NFL Reactions: Week 10 Recap

The late-afternoon games were not fun to watch at all. We basically had three non-competitive games. Fortunately, the early games provided fantastic finishes. Let's dive into this week's action.

Steelers at Commanders

This game lived up to the hype. Neither quarterback passed for more than 202 yards and no running back topped 70 rushing yards. Regardless, this game was close throughout. The Steelers went ahead in the final minute. As Washington was trying to mount a game-winning drive, it came up inches short of a first down just outside field-goal range. As a result, the Steelers ended up with a big win.

George Pickens continues to be a strong producer with Russell Wilson at quarterback. The receiver has at least 74 yards in each of the three games with his new quarterback. Although the weekly targets are not high, the production should remain. Also, Najee Harris failed to reach 100 rushing yards for the first time in four games. However, the veteran did punch in another touchdown to give him a solid fantasy performance. Harris remains a strong weekly fantasy play. It was great to see Jaylen Warren post 95 scrimmage yards. It was the first time this season that he recorded more than 61. The veteran should continue to see double-digit touches most weeks, making him an excellent flex option. Finally, newly acquired Mike Williams had one target. The receiver hauled in a touchdown reception that ended up being the game winner for Pittsburgh. Williams may not see a lot of targets, but his downfield ability fits well with his quarterback. 

For many years, Austin Ekeler has been one of the best goal-line runners in the NFL. In this game, the running back cashed in a pair of short scores to go with 51 scrimmage yards. As long as Brian Robinson misses time with a hamstring injury, Ekeler should continue to see a few extra touches. On a side note, a case can be made that this was the first truly difficult matchup for Jayden Daniels. The great news is that the rookie gave his team a chance to win against a strong opponent. For fantasy, he had a tough day. Daniels completed half of his passes for 202 yards and a pair of interceptions. The quarterback was unable to get anything going on the ground. The quarterback's five rushing yards was easily his worst effort of the season. Things are certain to get better against more favorable opponents for Daniels. As I've been saying for weeks, it's not recommended to ever bench Terry McLaurin. Even though the receiver was targeted just six times, McLaurin posted 113 yards.

Bills at Colts

Amari Cooper missed his second consecutive game with a wrist injury. It's apparent that when Cooper is out, defenses can approach Buffalo much more aggressively. Josh Allen tossed a pair of interceptions, which helped keep this game somewhat close until the second half. The quarterback threw for 280 yards, but no touchdowns. The good news was that Allen rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown to salvage his fantasy day. When Cooper returns, this could be one of the best offenses in the league down the stretch. James Cook handled 20 touches and found the end zone. He remains a player with a high scoring floor, who is also capable of the occasional big game. Finally, Khalil Shakir had his fourth consecutive game in which he posted 11 to 19 PPR points. The slot receiver should remain a reliable weekly floor play.

Joe Flacco reminded fantasy fans that a bad day for a quarterback can often result in a solid fantasy performance. The Indianapolis signal caller threw a trio of interceptions. His mistakes led to the Colts chasing points. He finished with 272 passing yards and two touchdowns. With Michael Pittman missing this game, Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce posted 13 to 18 PPR points. It worked out for Pierce that he was able to catch a meaningless touchdown with two seconds left in the game. Fantasy managers will gladly take any score like that. Still, Downs remains the only receiver we can count on each week. The second-year pass catcher usually sees at least nine targets a game. Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor had most of his 114 rushing yards in the first half. The veteran appeared on his way to a big performance, but he was unable to break big plays in the second half. Obviously, Taylor hasn't been as great as many would have liked for fantasy, but he is seeing solid volume and producing at a reasonable level.

Broncos at Chiefs

It wasn't pretty, but the Chiefs maintained their perfect record. It looked like they were about to lose as Denver's Wil Lutz  lined up for a 35-yard field goal as time was expiring. Somehow, the Chiefs blocked the kick to win 16-14. Travis Kelce had his third consecutive fantasy performance of at least 20 PPR points. There's no reason to expect him to slide from the elite level. Although Kareem Hunt rushed for 2.5 yards per carry, the running back was targeted an unusual 10 times. That volume resulted in Hunt catching seven passes for 65 yards. Until Isiah Pacheco returns, Hunt is an excellent weekly fantasy option. Don't be surprised if Hunt sees  just a handful of touches per game once his teammate returns. Finally, DeAndre Hopkins faced the elite secondary of the Broncos. Expecting a ceiling game would have been a bit foolish. Fantasy managers had to be pleased when Hopkins caught four passes for 56 yards. This should be one of his lowest fantasy outputs. I don't think it's wrong to consider Hopkins a top-24 receiver in PPR leagues.

Coach Sean Payton Pulled the rug out on many fantasy managers. After playing reasonably well all season, Javonte Williams appeared to be relegated. From what I saw, the running back did not suffer an injury, though I could be wrong. Williams had one rushing attempt and two targets while Audric Estime  handled 14 carries for 53 yards. Unless we hear news that explains something different, Estime would obviously become a priority player on the waiver wire. Also, Courtland Sutton had his third strong performance in a row.  Although Sutton didn't match the 100-yard level he reached in the last two weeks, the veteran posted 70 yards and a touchdown. There certainly will be occasional down weeks for the receiver, but it makes sense to value Sutton inside the top-36 receivers.

