Sit/Start Week 10: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, November 14th at 1:00 PM ET

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Betting Odds: PIT -9, 43.5 total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Writer: Bryan Sweet (@FantasyFreakTN on Twitter, @bsweet0us on Reddit)

Detroit Lions

Quarterback

Jared Goff (Sit)

I could give you stats and recent results about why it’s a bad idea to start Jared Goff against Pittsburgh this weekend, but Goff does a good job of giving you those reasons regardless of the opponent.  Goff has failed to generate much offensive output since Week 1 as he has five games with one or fewer passing TDs and Detroit has yet to score more than 19 points since their Week 1 offensive outburst against San Francisco.  Goff has carried over his turnover problems from his Rams’ days as well as he is responsible for 10 turnovers (6 INTs, 4 fumbles lost) so far this season.  Goff is simply not a good fantasy QB and is merely a placeholder as an NFL QB for Detroit.  Sit him this week and probably every week.

Running Backs

D’Andre Swift (Start, RB1), Jamaal Williams (Sit, possible low-end Flex for injuries/Byes)

Despite frequent “questionable” tags on the weekly injury report, D’Andre Swift hasn’t missed a game this season and has been one of the bright spots on an otherwise inept Detroit offense.  Swift hasn’t been able to generate a lot of production in the running game (90 carries for 289 yards and three TDs) but has more than made up for it with his role in the passing game (46 receptions on 57 targets for 415 yards and two TDs).   Swift has such a reliable floor because of his pass-catching ability that it’s hard to pass over him regardless of the matchup.  This week’s game against Pittsburgh is best described as a “neutral” matchup and Swift should be able to provide mid-RB1 numbers for fantasy managers in Week 10.

Jamaal Williams was unable to suit up in Detroit’s Week 8 game against Philadelphia but it appears as if he is healthy following the team’s bye.  Williams has been a great complement to Swift in Detroit’s backfield and has looked better as a runner than Swift most weeks.  Williams’s virtually non-existent role in the passing game caps his ceiling and his yardage totals have been unable to support much more than a Flex option for managers in a pinch.  It’s expected Williams will be used similarly to how he was before the bye, making Williams a low-end Flex option at best for fantasy managers who are thin at the position.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Amon-Ra St. Brown (Sit), Kalif Raymond (Sit), Trinity Benson/KhaDarel Hodge (Sit),  T.J. Hockenson (Start, TE1)

The WR position for the Lions is almost a fantasy wasteland given the limitations of Goff and the heavy involvement of the RBs and TEs in the passing game.  Kalif Raymond and Amon-Ra St. Brown have been the default outside starting options but neither is seeing a large enough target share to make much noise in the fantasy community.  The third WR snap share has been split between Trinity Benson and KhaDarel Hodge in recent weeks, but given the ineptitude of Detroit’s passing game, it doesn’t matter who gets more snaps as they’re not seeing any targets.  To sum up, avoid Detroit WRs unless you love being disappointed.  In a pinch, Raymond might provide WR3 or Flex value given his increased role in the offense, but it’s hard to project a consistent role week to week.

Some analysts believed T.J. Hockenson could see upwards of 140 targets this season and, through eight games, Hockenson is only slightly off that pace as he sits at 64 targets so far.  Hockenson is Detroit’s de facto #1 WR and should be treated as such by fantasy managers especially with him being at the TE position.  Pittsburgh has been a sieve on defense to the TE position this season, and especially the last two games as Cleveland got nine receptions and 98 yards against them in Week 8 and Chicago gashed them for seven receptions for 115 yards on Monday.  Hockenson is one of the few set-and-forget TEs in fantasy football solely because of the volume he sees every week.  Plug him in as a TE1 this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger (Sit)

It’s sad for me to suggest sitting Ben Roethlisberger given how good he was just a few short years ago, but the decline in his abilities and the transition to a run-first offense necessitates that recommendation.  Roethlisberger is simply not a must-start fantasy option anymore as he has just one game with 300+ passing yards and has yet to throw for more than two TDs in any game this season.  Roethlisberger is Pittsburgh’s best option right now but is a risky play for fantasy managers even against a bad Detroit team.  As a big favorite, expect a heavy dose of the run game in this one, limiting Roethlisberger’s upside and making him a mid-QB2 or so this week.  Is he going to lose your fantasy matchup for you?  Probably not, but he’s not going to win it for you either.  Keep Big Ben on the bench in Week 10.

