Huddle up, Nerds! You’ve looked to your favorite dynasty site to guide you through the spring and summer months, but a strong offseason alone will not win you a championship. No matter how talented your roster is, you’ll need to make the right lineup decisions to wrestle glory from your league mates.
But have no fear! Your Dynasty Nerds writers are here to shepherd you through the minefield of starts and sits. Our staff will make recommendations each week to aid in your lineup decision-making. Look for the position-specific columns below to guide you to dynasty grandeur.
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- Changing the Call (QB): Jayson Snyder (@Spydes78)
- The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver (@DarthDbacks)
- Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook (@THEtristancook)
- 12 Formation (TE): Ethan Wyatt (@ethanAwyatt)
- Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown (@FFEvanlution)
- IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser (@Glosser13)
NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings.
About Last Week…
Previous Week Record: 3-1
Season Long Record: 26-10
Week 9 Starts
The starting slate was a bit murky in Week 9. With only 13.1 fantasy points, Justin Herbert was an unexpected miss. The budding star did post a robust 245 yards but mustered only a single score against a weak Falcons secondary. Though Los Angeles ultimately pulled out the much-needed victory, the absence of multiple offensive weapons made it too challenging for Herbert to pile up big numbers.
Things were a bit better regarding my recommendation to start Washington’s Taylor Heinicke. The Commanders’ backup gave the favored Vikings quite a scare, orchestrating a pair of touchdowns. In the end, he usurped his lackluster FantasyPros consensus ranking of 19th, making him a quality start for the week.
Week 9 Sits
The successes were far more clear on the sit side. First, Mac Jones scraped together just 9.7 fantasy points against the sinking Colts. His minuscule 147-yard effort qualified him as 23rd among 28 eligible Week 9 starters.
Though Jones’ day was uninspired, he was downright electric compared to PJ Walker. The Panther quarterback tossed a pair of interceptions against the Bengals and managed just nine passing yards from scrimmage before being hooked for Baker Mayfield. Registering -1.0 fantasy points, you’d have been better off punting on the position altogether rather than starting Walker.
WEEK 10 STARTS
Jacoby Brissett (FantasyPros Wk10 ECR: 23)
With Deshaun Watson serving a heavily publicized 11-game suspension, the pressure has fallen on backup Brissett to keep Cleveland relevant for most of the season. And though many were dubious that he’d be up to the challenge, he has shown remarkable resilience during this stretch.
Averaging 221.1 passing yards per game, the Browns have been middle of the pack among NFL offenses. Now past the season’s midpoint, Brissett’s PFF grade of 77.5 places him in the Top 10 of eligible passers. He’s given Cleveland all they could have asked for and then some in his relief stint.
In Week 10, Brissett will lead the Browns into Miami. Having dawned the teal and orange just a year ago, Hard Rock Stadium will be a familiar backdrop for the journeyman signal caller. And though the Dolphins have been resurgent in their own right, the pass defense has definitely not been an area of strength. In fact, through nine games, Miami ranks dead last in the league by surrendering 22.2 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
As a road underdog facing a potent Miami offense, look for Brissett and the Browns to be forced into a pass-heavy game script. And with the second-highest over/under on the week’s slate, oddsmakers feel that the Browns can keep pace. Lean on Brissett for a spot start in this potential shootout in South Florida.
Andy Dalton, NO (FantasyPros Wk10 ECR: 20)
I’ll grant you that this is not a particularly fun recommendation. At this point, fans and analysts alike are determined for Dalton to be benched in favor of Jameis Winston. And yet, Saints coach Dennis Allen has reiterated that Dalton remains his man even after an ugly Monday night loss to the Ravens.
So what can Allen possibly see in Dalton? From a numbers standpoint, he’s not been nearly as bad as you might suspect. The Saints have averaged 246.7 yards through the air, good for seventh best in the NFL. With a grade of 84.3 from PFF, Dalton ranks sixth among eligible passers. And, in a somewhat desolate quarterback landscape, Dalton’s 15.6 fantasy points per game place him above mainstays like Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott.
