Eric KarabellNov 3, 2025, 02:51 PM ET
- Eric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".
The ninth Sunday of the NFL season featured another fun Josh Allen-Patrick Mahomes battle in Buffalo, a wild, defenseless slugfest with Caleb Williams and Joe Flacco providing monster numbers, preseason top tight end Brock Bowers scoring three touchdowns and a league-high 43.3 PPR points, while Cam Little, the 20th-most-rostered kicker in ESPN Fantasy, blasted the longest field goal in NFL history.
Of course, fantasy managers tend to always remember the injuries first, and there were several this week with long-range ramifications. Jayden Daniels, one of the top quarterbacks in the sport, suffered a significant elbow injury late Sunday night and, far earlier in the day, Tucker Kraft, the tight end scoring leader this season, tore a ligament in his knee.
Each Monday, before the current NFL weekend ends, we will identify players available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues worthy of your attention, from standard formats to deeper options. The NFL is a weekly league, and player valuation and roles seldom remain stagnant. It does not matter how you acquire players for your fantasy rosters, just that you acquire them!
Quarterback
1:09
Why Joe Flacco is a solid flex QB for fantasy managers
Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down why Joe Flacco makes a solid flex quarterback for fantasy managers.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (25.3% rostered in ESPN leagues): McCarthy (ankle) returned from a six-week (five games) absence and delivered 18.92 points in the surprising win over the Detroit Lions. McCarthy completed only 14 passes, but two went for touchdowns, and he turned a 9-yard run into his second rushing touchdown in three games. McCarthy remains a bit raw as a passer, and perhaps the Vikings don't want him throwing the ball more than 25 times per game, but if he keeps running for touchdowns, fantasy managers must pay attention. McCarthy faces the (perhaps) revitalized Baltimore Ravens defense in Week 10.
Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders (5.2%): Mariota has been here before, and with Daniels (elbow) sidelined for perhaps the rest of this lost Washington season, he will start his fourth game on Sunday against the Lions. Mariota cannot run like Daniels (few can), but he does have 122 rushing yards and a touchdown in brief duty this season, so he isn't the typical backup QB. The Commanders have yet to serve their bye (Week 11) -- and that must be a factor for fantasy managers -- but they also have games with the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys looming.
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (14.2%): Penix (knee) returned from missing one game to fire off three touchdown passes to Drake London in a 1-point loss to the New England Patriots. The final tally was 22.74 points, which is the most for Penix since Week 1 (24.02 points). The Falcons play the Indianapolis Colts this week. It will be hard to recommend Penix, but the schedule after that is occasionally intriguing, with two games against the New Orleans Saints and one against the New York Jets.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
The San Francisco 49ers claim that starting QB Brock Purdy (58.9%) could return from his toe injury for Week 10 against the Los Angeles Rams, and he may be available in your league(s). Backup Mac Jones (6.1%), who scored 15.8 points Sunday against the New York Giants, has played capably. Whoever starts at QB for the 49ers appears worth relying on.
Cincinnati Bengals hero Joe Flacco (32.9%) scored 30.8 points in Sunday's late loss to the Chicago Bears, his third consecutive week among the top quarterback producers in the league. Alas, he won't do this in Week 10, as the Bengals are on their bye. Perhaps you want to stash Flacco anyway, in anticipation of future weeks. The Bengals still have two remaining matchups with the Ravens.
Las Vegas Raiders starter Geno Smith scored 26.26 points in the overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. You should not add Smith for Week 10 against the Denver Broncos, but the defenseless Cowboys loom for Week 11.
Houston Texans starter C.J. Stroud (56.8%) left Sunday's game with a concussion, and we might not know his status for Week 10 against the Jaguars until later in the week. Veteran Davis Mills (0.0%) didn't exactly shine in relief of Stroud, and the Texans lost to the tough Broncos, but for those in superflex and deep formats, every starting QB for a given week indeed matters.
Running back
1:08
Are both Giants RBs unstartable in fantasy?
Filed Yates and Daniel Dopp discuss Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary's disappointing fantasy week.
