It is time to set our fantasy lineups for Week 10, and with that in mind, let's follow the data to analyze some of the biggest risers and fallers in my Week 10 rankings to help you make those start-sit decisions.

Risers In My Week 10 Rankings

See below for the biggest upgrades in my Week 10 fantasy football rankings, sorted positionally.

Matthew Stafford is a mid-range QB1 in Week 10.

Stafford has roasted NFL secondaries over the first half of the season.

• Passing yards per game: 269 (first, min five games)
• Passing touchdowns per game: 2.6 (second)

The Rams are operating a perfectly balanced offense with a 0% dropback rate over expected (DBOE). They have perfectly married the run and pass games into a lethal combination that keeps defenses guessing, and Sean McVay continues to jam the fantasy-cheat-code buttons.

• Play action dropback rate: 33% (first)
• Shift-motion snaps: 62% (fifth)

Los Angeles ranks fifth in touchdowns per drive at 31% and fourth in red-zone trips at 38%. In 2025, they are a new team in the red zone thanks to the addition of Davante Adams, who leads the NFL with seven red zone scores and 15 endzone targets. Once inside the 20-yard line, 81% of their TDs have come via the pass.

When you add it all up, Stafford is the QB8 this season with 20.4 points per game.

The Rams carry the fourth-highest team total (26.5) against the 49ers this weekend.

Projection Model (using my PPR projections):

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 22.7
• Median: 18.9
• Floor: 15.2

Stafford is my QB7 this weekend.

QB Rapid Fire: Week 10 Rankings Upgrades & Pending News

• Jaxson Dart | Giants: Dart has become a staple in this column because he regularly ranks ahead of the Fantasy Life consensus. The rookie averages 22.8 points per game over his six starts—the QB5 over that span. The Bears have delivered the fifth-best fantasy boost to the QB position at 3.0 points per contest. Dart is my QB5 and offers the fourth-highest Xfinity Best ceiling on the slate at 26.9 points.
   
• Caleb Williams | Bears: Williams got a nod in this column last week thanks to an incredible matchup against the Bengals. The second-year QB came through with a massive 38.7 fantasy point performance to lead the position in Week 9. While he doesn't get to face Cincinnati again, Williams gets a Giants defense that has boosted opposing passing attacks by 2.7 points over the last four games. The Bears are 3.5-point favorites according to Vegas, but Freedman's NFL Betting Game Model likes them even more at 7.3 points (that's a five-star bet, y'all). That gives Chicago the second-highest team total on the slate in the Wet Blanket's model. Williams is a mid-range QB1 with a 24.0 Xfinity Best ceiling.
   
• Jared Goff | Lions: Goff is the QB17 in fantasy with 17.5 points per game. He ranks 14th in passing yards (239) and fourth in passing TDs (2.1). While projecting Goff on a weekly basis can be tricky due to the Lions' strong ground game, the Commanders offer the fourth-highest fantasy boost to QB rooms at 3.4 points per game. Over the last four games, they have boosted signal callers by 7.9 points via the air alone—which is the number we care about for Mr. Goff. Goff is a low-end QB1 with high-end QB1 upside against Washington.
   
• Sam Darnold | Seahawks: Darnold leads all NFL passers with 9.6 yards per attempt. If you are looking for one individual player stat that correlates the most with winning games, that's the one. In corresponding news, the Seahawks are 6-2. The Cardinals have been decent against QBs, holding them two points below their average. However, the Seahawks are such a balanced offense that teams have a hard time committing all their resources to one area. Darnold is the QB16 with 17.8 points per game, but that number jumps all the way to 19.6 (QB11) just by removing their Week 1 test-run game. Darnold is a borderline QB1.

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Rico Dowdle is the consensus RB7 against the Saints.

Dowdle regained control of the Carolina backfield with a 74% snap share in Week 9, helping lead the Panthers to a victory over the Packers. The veteran RB recorded his third 90-plus Utilization Score in a five-game span.