Running Backs

Najee Harris (Start, RB1)

The days of bell-cow RBs are in the past…unless you live in Pittsburgh.  Najee Harris has completely taken over the backfield for the Steelers and trails only Derrick Henry in average carries per game with 18.75.  Despite being a rookie, Harris has the trust of Roethlisberger and the staff and has earned the trust of fantasy managers with his consistency.  Harris also sees work in the passing game, further raising his floor.  Expect a heavy dose of Harris in this one as Pittsburgh looks to win its fifth game in a row over the struggling Lions.  Harris might even finish the week as the #1 overall RB if the usage is as I expect it to be.  Harris is an easy start as your RB1 this week.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Diontae Johnson (Start, WR1), Chase Claypool (Start, WR3/Flex *if healthy), Ray-Ray McCloud (Sit), James Washington (Sit, WR3/Flex if Claypool out), Pat Freiermuth (Sit)

When he’s been healthy, Diontae Johnson has been a target monster for fantasy managers.  Johnson has five games with double-digit targets and leads the team in targets (69), receptions (45), receiving yards (530), and is second on the team with three TDs.  Johnson’s worst game of the season was this past Monday and he still finished with 11.7 PPR points so he has a very high floor. If we discount the Eagles game in Week 8 in which the receivers accounted for seven total targets, the Lions have been abysmal against opposing #1 WRs.  In the other seven games, the #1 WR has averaged nearly seven receptions for 123 yards and a few have found the end zone.  I don’t know that Roethlisberger can support more than one WR given the spread and presence of Harris, but Johnson should be a solid WR1 this week.

Second-year WR Chase Claypool hasn’t been quite as explosive as he was last year but is still a consistent part of Pittsburgh’s offense.  Claypool hasn’t been able to find the end zone with near the frequency he did as a rookie and continues to be the second option in the passing game, capping his upside.  Claypool is good for a handful of targets and three or four receptions, but without the TDs, it’s hard to trust him regularly.  Claypool suffered a toe injury of unknown severity as of this writing, but he reportedly underwent an MRI on Tuesday casting a shadow of doubt on his availability for this weekend.  Claypool only missed the team’s final drive on Monday, but there is no clear timeframe for when the injury was sustained.  If he’s cleared to play, I still think he provides WR3 or Flex value but monitor reports coming out of practice closely if he’s a consideration for you this week.

James Washington has established himself as the team’s third WR in Juju Smith-Schuster’s absence but isn’t seeing the volume to make him a fantasy asset.  An expected run-heavy game script only lessens Washington’s appeal this week.  Keep him on the bench in Week 10 if Claypool is cleared to play.  If Claypool is deemed out, that moves Washington into WR3/Flex consideration given past production when he held a larger role in this offense.

Ray-Ray McCloud is the most likely candidate to step into Pittsburgh’s offense when they elect to line up with three receivers if Claypool is ruled out for this week.  McCloud saw a bit of extended run last week but has been mostly a bit player so far this season.  I don’t expect a slightly larger role will lead to enough production to consider him this week even if Claypool is out.  McCloud should stay on fantasy benches this week.

What in the name of Heath Miller is going on at TE in Pittsburgh?  Rookie Pat Freiermuth has become a vital part of this passing offense the past three weeks with 20 targets resulting in 16 receptions for 145 yards and three TDs.  There’s a good chance Freiermuth has won a lot of fantasy managers their matchups during that time as Roethlisberger seems to trust him, especially near the end zone.  Unfortunately, this week might be a week to sit Freiermuth as the Lions have been pretty stingy when it comes to TE production.  The Lions have allowed just 418 yards to the position and only two TDs on the season primarily because of the success opposing WRs have had against them.  I have Freiermuth as a solid TE2 this week but we’ve seen the upside and I wouldn’t fault anybody for chasing the upside given the last three weeks.  I just think Pittsburgh dials back the passing a bit in this one, capping Freiermuth’s upside.