Isaiah Davis, Jets (9.1%): The Jets come off their bye week and play the Browns in what surely will be anything but an offensive slugfest in Week 10. Still, we recall Davis, the backup to Breece Hall, scoring 17.9 points against the defenseless Bengals in Week 8. Perhaps it was a mirage, but Davis boasts skills, and even if Hall remains a Jet and healthy, Davis has value.
Devin Singletary, Giants (4.5%): Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (86.3%) was featured in this spot last week and became the most-added player entering Week 9, albeit with the unfortunate caveat that perhaps he isn't really going to help fantasy managers all that much with Cam Skattebo out for the season. On Sunday at home against the San Francisco 49ers, Tracy did not help much. He turned eight touches into 37 yards and 6.7 points. Singletary was not much better, turning 10 touches into 51 yards and 7.1 points. Perhaps neither Giants back can help anyone in Week 10 against the Bears or beyond, but Singletary is the one available in myriad leagues, and there just isn't much to add at running back.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Fantasy managers got excited about Patriots rookie TreVeyon Henderson (82%) against the Atlanta Falcons because starting RB Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) was slated to miss Week 9. Henderson turned 18 touches into 87 yards and a season-best 12.7 points, but second-year option Terrell Jennings (10.6%) scored the team's rushing touchdown on a 3-yard scamper in the second quarter. Henderson's frustrated managers do not want any timeshare, but Jennings is bigger and thus may be the "touchdown guy." Or not. Who knows? Jennings isn't worth an add in standard leagues yet, but things could change.
Several other rookies made quite the impact Sunday, including Bears seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai (66.7%) and Broncos second-round choice RJ Harvey (67.6%). Monangai scored 22.8 points in the wild win over the Bengals, while Harvey contributed 16.6 points in the close win over the Texans. They exceed our 50% threshold but perhaps they are available in your league(s). Go get 'em, because while both are likely to share touches, they are really good.
Wide receiver
0:41
Why Alec Pierce should be on the radar of fantasy managers
Matt Bowen explains why fantasy managers should be more inclined to consider Alec Pierce after his Week 9 performance.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers (25.6%): Watson has seen precisely four targets in each of his two games after returning from a torn ACL in Week 8, but opportunity may be opening up with Kraft's serious injury and rookie WR Matthew Golden (shoulder) leaving Sunday's loss as well. Watson, now in his fourth season, has been a fantasy underachiever/disappointment much of that time, and QB Jordan Love remains reckless and inconsistent, but someone other than Josh Jacobs and Romeo Doubs must catch the football.
Alec Pierce, Colts (11.8%): The Colts scuffled in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but QB Daniel Jones threw 50 times (24 passes in the fourth quarter!) and each of the team's top three wide receivers excelled. Pierce was the most targeted option, with one more look than Michael Pittman Jr., and he registered season bests of six catches for 115 yards. In addition, Josh Downs (58.6%) caught a touchdown pass. The Colts do not want Jones throwing 50 times in any game, but Pittman is nearly universally rostered, Downs is popular, while Pierce is somewhat forgotten. That seems odd. Pierce averaged 22.3 yards per reception last season, and he's at 20.9 YPR this season.
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (5.1%): This team's passing game remains rather dysfunctional, and losing Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (knee) isn't going to help, but Washington stepped up Sunday with team highs of eight receptions, nine targets and 90 receiving yards in the overtime win over the Raiders. Star Brian Thomas Jr., one of the bigger disappointments in fantasy, injured his ankle late in the win and could miss time. The Jaguars face a tough Texans defense in Week 10, but Washington could see enough volume to matter anyway.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Seattle Seahawks rookie Tory Horton (7.3%) enjoyed his Sunday night in Washington with a pair of touchdown grabs, giving him five on the season, albeit on only 13 receptions. That level of success with so little volume tends to be unsustainable, but as long as veteran Cooper Kupp (hamstring) remains out and QB Sam Darnold remains outstanding, Horton may matter in deep leagues.
Bears journeyman Olamide Zaccheaus (1.2%) led the offense with eight targets against the Bengals, turning six catches into 58 yards, a touchdown and a season-best 17.8 points. Zaccheaus caught seven passes in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens, and now we can ask if he is becoming a legitimate factor in the offense. After all, DJ Moore hasn't caught as many as six passes in any game this season. Rome Odunze, September superstar, was shut out on three targets Sunday. It is premature to call Zaccheaus, with his fourth franchise over the past four seasons, a safe pickup, but we are trending in that direction.
