Week 10 NFL Recap: Read our Week 10 NFL Recap for the four biggest NFL betting and fantasy football lessons we learned from Week 10.
Week 10 NFL Recap
1. Jakobi Meyers: fantasy football league-winner?
Dare I say that a Patriots offensive skill postion player is a fantasy football league winner down the stretch in 2020? And dare I say that said player is not named Sony Michel, N’Keal Harry, or Julian Edelman.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the past few weeks, then you should know who Jakobi Meyers is. Although he is in his second year as a pro, the 24-year-old UDFA didn’t do much in his rookie 2019 campaign.
In fact, Meyers didn’t even get going in 2020 until Week 7 following injuries and inconsistent play with more bad than good from Edelman, Harry, and Damiere Byrd.
Since Week 7, Meyers has logged at least six targets, four receptions, and 58 yards in each of his past four games, logging 10+ PPR points in those outings.
Entering Week 10, Meyers was already the PPR WR10 since Week 7. And following his solid performance in last night’s improbable win over the Ravens, it is safe to say that Meyers has climbed even further into the Top 10 in that time period.
While Meyers didn’t go off, he got the job done once again for his fantasy managers. Hauling in 5-of-7 targets for 59 yards as a receiver while adding a 24-yard touchdown pass to Rex Burkhead on his lone attempt, Meyers finished the night with 15.9 PPR points.
On that Burkhead touchdown reception, anyone who wagered the versatile running back’s two touchdown prop cashed in big time on (+2000) odds at PointsBet.
For Meyers, he is clearly Cam Newton’s top pass-catching option to throw to. While Meyers has made an appearance in seven games, he’s only recorded a target in four of them.
Since Week 7 when Meyers began catching fire, he’s drawn 37 of his 38 targets. What’s more, Meyers is currently third on the team in targets. His 38 is three behind Byrd’s 41. And keep in mind, he’s essentially only been a featured part of the offense for the past four games.
Meyers is averaging 9.3 targets per game in four matchups since Week 7. Meyers is rostered in 48% of leagues at Yahoo Fantasy and 22% at ESPN. if he is on your waiver wire this week. You are lucky and you must add him for the rest of the way.
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2. Wayne Gallman comes through again.
Outside of being a notable name (in regression), I never understood why the Giants signed Devonta Freeman to succeed Saquon Barkley when he suffered his season-ending knee injury. They had Wayne Gallman already on the roster, who in the past, had shown he could shoulder the workload sans Barkley.
No, Gallman isn’t elite. He’s barely borderline above average. However, when given the opportunity, he delivers.
In 2019, Gallman had one game with double-digit touches. It was a Week 4 win over Washington in which Gallman received 24 touches. He went for 118 total yards and two touchdowns. Despite his pop outing, Gallman did not see another game with double-digit opportunities in 2019, mostly because Barkley did not miss a lot of time.
For whatever reason, the Giants did not buy into Gallman. I guess it explains their 7-19 record since Week 1 of 2019.
That is clearly not the case in 2020. With Barkley and Freeman both on the injured reserve list, Gallman is finally getting the chance to be the guy and is delivering.
In each of the past four games since Week 7, Gallman has scored a touchdown, including six total in that time span. Gallman has seen at least 13 touches in all four of those games and 15+ in three of them. As a result of his usage and production, Gallman has returned at 13+ PPR points in all four games since Week 7.
In total, in the five games in which Gallman has received 10+ touches in the past two seasons sans Barkley, he’s scored at least one touchdown and returned 13+ PPR points in all five games.
If you took Gallman’s two touchdown prop at PointsBet, you cashed in on (+1200) odds, which is an aggressive number for a starting running back.
If you are a Gallman fantasy football manager, you employ the RB3 since Week 7 behind only Dalvin Cook and Alvin Kamara.
However, there is a great chance that you are not a Gallman fantasy manager. The upside back is only being rostered in 50% of leagues at Yahoo and 28% at ESPN. Go get him on the wire right now. There is clear proof that Gallman is out there to help you capture a fantasy football title in 2020.
