 yds a gm over last 4 gms... GB has held QBs to 4 TDs over last 3 gms... GB has allowed 284.5 yds passing in last 2 gms... in 3 road gms GB secondary has allowed QBs to throw an avg of 298 yds, with 6 TDs against... WR Matthews has become Mariota’s go-to and scoring threat... Matthews has 5 TDs on the season, all coming over last 5 gms... WR Wright has cooled down after his 8-133-1 TD wk6 explosion; just 8 catches over last 3 gms... rookie WR Sharpe meanders the middle zones for chain-moving yds but not much else... WRs notched 6 TDs over last 4 gms vs GB... since getting blown up for 205 yds by DET WR Jones wk3, GB has not allowed a WR more than 84 yds... GB has been soft keeping WR2/3 types out of the endzone... that’s Matthews’ mold... GB’s secondary is banged up and giving up 14.5 YPR to WRs... TE Walker is the lead "receiver" for the Titans... GB has not allowed a TE score since wk2... Walker has a TD scored every-other gm for last 7; he scored last wk... tough call for a Walker 6-pointer here... another tough call is 2016 rushing star RB Murray... GB has held RBs to 3.4 YPC on the season... RB NOTE: rookie RB Henry suffered a calf injury in warm ups last gm and is iffy at best this wk... Murray has scored a TD 6 of last 7 gms... Murray gets 4.7 YPC over last 3 gms... GB allows 4.0 in that span and 4 combined RB scores in last 2 gms (3 run- 1 rec)... no doubt TEN will challenge the GB D on the ground first... TEN o-line is playing top-5 football... HC Mularkey will seek to establish the run and control the clock to limit GB QB Rodgers’ snaps... fanballers might be wise to sign and stash TEB RB Andrews NOW... Henry’s calf situation could linger if rushed back and Andrews becomes the Murray cuff for now... he is in a key FFB situation right NOW!... heads up on WR Matthews having his best gm of the season.

QB Aaron Rodgers loves a challenge and the lack of a functional backfield has energized the Packer passer over the last 3 games. The Titans are a burnable secondary and will be stretched thin covering WRs Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams as well as Ty Montgomery in his pseudo RB role. Rodgers appears to be enjoying the make-shift playbook and has been a prolific TD thrower lately; the proliferation continues.

RB Derrick Henry is said to be making progress from his injured calf, but I doubt Coach Mularkey will risk further injury by racing the big back onto the field if not fully healthy. If he does don the pads, he won’t see many snaps if he sees any at all.

WR Rishard Matthews has quietly grown into QB Marcus Mariota’s go-to target. When the QB needs a play, or has a shot at a score, Matthews gets the call. Last week the silky smooth yet physical receiver saw 10 targets; that’s juicy. As RB DeMarco Murray may find running room scarce, Matthews is very likely to see another 10 throws his way and, with the weakened Packer secondary, have his best game of the season.

DNP

Not a surprise here, QB Osweiler is having a tough season as the starter for HOU... Osweiler has 0-1 TD 3 of last 4 gms... he’s thrown under 190 yds 3 of last 4 gms and under 200 4 of last 6... JAX has held QBs to 4 TD passes over last 4 gms... WRs caught 4 TDS in last 3 gms vs JAX.. WR Hopkins has a below avg 10.9 YPR on the season; career low... Hopkins under 60 yds receiving 6 of 8 gms this yr and 1 TD over last 6 gms... WR Strong is likely out inj’d and rookie WR playmaker Fuller is very iffy with a leg injury... the HOU offense will turn to RBs Miller and Blue to lead the way... Miller has been slowed with a shoulder but is playing through... Blue battered his ribs and left wk8 gm but should eb able to go in wk10... RBs gain 4.0 YPC over last 3 gms vs JAX, with 4 TDs rushing... only 1 RB has surpassed 68 yds rushing vs JAX since wk2... Miller has been held under 65 yds rushing 3 of his last 4 gms... he has just 2 TDs rushing on the season but 3 total over last 3 gms (2 run-1 rec)... lack of a threatening air attack (Osweiler) allows defenses to load the box and limit Miller’s breakaway potential... RB Blue has 20 carries over last 2 gms and is avg’g a super 5.2 YPC on the campaign... TE Fiedorowicz has been excellent in last 5 gms; 3 TDs and 24 catches... JAX LBs Smith and Jack are smothering cover ‘backers and Fiedorowicz will not be roaming freely here... Osweiler may be a gm or 2 of poor performing from finding the bench... his backup, Savage, is strong-armed but scatter-shot accurate... deep reserve Weeden offers the best FFB potential and would lift the values of all HOU skill players... as muddy as the Jaguars’ defense has played this season, the HOU skill players are modest at best plays in wk10.

