FanDuel NFL Lineups: Week 10

Welcome to the FanDuel NFL Lineups column for the tenth week of the regular NFL season. We’re a Daily Fantasy Football column focused on top picks and best value for your weekly FanDuel NFL lineups.  We arm you with information for a big FanDuel NFL payday each week.

Last week, T.Y. Hilton finally showed up for the 2017 season and piled on 32 FanDuel NFL points on a very cheap $6,600 salary.  Hilton was easily one of the best plays of the week.  While we didn’t hype Hilton, we also took him off our fade board.  Hopefully you did too!

Jared Goff and Tyrod Taylor continue to provide great value, as Goff scorched the Giants for 28.44 FanDuel NFL points, and Taylor managed 26.9 points in a disappointing loss for the Bills.  We didn’t highlight Goff much last week, but we’ve been harping on Taylor’s emergence as a great fantasy quarterback for several weeks.  Tyrod continues to be a great play this week, and for most the second half of the season.

Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson were our two top quarterback picks last week, and they both landed in the top seven for most FanDuel NFL points in week nine.  Wilson continues to look attractive this week, but Prescott’s value may take a hit with the news regarding Ezekiel Elliott‘s potential suspension.  We say likely because, well…you saw what happened last week.

Once again, FanDuel is offering several slate options, including a Thursday through Monday slate covering all 14 games.  We’re going to focus our lineup options on all 14 games, and you can pick as you like, to build your top lineups for each slate.  Hopefully this helps you cover the slates you’re targeting this weekend.

Now, let’s get starting with the Quarterbacks…

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Week 10 – Quarterbacks

Top Picks

It’s tempting to play the consistently dominate Dak Prescott ($8,800) this week against a struggling Falcons team.  But keep in mind, the Cowboys are going to lean on their passing game with Zeek likely out of the lineup on Sunday.  Also, the Falcons pass defense is solid.  So we’re avoiding that risky situation.

Also, Tom Brady ($8,500) and Drew Brees ($8,500) are elite quarterbacks and may be played any week they’re on the field, they both have tough road match ups, and there’s just too many better options to choose this week.

The top option this week has to be a red-hot Russell Wilson ($8,300) in Arizona on Thursday night.  Over the last three weeks, and against some solid defenses, Wilson is averaging over 300 passing yards per game, around three touchdowns per game, and roughly 40 rushing yards per game.  That’s leading Russell to a 25+ FanDuel NFL point average since early October.

This week, the Seahawks are facing a historically tough passing defense in Arizona.  However, the Cards are giving up around 250 passing yards-per-game, now 9th worst in the NFL.  Arizona is also giving up over 100 rushing yards per game, but the Seahawks have been leaning on Wilson’s passing game lately anyway.  Finally, the Cards defense is giving up over 25 points a game, 6th worst in the NFL.  So if you’re playing the Thurs-Mon slate, plug Wilson in as your QB for all cash games, or an anchor for your GPP.

If you’re not playing the Thursday slates, or need a cheaper quarterback, there’s plenty of great options this weekend.  While the Texans have been winning games thanks to the emergence of rookie Deshaun Watson, their defense has been giving up 26 points per game, 3rd worst in the NFL and in the mix with terrible defenses like the Colts, 49ers, Giants, and Browns.  This week, the Texans are traveling to L.A. to face a red-hot Jared Goff ($8,200) lead Rams offense.

PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS: The best in football stats just got better. Elite packages now on sale!

Goff has been hot over the last two weeks, and since the start of the season really only struggled against the Jags and Seahawks stellar passing defenses.  He’s unfortunately more pricey in this situation, and I’d rather have the proven vet Wilson over Goff, but he’s worth the risk, and if you’re fading the Thursday night game, he’s one of your top three options.

Other Top Options

While filed under the ‘other’ top options, mostly due to the Lions offensive struggled in the last couple of weeks, Matthew Stafford ($8,200) has a fantastic match up this week, hosting the Browns in Detroit.

