NFL Power Rankings
There were a ton of big games on tap in Week 9 and the results will send ripple effects throughout the rest of the season in terms of playoff implications. The Steelers continue finding ways to overcome one of the most inefficient offenses in the league, beating Will Levis in his first career road start to begin the Week 9 slate on Thursday Night Football. Pittsburgh is 5-3, which would normally be good enough to be comfortable in a division, but the AFC North is loaded with all four teams at 5-3 or better, led by the 7-2 Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have dominated Detroit and Seattle at home across the past three weeks, beating these two NFC opponents 75-9.
Overseas in the first of two Germany games, Kansas City jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two Patrick Mahomes touchdown passes to bottle up Miami’s offense in a low-scoring, 21-14 win that saw the momentum flip in the Chiefs’ favor during a stripped ball from Tyreek Hill that resulted in a fumble-six scoop-and-score. Jalen Hurts beat Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys for the first time head-to-head in a thrilling 28-23 matchup in Philadelphia. Prescott and the Cowboys had their chances but couldn’t convert in the big moments, while Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals look like the 2021 team all over again after throttling San Francisco and Buffalo in consecutive wins.
Other notable performances on a jam-packed Week 9 slate saw Joshua Dobbs lead the Minnesota Vikings on a spectacular comeback on the road against Atlanta despite not knowing the playbook, C.J. Stroud throwing for 470 yards and five touchdowns in a 39-37 win over Tampa Bay, and the Las Vegas Raiders dominating the anemic New York Giants 30-6 in their first game following the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels and the Raiders’ general manager. Cleveland held Arizona to 58 total yards of offense, while Breece Hall and the New York Jets were held without a touchdown at home against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football.
NFL fantasy analyst Matt MacKay is here to share his latest NFL Power Rankings ahead of Week 10, ranking each team first to worst, 1-32, providing a consolidated assessment of the current state of each franchise, plus adding a fantasy football update for one player from each team, good or bad. Half-PPR is the scoring format used to analyze fantasy football production in this article ahead of another great slate of NFL action in Week 10.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are the lone 8-1 team in the league and have a variety of ways they can beat opponents, cycling between star wideout A.J. Brown and a deep core nucleus of talent that features D’Andre Swift, Devonta Smith, and Jalen Hurts. It also helps to have the best offensive line and one of the top defensive line units in the league.
QB Jalen Hurts – Hurts is QB2 in fantasy points per game this season (22.8) behind only Josh Allen. He’s completing 68 percent of his pass attempts and has racked up a league-high seven rushing touchdowns mostly through the hyper-effective “Brotherly Shove” formation.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore has begun to hit its stride late, routing Detroit and Seattle at home, while its only two losses came against Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. OC Todd Monken is leaning into the running back depth and keeping Lamar Jackson fresh as more of a pocket passer, managing an offense that is also bailed out by arguably the top secondary in the league.
QB Lamar Jackson – He’s only QB6 in fantasy points per game (18.7) this year but Lamar Jackson has been rock solid for fantasy managers, delivering enormous ceiling games with a smattering of floor like what we saw in Week 9. Hopefully, he’ll log more red zone touches to preserve his ceiling, but as long as Baltimore is running the football well and containing opponents offensively, we could see Jackson settle into low-end QB1 numbers for the duration of the fantasy football season.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Excluding the ugly loss to Denver, Kansas City has looked sharp lately. Its defense is the best of Patrick Mahomes’ career and it’s been keeping the Chiefs’ offense from having to go into hyperdrive on each possession. A Week 10 Bye will give Kansas City time to rest before a huge Week 11 matchup at home in a Super Bowl rematch against Philadelphia.
WR Rashee Rice – The Chiefs’ rookie wideout has made an impact consistently this year on offense, leading the way with a 12.6 percent target share. Rice has scored a touchdown in every other game since Week 5 and has gone over 50 receiving yards in three of his past four games, so he’s evolving into a reliable WR3/Flex option in most 12-team leagues.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow’s lingering calf injury appears to be gone, as he and the Bengals have gone on a tear against San Francisco and Buffalo to improve to 5-3 in the AFC North. The offense is too loaded with weapons to be counted out, plus the Bengals’ defense is allowing 35.2 percent of drives to end in a score, ranked 13th-fewest in the league. Complimentary football always transfers into the playoffs, where Cincinnati has plenty of recent success to build off.