49ers at Buccaneers

Christian McCaffrey was finally back in action. The superstar handled 19 of 21 running back touches for the 49ers. Even though McCaffrey rushed for three yards per carry, he caught six passes for 68 yards to give him 107 scrimmage yards. It wasn't the massive performance that some had hoped for, but in his first game of the season it's difficult to complain about the bottom line. At quarterback, Brock Purdy had an excellent performance. He spread the ball around to his top-five receiving options, leading to a season-high 353 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Purdy should remain one of the highest-floor quarterbacks each week. He also has the potential for occasional spike games. The leaders in receiving yardage were Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. It may be difficult to have a fair projection for each of these receivers, but they certainly have shown they have the ability to be solid fantasy producers. 

The fact that the Buccaneers were without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin finally seemed to catch up with them. Baker Mayfield only passed for 116 yards against a strong 49ers pass defense. Also, tight end Cade Otton turned eight targets into only 35 yards. However, the backfield duo of Bucky Irving and Rachaad White continued to split work while providing solid fantasy numbers. It makes sense to view them both as top-24 running backs. Tampa Bay will be off next week, and the hope is that it gets Evans back from his hamstring injury. Once Evans returns, Mayfield likely will return to being a top fantasy option at QB.

Jets at Cardinals

Going into this game, I knew that Arizona would have a massive advantage running the ball against the New York defense. What I didn't foresee was the passing game doing extremely well on limited pass attempts. Kyler Murray had a nearly perfect day as a runner and a passer. Murray has been an inconsistent fantasy producer this season, but I will continue to rank him in my weekly top-10 because of the number of ways in which he can beat opponents. Also, James Conner and Trey McBride continued their solid seasons. In addition, Marvin Harrison surpassed 50 yards with a touchdown in a matchup that seemed overwhelming. Arizona may have won against a bad football team, but it could definitely make things interesting for a number of opponents in the postseason.

Last week, the Jets had a very good second half on offense against the Texans. This week against the Cardinals, New York was blown out. It appeared on the Jets' first drive of the third quarter that they were going to have a chance to come back. They drove the ball all the way down the field only to turn it over on downs. At that point, Arizona blew the game open. If it hasn't happened already, this team could completely implode. I almost wonder if Aaron Rodgers would consider pulling a surprise retirement. This is a bad way to end a Hall of Fame career.

Eagles at Cowboys

Although the Eagles had a few struggles finishing off drives in the first half, they figured things out and blew the doors off the Cowboys in the second half. With Jalen Hurts rushing in another pair of touchdowns, he continues to limit the upside of other offensive weapons, especially Saquon Barkley. When all of the receivers are healthy, A.J. Brown is the primary option while DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert vie for the scraps. That still should not deter fantasy managers from placing Smith and Goedert in weekly lineups. it is simply a matter of taking the good with the bad. 

The last time we saw Cooper Rush on a football field as a starter, he was leading Dallas to a 5-1 record in 2022. During that season, the Cowboys had an excellent offensive line and run game. In addition, they had one of the better defenses in the league. This situation could not be more different. In addition, the quarterback faced a Philadelphia defense that has been getting better with each week. Against lesser opponents, the top offensive options on Dallas could still be useful in fantasy, though the ceiling is greatly diminished.

Vikings at Jaguars

Many fantasy managers were concerned that Sam Darnold would eventually regress. This was the week that it happened. Facing the Jaguars' terrible defense, Darnold threw three interceptions, and each came with the team deep in scoring range. Instead of possibly throwing multiple touchdowns, the quarterback ended the day with 241 passing yards and no touchdowns. It is certainly possible that Darnold continues to be a high-floor fantasy option. Just remember, his history has often consisted of hot starts followed by freezing finishes. Also, it was great to see T.J. Hockenson catch eight of nine targets for 72 yards. I think we can say he's officially back for fantasy. However, the wide receivers did little in this game. Let's hope that gets ironed out quickly. Unfortunately, Aaron Jones left this game with a chest injury. As expected, Cam Akers was the primary backup. Akers handled 14 touches for 47 yards while Ty Chandler had four rushing attempts. If Jones is set to miss time, Akers is the obvious player to target in free agency.

There's really not much to say about the Jaguars. Mac Jones took over for the injured Trevor Lawrence. Jones passed for 111 yards while running in a short touchdown. Evan Engram was fine in PPR leagues, as he posted 10 points. Tank Bigsby left the game with an ankle injury, and Travis Etienne  handled 11 carries for 44 yards. As long as Jones is at quarterback, it may be difficult to trust any Jacksonville receivers other than Engram in fantasy lineups.

