NFL Grind Down: Week 10 - Page Two
Chicago Bears at St. Louis Rams
| Chicago Bears | St. Louis Rams | |||||||||
 |  | |||||||||
| Sunday – 1 p.m. | Edward Jones Dome | |||||||||
| Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 42.5 | 17.75 | -7 | 42.5 | 24.75 | |||||
| Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | |
| Offense | 20.3 | 25 | 22 | 18 | Offense | 19.1 | 30 | 32 | 5 | |
| Opp. Defense | 18.3 | 6 | 7 | 13 | Opp. Defense | 27.6 | 27 | 3 | 24 | |
| Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| St. Louis Rams | 2 | 14 | 4 | 10 | Chicago Bears | 24 | 4 | 22 | 5 | |
| Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | |
| Jeffery | 53 | 33 | 2 | 492 | Britt | 31 | 15 | 1 | 311 | |
| Wilson | 36 | 19 | 1 | 317 | Austin | 46 | 28 | 6 | 507 | |
| Bellamy | 16 | 8 | 1 | 85 | Quick | 8 | 3 | 0 | 14 | |
| Bennett | 67 | 45 | 3 | 381 | Cook | 38 | 20 | 0 | 255 | |
The Quick Grind
Notable injuries and suspensions: Alshon Jeffery (CHI, Questionable), Matt Forte, Eddie Royal (CHI, Doubtful), Stedman Bailey (STL, Suspended)
CHI Matchup Rating: 2.0
STL Matchup Rating: 5.0
Chicago Bears
Quarterback: The Rams have one of the best defenses in the NFL, ranking second against the pass according to numberFire, and allowing the second-fewest points per game to the quarterback position in fantasy football. Jay Cutler (FD $7,000, DK $5,100) doesn’t stand much of a chance in this one. The Bears are expected to fall well short of 20 points, and the Chicago QB will be under fire all game long from a fierce pass rush and talented defensive backs. There’s no need to spend time or salary here.
Running Game: Most of the reports ahead of the Bears’ Monday night game against San Diego featured quotes about Jeremy Langford (FD $6,200, DK $4,800) being ready for 20+ touches in the Chicago offense. And despite a scare when Ka’Deem Carey (FD $4,800, DK $3,000) got the “start” in the game, Langford delivered on that promise against a weak run defense. This week he’ll face a very good run defense, and will likely still give up some snaps and carries to Carey. The price isn’t good enough to justify using him in a game against the fourth-best run defense according to DVOA.
Pass Catchers: Alshon Jeffery (FD $7,600, DK $7,100) is officially on the Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones level of matchup-proof receiver, as the Chicago wideout has produced big numbers every week since returning form injury, and will continue to see 12+ targets as the focal point of the offense for Chicago. He has three-straight 110+ yard games, and even in a tough matchup against a team that ranks 29th in points allowed to opposing wideouts, he’s still a strong tournament option. Martellus Bennett (FD $5,400, DK $4,700) is also a respectable fantasy option this weekend, as the tight end will likely continue to pick up extra work in place of the injured Eddie Royal. This matchup is very tough, and it’s doubtful that both players will hit value, but both have the workload to merit consideration and the talent to exceed expectations.
Note: Jeffery was injured in practice and his status is in doubt. If he’s out, Marquess Wilson will likely see all the targets he can handle, but I don’t trust him as much in this tough matchup.
The Takeaway: The Bears have a very tough matchup on their hands this week, but Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett are still worthy of being in the mix for your tournament rosters.
St. Louis Rams
Quarterback: Even in a relatively appealing matchup with the Bears, Nick Foles (FD $6,400, DK $5,000) does not merit daily fantasy consideration. He has passed for more than 200 yards only once this season, and has scored more than one passing touchdown only once as well. He’ll need to do both of those things to hit value, even at his cheap price tag, and there are better ways to get a value quarterback this weekend.
Running Game: Todd Gurley (FD $9,200, DK $7,300) still isn’t priced high enough on DraftKings, and should be locked into your tournament lineups. The Bears rank 31st against the run according to both numberFire and DVOA, and while they rank 20th in points allowed to the position, consider that they have given up 4.6 yards per carry on the ground, sixth in the league, yet only two touchdowns via the rush. Gurley is a lock for a very healthy chunk of carries and yards, and if he finds the end zone, he’ll pay off his price on either site. Use him wherever you can afford him.