WR Tee Higgins – We finally saw Tee Higgins bounce back with a solid WR2 outing in Week 9, hauling in eight of nine targets for 110 yards. Higgins missed a game due to injury earlier in the year but still has more points per game than Tyler Boyd. The schedule grows tougher for Higgins heading into matchups against Houston and Baltimore, who have performed well against fantasy wideouts this season.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are riding high after their Week 9 Bye, sitting with a two-game lead in the AFC South and winning five consecutive games leading up to a Week 10 matchup hosting the San Francisco 49ers. This game will tell us a lot about both teams, but Trevor Lawrence should be able to pick apart one of the league’s more porous pass defenses this season.
RB Travis Etienne Jr. – The Jaguars’ RB1 has been on a tear in 2023, averaging 18.8 fantasy points per game to sit as RB3 on the season. Etienne gets a bottom-12 matchup against the 49ers in Week 10 but remains a low-end RB1 due to the volume and efficiency he brings in each matchup.
6. Dallas Cowboys
CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott have begun to heat up in the past few games, as Dallas blends an increasingly efficient passing attack with its top-ten defense. Micah Parsons and the rest of Dallas’ defense get a bounce-back matchup at home against the hapless New York Giants in Week 10.
WR CeeDee Lamb – Dallas’ WR1 climbed atop the fantasy wide receiver leaderboard in Week 9 despite failing to find the end zone. Lamb has 16.3 fantasy points per game this season after overcoming a slow start, hauling in a combined 23 catches on 30 targets for 57.6 fantasy points in his last two games against the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia. A top-14 matchup at home against the Giants will likely keep Lamb in double-digit production, as Lamb went 4-77 on four targets in a Week 1 rout of the Giants.
7. Detroit Lions
Detroit exits its Bye sitting 6-2 atop the NFC North but the Minnesota Vikings are gaining momentum behind the Lions at 5-4. Detroit’s next matchup on the road against the Chargers should provide a lot of insight into the state of both teams, especially with the Lions’ pass defense surrendering at least 225 passing yards in four games this season. For now, the Lions have a favorable rest of season schedule, with two matchups against Minnesota in the last two weeks of the season likely filled with drama and high-stakes implications.
RB Jahmyr Gibbs – We saw what rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs could do without David Montgomery playing. Now with Montgomery back in the fold from a rib injury, Gibbs’ ceiling may once again get shelved as head coach Dan Campbell favors a balanced, running back-by-committee approach. Regardless of how Gibbs’ usage plays out against the Chargers in Week 10, a top-eight fantasy running back matchup awaits him, so fantasy managers need to keep Gibbs plugged into lineups as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
8. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s up-and-down season can largely be attributed to injuries sustained by Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson. Now, they lose Jedrick Wills on the offensive line, while the defense, despite just shutting out Clayton Tune and the Cardinals’ offense 27-0 in Week 9, has surrendered over 60 points to Indianapolis and Seattle since Week 7. A Week 10 road contest against the red-hot Ravens, who previously beat Cleveland 28-3, will give us a better picture of how competitive the Browns can be with Watson healthy under center.
RB Kareem Hunt – In Week 9, Kareem Hunt only played 28 percent of snaps and ceded his rushing share (35%) to Jerome Ford (50%) but it was a game script that saw Arizona never truly threatening to stay competitive. Hunt still managed to find the end zone to finish with 9.8 fantasy points, but now that Ford is healthy again, Hunt is a touchdown-reliant RB3 ahead of a difficult matchup against the Ravens in Week 10.
9. San Francisco 49ers
After starting 5-0 and routing Dallas 42-10 in prime time back in Week 5, the San Francisco 49ers have lost three consecutive games to Cleveland, Minnesota, and Cincinnati. Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense have committed six turnovers in the past two games, while their secondary has been chewed up by the Vikings and Bengals for over 600 receiving yards. It feels like a must-win down in Jacksonville coming out of the Bye.
TE George Kittle – After starting off with three games under five fantasy points, George Kittle has seen 18 targets in the past two games played, recording at least five receptions and 78 yards in both contests. Jacksonville is the 14th-best matchup for fantasy tight ends, so while it’s not elite, expect a back-and-forth shootout in Florida between Purdy and Trevor Lawrence, leading to more production for the 49ers’ TE1 hitting another double-digit point threshold.
