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After turning back the clocks last week, it now gets darker earlier for the foreseeable future. That darkness allows us to see the stars on a clear night, so it’s only natural to wonder if the pass-catching stars will shine bright in Week 10 of the NFL season. We already know Tee Higgins and Nico Collins are OUT, while Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and T.J. Hockenson are among the other star pass-catchers beaten up heading into the week. Can we expect them on the field when the action kicks off Sunday?
Below, we’ll give you the latest news on these ailing pass-catchers and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 10 fantasy landscape.
WEEK 10 INJURY UPDATES: Early WRS | RBs
Is Justin Jefferson playing Week 10?
UPDATE: The Vikings will not activate Jefferson before Sunday’s game and have officially ruled him OUT, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Jefferson (hamstring) is officially listed as “questionable” for Sunday’s game against the Saints. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET, but fantasy owners won’t have to wait long for news on the star receiver. In order to be eligible to play, Jefferson will need to be activated by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. Earlier in the week head coach Kevin O’Connell said that it would be “a little aggressive” for Jefferson to get back on the field this week. However, the receiver’s three straight limited practices were enough for the team to at least weigh the decision, but thankfully, an early answer awaits.
WEEK 10 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start ’em, sit ’em
Jefferson’s fantasy outlook is always through the roof, but it will be interesting to see if that changes with Josh Dobbs under center instead of Kirk Cousins. In addition, K.J. Osborn (concussion) is also listed as “questionable,” though his status steadily improved throughout the week from DNP on Wednesday to full practice on Friday. If Jefferson is back, he’s a must-start. If Jefferson is out but Osborn returns, both Osborn and Jordan Addison are worth using.
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Is Ja’Marr Chase playing Week 10?
Chase (back) appears ready to take his status down to kickoff. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Bengals’ star receiver will work out on Sunday morning and his status will be determined afterward. Chase put a scare into the fantasy community on Wednesday when he was listed as a DNP, but after logging back-to-back limited practices, there is a lot more optimism heading into Sunday. With Tee Higgins (hamstring) already ruled out, Cincinnati will be hoping Chase can feel healthy enough to play when they host the Texans at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Bengals, despite getting a win over the Bills last Sunday, are a beaten-down bunch. Their defense will also be without a prominent edge rusher, Sam Hubbard, complicating matters for a team hoping to stack wins as they compete for an AFC North crown. On the bright side, Joe Burrow appears to be finally healthy and should have no problems targeting Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin, and Andrei Iosivas in the passing game. If Chase does end up suiting up, fantasy owners should enjoy an even larger workload than the receiver already had. If he’s out, Boyd is a must-start, and you can try one of Cincinnati’s secondary receivers in deep leagues.
WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Is T.J. Hockenson playing Week 10?
Hockenson (ribs) is listed as “questionable” for Week 10, but he’s already said he plans to play on Sunday. The tight end has dealt with his fair share of injury woes this season, however, he’s yet to miss a game. After turning in three limited practices this week, we’ll trust that Hockenson is ready to go, especially since he continued to play through the ailment in Week 9 as a big part of the offense with Josh Dobbs under center.
As long as Hockenson is playing, he’s not being benched in any fantasy format. The tight end projects as a top option at the position and remains the Vikings’ leader in targets with 80 on the season. Dobbs enjoyed targeting the tight ends in Arizona and continued that trend in his Minnesota debut. The floor for Hockenson is equivalent to that of a rooftop bar.
WEEK 10 DFS: DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Is Curtis Samuel playing Week 10?
Samuel (toe) is expected to play on Sunday when the Commanders take on the Seahawks at 4:25 p.m. ET, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The receiver was limited in practice thanks to the toe injury that has plagued him since leaving Week 8’s game against the Eagles, but barring a setback, he will return to action this weekend.
The receiver was working his way into flex territory with a couple of good performances before picking up the injury. However, we wouldn’t consider him to be worthy of a fantasy start this week unless you’re in a bind. It’s unclear whether Samuel will regain the same workload or if he’ll be playing in limited action as he works his way back. Jamison Crowder emerged in Samuel’s absence and Jahan Dotson has seen his production drastically increase, as well. The wait-and-see approach is the preferred one heading into Week 10.