RB- Yeldon 43, Ivory 34... WR- Robinson 73, Lee 62, Hurns 42... TE- Thomas 42, Lewis 38

WR Robinson 11, WR Lee 8, RB Yeldon 6, TE Lewis 4, WR Hurns 4

QB Bortles completes just 56.5% over his last 3 gms... he has put up FFB usable numbers in mop-up play... Bortles has 6 TD passes over last 3 gms, with an avg of 278.3 yds a gm... Bortles has added 109 yds rushing in that span... HOU is a stingy pass defense; 6.7 YPA and just 6 TDs passes allowed... HOU has held QBs to 0-1 TD every gms but 1 this season... Bortles threw 3 TDs and 5 INTs in 2 gms vs HOU last season... Bortles’ FFB coaches continue to find little return from the 2015 passing star in this tough matchup... WR Robinson has 4 TDs in the last 6 gms but just 1 over last 4... 76 yds last wk by Robinson was his 2016 high mark... in 2 gms vs HOU last yr Robinson tallied 11-194-1 TD... that was with a better Bortles however... WR Hurns is in concussion program and has to be cleared... Hurns is a tough and resilient player but this may be a late call... WR Lee has been consistent and productive in the WR3 role... Lee has at least 4 catches 6 of last 7 gms and over 80 yds 2 of last 3... he gets a bump, slightly, if Hurns sits... again, HOU secondary is stingy and not a unit to gain FFB points... HOU has capped WRs at 1 TD over last 3 gms and 4 total on the season... TE Thomas has been a limited performer partly due to nagging injuries and also poor QB play... HOU’s run D is the weak link... RBs gain a blow up 5.2 YPC over lat 2 gms vs HOU... RBs have topped 100 yds twice in last 3 gms vs HOU... RB Yeldon totaled 65 YFS and a rec TD last wk... RB Ivory bounced back from a horrid wk8 performance to bolt for 107 rushing yds and a 5.9 YPC... Ivory and Yeldon figure to be key for JAX this wk, with Ivory setting the table for his FFB coaches... Bortles may get his gm back to a positive direction if JAX gets the ground gm going early, but not enough vs a tough HOU secondary... WR Robinson would do well here to gain 5-60 and a lucky TD.

The Jaguars got RB Chris Ivory pointed in the right direction last week and the line crasher bolted for 5.9 YPC in 18 runs. He takes that downhill momentum and steam-rolls over the Texans’ flimsy ground defense. There should be plenty of opportunity for Ivory as the Jags take the football out of regressing QB Blake Bortles’ hands.

Catching passes on the Texans’ stingy secondary is tough enough; doing it after a head ding is even tougher. Allen Hurns is in the concussion protocol this week and, though he is making some progress, may not be cleared for action. IF he is cleared, he then has to try and clear the Houston DBs. Not likely.

While RB Chris Ivory is battering the Texans’ for chunky gains, fellow Jags’ RB TJ Yeldon chips in with timely and useable YFS for his own FFB coaches. 60-70 YFS and a potential TD is nice FLEX-ability here.

WR Wilson 8, TE Kelce 7, WR Hill 5, RB West 4, WR Conley 4

QB Smith sat out last wk due to the mystery concussion saga... QB Foles was far from the nifty passer that came off the bench 2 gms ago... after producing 223 yds and 2 TD on just 22 throws in wk8, Foles flopped to 187 yds and a single score on 33 wk9 tosses... Smith is set to start wk10 vs CAR... CAR has given up an avg of 369.2 yds a gm to QBs over last 5 gms... the 296 yds by LA passer Keenum was the lowest allowed by CAR in 3 gms... on the flip, CAR’s run D has stunted RBs production over the past 5 to the tune of 3.3 YPC and 1 TD... KC will be getting concussed RB Ware back, but he and RB West face a daunting task... KC will likely throw more than usual this wk... if so, QB Smith won’t have WR Maclin as a prime go-to; out with a groin inj... this looks like a great opportunity for talented and underutilized WR Conley; but hold on... Conley has a quad inj and HE may not be available... that leaves a couple of speedy, smurfy wideouts as Smith’s top tgt choices; Wilson and rookie Hill... Wilso caught just 3 of his 8 tgts last wk, but made good with 42 yds and a TD... Hill, who has been hot recently, saw 5 touches but just 32 YFS... obviously TE Kelce will act as the da facto WR1 this wk... rookie WR Robinson brings a size element but owns possession speed wheels... the matchups are good on paper for KC, but the weaponry is not exactly enticing for fantasy coaches... with CAR’s secondary playing some incendiary coverage, Hill and his turf-burning speed is the best FFB play here... WRs have torched the Panthers’ DBs for 6 TDs over last 3 gms... Kelce is a hot go vs the surprisingly leaky CAR LBs... CAR has allowed 6 TE scores, 3^rd most, and 14.0 YPR, 2^nd highest... 2 TEs have eclipsed 70 yds receiving vs CAR over last 3 gms... Kelce tallied 12-159-1 TD on 17 tgts over last 2 gms... RBs Ware and West will be a bigger part of the passing gm in this one... Ware is an improved receiver and West has always showed good catch skills... WR/RB Thomas also should chip in a few plays as a tgt... the lead and big gm belongs to TE Kelce as he has the matchup and looks to redeem himself after his boneheaded actions last wk.