Dowdle has started three games for the Panthers this year and has averaged 31.5 points, going bonkers in all three contests.

• Week 5: 32.4
• Week 6: 33.9
• Week 9: 28.1

While he isn't likely to sustain that pace (no one can), Dowdle offers a very strong rest-of-season outlook based on range-of-outcomes analysis in the Week 10 Utilization Report.

The Panthers are 5.5-point favorites over the Saints, who provide the No. 8 boost to opposing RBs at 2.6 points per game. Freedman's model has the Panthers as 7.5-point favorites—even higher than the oddsmakers (5.5).

Imagine a society where the Panthers play with a lead. They have trailed by nine-plus points on 37% of plays—the sixth-most in the NFL. 

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 27.3
• Median: 18.1
• Floor: 13.5

Dowdle is a mid-range RB1 with high-end RB1 upside against New Orleans.

Note: Dowdle (quad) didn't practice on Wednesday. If he can't play, Chuba Hubbard would move into low-end RB2 territory.

RB Rapid Fire: Week 10 Rankings Upgrades & Pending News

• Quinshon Judkins | Browns: Judkins is coming back from a shoulder injury that knocked him out of Week 8, but reports indicate he is on track to practice. This week, the Browns will face the Quinnen Williams-less Jets. Opposing RBs have averaged 4.4 yards per carry this season against New York, but that number has increased to 5.2 per carry on 62 plays without Williams. That is excellent news for Judkins. The Jets already provided a 3.1 points-per-game boost to opposing offenses via rushing alone. Oddsmakers expect a close game with the Browns as 1.5-point underdogs, which should keep Judkins engaged if healthy enough to play. Judkins is a borderline RB1 with a 21.2 Xfinity Best ceiling.
   
• Chicago RBs | Bears: D'Andre Swift didn't play in Week 9 with a groin injury, leaving his status up in the air for Week 10. Prior to Swift's absence in Week 9, Kyle Monangai's role was already growing, with a 46% snap share compared to Swift's 51%, suggesting a potential committee. The Giants offer the fourth-highest fantasy boost to the RB position at 6.4 points per game, and the Bears are seven-point favorites with the second-highest team total in Freedman's model. We have a couple of potential scenarios:
  • Swift and Monangai play: Swift is a high-end RB2; Monangai is a high-end RB3
  • Swift doesn't play: Monangai is a low-end RB1
• J.K. Dobbins | Broncos: Dobbins failed to come through against the Texans in Week 9 with only 6.9 fantasy points, but his role remained unchanged. He led the team with a 68% rush share and handled all of the short-yardage work. RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie are the pass-down backs, which creates volatility in Dobbins' range of outcomes, but the Broncos are 9.5-point favorites over the Raiders and carry a healthy 26-point team total. That is a good combo for Dobbins, who is a mid-range RB2 in Week 10.
   
• TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots: Henderson was the RB1 for the Patriots with Rhamondre Stevenson out. While the fantasy box score wasn't imposing with 12.7 points, his underlying Utilization Score of 81 was solid. He led the team with a 75% snap share and handled 56% of the rushing attempts. The rookie was also active in the passing game with a 70% route participation rate and 19% target share. Henderson is a low-end RB2 with a sneaky 22.7-point Xfinity Best ceiling if Stevenson is out against the Buccaneers.
   
• Arizona RBs | Cardinals: Keep an eye on Trey Benson, who is eligible to return in Week 10. If he is back, he slots into low-end RB2 territory against the Seahawks. If he can't go, we will likely see a split between Emari DeMercado and Bam Knight again.
   
• Minnesota RBs | Vikings: Before leaving the game with an AC joint sprain, Aaron Jones was dominating the Vikings' backfield with a 77% snap share in Week 9. We will have to monitor practice reports this week, but if Jones practices in full, he could lead the team in touches. The Ravens defense has boosted opposing RB rooms the sixth-most at 2.9 points per game. Scenarios:
  • Jones is limited in practice and plays: Jones is a mid-range RB3; Jordan Mason is a low-end RB3
  • Jones practices in full and plays: Jones is a low-end RB2; Mason is a high-end RB4
  • Jones doesn't play: Mason is a low-end RB2 with RB1 upside

Davante Adams is a top-six fantasy WR in Week 10. 

Early in the season, Adams was highly targeted, but he and Stafford were still working out the kinks. Through the first five games, Adams had a catchable target rate of 60%, 65th out of 77 WRs with at least 100 routes.

However, the connection has grown with Adams notching a 71% catchable target rate since Week 6. Over that span, the veteran has averaged 19.1 points per game with two top-six performances.

With small samples like this, it is hard to know if we are dealing with a trend or variance. The good news is Adams leads all receivers with eight touchdowns and ranks first in endzone targets with 1.9 per game. He is a massive part of one of the most potent passing attacks in the NFL.

The Rams boast the fourth-highest team total (26.5) and play a 49ers defense allowing the eighth-highest fantasy boost to WR corps at 2.9 points per game.

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 22.1
• Median: 14.9
• Floor: 10.8

Adams is a mid-range WR1 with multi-TD upside.

WR Rapid Fire: Week 10 Rankings Upgrades & Pending News

• Ladd McConkey | Chargers: The overcrowding of the Chargers' receiving corps is a legit concern for all parties involved. However, they remain a pass-oriented attack with a good quarterback, and McConkey has been their go-to option against man coverage. The Steelers have sanctioned the No. 4 boost to opposing WR rooms at 4.4 points per game and play the third-most man coverage in the NFL at 38%. McConkey has a 30% target share versus man, a 13-percentage-point improvement over zone. McConkey is a borderline WR1 who could get loose for multiple big plays against Pittsburgh.
   
• Rome Odunze | Bears: Odunze was a massive letdown in Week 9 against the Bengals, posting a donut. But he won't have to wait long for a chance at redemption. The Giants are a below-average pass defense, allowing the ninth-largest boost to WRs (2.7), and they play the highest rate of man coverage in the NFL at 41%. Odunze has been a boss against man coverage in 2025, leading the Bears with a 31% target share and a mouth-watering 2.51 yards per route run (YPRR). Odunze has lost some of his early-season sizzle, but is a low-end WR1 with a 19.6-point Xfinity Best ceiling.  
   
• DK Metcalf | Steelers: Metcalf has delivered a dud performance in two of his last three games, with Aaron Rodgers locking in on his multi-headed TE unit. The Chargers' defense has been problematic for WRs, holding them 4.2 points below their average. Still, I like Metcalf's chances to improve against the fourth-heaviest zone unit. Los Angeles plays zone 79% of the time, and Metcalf leads the Steelers with a 27% target share against zone. He also has a stellar 2.75 YPRR against zone looks. Metcalf is a mid-range WR2 with a 19.2-Xfinity Best ceiling. 
   
• Wan'Dale Robinson | Giants: Robinson has averaged 13.1 points with a 27% target share and 68 Utilization Score in five games without Malik Nabers. The Bears have boosted opposing passing attacks by 6.9 points per game this season, and that has hemorrhaged to 10.6 over the last four outings. As the most-targeted Giants player, that gives Robinson a solid chance of performing above expectations in Week 10. Robinson offers an 18.6 Xfinity Best ceiling and is a low-end WR2.
   
• Jameson Williams | Lions: Williams has been a massive disappointment in fantasy this year. His target share has fallen from 18% to 15% and his aDOT has ballooned from 12.4 to 15.0. Rather than growing into a larger role, we have seen the former first-rounder limited to deep-threat status. Still, he gets a mention in the risers section this week with three quality offenses on bye, plus a matchup against the Commanders. Washington has helped opposing WRs thrive, providing the fourth-largest fantasy boost at 5.1 points per game. Williams is a mid-range WR3 with high-end WR2 upside. 
   
