Week 10 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Kickers and Team Defenses

With a very plus matchup, Giants defense should put up some points vs. Texans.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Austin Ekeler or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2022 NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 team defenses

1. Eagles D/ST vs. Commanders (MNF)
2. Cowboys D/ST at Packers
3. Giants D/ST vs. Texans
4. Bills D/ST vs. Vikings
5. Saints D/ST at Steelers
6. Chiefs D/ST vs. Jaguars
7. 49ers D/ST vs. Chargers
8. Buccaneers D/ST vs. Seahawks (Munich)
9. Raiders D/ST vs. Colts
10. Falcons D/ST at Panthers

Byes: Bengals, Jets, Patriots, Ravens

Week 10 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Week 10 Start ‘Em: Defenses

Start of the Week

Giants D/ST vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Texans have one of the weakest offenses in the league, averaging just 16.6 points and 290.5 total yards per game. Their line has also allowed 19 sacks, all of which makes the Giants defense a nice streamer in fantasy leagues. Coming off a bye, this unit is a free agent in leagues.

Start ‘Em

Cowboys D/ST at Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): The Cowboys defense is one of the top units in fantasy football, and a matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the banged-up Packers makes it a must start. Defenses have forced Green Bay into 13 giveaways, and Rodgers has been sacked 18 times in nine games this season.

More Starts

• Saints D/ST at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• 49ers D/ST vs. Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Chiefs D/ST vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains

• Bears D/ST vs. Lions ($3,100)
• Cardinals D/ST at Rams ($2,700)

Week 10 Sit ‘Em: Defenses

Sit of the Week

Seahawks D/ST at Buccaneers (Munich, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Seattle has one of the better defenses in fantasy football, ranking tied for fifth in points. I’d still fade them this week, though, as a matchup against the Buccaneers is less than favorable. In fact, defenses have averaged just 4.9 fantasy points against them.

Sit ‘Em

Packers D/ST vs. Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): The Packers D/ST was quite a popular streamer last week, yet it failed to produce a good stat line in Detroit. This unit is a hard fade against a much tougher opponent, the Cowboys, against whom defenses have averaged the third-fewest fantasy points in the first nine weeks.

More Sits

• Vikings D/ST at Bills (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Browns D/ST vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jaguars D/ST at Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Fades

• Dolphins D/ST at Browns ($3,600)
• Broncos D/ST at Titans ($3,000)

Fabs Top 10 kickers

1. Daniel Carlson vs. Colts
2. Harrison Butker vs. Jaguars
3. Tyler Bass vs. Vikings
4. Ryan Succop vs. Seahawks (Munich)
5. Graham Gano vs. Texans
6. Robbie Gould vs. Chargers
7. Brett Maher at Packers
8. Jake Elliott vs. Commanders (MNF)
9. Jason Sanders at Browns
10. Cairo Santos vs. Lions

Byes: Bengals, Jets, Patriots, Ravens

Week 10 Start ‘Em: Kickers

Start of the Week

Graham Gano vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Gano has quietly been one of the top kickers in fantasy football, averaging more than nine points per game. I’d start him this week, too, as the Texans have allowed eight or more fantasy points to five different kickers this season, including four who have scored at least 10 points.

More Starts

• Brent Maher at Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Robbie Gould vs. Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Cairo Santos vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Week 10 Sit ‘Em: Kickers

Sit of the Week

Greg Joseph at Bills (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Joseph has put up poor numbers in recent weeks, scoring fewer than five fantasy points in three of his last four games. He’ll remain a sit ‘em this week, too, as the veteran faces a Bills defense that’s allowed just 13 field-goal attempts and an average of just six points per game to kickers.

More Sits

• Brandon McManus at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Matt Prater at Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Cameron Dicker at 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

More fantasy & NFL coverage:

• Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 10
• Fantasy Fallout: Justin Fields Isn’t the Only Quarterback on the Run
• Top 10 Week 9 Fantasy Takeaways
• Week 10 Early Waiver Wire Pickups
• MMQB: Midseason Power Rankings

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!