RB- Stewart 44, Whittaker 15... WR- Benjamin 53, Ginn 43, Brown 33, Funchess 29... TE- Olsen 62

WR Benjamin 7, TE Olsen 7, WR Ginn 7, WR Funchess 5

CAR barely held onto a W vs a flawed and one-dimensional LA team... QB Newton was a very mediocre 20-32 (62.5%), 225 yds (7.0 YPC) and 1 TD in wk9... Newton has chucked just 4 TD passes over last 4 gms... KC has allowed 13 TD passes over last 5 gms; 7 in last 3... WR Benjamin lines up against CB Gaines... Gaines has the length to cause a few more contested balls to Benji than most wks... WRs have 4 TDs in last 3 gms vs KC... 3 of the 4 scores are from WRs over 6’3 or more... Benjamin goes 6’5... WR Funchess, another big tgt, has all but disappeared from the offense... Funchess could only hang on to 1 of his 5 tgts last wk... KC has allowed a WR 80+ yds 4 times over last 4 gms... Benjamin has 70-86 yds in 4 straight gms; 0 TDs in that span... WR Ginn has seen 5 or more tgts 5 of last 6 gms... Ginn has 5 catches in 3 consec gms... a producer of 10 TDs last season, Ginn has yet to haul in a single score so far... TE Olsen rebounded from a tough wk8 to post 5-52-1 TD wk9... KC has stopped TEs all season; just 26 receptions against and 1 TD... RB Stewart sat out 2 practices this wk but it is just a rest break for the fragile rusher... since his return in wk6, Stewart has owned the CAR backfield to himself... he’s scored 2 TDs in 2 of the 3 gms, but his YPC is dropping like a rock... Stewart’s 3-gm YPC numbers plummet from 4.5 to 3.8 to a mushy 2.8 last gm... KC isn’t exactly a brick wall for RBs to break through; 4.8 YPC on the season for RBs vs KC and 5.0 over last 3 gms... KC IS a brick wall at the goal line however; just 1 RB run for a TD since wk1... the Chiefs will give up the odd RB catch for a TD; 2 in last 3 gms... while that sounds like RB Whittaker music, he has barely been involved with the football since Stewart returned... best way for CAR to attack the Chiefs is with Stewart’s rushing and Newton’s scrambling... Newton isn’t as anxious to tuck-n-go since he barked about being "unprotected"... his play has been scatter-shot all season... Benjamin will get his tgts and could accumulate good WR2 numbers vs CB Gaines, but it will be earned.

Any game involving the Panthers usually ends up with Greg Olsen being the dominate TE in the contest, but not this time. Kansas City TE Travis Kelce is practically an Olsen clone and, sporting WR-like receiving skills, the KC big man lines up in a prime matchup. Sure, the Panthers boast LBs Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis at linebacker, but neither has been very effective covering TEs this season. TEs are blazing the Carolina 2^nd level zone for 14.0 YPR and have tallied 6 TDs on the black cats. The chiefs are missing top WR Jeremy Maclin and possibly WR Chris Conley also this game. QB Alex Smith will be seeking out his most reliable receiver all day, taking advantage of the mismatch Kelce brings here.

With Jeremy Maclin out this game after suffering a groin injury, next man up is Chris Conley. Yeah, nix that. Conley is nursing his own ailment (quad) and, to be honest, has flopped every chance he’s had to step up when opportunity presented itself. Even if the WR2 of the Chiefs pads up, pass up Chris Conley.

Staying with the Chiefs WR dilemma, Tyreek Hill gets a real shot at being "the guy" here. Hill is about 5’10-180 but plays with a RB mentality and is a blur on the field. He eats up cushion and gets DBs hips turned in a blink of an eye. Carolina’s secondary has been quite flammable this season and Hill is the KC spark that sets the Panthers’ defensive backfield ablaze in week 10.

TE Kendricks 12, TE Higbee 7, RB Cunningham 6, WR Britt 6, WR Quick 6, RB Gurley 5

The calls for rookie QB Goff get louder each gm, but HC Fisher is sticking with Keenum... Keenum stays the starter partly due to decent play, partly because the locker room likes the guy and mostly because Coach doesn’t want to subject his prized draft pick to this mediocre offense... in his defense, Keenum has racked up passing yds of 321, 291, 296 in the past 3 gms... though he has 3 TDs over that span, Keenum has tossed 0-1 TD 3 of last 4 gms... his WR group is not a stellar bunch, but WR Britt is playing big-league ball... Britt has 3 TDs over last 3 gms and 75 or more yds 3 of last 5... NYJ secondary has given up 9 passes of 40+ yds, 2^nd most... Britt has been able to get behind DBs, gaining 15.8 YPR this yr... WR Austin followed up his 10-catch wk7 with a 1 reception flop wk9... WR Quick hasn’t scored a TD since wk4 but has at least 5 tgts 4 of last 5 gms... NYJ have allowed just 2 WR scores in last 3 gms, but 2 WRs have topped 100 yds in that span... Britt has potential to have a gm here... NYJs have kept QBs to 0-1 TD 3 of last 4 gms... TE Kendricks has a huge wk9, grabbing 7 of 12 tgts for 90 yds... Jets are a tough assignment for TEs to crack on defense... just 1 TE has scored vs NYJ since wk5, and none over 43 yds since wk4... RB Gurley is the offensive centerpiece but that piece has been tarnished so far this season... Jets’ run D has been hit and miss over last 4 gms; RBs rushed for exactly 111 yds and combined for 4 TDs in 2 gms (wks 6, 9) or completely shut down for a combined 58 yds (wks 7 & 8)... Gurley is getting a lousy 3.1 YPC on the season bu has hit 4.0 2 of last 3 gms... the Rams rusher scored 1 TD over last 5 gms... HC Fisher says Gurley needs to get the ball more, a true observation... Gurley has broken the 20-carry mark just once over last 5 contests... the Jets are a tough D to get ‘well’ on, especially on the road... Keenum is a decent passer but the play-calling lacks creativity and flow... Gurley FFB coaches appear headed for another disappointing outing; he’s now missing practices with a thigh injury and may not even pad up.