• Tez Johnson | Buccaneers: Johnson is Tampa's best big-play threat in the passing game behind Emeka Egbuka. Over the last three games in a starting role, Johnson has averaged 12.2 fantasy points. This weekend, the rookie gets a juicy matchup against the Patriots, who have green-lighted the No. 2 boost to WR units at 6.0 points per game. Johnson has an Xfinity Best projection of 16.3 points and is a mid-range WR3 against New England in Week 10.

TE Rapid Fire: Week 10 Rankings Upgrades & Pending News

• Dalton Kincaid | Bills: Kincaid continues to play in a part-time role with a 58% route participation, which holds down his Utilization Score (71). However, he is producing, ranking sixth in fantasy points per game at 13.2. His 24% targets per route run (TPRR) ranks third among TEs, and his 44 air yards per game ranks fifth. The Dolphins have consented to the No. 4 fantasy boost at the TE position with 4.2 points per game. Kincaid is a mid-range TE1 with a 17.5-point Xfinity Best projection.

Fallers In My Week 10 Rankings

• Jordan Love | QB | Packers: Love ranks 14th in fantasy points per game at 17.9, but gets a slight downgrade this week thanks to a tough matchup against Philadelphia. The Eagles have been the fourth-hardest matchup for quarterbacks, holding them 3.7 points below their season average. Love is a mid-range QB2.
   
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt | RB | Commanders: Washington lost Jayden Daniels (elbow) last weekend, and the team leaned more into the three-headed committee. Croskey-Merritt secured his lowest snap share since Week 4 at 47%. Over the previous four games, his average attempt share was 57%, which plummeted to 44% against the Seahawks. The Commanders are 8.5-point dogs, and Detroit is the fourth-hardest matchup for RBs. The Lions have held opposing RB rooms to a -4.5-point fantasy boost. Croskey Merritt is a low-end RB3.
   
• Parker Washington | WR | Jaguars: With Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown questionable, and Travis Hunter out, Washington could be the No. 1 option for the Jaguars this weekend. However, the team added Jakobi Meyers, and the matchup against the Texans is brutal. Houston has bewildered opposing WR rooms as the most formidable fantasy defense, holding them to a -8.1-point boost. Washington might indeed find himself in a larger role, but he is in a tough spot—he is a mid-range WR4.

Sicko Starts For Week 10 Fantasy Football

I want to throw in a few names for all my fellow fantasy managers who are in a SICKO league. If you are in a 12-team league with three starting WRs and two flexes, these are for you! Or you are in a more typical setup, but need a name to help get you through injuries; these are for you!

We are looking for players with a rostership under 50% who aren't in many starting lineups.

Let's go, you sickos.

• Week 1: Daniel Jones (hit), Jerome Ford (miss), Rashod Bateman (miss), Hunter Henry (hit)
• Week 2: Trevor Lawrence (hit), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (miss), Kayshon Boutte (hit), Juwan Johnson (hit)
• Week 3: Tyrod Taylor (hit), Tyler Allgeier (miss), Wan'Dale Robinson (miss), Cole Kmet (hit)
• Week 4: Jaxson Dart (hit), TreVeyon Henderson (hit), Troy Franklin (hit), Cade Otton (miss)
• Week 5: Jaxson Dart (hit), Rhamondre Stevenson (hit), Malik Washington (miss), Mason Taylor (hit)
• Week 6: Trevor Lawrence (hit), Kimani Vidal (hit), Isiah Bond (miss), Mason Taylor (miss)
• Week 7: C.J. Stroud (miss), Kendre Miller (injury), Tez Johson (hit), Oronde Gadsden II (hit)
• Week 8: Joe Flacco (hit), Kyle Monangai (miss), Troy Franklin (hit), Colston Loveland (miss)
• Week 9: J.J. McCarthy (hit), Brashard Smith (miss), Chimere Dike (miss), Colston Loveland (hit) 

J.J. McCarthy | QB | Vikings

McCarthy is rostered in 46% of Yahoo leagues and is in 20% of starting lineups.