10. Miami Dolphins
The hot seat is getting warmer for Miami’s credibility following another loss to a top opponent. The Dolphins’ losses have all come on the road against Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Kansas City but at some point, they’ll need to prove that they can win a big game as an underdog with Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, and Jaylen Waddle comprising one of the top cores within any offense in the league. Don’t forget about the return of rookie De’Von Achane, whose explosive rushing ability is sorely missed in Miami’s backfield right now.
WR Jaylen Waddle – Waddle is the definition of a floor player. Miami’s WR2 has three games with at least 12 points in his past five contests, while never dropping below 6.5 fantasy points this season. He’s guaranteed to provide a nice, safe floor while showing his ceiling with 7-121-1 during Miami’s win over New England in Week 8. Waddle is a mid-range WR2 against a good Raiders pass defense coming out of the Bye in Week 11.
11. New Orleans Saints
The Saints are an unimpressive 5-4 heading into a road game against Minnesota in Week 10. Taysom Hill has been the X-factor for the offense, ripping off touchdowns left and right in recent games, while Derek Carr is finally getting into a bit of a rhythm, recording either 300 passing yards or two touchdowns in four consecutive games.
QB/TE Taysom Hill – Once again, we’re seeing Taysom Hill break fantasy football, available as a tight end in most fantasy leagues despite also playing snaps as a quarterback. Hill threw a touchdown in Week 9, while he’s scored four touchdowns as a receiver and ball carrier since Week 7. Minnesota’s run defense is good, but Hill is averaging 5.2 YPC this season, so keep him plugged in as a fantasy tight end or Flex option against a Vikings defense that is a top-ten matchup for tight ends this season.
12. Minnesota Vikings
We all watched Joshua Dobbs pull off the improbable comeback against Atlanta just a couple of days after being traded at the deadline from Arizona. Minnesota’s won four games in a row and will look to make another statement victory at home against the Saints in Week 10.
TE T.J. Hockenson – Dobbs’ presence as Minnesota’s QB1 means T.J. Hockenson should remain a fixture in the Vikings’ offense. He’s dealing with an oblique injury, but Hockenson should be good to roll in Week 10, drawing eight or more targets in five straight games. He’s recorded 10.4 – 17.8 fantasy points during Minnesota’s last three games and is matchup-proof despite facing a bottom-12 matchup against the Saints this week.
13. Buffalo Bills
High expectations were once again set for the Buffalo Bills but they are underachieving through nine weeks. Josh Allen continues to put up big numbers, while also making mistakes and committing turnovers, while the Bills’ defense is missing some key components leaving itself vulnerable to big plays. The Bills are 2-3 in their last five games and will need to figure things out quickly ahead of a Monday Night Football matchup against the Broncos in Week 10.
WR Gabe Davis – The Gabe Davis rollercoaster continues in 2023. The Bills’ WR2 has fluctuated between 0 and 19 points in his past five games, recording under two fantasy points in three of these contests. He’s a boom-bust WR3 with WR2 upside against an improved Denver secondary in Week 10.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett isn’t a great quarterback but he tends to make big plays at the most crucial moments, showcasing his clutch gene. Pittsburgh’s defense is getting healthier and forming more continuity and at 5-3, the Steelers have everything in front of them entering a Week 10 home game hosting the anemic Green Bay offense.
WR Diontae Johnson – We saw Diontae Johnson finally end his two-year touchdown drought against Tennessee. Now, it’s all systems go. Johnson has at least 79 receiving yards in three straight games since returning from IR with a hamstring injury, leading to 10.4 – 18.5 fantasy points during this stretch, making him a mid-range WR2 against the Packers this week.
15. Houston Texans
We were all blown away by C.J. Stroud’s resiliency in leading Houston back against Tampa Bay in Week 9. His composure and poise in the pocket, combined with a strong, accurate arm, make Stroud a franchise-altering quarterback for an organization in desperate need. The Texans are 4-4 heading into a tough road game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.
QB C.J. Stroud – It’s going to be a tougher matchup than Tampa Bay, but Stroud gets the Bengals defense, which is almost a top-12 matchup for fantasy quarterbacks this season. Stroud has four games with at least 20 fantasy points and due to the lack of rushing attack in the Texans’ backfield, and facing a tough run defense, expect Stroud to muster at least 15 points as a quality streaming option in lineups in Week 10.
