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

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, November 15th at 1:00 PM ET

Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI

Betting Odds: Detroit -3.5,  46.5 total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Washington Football Team

Quarterback

Alex Smith (Sit)

Against all odds, Alex Smith has returned to the football field and is now potentially the starter for the rest of the season for the Washington Football Team.  Smith is the odds-on favorite to be named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year but that doesn’t mean much for fantasy managers and Smith’s fantasy prospects.  Smith had over 300 yards after Kyle Allen suffered a season-ending injury early in the team’s Week 9 game but had three INts to just one TD.  Smith’s receiving options are quite barren beyond Terry McLaurin and Detroit is a considerably better defense against the pass as opposed to the run.  It’s a great story for Smith but I’d advise taking a wait-and-see approach before rolling him out as a viable fantasy QB option for fantasy managers.

Running Backs 

Antonio Gibson (Start, RB2), J.D. McKissic (Start, RB2)

Heading into Washington’s Week 8 BYE, Antonio Gibson had his best game of the season with a season-high 20 carries for 128 yards and one TD and fantasy managers who stuck with the rookie were ready to reap the rewards.  Following the BYE, however, Gibson saw his lowest output of the season with just six carries and 20 yards although he did score a TD.  It should be noted that Gibson fumbled on the team’s first play from scrimmage and the Giants got out to an early lead.  Both factors likely contributed to Gibson’s reduced workload and the concern this week is if the team will trust him as much as they did earlier in the season.  A juicy matchup awaits this week as Detroit possesses one of the worst run defenses in the NFL allowing 148 yards per game and has surrendered 15 total TDs to RBs.  The concern is the volume for Gibson which is why I can only recommend him as an RB2 for fantasy managers in Week 10.

Over the past four weeks, J.D. McKissic has seen his role grow in Washington’s offense and Smith is not known for his deep ball passing so McKissic should remain an intriguing option for fantasy managers against a Detroit defense that just gave up 252 combined yards and two TDs to Dalvin Cook in Week 9.  Given Gibson’s history of being a productive receiving option, it was a bit surprising to see McKissic get 14 targets in Week 9.  McKissic is MUCH more valuable in PPR leagues and he provides RB2 value in those types of leagues.  McKissic drops into the RB3 ranks in standard leagues simply because he sees so few carries.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Terry McLaurin (Start, WR1), Cam Sims (Sit), Steven Sims (Sit), Isaiah Wright (Sit), Logan Thomas (Start, TE2)

Volume, volume, volume.  Terry McLaurin is among the top five WRs in targets per game at 9.6 and has scored in each of Washington’s last two games.  McLaurin saw two of Smith’s first three targets so a drop in volume shouldn’t be too big a concern with the QB change.  Detroit has shown improvement against opposing WRs recently surrendering just one receiving TD and one 100-yard game over its last four to the position.  Some of that can be attributed to the team’s anemic run defense but some can also be attributed to improved health at CB.  McLaurin sees too many targets to be entirely held down, however and should make it into the bottom end of the WR1 tier in Week 10 for fantasy managers.

One of the most unsettled positions in fantasy football terms is Washington’s #2 WR.  Over the past two games, that “honor” has gone to Cam Sims.  Sims is such a small part of the offense despite seeing a decent number of snaps that fantasy managers can safely ignore him this week.  The same can be said for Steven Sims and Isaiah Wright as neither sees enough snaps to make much of an impact on the fantasy stat sheet.

This season, Washington’s next-best receiving threat behind McLaurin and McKissic recently is Logan Thomas.  Thomas had some preseason buzz as reports out of camp indicated then QB Dwayne Haskins showed an affinity for the big TE as the team approached and entered the red zone.  Thomas finally exceeded four targets in Week 9 after four consecutive games with four targets but was unable to do much with them accumulating just 28 yards on three receptions.  Thomas has been mostly underwhelming this season given the lack of competition for targets and Smith’s penchant for throwing short, safe passes don’t inspire confidence Thomas will be able to take full advantage of his athleticism.  The TE position drops off quickly after the top tier, making Thomas a viable TE2 but no more this week.