Over the last month, Stafford has at least two touchdowns in three of four games, struggling to find the end zone only against the Steelers.  But with the Steelers match up, he still threw for 423 yards, piling up 18.02 FanDuel NFL points with a rough match up.  This week, Stafford gets one of the worst performing pass defenses in the NFL, and the Browns are also giving up top-five most points.  The Lions also have great value at receiver, which we’ll get to later.

Finally, he’s on a roll and has better weapons, but there’s risk with a Tyrod Taylor ($7,800) play this week.  I typically like to ride a hot hand at quarterback, but keep in mind he’s played the Bucs, Raiders, and Jets defenses over the last three weeks, inflating his seasonal stats.  The Saints defense appears to be getting better very week, and present risk.  Still, Taylor is finding the end zone every week, has two rushing touchdowns in the last two weeks, and now has a big-bodied Kelvin Benjamin to target in the Red Zone.  That’s the best target Taylor has seen since starting for the Bills.  He’s definitely worth a play, especially in GPP slates.

Fades

Cam Newton ($8,400) – Cam looked solid last week against the Falcons, but he hasn’t been an impressive fantasy quarterback over the last three weeks.  Against a struggling Bucs defense, Cam only had 13.56 FanDuel NFL points, and he was terrible against the Bears.  This week, the Panthers host a very good Dolphins defense, making Newton not worth the $8.4K salary.  Oh, and he’s limited, again, this week with his lingering shoulder injury.

Ben Roethlisberger ($7,600) – Big Ben is facing the Colts in Indianapolis, and it’s tempting to assume value with this play.  But Roethlisberger hasn’t provided much DFS NFL value in any match up this season.  Oddly, Ben’s best points of the year were against the Bengals and Vikings, and he struggled more against the Lions, Chiefs, and Browns.  Even at this salary, Big Ben is a fade this week.

Kirk Cousins ($7,500) – Another value trap, Cousins is a top ten fantasy NFL quarterback this week.  But the Vikings boast one of the best passing defenses in the NFL for a reason.  It’s in D.C., but Kirk will likely struggle to get the ball downfield in this one, and the Skins will be forced to move the ball on the ground.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Week 10 – Running Backs

Top Picks

With Ezekiel Elliott ($8,900) likely out this week (so far…insert eye-roll), Todd Gurley II ($9,600) and Le’Veon Bell ($9,400) are easily the top picks at running back this week, and are priced accordingly.  Especially in cash games, they’re both worth paying up for and finding value in a second pick.

Gurley gets a Houston Texans defense who’s giving up only 96 yards on the ground per game, but the third most points in the NFL per game, and plenty in the air.  As we’ve seen this season, Todd can build points pounding the ball, but also with several receptions, including a seven reception and one receiving touchdown against the Cowboys in early October.

The Steelers have been heavily dependent on Brown in the passing game, but they’ve also leaned heavily on Bell’s running game over the last six weeks.  This week, Le’Veon and the Steelers visit Indianapolis to face one of the worst overall defenses in the NFL.  The Colts are giving up more points than anyone.  And don’t listen to the ‘he might sit in the second half’ talk.  As we’ve seen in the past, the Steelers will ride bell into the bulk of the second half, regardless of the lead.  Even better, with Big Ben’s struggles with the passing game, they’re likely to need Bell all game anyway.

Other Top Options

While the Chargers have a great pass defense, like the Jaguars, they’re one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL this season.  Leonard Fournette ($8,700) is someone I’ve continuously faded over the last couple of weeks.  And Fournette sat last week for violating a team policy.  This week, it appears Fournette is both healthy and likely willing to work out to impress the Jags offensive coaching staff, and get of their ‘list.’  With this match up, and the situation for Fournette, he’s easily a top two or three pick this week.

Duke Johnson Jr. ($5,500) is back on the field in Detroit this week.  While the Lions have a solid pass defense, due mostly to Darius Slay‘s dominate lock-down corner play, Johnson will be hard for the Lions to manage in the short open field, and he may surprise them with some quick bursts on the carries.  With a potential passing touchdown this week, Johnson is a very good 10+ FanDuel NFL point value with a very cheap $5.5K salary.