16. Los Angeles Chargers
With many doubting Los Angeles’ overall ability to win games, they went into Met Life and shut down Breece Hall and Zach Wilson on Monday Night Football in Week 9, winning 27-6. The Chargers’ defense is getting better and the offense has seen a surge in explosive plays and touchdowns with Austin Ekeler back handling the bulk of touches. A Week 10 matchup against Detroit will tell us more about whether the Chargers can mount a playoff push after starting 0-2.
RB Austin Ekeler – He’s been inefficient as a ball carrier, but Austin Ekeler is still seeing 14-16 carries per week. Plus he’s earned 15 targets in the past two weeks, scoring three total touchdowns and gaining over 115 receiving yards. Ekeler is an undisputed RB1 who should only continue to improve as the season progresses.
17. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks followed up a thrilling comeback win over Cleveland in Week 9 with a stinker against Baltimore. Geno Smith has regressed in 2023, throwing under 225 yards in three of his past five games. Turnovers have also been a big story, as the Seahawks’ offense has committed seven turnovers in the past three weeks. Even though Seattle is 5-3 atop the NFC West, a Week 10 matchup against Washington feels like a must-win.
QB Geno Smith – Six interceptions and four passing touchdowns tell us all we need to know about Geno Smith. He’s been playing poorly lately while failing to offer any rushing upside. Smith gets a plus matchup against Washington, the third-best matchup in fantasy football for quarterbacks, but moving him out of lineups is a good choice, as he’s gone under 14 fantasy points in five consecutive games.
18. Atlanta Falcons
Losing to Minnesota playing with a quarterback acquired hours before a Week 9 matchup against Atlanta is a terrible look for Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith, who is already being scrutinized for his play-calling and decision-making. Atlanta is 1-3 in its last four games and its run defense has been gashed, allowing over 145 rushing yards to Tennessee and Minnesota recently. Kyler Murray’s return to Arizona’s lineup in Week 10 could make things really interesting for the Falcons if they lose their third consecutive game after starting 2-0.
TE Jonnu Smith – Kyle Pitts may have 11 more targets, but Jonnu Smith has been good in spots this season. Smith ripped off a huge touchdown reception against the Vikings in Week 9 to record a season-high 18.5 fantasy points. Smith has at least 11.6 points in three of his past six games, so he’s worth a flier as a streamer at a barren tight end position.
19. Indianapolis Colts
Although Indianapolis won its Week 9 road matchup against Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers, the Colts only mustered 198 total yards of offense. Two pick-sixes from Kenny Moore masked poor play from the Colts’ offense, which gets another tough matchup against New England overseas in Germany during Week 10.
WR Michael Pittman Jr. – Following a two-week stretch of producing under eight fantasy points, Michael Pittman Jr. has logged at least 10.4 fantasy points in four consecutive games. Pittman has seen 13 and 14 targets in two of these matchups, hitting at least 40 yards or a touchdown in all of these contests. He’s a low-end WR2 with low-end WR1 upside against the Patriots in Week 10, who rank as a top-eight fantasy wide receiver matchup.
20. Las Vegas Raiders
Firing Josh McDaniels removed the bad vibes and stale play in Las Vegas. Of course, a matchup against Tommy Devito and the New York Giants’ patchwork offensive line is about as big of a bounce-back spot to receive in the NFL. The Raiders will host the other New York team, the Jets, in Week 10, which is a much more difficult matchup. However, the Raiders’ stout pass defense should do its job, meaning it comes down to Breece Hall determining the outcome this week. At 4-5, the Raiders still have plenty to play for in the AFC Wild Card race with rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell under center.
RB Josh Jacobs – The Raiders’ RB1 broke 20 fantasy points in Week 9 for the first time since Week 4, handling 26 carries for 98 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jacobs’ elite volume should remain intact against the Jets, who are a top-seven fantasy running back matchup.
21. Denver Broncos
After going 1-6, Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton have rattled off two wins in a row and are refreshed after their Bye. Week 10 sends Denver up to Buffalo for a prime-time matchup on Monday Night Football against an increasingly one-dimensional Bills offense that is sputtering. Denver’s defense has quietly held its opponents, including Kansas City twice, under 19 points in three consecutive games.
