Making lineup decisions can be the most frustrating or most rewarding part of fantasy football. Here to help you make those decisions are our start ’em and sit ’em picks. These are the decisions that can make or break your season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at our Week 10 start/sit plays.
Start ‘Em: Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants (at CHI)
Unsurprisingly, the move from Russell Wilson to Jaxson Dart didn’t exactly turn the entire New York Giants team into one capable of winning games. What it did do is revitalize the offense.
The Giants cannot stop anyone defensively, which is bad for them, but great for fantasy. It means Jaxson Dart is always being asked to do a lot.
Dart has now started six games in his young NFL career. In Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, he posted 17.6 fantasy points. That’s the worst he’s performed from a fantasy standpoint.
Dart has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every start. He’s rushed for a touchdown in all but one game. And he’s topped 50 rushing yards in all but two games.
The Chicago Bears just gave up 42 points to 40-year-old Joe Flacco. They’re allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Dart is a locked-in top six option against this beatable defense.
JJ McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings (vs. BAL)
It was a mixed bag for JJ McCarthy in his first game back after a lengthy hiatus due to a high ankle sprain. From a real-life perspective, there are no criticisms.
McCarthy, a de facto rookie, returned after a long layoff to go on the road and upset one of the best teams in football, the division rival Detroit Lions. He certainly looked the part. Statistically, though, it wasn’t exactly the greatest performance.
McCarthy only completed 56% of his passes for 143 yards. He threw two touchdowns and rushed for a third. But even with Aaron Jones Sr. set to miss time again, the Minnesota Vikings are going to score touchdowns via Jordan Mason. They won’t all be via their quarterback.
Fortunately, there should be plenty to go around this week against a Baltimore Ravens defense allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
With Lamar Jackson back, the Ravens offense has returned to its elite ways. Even at home, the Vikings are likely to fall behind on the scoreboard. That should give fantasy managers much more volume from McCarthy this week, making him a viable streaming option if you’re looking to replace someone like Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott for a week.
Kyle Monangai, RB, Chicago Bears (vs. NYG)
D’Andre Swift has been on the injury report more often than not this season. It finally caught up with him last week as he missed his first game of the year. This gave Kyle Monangai a chance to shine in a dream matchup against the worst run defense in the league…and he delivered.
The rookie seventh-rounder saw a staggering 31 opportunities, which he turned into 198 yards. He posted 25.8 fantasy points without scoring a touchdown. That is mighty impressive.
MORE: Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer
When Swift returns, he will regain his job. It’s not as if Swift was playing poorly. If it happens this week, Monangai is obviously not as strong a play. However, this recommendation stands regardless of Swift’s status.
The Bears are home against a Giants defense that trails only the aforementioned Bengals in fantasy points per game allowed to running backs. Monangai is an RB1 without Swift. But on a week where several viable fantasy running backs are on bye, he’s still at least a Flex play even if Swift returns.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Denver Broncos (vs. LV)
J.K. Dobbins looks completely rejuvenated. He’s clearly finally over all the injuries he dealt with earlier in his career and has his energy back. That’s great for his career and great for the Broncos. Unfortunately, his status as a useful fantasy running back is in question.
The issue with Dobbins is he doesn’t catch passes. He has 10 receptions on the season.
The rushing production is there. The efficiency is there. But without receiving work to fall back on, Dobbins is heavily reliant on touchdowns.
Over the first five weeks of the season, Dobbins scored in four games. He hasn’t scored since, resulting in just a single game with more than 9.0 fantasy points over that span.
Dobbins is going to be heavily reliant on the game script and the matchup. Fortunately, he has both this week.
The Raiders allow the 10th-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Denver is the home team and the favorite in this matchup. They should experience positive game script and be able to run the ball 25+ times. As frustrating as Dobbins has been for the past month, fire him up in Week 10.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. PIT)
Quentin Johnston bounced back after his Week 8 goose egg to post 15.3 fantasy points, his highest total since Week 4. Unfortunately, the peripherals remain uninspiring. Johnston’s five targets marked his third consecutive game with six or fewer. He skated by for fantasy purposes because he caught a touchdown.
Fortunately, this week appears to be one where Johnston will be Justin Herbert’s preferred option. The entire Los Angeles Chargers passing game should thrive against a Steelers pass funnel defense. But they particularly struggle against wide receivers, allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to the position. Parsing it down even further, they are especially bad against outside receivers.
Last week, Alec Pierce managed to go off for 115 yards on six receptions against this defense. Johnston is the Chargers’ version of Pierce.
Ladd McConkey has reestablished himself as the Chargers’ top receiver, especially with Keenan Allen starting to fade. But this week smells very much like a QJ game.
Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions (at WAS)
Let’s chase more points, shall we? Jameson Williams has been a major disappointment this season, following his breakout 2024 campaign. During the Detroit Lions’ bye week, though, offensive coordinator John Morton apologized for not doing enough to get Williams the ball.
The Lions had an embarrassing home loss to the Vikings last week, but Williams got the ball. He caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Williams has now either scored at least 16.6 fantasy points or fewer than 6.6 fantasy points in every game. He epitomizes boom or bust.
This week, let’s gamble it’s a boom week against a Washington Commanders defense that was just torched by the likes of Tory Horton and Cody White (who is definitely a real player I knew existed before he caught a 60 yard touchdown on Sunday night).
Washington is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. They just lost Jayden Daniels again, which will undoubtedly negatively impact their motivation. This is a disappointing lost season for the Commanders.
Expect the Lions to bounce back hugely this week and lay it on the Commanders. I think they score at least four touchdowns. There’s a decent chance Williams catches one of them.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)
Dalton Schultz is the type of player you never get correct. He’ll have a solid game, much like the 18.8 fantasy points he posted against the Seahawks in Week 7. This leads to fantasy managers adding him for a much-needed spot start. Then, despite Nico Collins and Christian Kirk being absent, he completely duds with 4.4 points.
Of course, fantasy managers then jettison Schultz to the waiver wire. Despite losing C.J. Stroud in the first half, the tight end goes and has another usable week with 13.7 points.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that if Davis Mills has to start this week, we’ll see plenty of checkdowns with him not exactly adept at pushing the ball downfield. In theory, that benefits Schultz. With at least two starting tight ends on bye this week, fantasy managers have no choice but to chase it.
The Jaguars allow the second-most fantasy points per game to the position. This one should be ugly and low scoring. Hopefully, Schultz can PPR-scam his way to TE1 numbers.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons (at IND)
Fantasy managers who took a chance on Kyle Pitts have to be pleased with the results. He’s never going to live up to his early Round 1 price tag as a player. But clearly, he’s nowhere near as bad as he looked the past two seasons.
Pitts has been solid, if unspectacular, for fantasy purposes. He’s only had one truly difference-making performance (the week he scored a touchdown), but he has hit double digit fantasy points in half his games. The other half weren’t all disasters, though. It’s fair to classify him as having just one true dud all season.
The Atlanta Falcons are coming off a frustrating loss to the New England Patriots. They need to get back on track. Of course, the Indianapolis Colts feel the same way after dropping one to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That gives us two highly motivated teams.
Atlanta probably won’t win this game, but they should make it a competitive one. Pitts should play a big part in that against a defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Darnell Mooney looks like one of the worst players on the field since returning from injury. Drake London will dominate targets, but Pitts is the No. 2 guy in this passing game (well…No. 3 if you count Bijan Robinson). That’s good enough to start against Indy’s pass funnel defense.
Sit ‘Em: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)
The degree to which Trevor Lawrence has “gotten away with it” this year is astronomical. He truly hasn’t played well in a single game. Yet, the Jacksonville Jaguars are 5-3 and very much in the playoff hunt.
He’s even somehow skated by for fantasy managers, posting at least 17.6 fantasy points in four straight contests. Last week, Lawrence didn’t throw a single touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders, but still managed 22.2 points because he ran two of them in.
There has been, however, one game in which Lawrence was an actual disaster. One game in which he failed to reach double digit fantasy points. It was in Week 3 against the Houston Texans.
No team allows fewer fantasy points per game to quarterbacks than Houston. They are the only team that has yet to allow a single QB1 performance (top 12) in fantasy this season.
The Texans are coming off a tough last-second loss to the Denver Broncos. The Jaguars are coming off a thrilling last-second victory over the Raiders. Time for your classic double reverse. Even if Davis Mills has to start for Houston, this smells like a low-scoring, ugly Texans win where Lawrence throws for something like 180 scoreless yards with multiple turnovers.
Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets (vs. CLE)
I remain convinced that Justin Fields was going to be benched for Tyrod Taylor ahead of Week 8 and only held onto the job because of Taylor’s knee injury. Since Fields wound up leading the New York Jets to a victory, it stands to reason he will remain the starter coming out of the bye. His reward? A date with one of the best defenses in football.
The Cleveland Browns are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Some notable results were 13.7 points from Jared Goff, 12.1 points from Jordan Love, and 8.8 points from Joe Burrow. You can and should fear this defense.
Fields is not exactly known for overcoming difficult matchups. We saw how low the floor can be against the Broncos when Fields threw for 45 yards in a complete football game, posting 4.9 fantasy points. While he does have 20+ fantasy points in four of his five games that he didn’t leave early, this sure looks like a game in which he might get benched at halftime again. You cannot rust Fields.
Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets (vs. CLE)
The last time we saw Breece Hall, he posted 32.8 fantasy points in one of the best games of his career. It also came against the Bengals, who are lapping the field in terms of fantasy points per game allowed to running backs.
It is not possible for a greater disparity in matchups than to go from facing the Bengals to the Cleveland Browns.
While Cleveland is not exactly going anywhere this season and struggles immensely on offense, their defense is elite. No team is allowing fewer fantasy points per game to running backs.
MORE: Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
Amongst their accomplishments, the Browns held Derrick Henry to 23 rushing yards, Josh Jacobs to 30 yards, and De’Von Achane to 36 yards on 12 carries before he ripped off a 46-yarder.
Prior to his Week 8 explosion, Hall was coming off consecutive games with single digit fantasy points.
The Jets are likely to struggle to move the ball against this defense. You probably can’t afford to sit Hall, but it’s not going to be pretty.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders (at DEN)
Halfway through his rookie season, Ashton Jeanty has proven two things. He’s an elite talent who would absolutely excel in a more favorable offensive environment…but he cannot overcome the current one.
Last week, Jeanty had his second-best game of the season, posting 19.9 fantasy points against a very good Jaguars run defense. Naturally, he was unable to get anything going on the ground. Jeanty ran the ball 13 times for 42 yards. He got by because he caught five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
The Broncos are allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Jeanty has faced four top-10 run defenses this season. His rushing yardage totals in those games were 38, 67, 21, and 42. The volume will be there, but Jeanty will have to find the end zone to have a passable fantasy day.
Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills (at MIA)
Khalil Shakir’s name absolutely belongs in the running for the biggest PPR scam of the 2025 season. The man’s average depth of target is barely over four yards. Everything is near or behind the line of scrimmage.
The way the Buffalo Bills utilize Shakir makes him heavily reliant on volume. My fear is that there won’t be much of it this week.
When the Bills played the Miami Dolphins back in Week 3, Shakir only saw four targets. He caught all of them for 45 yards and a touchdown, salvaging his fantasy outing. But the volume was not there. I’m expecting something similar this week.
The Dolphins know their season is over. They are not making the playoffs. This team is going nowhere. The Bills should absolutely hammer this team.
Miami is allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game of running backs. James Cook has elevated his game to a level we’ve never seen from him before. He is seeing the field so well. Cook is going to torch the Dolphins on the ground this week, which will result in Josh Allen not needing to do much. That, in turn, will lead to an underwhelming outing from his No. 1 receiver.
Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts (vs. ATL)
Prior to last week’s 115-yard explosion, Alec Pierce averaged 23 fewer receiving yards per game with Josh Downs active than without him. Naturally, fantasy managers may be inclined to believe Pierce is taking a step forward into perhaps an every-week startable fantasy asset.
Last week was a unique situation for the Colts, as Daniel Jones was forced to attempt 50 passes. His previous season high was 34. That’s essentially an extra half-game’s worth of volume.
The Colts are unlikely to experience an extreme negative game script like that again, certainly not at home against the Falcons.
Atlanta is allowing the 11th-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Pierce is likely to draw a lot of A.J. Terrell. The Falcons are a run funnel, which plays perfectly into Jonathan Taylor’s hands. Expect a huge bounce back performance from him as the Colts trounce the Falcons via the ground game, limiting what Pierce needs to do on the outside.
Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots (at TB)
It has now been five weeks since Hunter Henry cracked double digit fantasy points. Even with Drake Maye playing at an MVP level, the veteran tight end has been purely touchdown-or-bust…mostly the bust.
Last week, Henry did about as well as could’ve against the No. 1 fantasy defense versus tight ends, posting 9.1 fantasy points. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers allow the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends.
This should be a high-scoring contest, but Maye has been honing in on his wide receivers and pushing the ball downfield a ton. That is not Henry’s game. Unless Henry finds the end zone, he is bound to disappoint fantasy managers.
Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens (at MIN)
Welcome back Lamar Jackson. That’s certainly how Mark Andrews’ fantasy managers felt last week when he posted 16.6 fantasy points. We take that all day. Unfortunately, his production couldn’t be less sustainable.
Last season, Andrews went on a ridiculous touchdown streak, scoring in all but two games from Week 6 onward. It masked what was otherwise a reduced role in terms of volume.
This season, it’s even worse. Andrews happened to score on both of his receptions last week. He didn’t catch another pass in his second straight game with only three targets.
Andrews sports a 16.7% target share on the season. That would be the lowest of his career if not for his 15.3% target share from last year. This is a player firmly in decline.
The veteran tight end ran a mere 13 routes, which actually lagged behind Isaiah Likely.
The Vikings may be a favorable matchup for tight ends, but it doesn’t matter if a player isn’t given a chance to exploit it. Andrews is not just someone to bench; he’s someone to sell if you can get anything useful for him.