It may have been just a great week, but Matt Forte ($5,600) looks tremendous against a very good Buffalo Bills defense last week.  Forte had two rushing touchdowns, 77 rushing yards, and four receptions for 19 receiving yards.  In fact, Matt has seen four to eight passing targets over the last four weeks.  Also, with a high yards per carry average in that time, he’s well over 10 FanDuel NFL points-per-game.  This week, the Jets get a struggling Bucs defense, who many in the NFL are saying have given up on the season already.

Fades

Jerick McKinnon ($6,600) – This is a tempting play.  McKinnon has been in fire since emerging as the top back with Delvin Cook on IR, after the ACL tear.  But the Redskins defense is better than they appear.  The Skins are 4-4, with three of their four losses coming to the Eagles and Cowboys, two of the top teams in the NFC.  Their 4th loss?  The Chiefs.  The Skins defense will rise through the rankings as the progress through the easier part of their schedule.

Aaron Jones ($6,900) – Another tempting running back emerging due to injuries, Jones likely won’t have a great game against the Bears this week.  Yes, Aaron had a touchdown against the Bears in his first game of the season, but that touchdown aside, it wasn’t a great day.  And against the Lions last week, Jones and the Packers offense struggled significantly.  For this price, we don’t like the risk.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Week 10 – Wide Receivers

Top Picks

Antonio Brown ($9,300) had a rough outing against the Lions two weeks ago, but was shadowed by one of the best in the NFL, Darius Slay.  This week, it’s almost not fair.  The Colts cut ties with Vontae Davis this week, in a sign they’re recognizing the about-face they need to make in order to replace their struggling defense.

In the meantime, if you didn’t spend big on quarterback or running back, Brown is a must-have in all cash games.  However, he’s going to be hard to own this week given the salary needs at RB and QB this week, making Antonio an intriguing GPP anchor.

For a cheaper top option, it’s obvious the Falcons are targeting Julio Jones ($8,000) more with their offense.  After few weeks with double-digit targets, Jones is now averaging around ten or more targets per game, over the last three weeks.  Against the Cowboys, who have struggled to defend the pass this season, Jones is very likely to see more than ten targets again this week, and has the potential to get another 100 yards, and several red zone targets.  He’s having ‘ankle’ issues this week, but it’s likely Julio is a go for a big game in Hotlanta this week.

We like Stafford this week, at home in Detroit, against the Browns.  One of Matt’s favorite targets this season is Golden Tate ($7,400).  Over the last month, Tate has seen a consistent diet of seven to nine targets per game, and is averaging over 85 receiving yards per game.  Tate only saw a touchdown against the Colts, but he’s facing a passing defense similar to the Colts this week. Tate is a very cheap way to get a top wide receiver play, affording bigger plays at quarterback and running back.

Other Top Pick

We talked about Goff’s likely strong play to continue this week in L.A. against the Texans.  One of the surprising FanDuel NFL point results last week was Robert Woods ($6,200) landing 21 points last week against the Giants.  However, upon further review, that result was building.

Woods has seen seven to eight targets each game, over the last five games leading up to the Giants match up.  Woods is getting 60-100 yards almost every game.  The knock on Robert has been his lack of touchdowns, until he saw the end zone twice last week.  For $6.2K, we’re getting a solid 8 FanDuel NFL point lock, with potential for 15-25 points with touchdowns.

We generally like to stay away from teams struggling, or a coaching staff who has lost their team, like the New York football Giants.  But Eli Manning will be slinging the football in San Francisco against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon, fighting for his future.  And last week, Manning looked the way of Engram (who we’ll get to later) and Sterling Shepard ($5,700) often last week.

Shepard saw nine targets for five receptions and 70 yards.  This week, we should expect more of the same, but with less interference from the defense, likely yielding more yards and greater potential for a touchdown.  We also love the price!

Fades

A.J. Green ($7,900) – I’ve been unimpressed with Green since the start of the season.  We’ve faded him multiple times, with obvious risk.  Green is a great talent, but the Bengals offense has obvious struggles this season, and Ramsey exposed Green’s frustration with the offense last week.  Against the Titans, who have solid corners, this could be a boom or bust week for A.J., who’s likely pressing to get big points throughout the game.

