One player I fade/start in week 10 for each position

Can you believe we’re already in week 10? This NFL season is really flying by.

And look, me know people say that every year, but I mean it more than usual. This is not just colloquialism this season. It’s probably because it’s our first NFL season with a baby at my house, which kind of creates a time warp.

Here is one player disappearing and one player starting at each position in fantasy football for Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season.

Blur: Kyler Murray – Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray and the Cardinals will take on the Jets this weekend, and that’s not a team you want to face. The Jets give up the fourth fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks.

One thing Murray’s fantasy managers could be optimistic about this week is a matchup with a defense that has allowed 211 rushing yards to the position, but I’m not sure Murray’s upside rushing is enough to save him.

That’s because Murray has struggled to move the ball through the air. He was held to 154 yards and no touchdowns last week against Chicago, which marked the fifth time he has had under 200 yards and the seventh time he has had one touchdown or fewer.

Start: Brock Purdy-San Francisco 49ers

I consider myself a Brock Purdy agnostic. I live in Iowa where people adore him and I don’t really agree with the hype, but I’m also not one to believe he’s just a product of the 49ers system.

This week, Purdy and the Niners take on the Bucs. Tampa’s pass defense has allowed 255.9 passing yards per game, third-most in the NFL.

Meanwhile, Purdy is putting together one of the hottest streaks in the NFL, finishing as a top-three fantasy quarterback in three straight games. A lot of that has been due to him using his legs, with Purdy finding the end zone on the ground three times in the last two games.

Blur: Javonte Williams – Denver Broncos

Javonte Williams has three straight games in double digits, but he has had just one big play in that span, rushing for a pair of touchdowns against the Saints.

Over the past two weeks, Williams has finished RB39 and RB28, and in three of the past four games he has averaged less than four yards per carry. While he adds some value in the passing game, it’s not enough to justify playing him in Week 10.

That’s because the team is playing the Kansas City Chiefs. KC allows the third-fewest rushing yards in the league and is one of only four teams to give up fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. That has led to the team allowing an average of 12.5 fantasy points per game at the running back position, with no team allowing less.

Start: Tony Pollard-Tennessee Titans

Sure, Tony Pollard comes into this game a little upset, but the foot injury also bothered him last week, and he finished with 128 rushing yards.

Pollard faces a tough matchup this week against the Chargers, who give up the second-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs, but we’re not talking about Pollard as an RB1 play or anything like that.

I’m just talking about how he’s currently the RB24 in the FantasyPros consensus rankings and how that feels low even with the matchup. You can reasonably call three of his last four games “good” and he’s had 20 or more carries the last two weeks, so there’s no reason not to start him as a strong RB2 option.

Blur: Marvin Harrison Jr. – Arizona Cardinals

This goes along with the fading of Kyler Murray. I have zero confidence in this passing game against the Jets.

Marvin Harrison Jr. has had some good performances as a rookie, but last week against the Bears he caught just two passes, marking the fourth time he’s had two or fewer receptions in any game this season.

That last week’s game was against another really good pass defense should be a warning sign for this weekend. Harrison could have a rebound game, but I won’t play him more than my third option at wide receiver.

Start: CeeDee Lamb-Dallas Cowboys

With Dak Prescott out, you might be tempted to fade CeeDee Lamb, but I’m here to tell you that having Cooper Rush under center isn’t the end of the world for Lamb.

(This assumes Lamb actually plays this week. He is currently nursing a shoulder injury and is listed as ‘week to week’, but there was some optimism that he could suit up.)

That’s because we’ve seen Lamb play with Rush before and the results were solid:

Are those elite figures? Not quite. But they’re good enough for Lamb to remain in fantasy lineups with Rush at quarterback.

Blur: Jake Ferguson – Dallas Cowboys

While I still feel good about CeeDee Lamb with Cooper Rush at quarterback, I think the passing game overall is taking a step back. Rush is no Dak Prescott.

This seriously makes me question whether I want to play Jake Ferguson this week. He was targeted 10 times against the Falcons last week, but a lot of that came before Prescott left the game. Now he faces an Eagles defense that allows the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the tight end position.

Start: Taysom Hill – New Orleans Saints

Is this cheating? Don’t know. That’s how it feels, at least a little. Taysom Hill had to fit in at a certain key position and things ended up being tight, though the Saints continue to use him in a variety of roles.

Hill is currently on the rise based on his recent usage. He finished as the overall TE5 after carrying the ball five times for 19 yards and a touchdown, while also catching four passes for 41 yards.

Hill had ten chances between his carries and targets in this match, after having eight in the previous match. If he gets that many touches, he has a great chance to have a top week based on how the Saints have used him.