QB Russell Wilson – Wilson has been relatively consistent as a streaming quarterback this year, only dipping under 14 fantasy points once this season. While his passing yards have been underwhelming lately, failing to hit 200 yards in four straight games, Wilson offers a decent rushing floor and has at least one passing touchdown in every game played. The Bills are a bottom-three quarterback matchup, so don’t expect a ceiling performance, but Wilson is a viable streaming candidate once again as a high-end QB2 in 12-team leagues for Week 10.
22. Washington Commanders
The Commanders went on the road and managed to beat New England in Week 9, earning its third win of the season away from home. Sam Howell has an uphill battle behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines but there are enough quality skilled players to make the Commanders competitive in most games against pedestrian defenses, which is the case against Seattle in Week 10, which has allowed 175 total points, high enough to surrender the 15th most points to opponents this season.
WR Terry McLaurin – Seattle is a top-ten matchup for fantasy wide receivers, meaning Terry McLaurin should remain a low-end WR2 with high-end WR2 upside in a game with potential high-scoring implications. McLaurin has recorded 9.8 – 14.8 fantasy points, earning between 7-12 targets during this recent four-game run, so let’s fire him up as a high-end WR3 with WR2 upside in Week 10.
23. Tennessee Titans
The changing of the guard at quarterback is symbolic of the entire Titans franchise right now. Tennessee couldn’t score a receiving touchdown against a banged-up Pittsburgh secondary known for allowing big explosives, now, they stay on the road but draw a more favorable matchup against the Buccaneers for rookie quarterback Will Levis to play against in his third career start. The Titans are plucky but have a bad offensive line and a porous pass defense, a big reason why they are 1-3 in their past four games.
RB Derrick Henry – Henry has managed to be RB11 in fantasy points per game (14.2) this season but a bottom-five matchup against a stingy Tampa Bay run defense relegates the Titans’ RB1 into mid-range RB2 territory in Week 10.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs will try to regroup against the Titans’ bottom-tier pass defense in Week 10 after losing a heartbreaker on the road to C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in Week 9. The Bucs have now lost four games in a row after a 3-1 start, so they have to right the ship with a home win over Levis and the Titans ahead of a tougher Week 11 road contest against the 49ers.
RB Rachaad White – The lone bright spot in Tampa Bay can be found in second-year running back Rachaad White. White is RB16 in fantasy points per game (12.3) and most of it has been logged lately, going off for 14.4 points against Buffalo and an impressive 25.9-point outing in a plus-matchup against Houston’s bad run defense in Week 9. White likely won’t score two touchdowns in Week 10, but the Titans have looked more susceptible to running backs lately, so White should remain in lineups as a mid-range RB2.
25. New York Jets
Their record may be at .500, but there’s definitely increasing anxiety over how poor Zach Wilson has looked in recent weeks. It’s mainly turnovers, as Wilson lost two fumbles and failed to throw a touchdown for the third time in four games. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are the entire Jets offense, with Aaron Rodgers reportedly nearing a late-season return from an Achilles tear suffered in Week 1.
WR Garrett Wilson – Wilson has been restrained by his quarterback’s poor play, but the second-year wide receiver is still earning an elite target share, drawing 12-13 targets in three consecutive games. Wilson hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 2, but he’s recorded over 60 receiving yards in four of his past five games, so he needs to remain a WR2 in lineups despite a tougher matchup against Las Vegas’ pass defense in Week 10.
26. New England Patriots
The Patriots are among the more disappointing teams to watch this season. OC Bill O’Brien was supposed to elevate Mac Jones and the rest of New England’s offense to new heights, but they have only scored above 20 points once this entire season. A home loss to Washington is a sign that this team is trending in the wrong direction in the second half of the regular season.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – We can call Week 9 a breakout for Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots’ third-year running back ripped off a 64-yard touchdown run to break 20 fantasy points for the first time in 2023. He only earned nine carries though, while hauling in four of six targets for an additional 42 receiving yards. Stevenson gets a bump against the Colts’ run defense in Week 10, which is a top-five fantasy running back matchup, making him a mid-range RB2.