Pass Catchers: Tavon Austin (FD $6,000, DK $4,800) has emerged as a legitimate fantasy option on a weekly basis, receiving 5-7 targets per game and getting involved as a runner as well. He’s finding the end zone and always capable of a big play, and pairing him with the Rams’ defense and special teams could lead to a double-touchdown if he takes a punt to the house. No other receiver stands out as a solid option, as the ball is spread around quite a bit for an offense with such little overall passing volume. They’ll be quite content to run the ball all afternoon against a lacking run defense.
The Takeaway: Todd Gurley is a top play in all formats, and Tavon Austin is becoming more and more trustworthy as a core tournament play. The defense and special teams have proven to have big-play upside, and with the Bears’ projected for such a low total, you can feel confident in the Rams D/ST this weekend as well.
New Orleans Saints at Washington Redskins
| New Orleans Saints | Washington Redskins | |||||||||
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| Sunday – 1 p.m. | FedExField | |||||||||
| Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1 | 50.5 | 25.75 | 1 | 50.5 | 24.75 | |||||
| Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | |
| Offense | 26.8 | 6 | 1 | 20 | Offense | 19.8 | 28 | 23 | 29 | |
| Opp. Defense | 24.4 | 17 | 10 | 29 | Opp. Defense | 29.8 | 31 | 30 | 25 | |
| Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Washington Redskins | 11 | 17 | 19 | 6 | New Orleans Saints | 32 | 21 | 24 | 31 | |
| Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | |
| Cooks | 72 | 45 | 4 | 600 | Garcon | 65 | 41 | 3 | 420 | |
| Snead | 63 | 42 | 3 | 632 | Jackson | 7 | 3 | 0 | 15 | |
| Colston | 43 | 30 | 1 | 371 | Grant | 31 | 17 | 1 | 194 | |
| Watson | 53 | 43 | 3 | 532 | Reed | 54 | 38 | 4 | 368 | |
The Quick Grind
Notable injuries and suspensions: Willie Snead (NO, Questionable)
NO Matchup Rating: 8.0
WAS Matchup Rating: 6.0
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback: The moment I realized that Drew Brees (FD $8,600, DK $7,400) was “back” was his second touchdown pass to a random tight end nobody rostered last weekend against the Titans. Brees was always good for a pass or two to a fullback, tight end, or fourth-string receiver you’d never heard of in the good old days, and it appears that for at least a few weeks, that Brees is back. I’m expecting this trend to continue into Week 10 against Washington, who have the 21nd ranked defense according to DVOA, and who have allowed two or more touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks in five of their last six games. They’ve allowed at least 250 yards in each of those contests (including the no-touchdown game to Matt Ryan and the Falcons), and don’t have a lot of healthy talent left in their defensive backfield. Brees takes a backseat to Rodgers, Brady and Newton among passers in the top two tiers this weekend, but he likely will be overlooked by the masses as well, which makes him a very wise tournament option.
Running Game: For the past season and a half, I’ve avoided running backs against Washington as their run defense was more capable than most players recognized, and passing was the way to attack them. That’s just not true anymore, as the run defense for Washington ranks one spot behind their pass defense in both DVOA and numberFire’s rankings. This means we can look to Mark Ingram (FD $7,500, DK $6,400) with confidence this week. Just as LeGarrette Blount, Doug Martin, Chris Ivory and Devonta Freeman have done over the past month, Ingram is in line for 18+ carries for over 100 yards with a good chance of a score against this lackluster defense. He received 26 touches last week against the Titans, and while he didn’t live up to expectations, he isn’t going to lose much of his work (if any) to C.J. Spiller (FD $5,500, DK $3,000). This is a great spot for a bounce-back effort from the Alabama product, and I’ll be turning to him in all formats.
