DFS Alerts
Dede Westbrook ruled out for Week 10
The Jaguars declined to activate Westbrook ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers. Although he probably wouldn’t have stepped into a huge role, he could’ve taken some targets from Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns. Lee will likely be shadowed by Casey Hayward, PFF’s sixth cover corner, who’s limited receivers to a 50% catch rate despite battling WR1s all season. Lee posted his best game of the year last week, hauling in 8-of-12 targets for 75 yards and his first touchdown. However, with Leonard Fournette back and the Chargers run defense ranking 29th in adjusted line yards, the Jaguars will want to lean on their running game and their strong defense should help them do so. That limits Lee’s potential volume in an already-tough matchup. Hurns arguably has the better matchup in the slot with Desmond King, who’s allowing a 79.2% catch rate inside. Even so, he’s limiting receivers to 1.1 yards per cover snap – 17th out of 31 qualifying slot corners – and he’s earned PFF’s 16th-best cover grade this year.
Other tagged players: Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns
Charles Clay is expected to play Week 10; Kelvin Benjamin will start
Clay will play through his questionable tag against New Orleans this afternoon. The Saints currently have the league’s most-improved pass defense from a season ago and that’s extended to tight ends. In addition to ranking fourth in TE DVOA (per FO), they’ve allowed the third-fewest PPR points to the position. Considering the added injury risk, Clay, who remains the team’s leading receiver despite being sidelined for three games, may be a tough sell in fantasy this week. On the bright side, the Bills are at home and he could benefit from quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s home splits as he normally does. Since 2016, Clay hasn’t caught a touchdown on the road (10 games) but he’s averaged 0.6 in Buffalo (10 games). Zay Jones’ absence could open up some targets for Clay and newcomer Kelvin Benjamin. Saints CB Marshon Lattimore, PFF’s top-graded corner, will likely follow Benjamin around this afternoon though. Lattimore frustrated Mike Evans in Week 9; the Bucs top WR finished with just one catch for 13 yards and earned a suspension for fighting the CB. Lattimore’s raw numbers are nothing short of impressive. Despite taking on opposing WR1s all year, he’s limited QBs to the second-lowest passer rating (37.4) while allowing the eighth-fewest yards (160), posting the ninth-best cover snaps per reception rate (16.3), and he hasn’t been charged with a single touchdown. Jordan Matthews may be the biggest beneficiary based on the matchup and Benjamin’s potential limitations in his first game in a new offense. Saints slot corner Kenny Vaccaro is dealing with a groin injury that will keep him sidelined and they don’t have depth in their secondary, which is why Vaccaro switched from safety in the first place. New Orleans has held receivers to the 11th-fewest PPR points per game but they’ll now have a soft spot inside which Matthews could exploit. With Clay coming off an injury, Matthews could also be the one that benefits from Taylor’s tendency to score more at home – since 2016, the QB is averaging 1.5 touchdowns at the Ralph compared to 0.82 when away.
Other tagged players: Kelvin Benjamin, Jordan Matthews Danny Amendola expected to play Week 10
Amendola should play through his knee injury Sunday night. While he could benefit from Chris Hogan’s absence by picking up more snaps, he has one of the toughest slot matchups against Chris Harris, who’s posted the third-best cover snaps per reception rate among slot corners (16.3) and allowed the eighth-fewest yards per cover snap (0.89). Tight end Rob Gronkowski appears to be in the best spot to take advantage of Hogan’s vacated targets. The Broncos are allowing the third-most PPR points to TEs, in large part due to giving up the fifth-most touchdowns to the position (0.63/g). Brady has targeted Hogan a ton in scoring position, providing him the sixth-most red zone looks in the league (11); those could shift towards Gronkowski tonight. Plus, he’s currently second among tight ends with 2.11 yards per route run (per PFF), a number that’s better than all but seven wide receivers. Despite a hefty price tag, Gronk currently projects as our top points-per-dollar TE on FanDuel.
