Thank goodness Week 9 is officially in the books. It was just a weird week that did not go as many might have expected. In a week where we had Josh Johnson finish as the QB4, James Conner as the RB1, Elijah Moore as the WR1, and Pat Freiermuth as the TE1 it is bound to cause some fantasy misfortune. It feels like every year we have a week like this though and things seem to get back to normal the next week. Now before I get into the sleeper picks for Week 10, as usual, I wanted to review the picks I had last week.
At quarterback, Taysom Hill did not end up playing this last week which was a concern. However, if he does end up starting at some point I feel like he is definitely someone you can look to if you’re in need of a starter. Ryan Tannehill was also a letdown as he finished the week as QB17. Tannehill should still be on the streaming radar in a positive matchup in the future.
At running back, Ty Johnson managed a garbage-time touchdown that likely saved his fantasy day and finished as the RB18 on the week. His passing game usage and with the Jets playing from behind keeps him interesting as a flex play and definitely gets a bigger bump in full PPR formats. Jeremy McNichols had a tough go of things and ended the week as the RB47. The Titans backfield looks to be a bit crowded so I may stay away if I can moving forward.
At wide receiver, we had two guys who seemed to be set up for bigger games however were quite disappointing. Kadarius Toney finished the week as the WR88 with his .7 Half-PPR points. He likely has better games but seems like things can be hit or miss moving forward with a Giants offense that can struggle moving the ball. Jarvis Landry also looked to have a bigger game, but finished as the WR81 on the week. The Browns took control of that game with Nick Chubb and didn’t need to throw a lot which likely contributed to Landry’s performance. I would feel okay starting Landry moving forward in games where they are expected to be competitive in or playing from behind.
At tight end, Pat Freiermuth far exceeded his ECR ranking as he finished the week as the TE1 on the week. He likely maintains value going forward as he continues to see a good amount of targets each week. If I am in need of a streamer tight end I think you could definitely do a lot worse.
As mentioned before, I will utilize several factors when exploring who my weekly sleepers will be. I will be looking at ADP (Fantasypros.com ADP), weekly positional rankings (Fantasypros.com ECR), rostership percentages, and some betting info (to help give perspective on possible outcomes). When referencing scoring in these articles this season I will be looking at Half-PPR scoring and in terms of league size I will stick with 12-team leagues.
Quarterbacks: Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 10
Matt Ryan (QB, ATL) at Dallas Cowboys
Ryan put together probably his best game of the year last week as he threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a touchdown. He managed to finish last week as the QB3. He looks to build off this strong outing against the Cowboys in Week 10 and currently is ranked as the ECR QB15 heading into the week.
Over the season so far he’s averaged 26 completions on 38 attempts with 269 yards and 1.8 touchdowns. He gets a Dallas defense that is 8th in points given up to the QB position this year and giving up 24 points per game. Dallas looks to get right after getting rolled over by the Broncos so I imagine (as usual) the Falcons will need to throw the ball to stay competitive. I don’t know if Ryan brings week-to-week top three upside, but he’s got potential this week to finish above his current ECR and possibly crack the top 12. He should be available in about 50% of leagues if you’re in need of a streaming option.
Running Backs: Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 10
Devonta Freeman (RB, BAL) at Miami Dolphins
Freeman currently sits at ECR RB23, so is already ranked in the RB2 range for the week. However, he is only on about 23% of rosters on Yahoo and 13% on ESPN. Freeman has seen 10.6 opportunities (rushes and receptions) over the last three weeks and has found the endzone in all three games. He gets a decent matchup this week as the Dolphins are currently allowing 111 rushing yards per game.
Le’Veon Bell still has been involved (while Latavius Murray has been out), but last week Freeman out-touched Bell 13-11, out rushed him 79-48, and had more yards per attempt 6.08-4.36. Freeman likely finishes near his current ECR, but with his availability I believe can be picked up and used as a flex play this week in a game the Ravens are projected to win.
D’Ernest Johnson (RB, CLE) at New England Patriots
Johnson is likely to get the start this week against the Patriots after Nick Chubb tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week along with Demetric Felton. Due to the league protocols, this requires Chubb and Felton to have two negative COVID tests 24 hours apart before he can return and play.
Johnson is currently ranked as the ECR RB29 and is essentially the last man standing (if Chubb and Felton cannot play) against a Patriots run defense giving up 108 yards per game. Keep an eye on Nick Chubb and if he gets through the COVID protocols, but fire up Johnson if Chubb is out this week.
Wide Receivers: Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 10
Hunter Renfrow (WR, LVR) vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Renfrow has continued to provide a safe floor throughout the season and enters week 10 as the ECR WR26. Last week Renfrow saw 9 targets and caught 7 of them for 49 yards and a touchdown. This year, Renfrow has averaged 7.5 targets and 5.6 receptions with 56 receiving yards per game.
Renfrow gets a significant bump in full PPR formats but is averaging 10.7 fantasy points a week. If you’re in need of a flex or a safe floor option at WR this week you can likely expect him to hit his average fantasy point once again.
Tim Patrick (WR, DEN) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Patrick is the WR45 heading into the week, but continues to be a fairly reliable fantasy contributor this year as he is currently the WR29 on the year. Patrick is averaging 5.2 targets, 3.7 receptions, 56.6 yards, and .4 touchdowns per game this year. This has him averaging about 10.2 fantasy points per game. He’s likely available on the waiver wire and can be played as a flex.
Tight Ends: Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 10
Dan Arnold (TE, JAC) at Indianapolis Colts
Arnold is currently the TE11 in ECR this week, which ranks him as a TE1 on the week, but his availability on most fantasy formats is what is leading to me listing him as a sleeper pick this week. He sits on about 27% of Yahoo rosters and 17% of ESPN rosters so he’s likely available if you’re in need of a streamer.
Arnold likely won’t get you the upside to get a top finish at his position, but he’s had 17 targets over the last two weeks. He’s turned those 17 targets into 12 receptions and 128 yards. He brings a safe floor at a volatile tight end position at times and could be slotted into your lineups and I’d expect an 8-12 point performance.
