It’s time to start considering Mike Evans as a top-flight fantasy football option.
Despite having a quarterback who continually fails to live up to the hype of being a top-12 fantasy quarterback, Evans is a regular name at the top of the fantasy leaderboard.
He was the top wide receiver in week 9, going for 150 yards receiving with two touchdowns. He now has the second-most fantasy points this season among wide receivers and should be touted as a top-three option each week.
Regardless of the matchup, Evans is a top-flight WR1. For the other wide receivers not in that top-tier, here’s the week 10 wide receivers start ’em, sit ’em guide.
Start
Stefon Diggs vs. Washington Redskins
The Vikings are falling apart. And during that stretch, it has become extremely apparent that the running game is non-existent.
The Vikings aren’t able to run the ball, forcing more short passes to wide receivers. That has been bad for Minnesota’s record, but has been a good sign for Diggs.
The top Minnesota option has 27 targets combined in the last two games, going for 156 yards receiving and one touchdown. He’s pretty much the only viable wide receiver worth targeting for Minnesota at this point and should get plenty of looks against a Washington defense that isn’t dynamic on the defensive side of the ball.
The Redskins are a middle-of-the-pack passing defense, so I’m not worried about Diggs’ recent target attention to take too much of a hit.
Steve Smith vs. Cleveland Browns
Smith returned from injury in week 9 and didn’t miss much of a beat.
He didn’t put up major numbers, but he looked like his old self and was able to attract a decent amount of targets. He garnered seven targets, hauling in 47 yards receiving to go along with a two-point conversion.
Before his injury, Smith was by far the top option for the high-volume passing Ravens team. He was targeted 22 times in the two full games before he went down with injury and I expect that number to return to that level in week 10 against a terrible Browns defense.
Cleveland owns a bottom-10 passing defense, allowing the opposition to go for 8.5 yards per pass completion, the highest number in the NFL.
Smith is back to full speed and will be targeted heavily in a Thursday night home matchup against the hapless Browns.
Kenny Britt vs. New York Jets
This start is more about New York’s inability to stop the pass than Los Angeles’s ability to throw the ball.
It’s hard to put much faith into Case Keenum, but he’s put up some decent yardage amounts this year. Since week 3, he’s put up at least 266 yards passing each game and during that time period, Britt has been the top wide receiver for the Rams.
He has at least six targets in the last four games against some decent pass defenses. He’s turned those targets into production, going for at least 75 yards receiving in three of the last five games.
Against the Jets, those amount of targets should yield solid fantasy production. New York owns a bottom-half pass defense and is allowing 272 yards passing per game. Keenum is accustomed to putting up those totals, especially with the running game struggling so much.
Expect Britt to be a solid contributor in week 10 against the Jets.
Sit
Michael Thomas vs. Denver Broncos
Denver isn’t playing well right now, but it still dominates against opposing wide receivers. And while New Orleans is one of the most prolific passing teams in the NFL, I’m not putting my trust in Thomas.
There are still multiple weapons on the Saints, so you’re not guaranteed a high volume for Thomas. He has eight or fewer targets in three of the last four games. Those aren’t bad numbers, but against Denver, I need to see more volume before I put a player in my starting lineup.
Thomas has been an efficient receiver during that time, generating at least 63 yards receiving in each game for the last four contests. But the Broncos are still allowing the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in the NFL and give up only 183 yards passing per game.
It’s difficult to sit Thomas, who has been so productive in recent weeks. But if you have other options, there are better plays in fantasy this week.
DeSean Jackson vs. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is struggling, so naturally, many are dismissing them as an afterthought. And maybe the experts are correct. But even if the Vikings can’t get it together, they still do a solid job against the pass.
Minnesota owns the fourth-best pass defense in the NFL and holds quarterbacks to less than 60 percent completion rate. Kirk Cousins has to have a high completion rate to be successful, meaning this could be a long day for the Washington offense.
And while we’re all down on Minnesota, it still stymied Detroit’s decent receiving corps, until a slip-up in overtime to Golden Tate. Jackson and the rest of the Redskins receivers are likely in for a long day, and that will definitely be painful for Jackson owners.
He’s inconsistent and injured. He’s attracted at least seven targets in each of the last four games, but has generated at most 55 or fewer yards per game.
He may not even go in week 10. If he does, though, he’s not worth starting.