Other tagged players: Rob Gronkowski Jordan Reed and Niles Paul ruled out for Week 10, LT Trent Williams will likely suit up
Reed will miss his second straight game due to a hamstring injury. It’ll keep Vernon Davis in the TE1 role against the Vikings this afternoon. He drew nine targets last week while Reed was inactive and hauled in six for 79 yards. However, with Jamison Crowder expected to return, he may not see as many looks this time around. Minnesota has held tight ends to the eighth-fewest yards this season (45/g) but rank 20th in DVOA against the position. William returned to practice Friday and he’s expected to give it a go this afternoon. The entire offensive line is questionable today, which is something to keep an eye. The Vikings rank seventh in adjusted sack rate, so a healthier line will be very important for the Redskins offense. Cousins has taken the most sacks in the league over the past two weeks (10), in large part due to the injuries up front.
Other tagged players: Washington Commanders, Niles Paul Schefter late-night reports: Dez Bryant, T.Y. Hilton, Marqise Lee, Emmanuel Sanders, Jamison Crowder all expected to play Sunday
All five receivers, who are all currently listed as questionable, are fully expected to play Sunday per Schefter. Dez’s presence is great news for a Cowboys offense that’ll already be without it’s best playmaker in Ezekiel Elliott, while Hilton’s presence should at least give the Colts a chance to stay competitive with the Steelers. Hilton is not in a boom spot and isn’t a strong tournament target despite a strong showing last weekend. The Colts offensive line is still an issue and the Steelers have one of the league’s toughest pass rushes, so Jacoby Brissett could have a long day and Jack Doyle is the Indy pass-catcher most worth targeting in Week 10. Lee isn’t all that intriguing against a stout Chargers pass defense, while Sanders is best left untouched due to weak QB play.
As reported by: Adam Schefter Other tagged players: T.Y. Hilton, Marqise Lee, Emmanuel Sanders, Jamison Crowder
Jeremy Hill (ankle) placed on IR, ending his season
The Cincinnati Bengals have officially placed Hill on injured reserve with an ankle injury, effectively ending his season, and in all likelihood, his tenure as a running back on this Cincinnati offense. This is good news for the prospects of Joe Mixon for the rest of the season, as the rookie has failed to really get it going with Hill constantly stealing backfield touches, evidenced by his unimpressive 2.9 yards per carry average to this point in the year. Mixon is nothing more than a tournament play in Week 10, however, as the Tennessee Titans are quietly a pass-funnel defense, ranking a respectable 12th in run DVOA.
As reported by: Adam Schefter via Twitter
Lions activate T Taylor Decker from Reserve/PUP list, will start Sunday
The Detroit Lions have officially activated Decker from PUP list, a corresponding move to the release of T Greg Robinson on Friday, and is expected to start in tomorrow’s game against the Cleveland Browns after missing the entire season to this point. Matthew Stafford and the Lions’ passing game were already in an absolute smash spot against the Browns defense that ranks 28th in pass DVOA and 1st in run DVOA, and the addition of Decker to the offensive line just further cements him and his receiving corps as elite options on Sunday’s slate.
As reported by: Tim Twentyman via Twitter Panthers C Ryan Kalil (neck) officially ruled out for Monday night
Kalil has officially been ruled out for Monday night’s game against the Miami Dolphins with a neck injury that had kept him out of practice all week and has now forced him to miss three consecutive games. This is far from great news for Christian McCaffrey, who set a season-high in snaps and touches last week and looks to have finally taken over as the lead back in the Carolina Panthers’ offense. While we can’t necessarily call Kalil’s injury a downgrade to McCaffrey’s projected fantasy value this week since they’ve been without his services for the past two weeks as well, it certainly isn’t an upgrade, and McCaffrey has a much less appealing matchup with Miami after a basically perfect spot against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, who notoriously funnel pass plays to the middle of the field and specifically to the running back position.
As reported by: David Newton via Twitter Vikings RT Mike Remmers ruled out for Week 10
Remmers is in the concussion protocol and won’t be cleared in time to play the Redskins this weekend. His absence is a big one as he’s PPF’s 12th-ranked tackle this season, earning strong marks in both pass protection and run blocking. Washington has had a solid pass rush this season, ranking 12th in adjusted sack rate but they’re 28th in adjusted line yards. Since Dalvin Cook’s injury, Jerick McKinnon has picked up between 17 and 22 touches every game but he’s been out-carried by Latavius Murray in each of the past two – Murray garnered 18 and 19 carries in those contests. Murray is expected to start and handle a good chunk of the early-down work while McKinnon takes on the passing-down role but he’ll be on a short leash like he was in Week 8. He only managed 39 yards on those 19 attempts and he ended up being out-snapped 54 to 31 by McKinnon. Outside of one solid game for Murray, McKinnon has looked like the better back and McKinnon’s added value in the passing game makes him the more appealing fantasy asset.
