The following is an excerpt from the latest edition of Yahoo’s fantasy football newsletter, Get to the Points! If you like what you see, you can subscribe for free here.
Start-sit questions can be anxious for even the best fantasy managers. Here’s a traffic-light report to help get you ready for Week 10.
✅ Green Light
RB Chuba Hubbard vs. Giants (Germany)
Jonathon Brooks is set to return, and he might be an impactful fantasy player someday. Hubbard is already dynamic, sitting as the RB9 through the opening nine games. Carolina gave Hubbard a juicy contract extension this week, clearly earmarking its immediate intentions.
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. vs. Panthers (Germany)
Tracy Jr. has moved Devin Singletary out of the way in the New York offense, and the Panthers by far are the easiest defense for opposing running backs to exploit.
RB Najee Harris at Commanders
Jaylen Warren is healing up nicely and starting to play more, but don’t think Pittsburgh isn’t committed to Harris, too. The featured back had 22 and 21 touches in the two games before the Week 9 bye, and he averages 19 touches per game. Harris no longer has to worry about former starting QB Justin Fields stealing goal-line work.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown at Texans
We miss the volume that came in earlier seasons, but the Sun God is making it work through hyper-efficiency: he’s caught his last 30 targets and scored a touchdown in six straight games.
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🫤 Yellow Light
WR DeAndre Hopkins vs. Broncos
We can’t unsee his dynamic game last Monday, or the swanky “Remember the Titans” end-zone celebration. But all that came against a Tampa Bay secondary that can’t guard anyone; the Broncos secondary is one of the best in football, led by shutdown corner Patrick Surtain II. Be realistic with your Hopkins projections.
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine at Chargers
The four-game touchdown streak might feel a little fluky, and obviously the Chargers are a nasty draw. But NWI is a full-time player now that DeAndre Hopkins is gone; he’s been over 90% snaps for two straight games. If the Titans manage a touchdown pass this week, Westbrook-Ikhine is the man most likely to catch it.
RB Ray Davis at Colts
He’s still the understudy back in Buffalo, but Davis might carry more touchdown equity than you realize; Josh Allen only has three rushing scores this year, after gobbling up 15 last season.
TE Taysom Hill vs. Falcons
You have to be careful with expectations because Hill never offers any fantasy floor. But he did look dynamic punching in a red-zone touchdown run last week, and the Saints can’t hand the ball off to Alvin Kamara on every play.
🛑 Red Light
QB C.J. Stroud vs. Lions
Detroit’s defense is no longer a punching bag and the Texans have struggled to protect Stroud all season. Worse yet, it’s looking unlikely that Nico Collins will return this week.
RB Tank Bigsby vs. Vikings
The fantasy breakout is turning into a fantasy breakup. Travis Etienne Jr. has returned, and while he’s been stuck in mud all year, it complicates the Jacksonville backfield. Bigsby is rarely asked to work in the passing game and Mac Jones starting could limit the buoyancy of the offense. And Minnesota has been lights out against the run this year. Too many red flags.
WR DJ Moore vs. Patriots
I need a show-me game before I put Moore back into the Circle of Trust. He did torch the Carolina secondary back in Week 5, but otherwise his four most recent games have collected an underwhelming 102 total yards. The Bears try to manage Caleb Williams carefully every week, and it’s possible Chicago can defeat New England with a very conservative offense.
WR Xavier Worthy vs. Broncos
He hasn’t made it to double-digit fantasy points since Week 4, and the Chiefs seemed to sour on Worthy last week after some first half mistakes. Andy Reid has never been the type of coach to force rookie skill players into the mix, no matter how exciting the theoretical upside.