All good stats, but I feel you’re still not convinced. Perhaps I can tell you about Dalton’s Week 10 opponent, the Steelers. Despite a franchise reputed for bruising defense, Pittsburgh has been anything but intimidating in 2022. The Steelers have five times allowed scores of 20 or more points to their opponent. They have been routinely gouged by quarterbacks, allowing 20.1 fantasy points per game, tied for 28th in the NFL. They are a vulnerable unit.
No, you won’t feel giddy with confidence when you submit a lineup capped with Andy Dalton at the helm. However, all indicators are in place for a respectable day for the Saints’ QB. With injuries and bye weeks mounting, don’t be afraid to take advantage of a sneaky play and roll the dice with Dalton in Week 10.
WEEK 10 SITS
Dak Prescott, DAL (FantasyPros Wk10 ECR: 9)
When Prescott sustained a serious thumb injury during a Week 1 loss to the Bucs, Cowboys’ fans hoped against hope that the team could stay afloat until his eventual return. And while backup Cooper Rush certainly delivered on that promise, Prescott’s triumphant return has been a bit of a work in progress.
In two games since his reappearance, Prescott has come through on the most critical of statistics, twice putting Dallas in the win column. However, he has also been harassed for a trio of sacks and has managed just three passing touchdowns over that span. And while those numbers may not seem too disappointing, weapons like CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup should, in theory, bolster a more prolific attack.
In Week 10, the Cowboys will up the degree of difficulty when they visit Green Bay. Facing their third consecutive NFC North foe, Dallas will find the Packer pass defense far more formidable than the Lions or the Bears. Green Bay has underperformed as a team but has not been for lack of defensive muscle. Forfeiting just 12.3 fantasy points per game, the Packer defense has been the fifth-strongest unit in the league against quarterbacks.
The Cowboys are favored in this game, and rightfully so. They are 6-2 and look like legitimate NFC contenders. However, dig a bit further to find that low 43 point over/under. Bookkeepers might expect a Dallas victory, but a defensive slugfest is also in the forecast.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the 3-6 Packers will be fish in a barrel for the visiting Cowboys. Avoid Dak in your lineups this week, and seek out a better matchup.
Daniel Jones, NYG (FantasyPros Wk10 ECR: 16)
You may be familiar with my Jones skepticism if you’ve read this column before. And for the Giants to be 6-2 while he’s throwing to guys like Richie James, Darius Slayton, and David Stills, you might as well give the Coach of the Year award to Brian Daboll right now.
The stats back up just how downright deplorable the weaponry has been in the Big Apple. The Giants currently rank 29th in the NFL, managing just 159.1 passing yards per game. Through nine games, they have not had a single receiver eclipse 100 yards in a game. Individually, PFF grades Jones’ performance as 64.6, an inauspicious 26th best among eligible passers. Safe to say, the G-Men have not won on style points.
In Week 10, the Giants will welcome the Texans to MetLife Stadium. And while doing battle with a one-win opponent might seem a lopsided advantage for the hosts, don’t be quite so hasty to dismiss Houston. They have admittedly struggled to find success, as has become somewhat of a sad tradition.
However, the losses have piled up despite a vastly improved defense. With the addition of some key draft day selections, head coach Lovie Smith has been able to inspire a revived defensive identity in Houston. Surrendering just 12.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, the Texans are surprisingly the fourth most difficult unit to face for fantasy QBs.
This matchup is shaping to be yet another deceptive instance for the Week 10 slate. Fantasy players who pop Jones into their lineup expecting a breakout performance against the lowly Texans are in for a rude awakening. Don’t let the disparity in win-loss records dupe you into a poor play. Avoid Jones against Houston this week.
In Closing…
I thoroughly enjoyed bringing you this piece, and would love to continue the conversation on quarterback start/sits. Please feel free to comment below or contact me @Spydes78 on Twitter. And also, stay tuned to @DynastyNerds for a steady pipeline of content from our eminently qualified staff to carry you through your season. If you like what you read, please consider subscribing to any of the elite tools that Dynasty Nerds offers. Make sure to use the promo code “SPYDES” to receive a 15% discount. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the grind!