3. Daniel Jones has smashed rushing yard props in 2020.
We knew Daniel Jones had wheels, but in his second year in the NFL, the former No. 6 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft is showcasing his versatility.
No, Jones is not Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Kyler Murray, but he is not too far behind. Entering Week 10, Jones was the No. 3 quarterback in rushing yards.
Last season, Jones had one game in which he rushed for more than 35 yards. In 2020, he surpassed that mark in 5-of-10 games. Since Week 2, Jones accumulated 45+ rushing yards in 5-of-8 games.
If you wagered the Over on Jones total rushing yards in Sunday’s win over the Eagles, which was set at 24.5 yards at PointsBet, you cashed for the seventh time this season. The Over is 7-3 on Jones rushing yards total this season.
Jones hit the 24.5 rushing yards Over on one play, a 34-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. That play also cashed if you wagered Jones’ first touchdown scorer prop at (+1300) odds.
4. Alex Smith is rejuvenated.
With Kyle Allen done for the year with his severe ankle injury and the wheels coming undone from the Dwayne Haskins project, Alex Smith is the lone quarterback left standing in Washington.
A year ago, we didn’t know if Smith would even walk again, nevermind play football. Not only has Smith made an improbable comeback, but he is legitimately playing well.
In each of his first two games seeing significant playing time, Smith has completed at least 69.1% of his passes for 325+ yards with a 1:3 TD/INT ratio. It’s not all there but it is coming together.
In Sunday’s loss to the Lions, Smith started his first game in 728 days and threw for 390 yards with no touchdowns or giveaways. That, following his 325-yard outing in last week’s loss to the Giants.
Smith’s 55 attempts, 38 completions, and 390 passing yards were all career bests. it was also the first time the 16-year veteran would throw for 300+ yards in back-to-back games.
While most wouldn’t consider Washington as a team with top-end skill postion talent on offense, they do have enough there for Smith to play well down the stretch.
With players that include second-year stud wideout Terry McLaurin, a young but flashing Cam Sims, a versatile big-bodied tight end in Logan Thomas, and a pair of pass-catching backs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic, perhaps all that Washington needed was a competent quarterback to make it all come together. They have that now with Smith.
In seven games with Allen and Haskins as the starter, the Football Team only had one game with a 300+ yard passer. Smith already has two in as many games.
I am not saying to run out and grab Smith on the waiver wire and start him over fantasy’s best, but could he serve as a quality injury or bye week fill-in with upside? Absolutely, especially with upcoming matchups versus Cincinnati, Dallas, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, Carolina, and Philadelphia to close out the year.
Considering five of those seven remaining opponents are favorable ones against the pass, you could also monitor Smith’s passing yards props down the stretch. The Over could hit more times than not, especially if the sportsbooks sleep on Smith, which is a possibility.
5. D’Andre Swift SZN: Engage.
The Lions selected D’Andre Swift with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. And while he’s flashed this season, he has yet to start a game. That changed in Week 10.
Drawing his first start as a pro in Sunday’s victory over the Washington Football Team, Swift failed to disappoint. In fact, if you are a Swift truther, he did exactly what you had expected. If you are a Swift detractor, he vastly exceeded your expectations.
No matter what side you are on, one thing is for sure, Swift is the real deal. Swift carried the ball 16 times for 86 yards rushing with a 5.1 per attempt average. His 16 carries are a career-high.
Swift also corralled all five of his targets for 68 yards and a touchdown, showcasing once again, his versatility and ability to be a three-down back. His five receptions and 68 receiving yards are also career-bests for the breakout rookie.
At this juncture, it is also safe to say that Swift is pulling away from Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson in playing time and in opportunity. Swift played 43 snaps while Peterson and Johnson played in a combined 16.
From a fantasy football perspective, you should have been thrilled if you were a Swift fantasy manager even before he was named the RB1. In nine games played including Week 10, Swift managed 11+ PPR points in seven of them. He’s also had two games with 25+ PPR points, including his Week 10 emergence.
Prepare your Week 11 betting tips and plan
After checking out our Week 10 NFL Recap:
