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The Seahawks backfield is a mess.
In Week 9 we saw what looked like the beginning of the Rashaad Penny breakout. He ran 12 times, picked up 108 yards and legitimately looked like a star on a couple of runs. Pete Carroll raved about him. Then Chris Carson got healthy.
Heading into Thursday night, the Seahawks have a three-headed monster at running back, with Carroll waxing poetic about all of them. It's impossible to know how the Seahawks will employ them, which is frustrating because the Packers present a good opportunity. They've allowed six rushing touchdowns in four road games this season. So what do we do with Carson, Penny and Mike Davis?
Carson is my favorite option in both formats, but he's also doesn't crack my top-24 running backs. I expect him to see 12-15 carries and have the best chance to score a touchdown. He's a very good flex option in non-PPR and a fine flex in PPR.
You can flex Mike Davis in PPR because he has 14 targets in his past two games. I expect he'll lead the Seahawks backs in targets and get 5-7 carries himself. But I wouldn't call him safe.
Penny is the one I worry about. I do believe he should be added in every league and he's a great playoff stash. But you can't trust him until we see his usage with both Carson and Davis available.
Aaron Jones and Corey Davis try to build off Week 9 breakouts.
The other running back in the Thursday night game is coming off a monster performance. In Week 9 he ran for 145 yards, caught three passes for 27 yards and scored two touchdowns. Now he's got a national audience to try to establish himself as a consistent top-12 running back. It's never easy in Seattle, but this defense has given up 5.0 yards per carry to opposing running backs.
The other big-time Week 9 breakout was from Corey Davis. The second-year receiver caught seven of 10 targets for 125 yards and caught his second touchdown of the year. It was the fourth time this year he's seen double-digit targets, but only the second time he's delivered for you in Fantasy. There have been very few times over the past two years that both he and Marcus Mariota have been healthy, and they are right now. We'll see if that means another dominant performance.
Eli Manning has another great matchup.
I enjoy the Eli jokes as much as the next guy, and I agree he's been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league over the past three years. But with this week's matchup you just grin and enjoy it. The Tampa Bay Bucs have allowed all but two quarterbacks they've faced to score at least 24 Fantasy points. Manning has scored 21 or more in three of his past five games. He's the No. 1 streamer of the week. I'd start him over Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, Deshaun Watson, Ben Roethlisberger, Kirk Cousins and others.
It's "road-Ben" vs. a struggling Jacksonville defense.
You guys know the narrative. Ben Roethlisberger isn't the same guy on the road. He has one great road performance this season, and that was at Tampa Bay. We talked about how bad they are. Over his career, Roethlisberger has just been mediocre on the road, sometimes worse. So at Jacksonville should be an easy choice right? Not exactly.
The Jaguars are now 3-6 and just gave up 29 points in the first half to the Indianapolis Colts. They don't look the same, and they're teetering on an implosion.
Roethlisberger isn't a must-start this week, but he's also not in my top-12 quarterbacks. I'd rather start him than Wilson, Trubisky and Cousins, but I would sit him for Manning or Fitzpatrick. Not sure what to do with him? Check out our rankings page.
Is Jeff Heuerman a must-start tight end?
That sounds like a ridiculous question, doesn't it? It is for Week 11, but it may not be after this week. In the Broncos' first game without Demaryius Thomas, Heuerman saw 11(!) targets. He caught 10 of them for 83 yards and scored a touchdown. If he comes anywhere close to that volume in Week 11 we'll have no choice but to view him as a top-10 option, considering the state of the position. As it stands, I'm cautiously optimistic and view him as a decent streaming option.
The Saints and Falcons are at home, which usually means big numbers.
The Falcons are averaging 31.4 points per game at home this year. They're giving up 30.6. The Saints have scored at least 40 points in three of their four home games and allowed at least 35 in two of them. In other words, you want to build your DFS lineups around these games ... and start just about any player you can.
All of the quarterbacks are must-start except for Dak Prescott, who is still a very good streamer. You're starting everyone's running backs except the Eagles, but Josh Adams is an upside flex. Even three of the four tight ends are in play. Where it gets tricky is receiver.
Obviously you're starting Michael Thomas and Julio Jones. I'm comfortable with Amari Cooper, Alshon Jeffery and Calvin Ridley as well. Tre'Quan Smith has enormous upside, but a floor that is frightening. You should hold on to Golden Tate, but I'd have a hard time starting him with last week's usage.
The Bills are on a bye, but you can still pick on the Raiders.
The easiest thing to do this year was picking a streaming defense. Just start whoever is against the Bills. At least until Matt Barkley took over last week. With the Bills on a bye, it doesn't get any tougher. Just take whoever is playing the Raiders. Thankfully this week we get an underowned Cardinals defense at home. The Raiders haven't scored a touchdown since October and the Cardinals have been improving as of late.
This isn't just about the defense either. David Johnson should be the top play at running back this week in DFS, Larry Fitzgerald is a must-start in PPR and Christian Kirk is a dart throw as a flex. You could even stream Ricky Seals-Jones.
The Chiefs and Rams have the highest over/under ever.
Deservedly so. The only real concern anyone had about the offenses in this game was the condition of the field in Mexico. Thankfully the NFL moved the game back to Los Angeles, so now we don't have to worry about that. Start the studs and Sammy Watkins. If you're extremely desperate at tight end you could go with Gerald Everett or Tyler Higbee. Mostly, just enjoy what should be one of the best prime-time games of the season.
