Scoring has been down in the NFL this season, but don’t tell that to the Houston Texans. With rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud leading the way, Houston has averaged 520 yards of offense and 34.5 points over the past two weeks.
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And as so often happens, a backup player is taking advantage of an injury to show he’s worthy of a larger share of the offensive pie. That just happens to be a recurring theme in this week’s rundown of fantasy football winners and losers.
Week 10 fantasy football winners
WR Noah Brown, Houston Texans: One game is a fluke, but consecutive games with 150 or more receiving yards makes you an instant fantasy must-start. Brown has racked up 13 receptions for 325 yards and a touchdown across the past two games, and he has tremendous rapport with rookie QB C.J. Stroud, who is making everyone around him a star.
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RB Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings: Chandler got his opportunity when Alexander Mattison exited early for the concussion protocol. The second-year back didn’t tear it up, but he operated as the workhorse, and was able to find the end zone. With Cam Akers done for the season, and Mattison doing nothing special before he went down, Chandler has a chance to shine.
RB Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys: Dowdle was the team’s leading rusher, gobbling up a team-high 79 yards on 12 carries, mostly in garbage time. Still, it’s the second time in the past three games he has had at least seven total touches, and he is one Tony Pollard injury away from a giant role. Dowdle is also worth a look in leagues rewarding individual return yardage.
WR Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers: Johnston hauled in his first NFL touchdown, and his role is growing slowly but surely. Nobody is bumping Keenan Allen from top receiver status in Los Angeles, but Johnston has the opportunity to be the second-best receiving option on a pass-happy team.
TE Tyler Conklin, New York Jets: Conklin registered seven grabs for a season-best 70 yards, and he has gone for 58 or more receiving yards in four of the past six games. Yes, he was blanked in Week 8, but he’s been putting up low-end TE1 numbers more often than not.
Week 10 fantasy football losers
WR Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers: Any momentum from Watson’s big rookie season has not carried over as he has struggled with injuries and consistency. In the past three games he has six catches for a total of 93 yards.
RB Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens: Hill has been unable to carve out a meaningful role in the Baltimore backfield, as Gus Edwards keeps scoring touchdowns, and more recently, Keaton Mitchell has burst onto the scene. There are only so many touches to go around in Charm City, and Hill just isn’t seeing them.
QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mayfield banged his thumb on a helmet late in Sunday’s win over the Titans, and he could have his throwing affected in the short term. He hasn’t had a 300-yard game since Week 2, and has just one game with three touchdowns all season.
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans: Westbrook-Ikhine managed to score touchdowns in consecutive games earlier in the season, and he scored three times in a five-game span. Since rookie QB Will Levis has taken the reins of the offense, however, Westbrook-Ikhine has been an afterthought.
RB Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals: Demercado had an opportunity to be the bell cow in the desert, but he suffered an injury, and now James Conner is back and fully healthy. There’s no reason to keep the rookie rostered.