We are getting to the point where every weekend is big from a fantasy perspective. Whether you are trying to hold a playoff spot or make a late push, its important to maximise your lineup on a weekly basis. There are some big players out on byes this week and a number of key injuries to consider too. Still, there are some good options at every position if you know where to look. Here are my candidates to start and sit this weekend.
Quarterbacks
Start ‘Em
Jared Goff – Sean McVey’s offense isn’t conducive to good fantasy quarterbacks, but this matchup is really hard to resist. The Rams face a Seahawks defense on track to record the worst pass-defending season in NFL history. They are allowing a league-worst 26.7 points to opposing quarterbacks each game and Buffalo showed last weekend that a pass-heavy approach can succeed against the Seahawks.
Drew Brees – Last week we saw Aaron Rodgers tear apart an injuring depleted 49ers defense and this week it is the turn of another veteran. Brees might no longer possess field-stretching ability but this defense allowed a league-worst 0.696 EPA per dropback last week. This offense seems to be improving every week and with Michael Thomas back this should continue. We won’t see another blowout, but you can expect a bunch of points.
Sit ‘Em
Teddy Bridgewater – The Panthers come into Week 10 on the back of four straight losses. Bridgewater looked good against the Chiefs last weekend but this game against the Bucs isn’t an enticing matchup. Despite Tampa Bay’s problems against the Saints they still have one of the league’s best defenses. Their ability to generate pressure will cause a bunch of problems for Bridgewater, who ranks 27th in passer rating under pressure.
Matthew Stafford – Stafford clearly suffered from a lack of practice last week as he threw two picks before leaving the game with a concussion. He’s been cleared for this weekend, but the matchup isn’t a great one. The Lions are facing a Washington defense that ranks ninth against opposing quarterbacks, giving up just 17.2 points per game. He’s without Golladay too which doesn’t help matters.
Running Backs
Start ‘Em
Antonio Gibson – This might be a bit of a risk given how much Alex Smith has targetted J.D. McKissoc, but Gibson has a great matchup this weekend. Washington come up against a Lions team that gave up 275 yards on the ground last weekend and who have struggled against running backs all season. I’m expecting a big bounce back performance from Gibson, who had an underwhelming outing against the Giants last week.
Miles Sanders – Sanders looks like he is set to return for the Eagles this weekend and he’s got a great matchup. The last time these two teams faced off, Boston Scott scored 18.2 points, with Philly utilising him as a runner and receiver. They should take a similar approach with Sanders here against a defense that ranks 23rd against opposing running backs.
Sit ‘Em
Jerrick McKinnon – The 49ers are struggling with injuries and it doesn’t help to be without their top three running backs. McKinnon has been effective when utilised this season but Shanahan is splitting carries with JaMycal Hasty and the unpredictably of this backfield makes it difficult to trust. They also face a Saints defense that has been excellent against the run, allowing just 19.1 fantasy points per game.
Giovani Bernard – Joe Mixon is expected to be back this weekend and Bernard will revert to playing the role of backup. Even if he starts this weekend I wouldn’t consider him a viable fantasy option considering the matchup. The Steelers are allowing just 17.7 points to running backs per game and held Ezekiel Elliot to 2.8 yards per carry. I’d avoid this one at all costs.
Wide Receivers
Start ‘Em
Christian Kirk – Kirk is going through a hot streak in fantasy terms. He has averaged 22.2 points per game since Week 6, with five touchdowns in that period. With DeAndre Hopkins drawing coverage he has been seeing plenty of targets from Murray and this should continue against the Bills this week. Last week he led the team in targets, catches, and receiving yards and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing happened this weekend too.
Antonio Brown – I held off starting Brown last week as it wasn’t clear what kind of role he would play for the Bucs. That turned out to be a good call as they looked completely shambolic on offense. Nevertheless, it was evident that Brown will be a key player and a regular target for Brady moving forward. He should get plenty of chances against the Panthers this weekend.
Sit ‘Em
Jakobi Meyers – Meyers has been a really solid fantasy option over the past few weeks. He’s accounted for 40+ per cent of all targets over the last two weeks and put up 28.9 points against the Jets on Monday night. All of this makes him a player to pick up on waivers but I wouldn’t start him this weekend. He faces a Baltimore defense that rank sixth against opposing wide receivers, allowing just 33.14 points per game.
Justin Jefferson – Jefferson clearly has a bright future ahead of him in the NFL. He ranks second in yards per route run behind Davante Adams and looks like a genuine rookie of the year candidate. That said, he could have a tough time this weekend as the Vikings travel to Chicago to face the Bears. Chicago rank third against opposing wide receivers and have given up just two 100+ yard games all season.
Tight Ends
Start ‘Em
Austin Hooper – Hooper will return this week after missing two games with appendicitis. He has been a reliable receiving option for Baker Mayfield so far this season and will benefit from an increased target share thanks to Odell Beckham’s absence. They face a Texans team who have one of the worst coverage units in the NFL, giving up an average of 14.46 points to tight ends.
Eric Ebron – I feel like Ebron features on these lists regularly but it is with good reason. He has been developing into a key part of this Steelers offense, with 17 targets across their last three games. This weekend they face the Bengals who rank 32nd in fantasy points allowed to tight ends. They are giving up an average of 17.5 points to the position, with 545 yards and six touchdowns allowed so far this seaosn.
Sit ‘Em
Hunter Henry – Henry makes this list for the second week in a row after another underwhelming performance. Against the Raiders he caught four of seven targets for 33 yards. He has not had more than 40 yards since Week 3 and has a single touchdown all season. His role has been almost entirely as an underneath weapon and checkdown option for Justin Herbert, which isn’t conducive to fantasy scoring. This weekend he faces a Dolphins defense ranked seventh against tight ends.
Jared Cook – The Saints were surprisingly dominant against the Bucs but Cook didn’t have a great game, fumbling the ball near the goal line. His target share dropped with the return of Michael Thomas too. This 49ers defense is depleted, but they have remained consistent against tight ends, allowing the fifth fewest points to the position.
Defenses
Start ‘Em
Green Bay Packers – There are only a handful of occasions where I would suggest starting this defense. It has been a problem for the Packers for some time, but there really aren’t many more favourable matchups than this. Jake Luton looked impressive last week but that Texans defense makes Green Bay look like the ’85 Bears in comparison. They should win comfortably and contain Jacksonville with relative ease.
Sit ‘Em
New England Patriots – In the recent past it would have seemed crazy to sit the Patriots defense in fantasy football. Times have changes though and this is not the unit it once was. Last week they became just the second team in the last fourteen games to concede 25+ points to the winless New York Jets. This weekend they face a Ravens team that have set the record for consecutive games with 20+ points and this could be a tough matchup.