• Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis is in prime position for a bounceback week: Since their Week 5 bye, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hemorrhaging fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks thanks to big plays, touchdowns and more.
• Washington Commanders RB Antonio Gibson is worth consideration in full PPR scoring formats: Given Gibson’s position in a pass-heavy offense and increased usage in the receiving game, fantasy managers should consider him ifv in need of a Week 10 flex play.
• Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride is coming off a down week, but fantasy managers in a pinch should still consider him a viable play in Week 10: As QB Kyler Murray makes his return from injury in Week 10, McBride could be in a prime spot for a bounceback.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The NFL must be punishing its fans for something in Week 10, as the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams are all on a bye week, which means you might be down several starters on your fantasy squad. Here are five players to consider adding from the waiver wire heading if you’re in a pinch due to injury or the “Bye-pocalypse” as a potential flex play heading into Week 10.
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QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
The Titans have officially named Levis their starting quarterback moving forward, which should have fantasy managers rushing to waivers to scoop him up. In his rookie debut, Levis had a phenomenal (and efficient) day, throwing for 238 passing yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions, but unfortunately followed it up with a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose bend-don’t-break-turnover-dependent unit was able to contain him. This week should be a bounceback effort, as Levis makes his third career start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Since their Week 5 bye, the Buccaneers’ secondary has struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks, allowing a league-high 1,397 passing yards, 118.4 passer rating and 19.9% explosive pass percentage. Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed a 9-1 touchdown touchdown-to-interception ratio, with a 5.6% touchdown percentage allowed in that span, ranking second in the league in both metrics. Levis couldn’t ask for a better bounceback matchup in Week 10.
Available in 65% of ESPN leagues and 56% of Yahoo! Leagues.
RB Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders
Gibson is still seeking his first game with more than six carries on the season. Still, fantasy managers in full-PPR scoring formats will want to give him a look if in need of a spot start thanks to his usage as a receiver. Gibson has five or more targets in three of the last four games, as he's run the ninth-most routes among running backs in that span. Gibson’s 89.4 PFF receiving grade leads all running backs since Week 6, as this team finally taps into his history as a former wide receiver in college, paired with a quarterback that leads the league with 421 dropbacks this season, to give him plenty more opportunity to come.
Available in 57% of ESPN leagues and 50% of Yahoo! leagues.
WR Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are in a tough position this week, as receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have popped up on the injury report due to back and hamstring injuries, respectively. While Chase suffered his injury in Week 9’s game against the Buffalo Bills, Higgins’ injury is a new one suffered in Wednesday’s practice, which is particularly concerning. If they’re out or limited in any fashion, look for QB Joe Burrow to lean on Boyd to fill the void.
Keep in mind that the Bengals don’t have a fantastic matchup in Week 10, facing the Houston Texans, who have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers with an 81.9 PFF coverage grade that ranks eighth among this season. Consider Boyd a more viable play in full-PPR scoring formats, where situational volume may pad the stat sheet.
Available in 53% of ESPN leagues and 42% of Yahoo! leagues.
WR Kyle Phillips, Tennessee Titans
Starting Phillips in Week 10 isn’t for the faint of heart. Consider it your “YOLO” play of the week while the Titans look to fill the void of WR Treylon Burks, who remains in concussion protocol. Phillips has seen just eight of Levis’ 63 pass attempts over his two starts, but five of them came just in Week 9. As previously noted in the endorsement for Will Levis above, the Buccaneers have been a suitable matchup for wide receivers since they returned from the bye, allowing a league-high 240.8 yards per game and seven touchdowns to the position. Just under 91% of Phillips’ targets have come in the slot while Bucs’ rookie cornerback Christian Izien has allowed the seventh-most yards in slot coverage to date this season, which could be a spot for some upside in a juicy matchup.
Available in 99% of ESPN leagues and 99% of Yahoo! Leagues.
TE Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
After a breakout performance in Week 8, McBride crashed back down to Earth with a 22-yard outing against the Cleveland Browns shut-down defense. This is your signal to reignite the flame for the second-year tight end and fire McBride back into your lineups in Week 10. The Cardinals offense you saw flop in Week 9? Forget it, that disaster never happened.
Part of the confidence in starting McBride stems from Kyler Murray‘s return, as he's set to play in his first game since tearing his ACL in the 2022 season this week. In his six games played without his top receiving option DeAndre Hopkins last season, Murray averaged 9.2 targets per game to the tight end position, the fourth-most of any quarterback in the league in that span. The Atlanta Falcons are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per tight end this season, which should complement that usage for a potential big week.
Available in 55% of ESPN leagues and 45% of Yahoo! leagues.
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