I didn't want to go back to McCarthy again this week, but the options were minimal given the criteria for rostership under 50%. Still, he is a perfect fit for the requirements we are searching for with the SICKO start. McCarthy is a young player with dual-threat upside.

In three games as a starter, he has struggled mightily as a passer, giving me legit concerns about the rest-of-season range of outcomes for Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Still, he has averaged 16.0 fantasy points despite never reaching 160 yards passing, which is low-key impressive.

McCarthy has handled 11% of the designed rush attempts and has a 6% scramble rate over three games. That has led to seven designed attempts and five scrambles with 21 yards and 0.7 TDs rushing per game.

Thanks to his legs, McCarthy has given us borderline QB1 performances in two of three games. 

I am not as bullish on McCarthy as my fellow rankers. Despite my concerns about him as a passer, he still has the type of profile to spike in rushing and passing categories. However, it is worth noting that the Ravens' pass defense has been much better as of late, holding opposing passers 6.5 fantasy points under their average over the last four outings.

Oddsmakers like the Ravens as 3.5-point favorites on the road against the Vikings; that sort of close game would work in McCarthy's favor.

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 11.9
• Median: 15.5
• Floor: 21.5

McCarthy is a mid-range QB2 with low-end QB1 upside.

Devin Singletary | RB | Giants

Singletary is rostered in 17% of leagues but starts in only 6% of lineups.

The Giants deployment of an unexpected near-even backfield split in the first game, without Cam Skattebo and a late-game injury to Tyrone Tracy Jr., makes Singletary an interesting SICKO option for Week 10.

While Singletary isn't a sexy name, we have seen him come through over stretches of games before. In 2023, he reached a 65% snap share in eight games for the Texans. In those contests, he averaged 15.4 points per game.

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 14.3
• Median: 7.8
• Floor: 5.6

Singletary is a low-end RB3 who offers high-end RB2 upside should Tracy miss time.

Darius Slayton | WR | Giants

Slayton is rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues and is in only 26% of starting lineups.

Slayton returned to the lineup in Week 8. The last two games have been his first opportunity to play with Jaxson Dart without Malik Nabers. Over that stretch, he has a 23% target share with 83 air yards per game.

The upside case for Slayton isn't as strong as some of my previous SICKO calls at WR. This is a player with a long track record, making it unlikely that he will suddenly become a high-end performer. However, he could be the No. 2 in a Giants offense with spike-week potential with Dart at the helm.

The Bears have been the seventh-easiest matchup for the WR position, providing a 3.2-point-per-game boost. 

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 16.0
• Median: 10.1
• Floor: 7.4

Slayton is a borderline WR3 with WR2 upside against Chicago in Week 10.

Luke Musgrave | TE | Packers

Musgrave is rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues and started in 3% of lineups.

Musgrave took over the starting TE duties last weekend after Tucker Kraft exited the game with a season-ending ACL injury. The 2023 second-round NFL draft pick handled an 88% route participation rate and secured a 19% target share after Kraft's injury.

Musgrave has been a disappointment to this point in his career, but injuries and Kraft's emergence have been factors. We have become spoiled at the tight end position over the last three years with early breakouts, but historically, it is a position that has needed time.

The Eagles represent the third-toughest matchup for tight ends. Philadelphia has held opposing TE rooms to five points below their average.

While the matchup isn't ideal, this is a potential free look at a young player who could surprise. The Packers are pretty banged up in the passing game, leaving the door open for a new pecking order to emerge over the second half of the season. 

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 11.8
• Median: 7.4
• Floor: 5.3

Musgrave is a mid-range TE2 with low-end TE1 upside.

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