27. Green Bay Packers
The Packers didn’t have to do much to beat Brett Rypien and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9, as Aaron Jones’ return to health allowed Green Bay to win an ugly 20-3 game at home. Now, the Packers travel to Pittsburgh to face an offense with its fair share of volatility, making for quite a spectacle at Acrisure Stadium in Week 10.
RB Aaron Jones – After an explosive Week 1 that resulted in 25.7 points against Chicago, Aaron Jones’ has been largely ineffective due to his hamstring injury. He finally looked himself in Week 9, earning 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, adding four receptions on six targets for another 26 receiving yards. As long as Jones’ hamstring cooperates, he’s a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside, especially in a top-ten matchup against Pittsburgh.
28. Chicago Bears
Going 1-2 with Tyson Bagent under center isn’t terrible if you’re Chicago. The Bears were competitive for much of their road trip against the Saints in Week 9, but now, rumors of Justin Fields returning ahead of a Week 10 home game against the Carolina Panthers gives the entire team renewed confidence.
TE Cole Kmet – Cole Kmet has proved he’s quarterback-proof, surging with 20.5 points against the Saints in Week 9, despite facing one of the toughest fantasy tight end matchups in the league. Kmet is a volatile tight end but he’s gone over 12 points in four of his past six games, with a floor of nearly zero, so he’s a low-end TE1 against the Panthers’ stingy defense in Week 10.
29. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have already signed quarterback Carson Wentz to fill the vacancy until Matthew Stafford’s return. Los Angeles began the season looking like a playoff contender but its quickly regressed, losing four of their last five games outright, while failing to score more than 20 points in three straight games.
WR Puka Nacua – The fifth-round rookie wideout started off the season on a historic pace and kept it up with Cooper Kupp back in the lineup. Nacua was railroaded by Rypien’s awful play while getting contained against Dallas the week prior. A Bye in Week 10 keeps Nacua out of lineups but he should be viewed as a high-end WR2 in a top-ten matchup against Seattle in Week 11.
30. Carolina Panthers
Carolina is faring about as well as we anticipated during their hectic offseason. Bryce Young has been put into a tough situation with the Panthers, but throwing two pick-sixes in a low-scoring game within reach in Week 9 against the Colts really stings and halts any momentum gained from Carolina’s first win of the season over Houston in Week 8. Carolina could wind up being a tough out for the Bears on the road in Week 10.
RB Chuba Hubbard – Despite a huge offseason contract awarded to Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard has been the superior talent in Carolina’s backfield. Hubbard has logged 15-19 carries in three straight games and also saw a season-high six targets in Week 9 against Indianapolis. Chicago’s run defense has greatly improved though, so in Week 10, treat Hubbard as a fringe RB3.
31. New York Giants
Every aspect of the New York Giants’ season has gone awry. Whether it’s injuries, bad contracts, or poor execution, the G-Men and head coach Brian Daboll have had a tough time staying competitive after advancing to the NFC Divisional Round in 2022.
RB Saquon Barkley – Prior to Week 9, Saquon Barkley was receiving elite volume, earning 21-36 carries in three straight games as the primary weapon in New York’s offense. He handled 16 carries for 90 yards, adding 23 receiving yards to go over 100 scrimmage yards in a blowout loss to Las Vegas in Week 9, but his outlook against the Cowboys in Week 10 is bleak. Barkley’s volume keeps him in RB2 value but there’s almost no chance he records more than 12 fantasy points on the road against Dallas’ defense.
32. Arizona Cardinals
We need to give Josh Dobbs more credit for making Arizona’s offense look respectable. Rookie Clayton Tune only managed 58 total yards of offense against Cleveland in Week 9, devaluing all Cardinals skilled players for the slate. The return of Kyler Murray off I.R. will definitely improve the Cardinals’ offense on the road against a spiraling Atlanta defense in Week 10, so let’s not give up on Arizona just yet.
WR Marquise Brown – The targets have been there for Marquise Brown in 2023 but he’s only managed to haul in 42 receptions on 77 targets. Three touchdowns in the first five weeks kept Brown around 13-14 fantasy points. Fortunately for Brown, who has gone under 6.5 fantasy points in three of his past four games, Murray’s return under center should create more catchable targets, resulting in at least 10 fantasy points with a much bigger ceiling for the Cardinals’ WR1 who has plenty of rapport with his signal-caller from their college days at Oklahoma.