Wan'Dale Robinson (81.1%) is the Giants WR rostered in the most leagues, which is fair. Darius Slayton (14.9%) cannot match Robinson for season production, but if Flacco can generate more than 40 points against the Bears, perhaps Giants rookie Jaxson Dart can as well. Slayton earned a season-best seven targets on Sunday, generating his first double-digit PPR outing of the season.
Tight end
Colston Loveland, Bears (23.6%): The No. 10 pick in the NFL draft from Michigan was our featured tight end in this space last week but, oddly enough, he is rostered in fewer leagues today. The number must rise this week after Loveland scored a position-high 29.8 points in the wild win over the Bengals, which included his game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds. (Start your tight ends against the Bengals!) In addition, the Bears lost TE Cole Kmet (concussion) during the game. Loveland should continue earning more targets in Week 10 against the Giants.
Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (50.6%): The rookie scored 18.4 points in Week 8 against the Patriots, then hit the bye week. Now, he is back! Same goes for Jets rookie Mason Taylor (14.7%). The Browns feel less dysfunctional than the Jets (which is saying something), so go with Fannin first.
Theo Johnson, Giants (33.2%): We've also mentioned this fellow in this space, and Johnson continues to be a goal-line presence for the rookie Dart. He scored his fifth touchdown in Sunday's loss to the 49ers. Again, the Giants play the Bears this coming week. Johnson should be a factor.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
The Texans do not possess the most efficient offense, but TE Dalton Schultz (20.7%), despite nary a touchdown reception this season, has three double-figure fantasy outings in his past four games, and backup QB Mills certainly looked his way Sunday. Schultz sees consistent targets, though not in the red zone, and he may be an upgrade for your squad.
With Kraft carted off Lambeau Field on Sunday and facing a long rehab from an ACL tear, backup Luke Musgrave (0.2%) should emerge as a steady contributor for deeper formats. Musgrave cannot perform at Kraft's level, but he enjoyed three receptions (season high) in the fourth quarter of Sunday's stunning loss to the Carolina Panthers. We should expect more catches in Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bye weeks: To Drop or Not to Drop?
Three of the league's more proficient offenses are serving the Week 10 bye (Kansas City Chiefs, Bengals, Cowboys), as well as the worst offense (Tennessee Titans). Three obvious Chiefs must be kept rostered (Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce), and fantasy managers should keep RB Isiah Pacheco (knee) around, too. He is expected to play in Week 11. Moving on from overrated WR Xavier Worthy (93.8%) is OK. He hasn't scored more than 11.1 points since Week 4, even before Rice made his season debut.
With the Cowboys and Bengals, keep the starting RBs (Javonte Williams, Chase Brown), WRs (CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins) and Dallas QB Dak Prescott and TE Jake Ferguson around. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (61%) is likely in an IR spot for most managers. It may or may not make sense to keep Flacco rostered. Finally, the only Titans player that should remain rostered is RB Tony Pollard, though he is barely a flex option (if that) these days. WR Calvin Ridley (60.7%) presumably would be more valuable if traded to another team.
Defense
The Buffalo Bills D/ST (36.5%) has reached double-digit points in only two games, but the schedule is attractive for fantasy managers most of the rest of the way. The Bills play the Dolphins in Week 10, then later face the Texans, Steelers, Browns and Jets.
The Ravens D/ST (42.4%) scored 12 points in shutting down the Dolphins in Week 9. Next up are road games against the Vikings and Browns, then a home game with the Jets. Perhaps it is not too late for the Ravens D/ST -- popular on draft day but clearly a bust to this point -- to aid fantasy managers.
Do not expect myriad points scored when the Browns D/ST (29.6%) and Jets D/ST (9%) face off in Week 10, and same goes for the much-anticipated (OK, not really) Panthers D/ST (4.4%)-Saints D/ST (1.5%) matchup. However, the Panthers shut down the Packers in Week 9 and, as with the Jets, will face a rookie QB. Go with the Panthers as a reasonable streamer.
