Fantasy football advice, Week 10: who to start/sit for Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

To the fantasy owners who survived 12 teams going on bye over the course of Week 8 and Week 9, good news – help is on the way. With just four teams taking a break in Week 10, and with several injured players on track to make their return, fantasy owners can breathe a little easier, even as their seasons evolve into must-win weeks down the stretch.

When the Ravens and Browns square off on Thursday night, a few notable fantasy options present themselves.

Joe Flacco has done next to nothing all season, but he’s facing an opponent that has surrendered multiple passing touchdowns in all but one game in 2016. In fact, the Browns have given up three passing touchdowns in five of their last seven games. Flacco himself doesn’t provide any reason for fantasy owners to be excited, but it’s hard to imagine him not being capable of exploiting this matchup. He deserves QB1 streaming consideration for Week 10.

Dennis Pitta had just three targets in Steve Smith’s return, but the Browns have surrendered more fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends than any other opponent. He is a fringe TE1/TE2, so fantasy owners hopefully have a better option ready to go until Pitta commands more of a share in targets on a sputtering offense.

With Smith back in action, Mike Wallace’s floor takes a hit even though the former Steeler capitalized with a 95-yard touchdown catch against his former team in Week 9. Wallace has obvious upside against a porous Browns defense, but fantasy owners have to expect a severe downside — even from a receiver who has three consecutive games with 97 yards or more. Smith can be considered a low-ceiling WR3.

Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon have fine matchups at hand, but “trust” would be a strong word to associate with either of Baltimore’s backs. Dixon was out-snapped by West just 30-20 in a Week 9 game where both were ineffective. There’s flex appeal here for both, but fantasy owners would do well to explore other options.

Role players such as Breshad Perriman, Kyle Juszczyk and Kamar Aiken can remain benched.

Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman are the only exciting pieces of an 0-9 cellar dweller. Pryor has been a reliable WR2 when healthy, and even Thursday night’s difficult matchup with the Ravens provides a chance for him to cash in on that value. Coleman was predictably slow out of the gate on Sunday in his first action since Week 2, but provides the big-play ability to warrant a high ceiling. Coleman is the more volatile of the two receivers, but both deserve starting consideration.

Tight end Gary Barnidge has a miserable matchup against a defense that has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends and doesn’t deserve starting consideration for Thursday night. The backfield tandem of Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell also can be left on benches against the NFL’s No. 2 run defense. Fantasy owners considering streaming quarterbacks can gamble on far bigger upside than what Cody Kessler can provide.