RB- Forte 32, Powell 26, Spiller 3... WR- Anderson 55, Marshall 54, Enunwa 44... TE- Bostick 19, Seferian-Jenkins 19

WR Marshall 9, WR Anderson 6, RB Powell 4, WR J. Marshall 4, WR Enunwa 4

QB has been a thorn in the side of NYJ fantasy coaches since the pre-season... QB Fitzpatrick’s off-season hold out seems to be biting him in the butt so far... his play has been down-right abysmal and he’s looked out of sync and out of shape all season long... now the fantasy flop is going to try to play through a sprained knee... gallant but foolish... Fitzpatrick’s awful performances are costing his WRs both on the real field and in the virtual ones... LA has capped QBs Newton and Manning to just 1 TD pass between them in last 2 gms... previous 2 gms LA torn up for 6 air sscores... LA has checked QBs to 225 yds or less 3 of last 4 gms... Fitzpatrick has thrown 0-1 TD every gm since wk1... if he doesn’t play this wk QB Petty gets the nod... Petty is a heady passer who about the same arm talent as Fitzpatrick but a more careful handling of the football... Petty was a prolific passer in college at Baylor and is no stranger to voluminous aerial game plans... WR Marshall has not been efficient catching the football this season; 40 of 86 tgts caught... Marshall’s 14.6 YPR is his highest since 2011, but the catches are way down off his norm... the Decker void is quite evident this yr.. Marshall has 3-4 catches 5 of last 7 gms... he has 70 or less yds last 4 gms and 0 scores in that span... a change at QB with Petty might be a plus at this point... should rookie QB Heckenberg get in Jets’ WRs will suffer greatly... WR Enunwa has a TD 2 of last 3 gms... rookie WR Anderson continues to see starter snaps and is slowly sliding into some of Decker’s vacant routes... Anderson bears watching, especially if Petty gets in... Petty and Anderson worked together well in pre-season... LA secondary is missing top CB Johnson... WRs have scored 8 TDs vs LA this season, but 6 in last 4 gms... do not downgrade any Jets’ WRs should Petty get the nod; he’s no worse than Fitz at this point... RB Forte is back to providing RB1 touches and YFS... over last 2 gms LA has tackled RBs for a miniscule 2.3 YPC2 gms prior to those RBs rolled up on LA for 5.6 YPC... Forte got just 3.1 YPC in 3 gms before last wk; 7.7 wk9 vs MIA... Forte has 5 combined TDs over last 3 gms (4 run- 1 rec)... his carries have decreased each wk since his 30 rushes wk7 (30, 25, 12)... RB Powell’s YFS are a tease; impressive for the touches he gets but not enough touches to matter most wks... a key to the Rams D has been their tight coverage of RBs since wk4... RBs have just 9 catches vs LA backers over last 4 gms, and 0 TDs... Forte’s 3-gm hot streak is maxed and he may slip back to mediocre production here... check on the QB situation, but a change to Petty would be refreshing... Fitz is a locker room fave and the players "want" Fitz in there.

I am a firm believer in my own theory that RBs go in the tank after enjoying a hot 3-game run. Matt Forte has just completed his 3^rd straight game of solid YFS work... but I’m not off his bandwagon yet. Coach Bowles and Coach Gailey were smart to cut Forte’s carries to a minimum last week, preserving some tread for one more big game of multi-tasking work by Forte. The Rams are and up-n-down defense defending RBs. Forte is a hot read for either a gimpy Ryan Fitzpatrick or a first starting Bryce Petty. He’ll be a touch monster and YFS getter this week. Worry about the crash in week 11.

Rams RB Todd Gurley is not bringing his FFB coaches the 1^st round production many expect this season. Yes, he faces a loaded box most weeks, but good backs find ways to do better than 3 yards and a cloud of synthetic dust. Heading into week 10, Gurley has a double whammy. He has to get it done against that tough Jets run D in NYC, and he’ll be going at less than full speed, if he plays. Gurley now has a quad ailment and is missing practice snaps. Uh-oh!

QB Case Keenum is producing WR1 yards passing; if only he could get his WRs more scoring strikes. The one wideout he has been looking to when he does have a chance for 6 is Kenny Britt. Britt is playing fast and confident and has a nice rapport with Keenum. The Jets secondary has improved over the past 4 games, but they still have deep ball lapses. Britt and Keenum have been quietly productive downfield. Let’s give a little extra FFB love to these two try-hard performers as they pop for points in week 10.