Detroit Lions

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford (Start, QB2)

Matthew Stafford struggled to his worst outing of the season last week against a passing defense that had allowed multiple QB1 outings before their game against Detroit.  Now, Stafford will have to face the #1 passing defense allowing a scant 185 yards per game through the air.  Washington had allowed two or more combined TDs to opposing QBs in each of the first five weeks of the season but held Daniel Jones and the Dallas QBs to a total of two TDs in the last three weeks.  Washington has a stout defensive line that has Washington fourth in the NFL in sacks making matters worse for Stafford.  Fantasy managers should view Stafford as nothing more than a QB2 in Week 10.

Running Backs

D’Andre Swift (Start, low-end RB1), Adrian Peterson (Sit, Deep Flex), Kerryon Johnson (Sit)

D’Andre Swift continues to pace the Lions in snaps and carries but has yet to match his breakout Week 6 game.  Swift also is involved in Detroit’s passing game, seeing an average of nearly five targets per game.  Washington is not as bad against the run as they are good against the pass but they still allow 128 rushing yards per game.  Swift may cede some touches to Adrian Peterson this week given the “revenge narrative”, but should still produce no worse than RB2 numbers with RB1 upside for fantasy managers this week.

“I would be lying to you if I told you that chip on my shoulder wasn’t there,” Peterson said, via Pro Football Talk. “They will get to realize what they let go.”  If that quote doesn’t speak to a motivated player looking to stick it to his old team then I don’t know what does.  Peterson has been effective when given opportunities and still shows good power and balance when running the ball.  Peterson may see an uptick in touches this week against his most recent former team and that would put him into flex consideration in larger leagues.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Kenny Golladay (Start, WR2 if he plays), Marvin Jones (Sit, WR3/Flex if Golladay is out), Danny Amendola (Sit), T.J. Hockenson (Start, TE1)

One of the key contributors to Detroit’s passing attack looks like he may miss the third game this season as Kenny Golladay was absent from practice again on Wednesday after suffering a hip injury in Week 8.  Golladay provides the ability to make acrobatic catches and has a propensity for finding the end zone.  His absence last week played a part in Stafford’s poor day.  If Golladay is cleared by Friday he should see enough volume to finish as a WR2 but fantasy managers should be aware of reinjury during the game, torpedoing his value.

Even in games in which Golladay is absent, Marvin Jones has struggled to make a significant fantasy impact this season.  Jones has only exceeded 60 yards once and has totaled just four TDs on the season.  If Golladay misses, Jones doesn’t have anyone on the opposite side of the field to draw the defense’s attention and he isn’t a good enough player to be a team’s #1 WR.  Jones does see a slight bump with Golladay out but still doesn’t look to be any better than a WR3 for fantasy managers this week.

Danny Amendola has his best game of the season last week as the veteran saw a season-high 10 targets and converted seven for 77 yards.  Amendola primarily attacks the short and intermediate areas and may see another high-target game if Washington’s defensive line can continue to get pressure on Stafford.  Amendola barely registered as a fantasy option despite his best game of the season and therefore can be placed on benches of fantasy managers in Week 10.

The only consistent fantasy option in Detroit’s passing game this season has been T.J. Hockenson.  Hockenson leads the team in targets (49), receptions (34), and TDs (5) and is behind only Amendola in receiving yards with 360.  Hockenson provides Stafford with a reliable option in the middle of the field as well as the red zone and has yet to be held without a catch in a game this season.  Hockenson, like Amendola, might be even more involved if Stafford is forced to throw the ball quickly due to Washington’s pressure.  Hockenson has regularly been in the TE1 conversation for fantasy managers and looks poised to land there again in Week 10.

Snap counts courtesy of Fantasy Data.

-Bryan Sweet (@FantasyFreakTN on Twitter)