Keenan Allen ($7,300) – We love Allen, the man is a target machine.  But Allen is going to see a heavy dose of Jalen Ramsey this week.  Allen is a vet who will handle Ramsey better than Green did last week.

Adam Thielen ($7,000) – He’s been a great surprise this season, but he’s going to get a heavy does of Kendall Fuller and Quinton Dunbar.  Each have graded very well by Pro Football Focus this season, and are likely to limit Thielen’s DFS NFL impact this week.  Also, if Diggs doesn’t go, he’s getting a heavy dose of Josh Norman, one of the best corners in the NFL.

Devin Funchess ($6,900) – We’re all eager to continue to test-drive Funchess without Benjamin in the Panthers offense.  But the Dolphins defense has been frustrating to target for DFS NFL plays.  Stay away from this one in week ten.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Week 10 – Tight End / Kicker / Defense

Consistency is a tough thing to find in DFS.  But when it comes to tight ends, kickers, and defensive picks, this season has been a great one for identifying consistently solid picks you can use to base each of your lineups.

While tight ends like Zach Ertz have been the bedrock we’ve used for numerous lineups over the weeks, Ertz and the Eagles are finally getting a bye week.  So the obvious top choice at tight end is Rob Gronkowski ($8,100).  The Patriots are facing a morally depleted Broncos team who just gave up 50+ points to the Eagles, and Gronk is Tom Brady‘s favorite target.  Also, Rob is averaging around 14 FanDuel NFL points-per-game.

However, I can never justify paying over $8K for a tight end, especially when you can use that salary to get more points from the QB, RB, or WR positions.  So unless you’re in need of an anchor for some cheap GPP plays, fade Gronk and grab Evan Engram ($7,400) instead.  Sure, the Giants are in disarray, but as we mentioned with Shepard, Manning is going to go out on that field and find his favorite targets.  Right now, it’s Engram and Shepard.

With the injuries to the Giants receiving corps, Evan has stepped up significantly, now averaging around ten targets a game, five to six receptions, and 60-80 yards per game.  Engram also has a touchdown in each of the last three games, and is now averaging over 15 FanDuel NFL points-per-game in the last three weeks.  With a juicy match up for the Giants in San Francisco, we have to play Engram over Gronk, at this salary.

There are plenty of solid kicker picks, but many are a little too pricey for this position, and could challenge us to really dig for a value running back and wide receiver.  So we’re going with Kai Forbath ($4,800).  Kai is averaging over 17 FanDuel NFL points-per-game, thanks to a heavy dose of field goal opportunities.  The Vikings have failed to punch the ball into the end zone over the last couple of weeks, but have piled on field goals for wins.  Against a tough Skins defense in D.C. this week, Forbath’s field goal run should continue.

Finally, while the Chargers offense is heating up a bit, they’re traveling to the East Coast this week, to play a very tough Jaguars ($5,200) team in Jacksonville.  Jalen Ramsey and the Jags pass defense have absolutely stifled offenses, and forced many turnovers.  Rivers, while a good overall quarterback, is known for his turnovers, and he should have a few this week, making the Jags a great play for only $5.2K.

So after reviewing all the options, we put together our favorite lineup for the week.  Here’s a look at our Final FanDuel NFL Week 10 lineup:

QB – Wilson (SEA $8,300)

RB – Bell (PIT $9,400)

RB – Forte (NYJ $5,600)

WR – Tate (DET $7,400)

WR – Woods (LAR $6,200)

WR – Shepard (NYG $5,700)

TE – Engram (NYG $7,400)

K –  Forbath (MIN $4,800)

D –  Jacksonville Jaguars ($5,200)

This leaves us with $0 left, maximizing our picks using value in two receiver positions, defense, and kicker and loading up on some big point potential at quarterback, running back, and receiver.

Note: This is a recommended lineup after discussing our top options for the week.  You should use this as a guide, and provide your own input when building FanDuel NFL lineups.  We are not telling you, or selling you, to use this lineup.

Next: DraftKings NFL Picks Week 10

Good luck with your FanDuel NFL plays week 10, and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR on Twitter for all the late breaking lineup news and roster updates!