FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast

Episode: 6 Must-Start Players for Week 10 | The Primer (Ep. 1827)
Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Seth Wilcock & Derrick Brown ("DBro")

Episode Overview

In this Week 10 "Primer" episode, hosts Seth Wilcock and Derrick Brown share their top six must-start fantasy football sleepers—players you may not be considering, but who have strong matchups and significant upside. Due to a tough bye week slate and recent NFL trades, the hosts admit viable running back options are scarce and focus on deep-dive recommendations at the wide receiver and tight end positions, specifically for managers struggling with injuries, byes, and deep-league dilemmas.

Key Insights & Must-Start Players

1. QB: J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)

[03:52]

• Derrick highlights McCarthy as an under-the-radar, high-upside QB streamer, buoyed by strong fantasy finishes in his only two healthy games this year (QB11 and QB13).
• Matchup Note: Facing a Ravens defense that, despite improving, still allows plenty of passing yardage and ranks 4th in highest success rate per dropback since Week 5.
• DBro Quote:

  "He's been the QB11 and QB13 in fantasy scoring in his two healthy starts... The matchup is there this week." [03:52]

[05:27]

• The Vikings’ offensive line is getting healthier, further supporting McCarthy’s outlook this week.
• Seth adds that Baltimore recently jettisoned star CB Jaire Alexander, making their secondary even more vulnerable.
• Seth:

  "I'm looking forward to J.J. McCarthy... I was really excited with what he did in the first half of last week's game against Detroit." [05:48]

2. WR: Darius Slayton (New York Giants)

[06:23]

• Derrick recommends Slayton as a strong flex, despite disappointing box scores recently.
• Opportunity: Nearly broke 100 yards and a TD last week—missed by a dropped endzone pass.
• Matchup: The Bears’ improved run D means more passing; since week five, they've given up the 7th most PPR points/target to perimeter WRs.
• DBro:

  "He’s been dancing around having a big day in fantasy and in the box score the last few weeks. I think it does come together this week for him." [07:14]

[07:35]

• Seth reinforces the play:

  "Darius Slayton just always so consistent, man. It feels like almost every single year... he’s led them in receiving yards. Always pops up down the stretch as someone we need to add to our teams." [07:35]

• Slayton's upside is clear given how Chicago has struggled mightily against WRs—referencing huge stat lines ceded to T. Higgins, Jamar Chase, and others last week.

3. WR: Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts)

[08:33]

• Derrick, a self-proclaimed "Alec Pierce truther," is doubling down.
• Coverage Matchup: ATL runs single-high coverage at the NFL’s highest rate (73%), and Pierce dominates this look:
  • 27% target share vs single-high
  • 3.69 YPRR
  • 32% first-read share
• Recent Production: WR14 last week, 24% target share, 115 yards, 33% first-read share.
• DBro:

  "It all goes back to the matchup against single high coverage... Alec Pierce versus Single High has elite WR1 per-route numbers." [09:16]

[09:54]

• Seth highlights ATL's secondary giving up the 2nd most WR touchdowns the last two weeks, and recent big games from mediocre foes.
• Debate over A.J. Terrell’s reputation:

  "He's not one of those shutdown cornerbacks... a lot of volatility to his game." (DBro) [10:32]

4. WR: Rashod Bateman (Baltimore Ravens) — Deep League Play

[11:35]

• Derrick pitches Bateman as a deep-league or emergency flex.

• Why: MIN allows the MOST PPR points/target to perimeter WRs and 2nd highest deep completion rate since week 5.