WR Diggs 14, WR Patterson 8, WR Thielen 6

MIN is on a 3-gm skid and has not scored more than 16 points in the losing streak... QB Bradford has thrown 1 TD in 5 of last 6 gms... his last gm vs WSH (w/PHL) Bradford posted 380 yds and 1 TD... his other 2015 contest vs WSH produced 270 yds and 3 TDs... PHL offense was vastly different than the 2016 MIN version... Bradford’s o’line is flat out failing him and the run gm... though Bradford was sacked just 2 times last wk, he was hurried often and has been for wks now... WSH secondary is vastly underrated; just 8 TD passes allowed all season... QBs have been cut down to 0-1 TD 7 straight gms by WSH... WR Diggs will see CB Norman often, but motions enough to avoid constant Norman exposure... WSH has allowed just 1 WR score since wk4... 3 WRs surpassed 90 yds receiving vs WSH over last 2 gms... WR Diggs was on fire as a PPR star in wk9, snatching 23 of 14 tgts; his yds were flat however at 80 and he failed to visit the endzone... WR Patterson saw an encouraging 8 tgts, catching 6 for a short 45 yds... Patterson had a horrid drop in the endzone that was a clean 6... MIN needs to commit to WR Thielen as he is clearly the 2^nd best WR on the club and may have the best set of hands in the league... Thielen is also a superb router... caught 4 of 6 for 68 yds... Diggs has just 1 TD over last 5 gms; 27 tgts and 21 catches in last 2... TE Rudolph leads the team with 4 TDs... Rudolph saw just 3 tgts last wk, caught 1 but for a 6 pointer... the TE has at least 5 catches 4 of last 6 gms... WSH got lit up by CIN TE Eifert wk8 for 9-102-1 TD... Rudolph has Eifert chops for sure... RBs gain a healthy 4.6 YPC on WSH over last 4 gms, with 3 TDs... in last 2 gms WSH has stiffened, cutting RBs to 4.0 but still the 3 TDs remain... DET stymied MIN run attack last wk... RB Asiata bulled for an unimpressive 3.0 YPC while McKinnon was stuck in neutral at 1.1 YPC on 7 runs... former DEN RB Hillman led with 30 yds on 7 carries (4.3 YPC) and added 32 receiving yds... Hillman may warrant more looks and McKinnon is the likely loser in that trade-off of snaps and touches... MIN has to get the run going in this one as WSH’s weak link if the ground stoppers... WR digs will tangle with CB Norman but should free up in motion for his allotment of catches... WR Thielen is set for a bump in tgts and production on the other side of the formations and is in FFB play for wk10... heads up on RB Hillman; he offers best upside for MIN right now.

DNP

DNP

WR Jackson is likely out this wk with a nagging shoulder... Coach Gruden is beginning to sound a tad annoyed with D-Jax, who seems to be ‘plagued’ with a new ailment each wk... D-Jax looked poised for a huge contract yr go, showing up fast and muscled; oh well... WR Crowder is the riser in WSH and a must have... he is Cousins’ go-to with or without TE Reed in the lineup... Crowder has 22 tgts and 16 receptions in last 2 gms, good for 215 yds... Crowder has a TD 2 of last 3 gms... WR Garcon has at least 7 tgts 3 of last 4 gms, with at least 5 catches in 3 of last 4... Garcon with just 1 score on the season, but with Jackson residing in the trainer’s room, a bump in production is on the way... eyes on reserve WR Grant; this is a 3-WR offense and Grant is a solid router and YACer... MIN secondary is tough on WRs, despite a couple of injuries to starters... WRs have scored 4 TDs in last 3 gms vs MIN... DET WR Tate’s 79 yds last wk was a season high against the Viking DBs... QBs have just 0-1 TD vs MIN 6 of last 7 gms... MIN has held QBS under 220 yds 3 of last 4 gms... QB Cousins is heating up about the same time as last season... Cousins has 759 yds in last 2 gms... Cousins has 6 TDs in last 3 gms (5 pass- 1 run)... he will keep throws short and quick vs an aggressive MIN front and hip-sticking DBs... Coach Gruden also seems to be ticked with former starting RB Jones... Jones has lost his job to undrafted RB Kelley... Kelley is a Hightower (NO) type; runs tough, north and catches well... Jones may not even suit up... RB Thompson produced just 41 YFS wk8 but still saw 12 touches... Thompson is a key this wk as MIN D is swift and can chase down Kelley, limiting his gains... Thompson provides spark and a more threatening air presence... MIN can be run on however, giving up 4.8 YPC over last 3 gms... Kelley will get early cracks at softening the MIN D, with Thompson chipping in frequently over-land... WR Grant has my interest here... TE Reed is always a start for FFB coaches but MIN has yet to allow a TE grab a 6.

Stefon Diggs is on PPR fire the past 2 games, snaring 21 footballs from QB Sam Bradford. Diggs good works gets the attention of shutdown CB Josh Norman in week 10. While that is a tough draw for Diggs, it frees up route-sharp and sure-handed Viking WR Adam Thielen. This is one terrific wideout that needs to be included more on the Minnesota pass game. He runs crisp patterns, shows supreme body control and "reads" his QB fluidly without hesitation. With Diggs tangled up by Norman on a majority of snaps, Thielen beats up on talented but burnable Breshaud Breeland.

WR Jamison Crowder has been on fire the past 2 games, topping 100 yards in each. Crowder is no fluke; the guy is that good out of the slot. But he butts heads with a bevy of Vikings CBs and safeties that just suck the air out of opposing WRs sails. Washington’s first wave of offense against the stout Minnesota D will be hitting the weak link, which is stopping the run. Crowder is still PPR worthy, but his YAC will be kept to a minimum in week 10.