Titans at Chargers

The Chargers have proven to be a legitimate playoff contender in the AFC. They had an easy matchup against a Tennessee offense led by Will Levis, but has slowed most opponents. Offensively, the team has a nice balance between rushing and passing. Even though Justin Herbert doesn't attempt a lot of passes, he has been a strong fantasy producer the last three weeks. It seemed a little surprising to see Gus Edwards take significant work in his return from injured reserve compared to starter J.K. Dobbins. That said, the team probably wants to keep each of its running backs fresh, so it makes sense. What was even more frustrating was seldom-used running back Hassan Haskins vultured a goal-line score while the game was still somewhat in question. Finally, Quentin Johnston scored a touchdown for the fourth time this season. It's reasonable to view him as a flex option.

After a brutal stretch earlier in the season, Calvin Ridley now has been a solid fantasy option three weeks in a row. Sure, it could evaporate any time, but for now, Ridley is back in the fantasy circle of trust. Also, Tony Pollard had been overworked a number of weeks while Tyjae Spears was out with an injury. In a game that got away from the Titans in the third quarter, the coaching staff was wise to scale back Pollard's workload. Ridley and Pollard are the only players who offer fantasy confidence. 

Patriots at Bears

I did not have much in the way of expectations for the Patriots' offense against a solid Chicago defense. Things were even worse because New England played with a lead almost the entire game. It had no reason to be aggressive. Both Rhamondre Stevenson (8.7 PPR points) and DeMario Douglas (9.9 PPR points) were recommended fantasy options going into this game. At least they each had solid floor games. Hunter Henry had been playing very well with Drake Maye, but, of course, Austin Hooper who led the Patriots in receiving yards. 

I wish I had something positive to say about the Bears' offense. Against a New England defense that has been decimated by injuries and trades, Chicago was unable to score a touchdown. D'Andre Swift led with 65 scrimmage yards. None of the pass catchers posted 10 PPR points. Caleb Williams was brutal. He barely completed half of his passes. Even with the team trailing throughout, Williams passed for 120 yards and no touchdowns. Aside from Swift, I can't strongly recommend any player in the Chicago offense. There seems to be almost no upside with this offense. The coaching staff in Chicago cannot be relieved of its duties fast enough. Despite an injured offensive line, the coaching staff has done nothing to help this offense. 

Falcons at Saints

Apparently, Dennis Allen's firing gave the Saints a bump. It appeared as if they would struggle to match up with a solid Atlanta team. Of course, divisional battles can take on a life of their own. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has struggled to be a strong fantasy performer over the years with some of the best quarterback play in the league. There is no universe in which I would have recommended him as a fantasy option with Derek Carr as his quarterback against an Atlanta team that was likely to blitz often. Somehow, he posted 109 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns on three targets. The Saints are completely decimated at wide receiver, and Valdes-Scantling might be the best receiver left on their roster. Still, it's tough to recommend him as a fantasy option. Those who need to use him can pray that he catches a deep pass and does something with it. Otherwise, Alvin Kamara  continued his excellent season with 109 scrimmage yards. I still don't know how the veteran turned the clock back after being one of the most inefficient running backs in the league last year. That said, I am very happy that he continues to play at an elite level.

Atlanta can blame itself for this loss. Younghoe Koo  missed three field goals. Despite the poor kicking performance, the Falcons had plenty of chances to score the 21points that were needed to win this game. After a slow first quarter, Kirk Cousins ended up throwing for 306 yards, but both of the teams' touchdowns came on rushes. With Cousins throwing for all that yardage, Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts each had respectable fantasy performances. This passing attack should continue to be useful for fantasy managers. The big winner was Bijan Robinson. The running back has now surpassed 100 scrimmage yards in each of his last five games while scoring in four of those games. Robinson is turning out to be the best running back selected in the first round of fantasy drafts.

Giants vs Panthers ( played in Germany)

Bryce Young looked great in the first quarter. Unfortunately, the Panthers' passing attack fell completely apart the rest of the game. As long as Young is playing quarterback for this team, it will be difficult to count on any of the pass-catching options as fantasy upside plays. The Panthers have yet to activate Jonathon Brooks in a game. As a result, Chuba Hubbard continues to be an outstanding fantasy option. Despite losing a fumble, Hubbard rushed for 153 yards against a weak New York run defense. As long as the running back holds onto the lead role when Brooks is activated, he'll be a strong weekly fantasy option.

Despite facing a terrible Carolina defense, Daniel Jones couldn't top 200 yards. That poor performance resulted in no Giants receiver posting more than 51 receiving  yards. Malik Nabers hasn't had a big fantasy game since Week 4. However, the rookie has averaged double-digit targets this season. Nabers  remains a high floor play in PPR leagues. The good news for Tyrone Tracy is that he rushed for more than 100 yards and a touchdown. The bad news was that Tracy lost the fumble in overtime that led to the Giants losing. Still, Tracy remains the backfield leader and is a high-floor option at running back each week.

Injuries 

• Aaron Jones suffered a chest injury.
• Dalton Kincaid injured his knee. 
• Tank Bigsby suffered an ankle injury.