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

Rams@Steelers

 

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, November 10th at 4:25 PM EST

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Betting Odds: Rams -3.5, 44 Total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Sleeper Spotlight: Gerald Everett

 

Los Angeles Rams

 

Quarterback:

• Jared Goff (Sit)

 

The Steelers have done a decent job of holding down opposing quarterbacks this year as they’ve allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to QBs. The Steelers have one of the best pass-rushes in the game as they’ve sacked the QB at the third-highest rate this year. On the other side, the Rams have done a decent job keeping Jared Goff upright as they’ve allowed just 1.5 sacks per game. I have Goff just outside the top 12 quarterbacks, so if you’re in a bye week pinch, feel free to fire him up. 

 

Running Backs:

• Todd Gurley (Start/RB2)
• Malcolm Brown (Sit)
• Darrell Henderson (Sit)

 

The Rams come out of their bye with a healthy Todd Gurley. That doesn’t mean I expect Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown to just disappear, but I think we see a heavier workload for Gurley moving forward. For what it’s worth, even with splitting time with Henderson in Weeks 7 and 8, Gurley handled a whopping 15 red-zone touches. The Steelers rank 26th in the league in fantasy points allowed to running backs, which pushes Gurley down to an RB2 this week. Keep an eye on the workloads for Brown and Henderson this week, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see that Henderson gets a bigger share of the load moving forward.

 

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends:

• Cooper Kupp (Start/WR1)
• Robert Woods (Start/Flex)
• Gerald Everett (Start/TE1)
• Josh Reynolds (Sit)

 

Cooper Kupp remains a WR1 even in a tough matchup due to his heavy workload. Kupp’s 62 targets place him third in the league behind just Michael Thomas and Julien Edelman. You’d be hard-pressed to find a player that I struggle to rank week-to-week more than Robert Woods. In theory, with Brandin Cooks being out for a decent amount of time with his second concussion of the season, Woods should see more targets, right? However, in Week 8, following Cooks leaving the game, it was Josh Reynolds that got eight targets versus Woods’ two. I think I’m still starting Woods as a flex, but if you have other options, I’m not against sitting him. Speaking of Reynolds, I’m taking a wait and see approach this week in a tough matchup, but if he’s still on your waiver wire, I’d scoop him up now. Gerald Everett’s workload has been a little wonky, as he saw double-digit targets in Weeks 5 and 7, but had just five in Week 6 and three in Week 8. The Steelers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends and in a week where six teams are out, I’m firing Everett up as a TE1.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

 

Quarterback:

• Mason Rudolph (Sit)

 

All things considered, Mason Rudolph has done a decent job as a game manager. That being said, for fantasy purposes, he is not dynamic by any means. In the six weeks he’s played, he finished as a top-12 quarterback just once and that was against the Bengals. Rudolph is a sit moving forward. 

 

Running Backs: 

• James Conner (Start/RB2*)
• Jaylen Samuels (Start/RB2*)
• Trey Edmunds (Sit)

 

As of Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s HC Mike Tomlin said he was “optimistic” that James Conner would return in Week 10. With that knowledge, here’s what I got for you – if Conner returns to practice, I’m okay with starting him as an RB2. If Conner is back, I don’t think you can start Jaylen Samuels. However, if Conner remains out, Samuels would slide in as an RB2, especially in PPR leagues. The Rams are middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to running backs. Whether Conner is back or not, I’m sitting Trey Edmunds who saw just 17 snaps with Conner out in Week 9. 

 

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends:

• JuJu Smith-Schuster (Start/Flex)
• Diontae Johnson (Sit)
• Vance McDonald (Start/TE1)
• James Washington (Sit)

 

My oh my, how the mighty have fallen. JuJu Smith-Schuster has done his best “now you see it; now you don’t” trick over the last six weeks. So, which player will we get this week? I have no idea, but at this point, I’m only trusting him as a flex play moving forward. The Rams are in the bottom-third of the league in fantasy points allowed per game to wide receivers. Diontae Johnson had emerged as an intriguing pass catcher after he saw seven targets and found the end zone against the Dolphins in Week 8. However, in Week 9, he saw just two targets. He’s too inconsistent to trust at this time. Vance McDonald falls into the category of tight ends that you’re just praying ends up in the end zone. If you’re desperate for a bye week to fill in, you could do worse, as McDonald saw seven targets in Week 9. James Washington saw four targets in Week 9 and I still have my eye on him in case his workload picks up, but until then, he can remain on the bench.

-Rich Holman