Pass Catchers: Since Drew Brees returned from injury in Week 4, his targets have been split fairly evenly between his top three pass catchers, Brandin Cooks (FD $7,200, DK $6,000), Willie Snead (FD $6,500, DK $4,900) and Benjamin Watson (FD $5,500, DK $4,300). New Orleans moves their wideouts all over the field, so it’s impossible to pick these players based on matchups. According to Pro Football Focus, Cooks and Snead have essentially played equal amounts of snaps at every receiver alignment (left, slot and right). This is a pretty good situation for both Snead and Cooks, as Washington ranks 13th in fantasy points allowed to wideouts, and either player is viable in tournaments this weekend. Watson saw his targets dip last week, and had two goal-line opportunities taken by other tight ends, but that’s the life of a tight end in the modern NFL. He’s still one of Brees’ favorite targets, and is viable in tournaments this week.
The Takeaway: Mark Ingram is a smart play in any format, as he has a good matchup and great volume. Brees and his pass catchers are all tournament plays, as this should be a very high-scoring game, with a total over 50, a fast New Orleans offense, and two poor defenses.
Washington Redskins
Quarterback: Kirk Cousins (FD $6,500, DK $5,200) was unable to follow up the “You Like That?!” game with anything of value, as his 217 yards on 50% passing against the Patriots did little to inspire confidence that Cousins had turned the corner after Week 7’s solid outing. He’ll get a much better matchup this weekend against the Saints, and despite all of my doubts about Cousins’ ability, I can’t doubt this matchup. Brandon Weeden is the only quarterback to not score multiple touchdowns against New Orleans, and Cousins is definitely better than Weeden. Over the past four games, the Saints have allowed 15 touchdown passes, and 295 passing yards or more in each game. Cousins could trip and fall into 250/2/1 against New Orleans, and that would be a pretty good return on investment. He’s one of the better cheap tournament quarterbacks this weekend.
Running Game: Alfred Morris (FD $5,200, DK $3,300) is no longer a reliable fantasy football option, but the player who was supposed to replace him, Matt Jones (FD $5,600, DK $3,300), isn’t reliable either. This situation is as frustrating and confusing as the one in Detroit, with a similar third wheel in Chris Thompson (FD $5,300, DK $3,200) lurking to take passing down work, but on a very inconsistent basis. The Saints are slightly better against the run than they are against the pass, anyway, so just save time and don’t dwell on this running game for too long. If you forced me to pick one option, it would be Jones, as this poor Washington team needs to develop him into a passable starter as they build for the future.
Pass Catchers: Welcome back, DeSean Jackson (FD $6,000, DK $5,400)! In DJax’s first week back in action, he got to face the Patriots, and this week, he’ll see the coverage of Delvin Breaux. That doesn’t mean he’s unusable, but there are better options (Crabtree, Diggs, Aiken) at similar prices, with the matchup being a negative tiebreaker against the veteran wideout. His return does make Pierre Garcon (FD $6,400, DK $4,800) tougher to trust, as his volume will decrease with another legitimate receiver to contend with. Jordan Reed (FD $5,800, DK $4,600) is the star of the show among these pass catchers, as he’ll face a New Orleans defense that ranks last in DVOA against tight ends (by a wide margin), and has allowed the most fantasy points to the position this season. He’s viable in all formats.
The Takeaway: Jordan Reed is an excellent play on any site and in any format this weekend, while Kirk Cousins is a worthwhile punt at quarterback. No one else on this Washington team stands out as a strong option this weekend.
Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles
| Miami Dolphins | Philadelphia Eagles | |||||||||
 |  | |||||||||
| Sunday – 1 p.m. | Lincoln Financial Field | |||||||||
| Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 48 | 20.75 | -6.5 | 48 | 27.25 | |||||
| Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | |
| Offense | 21.4 | 21 | 12 | 22 | Offense | 24.1 | 13 | 18 | 11 | |
| Opp. Defense | 20.5 | 10 | 22 | 21 | Opp. Defense | 25.8 | 23 | 12 | 31 | |
| Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 18 | 6 | 30 | 3 | Miami Dolphins | 19 | 30 | 21 | 14 | |
| Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | |
| Landry | 77 | 53 | 3 | 630 | Matthews | 75 | 48 | 2 | 531 | |
| Matthews | 51 | 37 | 4 | 554 | Huff | 23 | 15 | 1 | 151 | |
| Stills | 30 | 16 | 1 | 279 | Cooper | 23 | 11 | 2 | 205 | |
| Cameron | 44 | 20 | 1 | 263 | Celek | 9 | 7 | 2 | 71 | |
The Quick Grind
Notable injuries and suspensions: Jordan Cameron (MIA, Questionable), Ryan Mathews, DeMarco Murray, Riley Cooper (PHI, Probable), Nelson Agholor (PHI, Questionable)
MIA Matchup Rating: 5.0
PHI Matchup Rating: 7.0
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback: The Eagles are a very tough pass defense to figure out. Their offense plays at a fast tempo, which forces the defense to face more plays. But they respond well as a unit, ranking in the top-ten in numberFire and Football Outsiders rankings against the pass. And while they’re prone to giving up a big game now and then (four multi-touchdown games allowed from QBs, five games with 280+ passing yards allowed), they force turnovers and can totally shut down opposing quarterbacks as well. This creates a very volatile situation for an already volatile Ryan Tannehill (FD $7,100, DK $5,300). The Miami passer started the season with four games out of five with two touchdown passes, but some frustrating turnover numbers and a general lack of efficiency mixed in. He then blew up against Houston for four scores and a perfect passer rating, followed by back-to-back scorless 300-yard outings. His general level of play has improved over the past month, but that doesn’t guarantee fantasy points. He has very high upside for his price, but he also has a very low floor. With that in mind, you can use him in tournaments, but there are better options available.
Running Game: Lamar Miller (FD $7,200, DK $5,400) had a bit of a letdown game against the Patriots in Week 8, which is to be expected when a running back from a last-place team faces one of the best teams in the NFL. Apart from that game, Miller has been strong since the coaching change in Miami, scoring six touchdowns and going over 100 total yards from scrimmage in the three games not against the Patriots. His workload has been a bit heavier, as well, which really helps him in his quest to become a weekly fantasy asset. This weekend, against a Philadelphia defense that ranks in the top-ten in DVOA against the run, and the bottom ten in points allowed to the position, it might be a spot to avoid Miller. The Vegas odds predict that this game should be a fairly easy win for the homestanding Eagles, and that may limit Miller’s touches in what is already a tricky matchup. High-volume backs Jonathan Stewart and Darren McFadden have picked up 100+ rushing yards against the Eagles in their last two games, but neither found the end zone, and no back has had a lot of success through the air against Philly this season. Avoid Miller and hope for a price drop ahead of better matchups later this season.
Pass Catchers: I am as big of a Jarvis Landry (FD $7,000, DK $6,700) fan as you’ll find, but I won’t be using him much, if at all, this weekend. The Eagles have an elite slot corner in Malcolm Jenkins who will clamp down on Landry and force the Dolphins to look elsewhere. Rishard Matthews (FD $6,000, DK $4,700) and Kenny Stills (FD $5,000, DK $3,100), on the other hand, will see some coverage from the very beatable Byron Maxwell. Both are viable in tournaments as the Dolphins play catch-up in this game, and especially when considering that Philly has allowed the third-most points per game to opposing wideouts. The turnovers they force from opposing quarterbacks don’t deduct points from receivers, and so the high volume of passes in up-tempo games leads to plenty of fantasy production for opposing pass catchers. Tight ends haven’t been able to get things going against the Eagles this season, and Jordan Cameron (FD $4,900, DK $2,700) has only eight targets in his last three games after seeing eight targets in Week 6 against Tennessee alone. Stick to the outside receivers for exposure to this passing game.
The Takeaway: The Eagles are always a tricky matchup, because they play at a fast tempo but have a generally talented defense that is capable of holding back opponent fantasy production. Matthews and Stills are viable tournament plays at receiver, while Miller, Landry and Tannehill are really tough to trust given their matchups.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback: Even when using Football Outsiders’ weighted DVOA defensive rankings, which lean more toward recent performances, the Dolphins are still one of the worst defenses in the league. A change in coaches hasn’t solved their defensive woes. Miami ranks 25th against the pass according to DVOA, and has allowed three or more passing touchdowns three times already this season, despite facing a relatively easy schedule of passers. Sam Bradford (FD $7,300, DK $5,700) isn’t going to increase the difficulty level for the Miami defense that much, as he’s been incredibly inconsistent this season. We’ve all been burned by Bradford in good spots this season, but coming off of a solid outing against a not terrible Dallas pass defense and facing an even worse Miami defensive unit is as good of a spot as we’ll get. Even with that in mind, it will be hard to start him over some of the better options (Manning, Carr) at similar prices.
Running Game: The Eagles are committed to keeping DeMarco Murray (FD $7,700, DK $6,200) involved in the running game despite the efficiency and success of Ryan Mathews (FD $5,600, DK $3,500). Murray is the workhorse back and is active in the passing game, while Mathews is a change-of-pace runner who has been terrific this season in limited action. Against a Miami defense that has allowed the third-most points to opposing backs, and that ranks 28th in DVOA against the run, both players should get plenty of chances to break free for a big play, or punch in a touchdown run. Dion Lewis and Arian Foster both had success through the air against Miami, as well, leaving the door open for Murray to have a well-rounded day out of the backfield. Murray is one of the top options at running back, but is just too risky for cash games thanks to the presence of Mathews. Mathews himself can be used in a tournament lineup or two, as the Eagles should have plenty of chances to run the clock down in what should be an easy victory at home against Miami.
Pass Catchers: Jordan Matthews (FD $6,600, DK $6,200) finally had the sort of game against Dallas that many had been expecting all season, seeing 12 targets and converting nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. That may be a spark to help turn his season around, and he’ll get an advantageous matchup this weekend to help to continue his momentum. The Dolphins only have one worrisome defender at corner, Brent Grimes, and he doesn’t normally move inside in coverage. This means Matthews won’t be lined up against a formidable opponent, and will only be limited by his sometimes unreliable hands and his sometimes unreliable quarterback. Matthews is the only wideout to consider from the Eagles, as no other player at the position sees more than five or six targets on a reliable basis. Miami has been tougher against tight ends than they have against receivers, and neither Philly player at the position has a defined enough role to trust for daily fantasy.
The Takeaway: Jordan Matthews and DeMarco Murray are a bit too risky for cash games, but are among the better tournament options this weekend. The Philly defense has big-play potential and can be considered for GPP use, as well.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
| Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers | |||||||||
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| Sunday – 1 p.m. | Heinz Field | |||||||||
| Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | Vegas Odds | Sprd | Total | Proj.Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 41 | 18.25 | -4.5 | 41 | 22.75 | |||||
| Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | Tm Stats | PPG | Scoring | Pass | Rush | |
| Offense | 19.7 | 29 | 5 | 28 | Offense | 22.9 | 17 | 10 | 1 | |
| Opp. Defense | 20.2 | 8 | 26 | 12 | Opp. Defense | 27.4 | 26 | 18 | 32 | |
| Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | Opp. Def vs. Pos | QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 17 | 3 | 28 | 27 | Cleveland Browns | 26 | 27 | 13 | 22 | |
| Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | Rec. Stats | Targets | Receptions | TDs | Yards | |
| Benjamin | 71 | 41 | 4 | 623 | Brown | 100 | 69 | 3 | 1030 | |
| Hawkins | 35 | 20 | 0 | 207 | Bryant | 32 | 16 | 4 | 283 | |
| Hartline | 35 | 16 | 2 | 182 | Wheaton | 30 | 14 | 1 | 255 | |
| Barnidge | 66 | 42 | 6 | 602 | Miller | 43 | 30 | 1 | 305 | |
The Quick Grind
Notable injuries and suspensions: Josh McCown (CLE, Questionable), Ben Roethlisberger (PIT, Doubtful), DeAngelo Williams (PIT, Probable)
CLE Matchup Rating: 3.5
PIT Matchup Rating: 5.5
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback: Josh McCown (FD $6,300, DK $5,000) will start if he’s healthy enough to do so, and that creates a very interesting situation against a mediocre Pittsburgh pass defense. McCown struggled against a very tough St. Louis pass defense, but has otherwise scored multiple touchdown passes in every game since his Week 1 concussion. The Steelers rank 13th in DVOA against the pass, and 15th in points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and are coming off of a poor showing against the Raiders passing game. The big-game potential is there for McCown, so if he starts, he’s a GPP option I prefer over most of the other cheap passers available this weekend. If Johnny Manziel (FD $6,100, DK $5,000) starts, I’ll pass on this situation entirely.
Running Game: With Robert Turbin out of the picture, Isaiah Crowell (FD $5,300, DK $3,400) and Duke Johnson (FD $5,900, DK $4,000) will again split the work in the Cleveland backfield, which makes both more valuable in more competitive games for the Browns. The depleted Pittsburgh offense is unlikely to pull away from the Browns in this game, meaning the backs should be able to stay involved in the game. However, this is a very tough matchup against a defense ranked first against the run by numberFire, and that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to the RB position this year. A split backfield against a tough run defense (that also keeps receiving backs in check) isn’t a situation I want to target.
Pass Catchers: Gary Barnidge (FD $6,100, DK $4,800) has been one of the biggest surprises this season in the NFL, and despite having his first real letdown game against the Bengals (mainly due to Johnny Manziel being under center), he still saw seven targets and is clearly the top weapon on this offense. The Steelers have allowed the sixth-most points to tight ends this year, but most of those points are concentrated in huge games from Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Gates. Still, Barnidge has been playing on the same level as those two big-name tight ends, and can be used as a GPP play at the position as one of the most likely sources of points from a Cleveland offense lacking in talent. Travis Benjamin (FD $5,700, DK $5,200) is the other surprising top target for the Browns offense, and he’ll want to get back on track with Josh McCown after a few weeks of disappointing outings. His workload has dropped a bit, so he’s much tougher to trust, but I am still willing to use him on FanDuel, where his price is very appealing relative to his upside.
The Takeaway: The Browns don’t have a lot going their way on offense, and if Manziel is named the starter, I’m avoiding this team entirely. But if McCown starts, he and his top two pass catchers are viable in tournaments.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger is unlikely to suit up this week following his injury in Week 9, bringing Landry Jones (FD $6,200, DK $5,300) back into the picture in an appealing matchup with the Browns. Cleveland has allowed multiple touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks in seven of nine games this season, with Nick Foles and Peyton Manning providing the only exceptions. Manning is also the source of three of the team’s five interceptions off of opposing passers this year, meaning there’s not a lot of risk in throwing against this defense. That’s great news for a player who tossed two picks in his only start this season. Landry Jones is very risky, and there are better cheap options to go with for daily fantasy purposes, but he may be able to throw well enough to get a receiver or two to value this week.
Running Game: If DeAngelo Williams (FD $7,600, DK $6,500) starts, start DeAngelo Williams. The former Carolina back takes over the Le’Veon Bell role and receives all of the touches out of the backfield when he’s starting, which is an incredibly appealing daily fantasy situation against the league’s worst run defense, according to numberFire. The Browns have allowed the fourth-most points to opposing backs this season, and Williams will be popular, and rightfully so, if he starts. Jordan Todman (FD $4,700, DK $3,000) and Isaiah Pead (FD $4,700, DK $3,000) are the names to watch out for if Williams is ruled out, and whichever one is on track to start is a great value play this weekend.
Pass Catchers: Antonio Brown (FD $8,700, DK $8,800) had a game for the ages in Week 9, but will now be without the quarterback who has been so closely tied to his success in recent years. Brown is incredibly talented, and broke away on a short catch from Jones for a 57-yard gain on the game-winning drive last week, but his overall value drops without the more efficient Big Ben under center. Martavis Bryant (FD $6,500, DK $5,500) seemed to be Jones’ preferred target in his first outings at QB for the Steelers, but Brown has actually seen more targets, catches, and yards than Bryant with Landry under center. The difference is that Bryant has scored touchdowns from Jones’ throws, while Brown has not, but I’ll trust in the talent of Brown over the inconsistency of Bryant if I’m rostering a Pittsburgh wideout this week.
The Takeaway: The absence of Roethlisberger hurts the entire Pittsburgh offense, but with such an easy matchup this week, the running game will still be able to carry the burden and move the ball down the field. Jones will be forced into action as a passer, which should keep Brown relevant, but stick to Williams or whoever else starts in the backfield for cash games.
If Big Ben plays, he, Brown and Bryant are all much stronger options, but the Steelers would be highly motivated to keep the ball on the ground and keep Ben out of danger as much as possible.