• Bateman has struggled this year (messy QB situation), but versus two-high coverage last year (with Lamar):

  • 2.43 yards/route run
  • 0.55 FPTS/route run (13th & 22nd out of 230 WRs/TEs)

• DBro:

  "If you need upside at a flex spot… Rashad Bateman’s probably on every single waiver wire… he could pay off in a big way this week." [13:14]

• Seth's Wildcard Add:

  "This is a bit of a wild card play… you maybe need someone who can take you over the top. It could be Rashod Bateman." [13:53]

5. TE: Cade Otton (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

[15:02]

• Derrick features Otton as top streaming or flex option with Jake Ferguson and other TEs on bye.
• Trend: Since week 5 — 19% target share, 59 yards/gm, 2.14 YPRR; 94% snap share (leads all TEs), 5+ targets in 5 of last 6 games.
• Matchup: NE allows 7th most TE yards & FPTS per game; Pats are a run-stuffing D, forcing passing game targets.
• DBro:

  "The volume trending in his direction, but the matchup is definitively there, man... K. Otten could really pay off for people." [16:10]

[17:59]

• Seth notes Otton’s consistency:

  "Fifth in route participation… in a week where I am struggling to fill positions, I think you could do worse than Cade Otton." [17:01]

6. TE: Dalton Schultz (Houston Texans)

[18:14]

• Derrick declares Schultz a strong start, even with C.J. Stroud’s injury.

• Proof: RB Davis Mills subbed last week and Schultz was still TE7.

• Matchup: Jaguars have given up the 2nd most TE yards, 2nd most schedule-adjusted TE FPTS/game.

• DBro:

  "Dalton Schultz produced last week with Davis Mills playing most of that game... The matchup is back for Dalton Schultz this week." [18:28]

• Seth’s Betting Angle:

  "My best bet, Dalton Schultz over three and a half receptions… he’s had an average of 5.3 receptions per game since Week 3... the one thing that has been there... is Dalton Schultz, man." [19:41]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Difficulty of Week 10 & RB Landscape:

  "Running back is a giant crap fest for fantasy right now... So we're going to highlight a bunch of wide receivers and actually two tight ends..." (Derrick Brown) [01:59]

• Comic Relief:

  "I'm in one of my leagues where I picked up both these guys we're going to talk about later and I'm flexing two tight ends right now. That's where we're at." (DBro) [01:57]

Major Timestamps

• 00:34 – 01:57: Show kickoff, host intro, context of tough week for RBs and focus on WR/TE sleepers.
• 03:52 – 06:15: J.J. McCarthy sleeper QB analysis.
• 06:23 – 08:33: Darius Slayton and Giants WR plays.
• 08:33 – 11:35: Alec Pierce profile & Falcons secondary.
• 11:35 – 13:51: Rashod Bateman deep league case.
• 15:02 – 17:59: Cade Otton as TE streamer.
• 18:14 – 20:36: Dalton Schultz and Texans TE outlook.

Summary Table: Must-Start Sleepers for Week 10

| Position | Player | Team | Rationale | |----------|------------------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | QB | J.J. McCarthy | MIN Vikings | High-upside, great matchup vs Baltimore | | WR | Darius Slayton | NY Giants | Consistent, matchup vs exploitable Bears secondary | | WR | Alec Pierce | IND Colts | Elite vs single-high coverage, Falcons weak vs perimeter WRs | | WR | Rashod Bateman | BAL Ravens | Deep league play, vulnerable MIN secondary, strong metrics LY | | TE | Cade Otton | TB Buccaneers | Huge snap share, trending targets, top matchup vs Patriots | | TE | Dalton Schultz | HOU Texans | Productive even w/ backup QB, Jaguars hemorrhage TE fantasy pts|

Final Thoughts

This episode is a fantasy goldmine for managers beset by bye weeks, injuries, and deeper-league struggles. Derrick Brown and Seth Wilcock lean hard into advanced metrics, matchup data, and recent trends to give actionable, “must-start” sleeper picks you won’t hear everywhere else—skipping RBs entirely and shining the spotlight on overlooked WR/TEs poised for breakout Week 10 performances.

Stuck in a roster crunch? Consider these picks, and check timestamps above for deeper dives on each player and matchup.

Quote of the episode:

"Running back is a giant crap fest for fantasy right now... So we're going to highlight a bunch of wide receivers and actually two tight ends..." – Derrick Brown [01:59]

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