Week 10 Fantasy Football Lineup Locks: Must-Starts with Chiefs & Lions on Bye

Bye Week Impact Analysis

Chiefs and Lions on bye in Week 10 create major lineup challenges. Here's complete analysis and replacements for your fantasy team.

Chiefs Offense on Bye

Key Players Out:

• Patrick Mahomes (QB)
• Travis Kelce (TE)
• Rashee Rice (WR)

Replacement Strategy:

• QB: Stream Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Jalen Hurts
• TE: Luke Musgrave, Cole Kmet, Mark Andrews
• WR: Target receivers facing bottom-tier defenses

Analysis: With both Mahomes and Kelce out, the Chiefs offense is virtually unusable. Streaming strategy is essential.

Lions Offense on Bye

Key Players Out:

• Jared Goff (QB)
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR)
• David Montgomery (RB)

Replacement Strategy:

• QB: Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, or similar tier
• RB: Josh Jacobs, James Cook, Tyler Allgeier
• WR: Tyreek Hill, Ja'Marr Chase, or elite matchups

Analysis: Three weeks removed from David Montgomery injury, Lions RBs still affected. A-RSB was solid, but now benched entirely.

Must-Start Quarterbacks

Lamar Jackson (vs Browns)

Why Start: Coming off 4 TD performance, Browns allow 250+ passing yards per game

Projection: 250-280 passing yards, 2-3 TDs, 40-50 rushing yards

Floor/Ceiling: 18 PPR floor, 28+ PPR ceiling

Josh Allen (vs Dolphins)

Why Start: Elite floor with rushing upside, Dolphins secondary vulnerable

Projection: 220-250 passing yards, 2 TDs, 30-40 rushing yards

Floor/Ceiling: 16 PPR floor, 25+ PPR ceiling

Jalen Hurts (vs Cowboys)

Why Start: Cowboys allow 30+ points per game, Hurts rushing floor is elite

Projection: 200-230 passing yards, 2 TDs, 50-60 rushing yards

Floor/Ceiling: 17 PPR floor, 26+ PPR ceiling

Christian McCaffrey: Bounce-Back Spot

Matchup Analysis: Cardinals allow 174 rushing yards per game (31st in NFL)

Week 8 Context: Only 8 carries vs tough defense, Shanahan protecting him

Volume Expectation: 20+ carries expected in favorable matchup

Start With Confidence:

• Elite RB1 matchup
• 20+ touch volume
• Pass-catching work
• Goal-line upside

Week 10 Projection:

• 22 carries, 115 yards
• 6 receptions, 45 yards
• 1-2 total TDs
• 22-25 PPR points

Strategy Note: This is a buy-low window on CMC. His Week 8 performance created value concerns, but this matchup sets him up for a big game that could restore his RB1 trade value.

Kyle Monangai: Eagles RB1 Opportunity

Why Monangai Has RB1 Upside:

• D'Andre Swift Out: Week 10 with ankle injury, Monangai steps into lead role
• Eagles Offensive Context: High-powered offense, favorable vs Cowboys defense
• Pass Protection: Has shown ability in pass protection, trust from Sirianni

Must-Add Waiver Wire:

• Week 10 top waiver add
• Potential RB1 upside
• High-powered offense
• Multi-week opportunity

Value Projections:

• 15-18 carries expected
• 4-6 receptions
• 70-90 total yards
• 12-15 PPR floor

Streaming vs Starting: Start as Flex play in 12-team leagues, consider as RB2 in deeper formats.

Complete Position Rankings

Must-Start Players

Quarterbacks:

• Lamar Jackson (vs Browns)
• Josh Allen (vs Dolphins)
• Jalen Hurts (vs Cowboys)
• Dak Prescott (vs Panthers)

Running Backs:

• Christian McCaffrey (vs Cardinals)
• Jonathan Taylor (vs Patriots)
• James Cook (vs Bears)
• Josh Jacobs (vs Panthers)

Wide Receivers:

• Tyreek Hill (vs Raiders)
• Justin Jefferson (vs Jaguars)
• Ja'Marr Chase (vs Ravens)
• Puka Nacua (vs Texans)

Tight Ends:

• Mark Andrews (vs Bengals)
• Luke Musgrave (vs Panthers)
• Cole Kmet (vs Patriots)
• Darren Waller (vs Raiders)

Sit or Stream Cautiously

Tough Matchup QBs:

• Sam Howell (vs 49ers) - Avoid
• Russell Wilson (vs Bills) - Risky
• Daniel Jones (vs Chargers) - Sit if better options

Risky Running Backs:

• Isiah Pacheco (vs Broncos) - Tough defense
• Tony Pollard (vs Panthers) - Committee back
• Kenneth Walker (vs Rams) - Limited volume

Bench WRs:

• Chris Olave (vs Vikings) - Tough secondary
• Mike Evans (vs Texans) - Matchup dependent
• Brandin Cooks (vs Falcons) - Inconsistent

Week 10 Waiver Wire Priorities

Priority 1 - Must-Add:

• Kyle Monangai (RB - Eagles) - D'Andre Swift out, Monangai steps into lead role
• Luke Musgrave (TE - Packers) - Tucker Kraft injury, Musgrave immediate TE1

Priority 2 - Target if Available:

• Sam Darnold (QB - Panthers) - Solid matchup vs Eagles, streaming QB2 with upside
• Ty Chandler (RB - Vikings) - Aaron Jones shoulder injury, could see significant work

Playoff Implications

With both Chiefs and Lions on bye, this week represents a significant fantasy challenge. Players who hold Mahomes or Kelce without backup plans face a tough decision. Similarly, Lions players require immediate replacements.

Strategy: Prioritize using your bench depth effectively. Stream positions where you have proven backup options rather than leaving bench spots unused.

All projections based on current matchups, defensive rankings, and player usage rates. Updated November 6, 2025.