The playoff race in many fantasy leagues is simply too close to call.
With the regular season just weeks away, making the right tee/sit decisions can be the difference between hoisting your league trophy or dishing out a ridiculous punishment. Although defenses are often an afterthought in fantasy lineups, you don’t want to make the wrong choice and fail because of one.
The Browns, Packers, Seahawks and Raiders won’t be participating in this week’s festivities, so don’t bother sending them a party invitation. Instead, choose to focus on setting up the right defense so you can achieve victory on the battlefield. So, to try to make your life easier, here are four defenses to start and four defenses to sit down in Week 10.
NFL POWER RANKINGS: How has the trade deadline changed the league’s elite?
Fantasy football starts them off: Week 10 D/ST
Chicago Bear (against. New England Patriots)
Disappearing a rookie quarterback on the road is a solid strategy. Blowing out a bad Patriots team is also a solid strategy. This means starting the Bears in Week 10 is a solid strategy. New England’s offense doesn’t keep any defenses up on the night and their lack of pass-catching options has a lot to do with that. Because of this reality, Drake Maye has lived off his ability to rush, something the Bears are capable of slowing down.
They are only allowing 18 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks and this sample size includes matchups against Jayden Daniels And Kyler Murray. While Daniels was able to find 52 yards against this Chicago defense, his performance is the outlier in what has been a busy schedule at mobile quarterbacking. Considering Maye has thrown two interceptions in two of his four starts, that’s a recipe for success.
Philadelphia Eagles (has Dallas Cowboys)
Dak Prescott doesn’t come out of this tunnel for the Cowboys, which means it will be Cooper Rush under center in Dallas. Although the Eagles have been an average fantasy defense, there are reasons for optimism beyond Rush’s start. Philadelphia’s defense stepped up coming out of its Week 5 bye, allowing less than 20 points in all four games.
On the Dallas side, they are already behind Prescott and don’t have the running game to make up for this loss. Lamb CeeDee is dealing with a shoulder injury and Dallas has been horrible at home in 2024. The Eagles should have no problem taking care of business against their division rival.
Los Angeles Chargers (against. Tennessee Titans)
Sometimes you just have to make the layup. The Chargers have arguably the best fantasy defense in Week 10 and there’s no reason to overthink it. Jim Harbaugh quickly transformed his team, managing to establish a new identity in a single offseason.
Los Angeles holds teams to a minimum of 12.6 points per game and the Titans average just 17.5 points per game, sixth-worst in the league. This is a big plus for Harbaugh’s group and also for your fantasy team.
New York Giants (has Carolina Panthers in Germany)
International games can be lopsided, especially when they feature two of the worst teams in the NFL. The Germans should be treated to this crazy matchup that could help decide which team wins the top draft pick in April. While the Americans are unlikely to sound the alarm for this one, the Giants are a dynamic defense that could be successful against these Panthers. With the Giants’ ability to get after the quarterback, New York is firmly in spread territory across the pond.
Fantasy Football Sit’em: Week 10 D/ST
Houston Texans (against. Detroit Lions)
Despite the Texans’ success as a fantasy defense, any game against the Lions represents an automatic fade. The league’s highest-scoring offense scores 32.3 points per game and shows no signs of slowing down. If there’s one thing we know about Dan Campbell, it’s that he won’t take his foot off the gas.
Detroit has too many weapons and too much creativity to make it worth enduring three hours of agony for the sake of a fantastic defense. Campbell’s team won’t rest until they are the only team with kneecaps remaining in the NFL. Save yourself the trouble and look elsewhere.
Pittsburgh Steelers (has Washington Commanders)
It’s tough to keep the Steelers defense on the bench, but the game makes a strong case. The Commanders, like the Lions, have a dynamic offense that posts the third most points per game (29.2). Dual threat and Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels took the league by storm in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. He looks like the real deal as Washington continues to win. There is always a possibility of TJ Watt completely destroying the game, but we would avoid Pittsburgh if possible.
Denver Broncos (has Kansas City Chiefs)
The Broncos are another fantasy defense worthy of earning a bench spot this week, especially in a brutal division clash. While they were in great shape entering Week 9, Denver was dominated by the Crows. They allowed 41 points and didn’t reward fantasy managers who trusted them. Even in the face of a potentially hindered environment Patrick Mahomesthere’s really no reason to believe this week will be any different.
Dallas Cowboys (against. Philadelphia Eagles)
The Cowboys are far from the fantasy defense they once were and are instead ranked among the worst in 2024. If you still roster them or start them, take them out of the lineup against the Eagles. Dallas is expected to remain on the waiver wire until proven otherwise.
Fantasy Football, Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em, Week 10
→ Kickers Are People Too: Here are some of the most impactful kickers to have on your fantasy team in Week 10.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 10 with “Start ’em, Sit ’em” tips for wideouts.
→ A good ball carrier makes all the difference. A bad ball carrier can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 10.
→ Need an edge under the center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and sit in Week 10.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Fantasy football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 10: 8 D/ST to start or sit