Buccaneers CB Brent Grimes questionable for Week 10, CB Robert McClain doubtful
McClain’s absence could force Vernon Hargreaves to the outside where he’d mainly defend Jermaine Kearse. Hargreaves has allowed the ninth-most receptions (32) and the seventh-most yards per cover snap (1.54). Kearse has averaged 42 yards per game this season and he hasn’t caught more than four passes since Week 1, so he may not be able to exploit the matchup. Grimes is set to make his return from a two-game absence due to a shoulder injury. He’s allowed a 66% catch rate and 1.28 yards per cover snap this season which would be the 18th-most if he had enough snaps to qualify. He’ll primarily battle Robby Anderson, setting up a nice spot for the receiver. He also has volume concerns but he’s scored in three straight games and offers a bigger ceiling than Kearse as displayed in his Week 6 game against the Falcons when he posted a 6/104/1 line. As a unit, the Bucs are 31st in pass DVOA and giving up the second-most PPR points to WRs.
Other tagged players: Robbie Chosen, Jermaine Kearse Julio Jones will play Week 10
The receiver had a light week due to an ankle injury but he wasn’t even on Friday’s injury report. He’ll have an exploitable matchup with Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis. Our WR/CB tool gives Jones the eighth-best matchup rating this week. As a unit, Dallas is 19th in WR1 DVOA and they’ve given up the sixth-most PPR points to receivers. Jones has only scored once this season but he’s picked up the tenth-most targets inside the ten-yard line (5) and Dallas is allowing a touchdown on 56% of their opponents’ red zone trips, the 14th-highest rate. He’s second in the league with 2.94 yards per route run and he’s fifth with 15 targets 20+ yards downfield. He’s had trouble connecting with quarterback Matt Ryan on deep passes though, hauling in just four. Last season, he had the eighth-best deep passing catch rate (38.7%), so if they can find their rhythm, Jones could explode for a huge game.
C.J. Beathard will start Week 10, LT Joe Staley removed from injury report
Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t ready to start yet, giving Beathard at least once more game under center. He’s only completing 50.9% of his passes and he’s averaging 5.85 yards per attempt, the third-worst rate in the league. The Giants pass defense will get Janoris Jenkins back on the field and he’ll see Marquise Goodwin the most. The CB has held opposing QBs to the 16th-lowest passer rating this season (per PFF), setting up a tough spot for Goodwin to connect with struggling Beathard. After Trent Taylor went down with a fractured rib in Week 9, Aldrick Robinson slipped into the slot often – 55% of his routes – and if he follows a similar pattern, he would be set up with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie quite a bit. DRC has allowed a catch on 10-of-12 targets when lined up inside for 119 yards and a touchdown while his yards per cover snap (1.06) and cover snaps per reception (11.2) are towards the middle of the pack. Kendrick Bourne picked up more snaps (40 total) in place of Taylor, running most of his routes where Eli Apple will likely be on Sunday. Apple has allowed a league-high six touchdowns this season and a 116 passer rating. On top of losing Pierre Garcon and Taylor, the 49ers lost George Kittle for at least a week, leaving San Francisco with Garrett Celek as their lead tight end in a terrific matchup for the position. The Giants are allowing the most PPR points to TEs and they’re giving up the most touchdowns to the position by a wide margin – across eight games, opposing tight ends are averaging 1.1 scores against them while the Browns, the second-worst team, are permitting 0.8. Celek hasn’t caught more than one pass in any contest this season but he flashed a bit of upside last year with two games over 70 yards and three total scores.
Other tagged players: San Francisco 49ers Dez Bryant considered questionable for Week 10, expected to play
Bryant (knee, ankle) said he’ll suit up Sunday against the Falcons and reporters at practice today seem to agree that he’ll be good to go. The receiver doesn’t line up on CB Desmond Trufant’s side often which should mostly leave him with Robert Alford, PFF’s 69th-ranked cover corner. Alford is coming off a solid game in which he limited Panthers receivers to a 3/26/0 line after being targeted eight times. Despite picking up 11 looks against the Chiefs, Bryant finished with six catches for 73 scoreless yards. While the yards haven’t been there for Bryant yet this season, he’s averaging 9.5 targets per game. On top of that, he’s second in the league with 14 red zone targets and eight looks inside the ten-yard line. He should continue to pick up opportunities in scoring position against a middle-of-the-pack Falcons RZ defense allowing a touchdown on 52% of their opponent’s trips inside the 20 (14th). Bryant could also be a beneficiary of Ezekiel Elliott’s absence as the Cowboys may end up passing more than normal.
Update: T.Y. Hilton will be a game-time decision Week 10
Hilton has been limited in practice after suffering a groin injury this week and he appears truly questionable. If he’s able to play Sunday, he’ll have a tough matchup with the Steelers, whose defense ranks fifth in pass DVOA (per FO) and has limited receivers to the second-fewest PPR points per game. He’ll mainly line up across from Joe Haden, who’s posted the fifth-best yards per cover snap since Week 2 (0.57, per PFF). When he slips into the slot, he’ll see Mike Hilton, who’s allowed the third-fewest yards when lined up inside among full-time slot CBs (96). With the added injury risk, it may be best to not chase his big game against a much weaker Texans pass defense. Aiken’s absence opens up 4.1 targets per game that will be split up among Hilton, Jack Doyle, Donte Moncrief, and Chester Rogers, who will step into the WR3 role. Doyle has been a go-to for QB Jacoby Brissett, averaging 10.0 targets per game over the past four weeks. Pittsburgh has been similarly proficient shutting down tight ends though, ranking second in DVOA while allowing the tenth-fewest PPR points to the position. If Hilton ends up sitting out, it would elevate Moncrief to a volume-based GPP value option despite the poor spot and would improve Doyle’s outlook for similar reasons. Moncrief is just $4.7k on FanDuel and he’s available for the minimum on DraftKings ($3.0k).
Other tagged players: Donte Moncrief, Jack Doyle Chris Hogan and RT Marcus Cannon ruled out for Week 10, Danny Amendola, Martellus Bennett, CB Stephen Gilmore, and CB Eric Rowe questionable
Amendola, Gilmore, and Rowe are all expected to play Sunday. Bennett passed his physical with New England and was on the practice field Friday but he’s dealing with a torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum – he’s truly questionable. He could make a relatively easy transition into the offense if/when he’s healthy considering he was with the team a season ago but he probably won’t make much of an impact behind Rob Gronkowski. With Hogan out, Gronk, who’s hit double-digit targets in three games and found the end zone five times, could be in line for a volume bump against the Broncos this weekend. Brady has loved targeted Hogan in scoring position, providing him the sixth-most red zone looks in the league (11); those could shift towards Gronkowski this weekend. It’s already a solid spot for him with the Broncos allowing the third-most PPR points to TEs, so the added opportunities would be very welcome. He’s currently second among tight ends with 2.11 yards per route run (per PFF), a number that’s better than all but seven wide receivers. Despite a hefty price tag, Gronk currently projects in our top five points-per-dollar TEs on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Amendola and Phillip Dorsett are also in line for more snaps and targets with Hogan down. Cannon (ankle) is PFF’s top-graded tackle in run blocking, his absence will certainly make it harder for the stable of Patriots backs to find running room against a Denver defense currently sitting in third in adjusted line yards (3.13, per FO). He hasn’t been as effective in pass protection; he’s 30th in pressures allowed and he’s given up the third-most sacks (3) at his position. Even so, his absence won’t help the Patriots slow down Von Miller off the edge. Miller currently leads his position in pass rushing productivity this season and he’s seventh in the league with 8.0 sacks.
Other tagged players: Danny Amendola, New England Patriots, Rob Gronkowski, Phillip Dorsett, Brandin Cooks, Martellus Bennett