After a run of three extremely successful weeks, Week 9 was a step backward as I only managed to hit 2 out 10 plus the super duper bonus, which won’t count for the season-long record. That brings me to 36% on the season which is well above my 30% goal. Keep in mind, a bold prediction is something the general public would give less than a 10% shot of happening, but I put it at 25% or higher. I’m trying to bounce back this week with at least 4 out of 10 correct. Here we go!
Get free start/sit and waiver wire advice for your fantasy team 
#10 Matthew Stafford will finish as a top 10 QB this week
It may be difficult to believe, but while the Bears may be the best defense in the NFL overall, they haven’t done all that much to slow down opposing QBs in fantasy. Rather, they are 16th in the league in fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks. You can move Stafford far down your rankings if you want, but I don’t see enough reason to fade him versus a pass-funnel defense and in a pass-heavy game script.
Final Prediction: 24/38 for 296 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 1 carry, 7 yards
#9 Leonard Fournette will be a top 5 RB this week
In case you’ve been sleeping under a rock, Fournette is back, and it has been long enough that it seems we can confidently anticipate him being near 100%. This would line up with what Jacksonville did last year when they brought him back to 20 carries per game when he returned from injury twice last season. Let’s not forget that he is an absolute force of nature too, so if you give a man like that 20 touches versus the Colts defense, we might just be looking at the top RB of the week altogether.
Final Prediction: 21 carries, 114 yards, 2 TDs, 2 carries, 9 yards
#8 Mike Davis will end up a top 15 RB this week
It seems as though Chris Carson won’t be able to suit up this week because of his hip injury. That means Davis would fill in once again as the primary back for the Seahawks who just so happen to have the most run-heavy offense in the NFL. In the two previous games Carson missed, Davis has seen 20+ touches. While you might not think the game script is ideal for Davis, consider that he caught 7 passes last week in a similar situation. One way or another, he will get enough touches to be useful yet again.
Final Prediction: 13 carries, 60 yards, 1 TD, 5 receptions, 42 yards, 1 TD
#7 Duke Johnson will be a top 15 RB this week
There is no question about it that we’ve got a risky play on our hands here. In Freddie Kitchens’ first game as Offensive Coordinator for the Browns, Duke caught nine passes, and while we shouldn’t expect those kinds of opportunities for most of the season, it seems more than likely that he will have a significant role this week versus the Falcons. Only the Chiefs have given up more fantasy points to pass-catching running backs, so don’t be surprised when Duke balls out again in a pass-heavy game script this week.
Final Prediction: 4 carries, 26 yards, 7 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD
#6 Elijah McGuire will finish as a top 20 RB this week
Last week we were all wondering if McGuire would be used much at all and the Jets answered it with a resounding “yes”. Not only did he have a role, but he was the featured Jets’ back, seeing a team-high 35 snaps. Isaiah Crowell played just over half of that in case you needed a reference point. Moving forward, it is at least possible that McGuire takes over as the three-down back and throttles teams like the Bills.
Final Prediction: 10 carries, 52 yards, 6 receptions, 49 yards, 1 TD
#5 Josh Gordon will end up a top 5 WR this week
I’ve seen people begging fantasy owners to sell-high on Gordon all week. Don’t do it. He still has the raw ability of an alpha dog receiver and while what he has done is impressive, he hasn’t reached the ceiling with this offense. He should continue to trend upward as we move forward and this week especially since he draws an ideal matchup versus Malcolm Butler who has been getting shredded all year.
Final Prediction: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TDs
#4 Mike Williams will not be a top 50 WR this week
I can’t figure out for the life of me why Williams is being ranked by many in the industry as a start this week. Sure, he scored a touchdown last week, but so did Jaron Brown, Jonnu Smith, and Malcolm Brown. Are we starting those guys? Of course not! Williams only had one reception last week, which was his fourth time in five games “accomplishing” that “feat”. Please be careful to not get your hopes up here.
Final Prediction: 1 reception, 14 yards
#3 Chris Conley will finish as a top 36 WR this week
Sammy Watkins is expected to miss Week 10 and potentially longer for the Chiefs. Enter Conley as the new number two receiver, and if you haven’t seen this kid play, you are in for a surprise. He is a spectacular athlete and could break out if given the opportunity. Kansas City is implied for 33 points this weekend once again and while you might think Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce could do it all, it seems likely that Conley will at least be involved enough to make a fantasy impact.
Final Prediction: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 62 yards, 1 TD
#2 Devante Parker will be a top 30 WR this week
Parker posted “another crummy” game last week according to most fantasy owners, but that just doesn’t line up with history. Rather, he has been among the most consistent fantasy options at the wide receiver position when he plays. He has had over 60 yards in over 60% of his NFL starts which is usually a stat reserved for stars. Most likely, last week was a fluke and he will bounceback to quality production as the number one receiver for Miami.
Final Prediction: 8 targets, 6 receptions, 55 yards, 1 TD
#1 The Saints will finish as a top 10 D/ST this week
The Saints D/ST has without a doubt been a disappointment this season. They haven’t been awful, however, posting five games already with at least three sacks and five more with fewer than 24 points allowed. They have also played some challenging opponents from Tampa Bay and Atlanta to Minnesota and the Rams. Don’t be surprised if they have their way with a Bengals’ offense missing A.J. Green this weekend.
Final Prediction: 24 points allowed, 3 sacks, 2 FR, 1 INT, 1 TD
**Bonus Super Duper Bold Prediction**
Spencer Ware will end up a top 24 RB this week
Don’t get me wrong, Kareem Hunt is still an elite-play this week, but that doesn’t mean Ware can’t have a big game as well. Rather, the Chiefs are 17-point home favorites and may opt to give Ware the bulk of second-half carries when they take a big lead early. This would be plenty to propel Ware to a useful game since his opponent, the Arizona Cardinals, have the worst run defense in football this year.
Final Prediction: 11 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD, 1 reception, 2 yards
Thanks for reading and happy football season!
Subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
.
