Week 10 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Team Defenses and Kickers

Week 10 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K

Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players such as Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily.

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Byes: Bears, Broncos, Buccaneers, Eagles

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Defense Rankings For Week 10

Rams defense at Cardinals
Texans defense at Browns
Jaguars defense at Titans
Chiefs defense at Falcons
Bills defense at Jets
Seahawks defense at Raiders
Ravens defense vs. Chargers (Mon.)
Packers defense vs. Vikings
Vikings defense at Packers
Saints defense vs. Panthers

Complete Week 10 defense rankings

Week 10 Start ’Em Defenses

Start of the Week

Rams defense at Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): The Rams defense enters this week ranked outside the top 10 in fantasy points for the season, but it’s easily the top unit for Week 10. That’s due to a matchup against rookie quarterback Carson Beck and a Cardinals offense in shambles due to injuries. Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald and crew should feast on some Red Bird.

Start ’Em

Texans defense at Browns (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Texans defense was last week’s top option in the column, and it produced a top-10 finish. I’m expecting similar results this week, as their defense faces Deshaun Watson and the Browns. Their offense has averaged the fourth-fewest points, and no O-line in the league has allowed more sacks of their quarterbacks this season.

Will Anderson Jr. is unreal.@DALvsHOU on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wWiFkIhWAj
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026

Jaguars defense at Titans (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Jaguars defense has had two straight big weeks in fantasy circles, and it could be in for a third against the Titans, who have averaged just 18 points per game, and they’re fifth in drives that result in a punt. The Jaguars also have added two defensive studs, Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III, at the deadline.

More Starts

Chiefs defense at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Packers defense vs. Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Saints defense vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Team Defense Streamers

Lions defense vs. Patriots (38%): The Lions defense has played better of late, and a matchup against a banged-up Patriots offense makes Detroit a viable starting option.
Ravens defense vs. Chargers (30%): The Ravens have been a flop as a fantasy defense this season, but facing Justin Herbert and the Chargers is very favorable.
Colts defense vs. Dolphins (4%): The Colts defense hasn’t been useful in fantasy this season, but they’re facing inexperienced quarterback Kyle McCord this week.

Week 10 Sit ’Em Defenses

Sit of the Week

Steelers defense at Bengals (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): The Steelers have one of the top defenses in fantasy, but it’s still subject to the matchups. This week, I’d keep Pittsburgh on the sidelines in a bad road matchup against the Bengals. Their explosive offense ranks second in points and seventh in yards per game, and their line has allowed just 15 sacks of Joe Burrow in 2026.

Sit ’Em

Patriots defense at Lions (Munich 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): The Patriots defense was embarrassed in last week’s loss to the Packers, and a matchup against Jared Goff and the Lions isn’t favorable. In fact, defenses have combined to score the fewest fantasy points against Detroit. Detroit's offense is fifth in the league in points and yards gained, and only the Texans have committed fewer giveaways. As a result, I’d keep New England sidelined.

Browns defense vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Browns defense is typically pretty tough on its home field, so this week’s game against the Texans could be a low-scoring affair. However, Houston has had one of the toughest offenses for defenses to score fantasy points against this season. No offense has committed fewer giveaways, so don’t expect Cleveland to produce.

More Sits

Falcons defense vs. Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
49ers defense at Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
Cardinals defense vs. Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Kicker Rankings For Week 10

Brandon Aubrey vs. 49ers
Spencer Shrader vs. Dolphins
Jake Bates vs. Patriots (Munich)
Evan McPherson vs. Steelers
Ka’imi Fairbairn at Browns
Will Reichard at Packers
Jason Myers at Raiders
Cam Little at Titans
Eddy Pineiro at Cowboys
Chris Boswell at Bengals

Complete Week 10 kicker rankings

Week 10 Start ’Em Kickers

Start of the Week

Evan McPherson vs. Steelers (8:20 p.m. ET, Prime Video): McPherson scored 14 fantasy points in the Bengals' Week 9 win over the Falcons, and a matchup against the Steelers makes him a solid option in Week 10. Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed the fifth-most points per game to opposing kickers this season, and McPherson racked up 11.8 fantasy points against them in Week 3.

Evan McPherson nails it from 57 yards out.@Bengals lead 24-10 in Madrid.

CINvsATL on NFL Network
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rYbuEh2gM9
— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026

Start ’Em

Jake Bates vs. Patriots (Munich 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Bates went off against the Dolphins in Week 9, hitting four field goals and scoring 15.6 fantasy points. The Lions kicker should remain in lineups this week too, as he faces a Patriots defense that has allowed three different kickers to score at least 13 fantasy points (10 field-goal conversions allowed) since Week 6.

Eddy Pineiro at Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Pineiro hasn’t been a highly productive kicker this season, and the Niners are next-to-last in drives that result in a field goal. Still, a game in Dallas promises to be a shootout—the projected total is in the mid-50s—and the Cowboys defense has allowed an average of 10 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers since Week 4.

More Starts

Cam Little at Titans (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Chris Boswell at Browns (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Jason Myers at Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

Kicker Streamers

Cameron Dicker at Ravens (21%): Dicker has scored 12-plus fantasy points in each of his last two games, and the Ravens have allowed five kickers to score at least 11 points.
Ryan Fitzgerald at Saints (2%): Fitzgerald has been inconsistent in recent weeks, but the Saints have allowed the fifth-most points per game to kickers since Week 4.
Jake Moody vs. Chiefs (0%): Moody, claimed by the Falcons, faces a Chiefs defense that has allowed nearly 10 points per game to kickers since Week 4.

Week 10 Sit ’Em Kickers

Sit of the Week

Harrison Butker at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Butker has not been a reliable kicker in real or fantasy terms this season, averaging fewer than eight points per game. He has been so unreliable, in fact, that the Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to their practice squad. The matchup against the Falcons isn’t bad on paper, but there are better and far more consistent kickers available.

Sit ’Em

Matt Gay vs. Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Gay has been productive for the Raiders this season, nailing 19 field goals and ranking sixth in fantasy points. That makes it tough to sit him, but I would be wary of his matchup against Seattle. Six of the nine kickers they’ve faced have been held to seven or fewer fantasy points, including three who have scored five or fewer.

Jason Sanders vs. Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Sanders has quietly been one of the best kickers in fantasy football, ranking seventh in points at the position after nine weeks. Still, this week’s tilt against the Bills isn’t a favorable one. Their defense has allowed an average of just 6.2 points per game to kickers since Week 4, and four have been held to eight or fewer points in 2026.

More Sits

Drew Stevens at Giants (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
Andy Borregales at Lions (Munich 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
Trey Smack vs. Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

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