Fantasy Football: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 10 Patriots Edition
The New England Patriots’ losing streak is over, but the start of a new one could be right around the corner.
Several Patriots made their returns to fantasy prominence against the Jets last week, with the most important being quarterback Cam Newton. But the Baltimore Ravens, who are 20-4 since the start of last season, are next up on the slate, and they could very easily send the Patriots and their fantasy standouts back to the bottom of the barrel. Some may be able to weather the storm based on recent success and favorable matchups, but where those individual wins could come from is to be determined.
Here are the personnel in New England you should start and sit in your fantasy lineups this week.
All scores are calculated using half-point PPR, ESPN standard scoring
Start ‘Em: Nick Folk
The hero of Monday night’s win over the Jets could be a fantasy hero in Week 10.
Folk put up a season-high 15 fantasy points in Week 9, and he hasn’t missed a field goal or extra point since Week 3. The veteran is averaging 7.8 points per game and is averaging 9.5 per game since the Patriots’ Week 5 bye.
It is discouraging that the Ravens boast the No. 1 defense against fantasy kickers, limiting them to 3.8 points per game. The Patriots have moved the ball well in back-to-back games, and they can be expected to at least get in field goal range on several occasions.
Folk is not a star, and he isn’t even rostered in a lot of leagues. But with four of the top 14 kickers on bye, Folk might be worth testing out to see if he can replicate last week’s success.
Sit ‘Em: James White
White was always the most reliable Patriots running back in fantasy.
That is not the case anymore.
Not having Tom Brady under center has hurt a lot of returning New England playmakers, but White’s role change has been one of the most drastic. After barely taking the field and scoring just 0.8 points against the 49ers, White got some snaps back in the ensuing weeks.
Still, he scored just 4.5 and 4.4 points against the Bills and Jets, respectively. Buffalo allows the 16th-most points to opposing running backs and New York allows the 7th-most.
Baltimore allows the 4th-least.
A tough matchup and fading role in the offense does not bode well for White, who has yet to score a touchdown in 2020, and his fantasy owners. There are better options out there, so don’t leave White in your lineups against the Ravens.
Start ‘Em: Jakobi Meyers
Meyers had been steadily improving for several weeks leading up to the win over the Jets, but Monday night was his coming out party.
The second-year wideout went for 169 yards on 12 receptions, both of which were comfortably career-highs. Meyers has scored 8.2, 10.8 and 22.9 points in his last three outings all without recording a touchdown, and he is leading the team with 10 targets per game in that span.
Meyers would be a much more viable option if he was more of a red zone threat, but his ability to both read opposing defenses and get on the same page as Cam Newton makes him the Patriots’ most reliable receiver moving forward.
Without Julian Edelman or N’Keal Harry on the field, Meyers will continue to get targets, and he is certainly a top-end flex option this week, even against a formidable Ravens secondary.
Sit ‘Em: Patriots D/ST
While the Patriots defense has yet to put up negative points so far this season, Monday’s performance was far from encouraging.
The league’s worst offense lit them up for 20 points in the first half, and New England’s secondary looked truly lost against New York’s outside threats. The defense still eked out three fantasy points, but only thanks to an ill-timed and strategically questionable interception late in the fourth quarter.
If that’s what this defense can do against Joe Flacco, don’t expect big things against Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens offense isn’t as unstoppable as it was a season ago. Opposing fantasy defenses are scoring 4.4 against them this season, just 0.2 points above average.
But it has been seven weeks since the Patriots’ defense has put up double digit fantasy points, and it is averaging just 2.3 points per game in its last three outings.
New England’s defense now ranks 13th in fantasy, so start looking elsewhere before things take a turn for the worst against Baltimore on Sunday night.