The Vikings need to jump-start this offense, especially the ground attack. RB McKinnon may not be recovered from a turf toe injury and gaining 1.1 YPC is a hot clue. Rumblin’ rusher Matt Asiata has all the elusiveness of a refrigerator. This is a week to get the run game fixed as the Redskins are ripe for the picking if the Vikes can find a RB to do the pickin’. Maybe they found on elast week in Bronco cast-off Ronnie Hillman. While Asiata and McKinnon slogged behind the line of scrimmage last week versus Detroit, Hillman rushed for a sharp 4.3 YPC and added in a 32-yard reception for 62 YFS. Bet he sees more snaps and quality touches here as OC Shurmer seeks answers to an offense gone M.I.A.

WR Landry 6, RB Ajayi 4, TE Jones 4, TE Gray 4, WR Parker 4

3-gm RB theory is in full bloom in MIA as RB Ajayi broke another 100-yd gm off in wk9, against a pretty tough NYJ run D... in his last 3 gms Ajayi has 529 yds and 4 TDs... Ajayi has scored a TD 5 of his last 6 gms... a concern, and hence the 3-gm RB theory of hitting a wall, is the 77 carries Ajayi has handled over the 3 gm hot run... add to it the cross-country/time zone challenge and SD’s underrated run D and FFB coaches have cause for pause... RBs gain 4.1 YPC vs SD over last 3 gms, scoring 4 TDs rushing... where SD is flawed vs RBs is covering the routes... RBs have an NFL high 73 catches on the Chargers LBs... Ajayi is a good receiver out of the backfield, but rookie RB Drake and under-appreciated Williams are better pass-catchers... Williams could see a big bump in PPR work here while Ajayi’s carries dip... Ajayi will be a sure-fire goal liner, regardless... SD has been rocked for 11 rushing TDs by RBs, 2^nd most... SD’s secondary has limited QBs to 0-1 TD 3 of last 4 gms... however, QBs are making hay between the 20s, avg’g 281.8 yds a gm over last 5 gms... QB Tannehill has to be careful as SD has been an opportunistic defense, picking off 11 passes, 2^nd most... QB Tannehill has just 2 TD throws over last 4 gms... Tannehill under 205 yds passing 4 of last 5 gms... obviously that regression (due to a concentration on the run gm) is killing the MIA WRs... MIA WRs have combined for just 1 TD since wk4... WR Landry has just 1 TD on the season... Landry has a bad shoulder and will try to gut it out this wk... WR Parker has not been running full speed all season... Parker under 30 yds 4 of last 5 gms and has not scored since wk2... Landry, PPR reliant, held to 5 or less receptions 3 of last 4 gms... don’t look for a swift change of strategy by HC Gase and return to a passing offense... MIA was 1-4 with a pass-centric playbook; 3-0 after turning to Ajayi... WRs are taking the lid off the SD secondary over last 3 gms, sporting a hot 16.3 YPR but scoring just 2 TDs... MIA is a run-first offense as long as Ajayi can hold up... the carries are mounting rapidly and let’s not forget he has had knee issues not too long ago... RB Williams needs to be on-call for Ajayi owners.

RB- Gordon 65, Farrow 15... WR- Inman 76, Williams 66, Whalen 49... TE- Gates 66

TE Gates 9, WR Inman 9, WR Williams 7, RB Gordon 4

SD has a backfield star of their own to counter Ajayi; Gordon... over last 4 gms RBS rip MIA D for 4.8 YPC; RBs scored a TD in 2 consec gms vs MIA... Gordon has 307 yds rushing in last 2 gms and has 3 TDs over last 3... Gordon leads the NFL with 11 TDs (9 run- 2 rec)... like Ajayi, Gordon’s carries are becoming mountainous and the ‘wall’ might be just ahead; 104 rushes in last 4 gms... Gordon’s cuff is rookie RB Farrow; do it and do it NOW... SD has a couple of WRs dinged; Benjamin and Williams... Benjamin doesn’t look that close to playing while Williams is likely to suit up... Williams has 6 of more tgts 7 of last 8 gms... WR Inman saw 9 tgts last wk and is a neaky good option for FFB coaches in wk10... Inman thrown to at least 6 times 5 of last 6 gms... he has QB Rivers’ confidence and is a good YAC-getter... Williams brings the size/speed tools and is the deep threat for Rivers... only 1 WR has topped 60 yds vs MIA DBs since wk4... WRs have scored 5 TDs over last 4 gms on MIA... MIA has given up just 2 TDs to TEs this season and 1 since wk2... a SD TE has scored a TD 5 of last 6 gms... vet Gates has reclaimed the top job with Henry hurting... Gates with a TD 4 of his last 6 gms... he needs 4 more to break all-time TE TD record holder Tony Gonzalez... Rivers made it a goal before the season began and Gates could go on a scoring binge down the stretch... Rivers has not been as razor sharp as last season (63.4% compared to 66.2% in 2015)... a changing of the WR guard is part of the issue... MIA secondary has been surprisingly good, capping QBs at 0-1 TD 5 of last 6 gms... QBs throw for a paltry 196.3 yd a gm over last 4 gms vs MIA... Rivers will hand off to hot RB Gordon early, but seek out Gates in close to get the future HOF TE closer to the record... WR Inman is the lead tgt-getter while Williams makes the splashy plays... MIA is better defending the pass than perceived; beware a little Rivers let-down here.

OK, which RB do we go with as the HOT READ? Both Jay Ajayi and Melvin Gordon are racking up mountainous ground numbers the past 3 contests and they each have good matchups in week 10. Gordon has the advantage as the Miami ground D has been getting gashed the past few weeks, and Gordon is the NFL leader in TDs with 11. So, with that and the home field advantage, Melvin Gordon is still hot.

Jay Ajayi is on fire and Coach Gase is enjoying the simplicity of a sound ground attack. While Ajayi gets the shine these days, the Dolphin wideouts are suffering greatly. Most notably, PPR monster Jarvis Landry has morphed into a high-profile chain-mover. He doesn’t score TDs even when he’s catching balls at a 100-reception pace, and has logged 1 this season. Making matters bleaker for his FFB coaches is the damaged shoulder Landry will try to play through. UGH!

Better go out and try to add TE Anotnio Gates to your rosters. Yes, he’s well-past his prime and there are more exciting youngsters out there, but Gates and Rivers have a mission they started way back in OTAs. Gates is now 4 TD short of breaking the all-time TE TD record of Tony Gonzalez. As we head into the stretch run of the fantasy schedule, another 4 TDs from your TE would be darn good. That’s on the way with Gates, if Rivers has anything to say about it... and he does.

TE Witten 10, WR Beasley 6, WR Bryant 4

Romo sage continues... Romo is not practicing in full and could be a wk away from being rookie QB Prescott’s direct back-up... when things get hot and the standings begin to tighten behind the ‘Boys, Romo will likely get the nod... Prescott has been terrific and has cemented his future in DAL, but Romo will also thrive if pressed into action... it’s not a bad thing for DAL skill players if Romo gets back in there... the maligned PIT secondary has snuck up and become pretty good defending QBs around the stripe... QBs capped at 0-1 TD 3 of last 4 gms... QB Prescott has accounted for 9 TDs over last 3 gms (8 pass- 1 run)... has 3 TDs in 3 consec gms... Prescott has surpassed 27 attempts once over last 4 gms... the concern with Prescott is if he doesn’t get the TD one way or another, his air yds are not enough for FFBers... WR Bryant has over 100 yds 2 of his last 4 gms and a TD in 2 of last 3 he’s played in... Prescott funneled tgts Bryant’s way wk8 (14)... slotWR Beasley is Prescott’s true go-to on a wkly basis... when the rook needs a play, Beasley gets dialed up... Beasley has 4 TDs over last 4 gms and over 50 yds in every gm this season... TE Witten had the matchup and Prescott stayed on message, tgt’g Witten 10 times... Witten blew up for 8-134-1 TD... smart work by the young passer... RB Elliott had a human (for him) 92 yds rushing on 18 carries but added 2 more scores... he has 7 scores on the season and over 90 yds rushing in 7 straight gms... RBs have steam-rolled PIT D for 4.5 YPC and 6 TDs over last 4 gms (5 run- 1 rec)... no slowing Elliott down here... WRs have scored just 2 TDs on PIT since wk4... 3 WRs have over 90 yds in a gm on PIT over last 4... since wk6 2 TEs have topped 80 yds receiving vs PIT... DAL takes to the road and keeps it simple for their young QB... Cowboys o-line dominates the line and controls the gm for DAL... RB Elliott breaks 100... DAL WRs, particularly Bryant, may have to wait a wk to visit paydirt.

RB- Bell 65, Williams 4... WR- Brown 69, Rogers 46, Coates 45... TE- Grimble 42, James 31

WR Brown 11, WR Rogers 10, RB Bell 9, WR Coates 5, TE James 4

While QB Roethlisberger is not playing on a sound knee, he is in there and always dangerous... QBS have tossed just 1 TD vs DAL in 3 consec gms... DAL has geld last 2 QBS to 202 and 203 yds, but both are rookies (Wentz and Kessler)... Roethlisberger is a much more effective QB at home; he’s home in wk10... his last 3 home gms Roethlisberger tallied 12 TDs and avg’s 313 yds a gm... WR Brown is still a FFB stalwart despite the QB woes... Brown has a TD and/or 100+ yds 6 of 8 gms... his PPR work is down slightly this season... all PIT WRs not named Brown have dealt with injuries that have or are affecting their performances... WR Rogers came back from his toe inj and snagged 6-103 last wk... WR Coates was still trying to play with a injured hand and went 0-5 last wk... Coates is clearly hurting as he has held onto just 1 of his last 10 tgts... dropped a sure TD last wk... news has Coates handling the football more confidently this wk in practice... DAL has allowed WRs 5 TDs over last 4 gms, but is smothering the YAC; WRs get just 9.5 YPR in that span... Brown is a YAC-getter and will have to get his yds on the fly... check on WR Coates; if the hand is good he is vital to loosen up the DAL stingy secondary... RB Bell is the motor of the offense but couldn’t get started last wk... over last 2 gms RBs gain a low 3.9 YPC on DAL and have scored just 1 TD since wk4... Bell held to 70 YFS on 20 touches last wk, by far his lowest output... Bell has been under 4.0 YPC 3 of last 4 gms... dating back to last season, Bell has not hit the endzone in 8 straight gms... the versatile RB is avg’g a stunning 7.2 receptions a gm... thats a 115 catch pace... DAL covers RBs well and has not allowed a receiving TD to a back this season... a TE has not scored on since wk3... Roethlisberger and Brown are a full notch better performers at home and get it going early this wk... RB Bell continues his YFS action, which makes him virtually matchup proof, but this isn’t a cake-walk... eye up WR Coates and his hand situation... if he’s now able to hold onto the football, he is the wildcard for PIT.

The Steelers can’t stop the run but the Cowboys darn well can run it with Zeke Elliott leading the charge. Pittsburgh’s defense, or lack of it, was the springboard for Miami RB Jay Ajayi’s 200-yard journey. Stop licking your chops, Zeke!

The Steelers’s pass D gets a lot of flack for being a flammable unit but in reality the secondary has given up just 4 TDs to wideouts; that’s 2^nd least in the NFL. Dallas WR Dez Bryant appears to have a juicy matchup based only on the poor rep of the Steelers’ DBs on recent past. Hey, they’re not that bad, are stingy around the endzone with WRs and Dallas is Bryant is on the road here. I’m not buying Dez in week 10.

Some might be down on Ben Roethlisberger at this point, given his cranky knee and pretty crappy play recently. But there’s no place like home, especially for Roethlisberger. In his 3 Heinz field starts Roethlisberger has 12 TDs and averages 313 aerial yards a game there this season. Click those black and gold cleats three times and repeat, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s... you get the idea.

WR Patton 9, RB Harris 6, TE McDonald 6, TE Celek 6, WR Kerley 6

Are we all fired up about QB Kaepernick now in the Coach Kelly offense after his breakout wk9 performance?... c’mon now, 421 yds of offense by the radical QB?... Ok, it was against the Saints D and he was in garbage time most of the 2^nd half... another negative was Kaepernick’s soft 61.5 completion rate, which is actually his best mark this season... Kaepernick travels to ARZ in wk10; not quite the gimme defense the Saints presented... in the last 4 gms ARZ has given up exactly 1 passing TD... QBs avg 201 yds in that span vs ARZ... wk5 SF QB Gabbert got a measly 162 yds, 1 TD and 2 INTs vs ARZ (he did rush for a 2^nd TD)... similar numbers would not be a surprise for Kaepernick here... RB Hyde is still trying to get past a shoulder inj and looks as if he’ll sit out yet another gm... RBs held in check over last 4 gms by ARZ for 3.1 YPC and 3 TDs... CAR RB Stewart scored 2 TDs on ARZ wk8... Hyde notched 78 yds and a score wk5 vs ARZ... RB Harris has won the lead job with Hyde sidelined... Harris tallied 142 YFS and a TD receiving last wk vs NO... NO is one of the NFL’s worst defenses vs RBs... Harris has a tough challenge in wk10... the long-awaited breakout of WR Patton happened last wk; 6-106 on 9 tgts... again, mop-up numbers at play here... ARZ has let up just 1 WR score over last 4 gms... ARZ lost slotDB Mathieu for several wk... slot WR Kerley should PPR his way to a WR3 result this wk... last time out SF TEs got 2 total catches for 8 yds on ARZ... TE McDonald has big play chops but ARZ has not given up a TD to a TE this season... Kaepernick will be hard-pressed to come close to his garbage time induced numbers of wk9.

DNP

DNP

Rested and ready, RB Johnson takes on possibly the NFL’s worst run defense... over last 4 gms SF has been obliterated by RBs for 6.1 YPC and 10 total TDs (9 run- 1 rec)... wk5 RB Johnson tore up SF for 185 YFS and 2 TDs... more of that just ahead... ARZ lost that wk5 gm to SF with QB Palmer out... he’s ready to go this time... SF has let up 2-3 TDs to QBs 7 straight gms... Palmer has thrown for 705 yds in last 2 gms, vs SEA and CAR... the bye wk should benefit the arm of Palmer as well as the wheels of RB Johnson... WR Fitzgerald is nursing a knee ailment and has been limited... call it veteran preservation... following a similar pattern to 2015, after getting off to a hot scoring start Fitz has scored just 1 gm over last 6 gms... he has had 70 or more yds 3 of last 4 gms... that 1 gm was wk5 where he notched 2 TDs vs SF... Fitzgerald has 4 TDs in last 3 gms vs SF... WR Floyd has become far too volatile to trust in a lineup, but this is a good matchup... a risky teaser for sure... WR Nelson has outshined Floyd; 8-79-2 TDs wk8... WR Brown had 4-49-1 TD wk8 also... WRs have torched SF for 9 TDs over last 4 gms... check on the status of Fitzgerald’s knee; if he is close to 100% he shines here... big fly WRs Brown and Nelson are microwave points plays; just takes 1-2 deep balls to notch digits... RB Johnson is rested and rocks the Niners for FFB gold.

The 49ers are gold for NFL RBs. Frisco is rocked for 6.1 YPC by backs over the last 4 games. Dig David Johnson and cash in.

Don’t chase Colin Kaepernick’s garbage time induced points. Arizona’s defense is NOT the Saints defense.

Old man Larry Fitzgerald is managing a knee issue, and father time as well. Fitz also manages the 49ers pretty well around the endzone. IN his last 3 games against the Niners Fitzgerald has 4 TDs. Take his PPR value and add in the 6-pointer and you have a winner at WR2/3.