NFL DFS Week 10: Monday Night Showdown Slate
Published: Nov 15, 2021
Welcome to the NFL Week 10 Monday Night Football Showdown Slate!
From a competition standpoint, we didn’t see a whole lot of close games Sunday. In fact, eight of the 12 games played saw at least a two-score differential by the end with four or five really bad blow-outs. We also witnessed one of the ugliest games of the year as the Steelers and Lions played to a tie. The hope, and really, the expectation, for tonight is we will see a much more hard-fought divisional game. Of course, the 49ers are winless both in the division and at home this season, so either they need to step things up in a major way or we’re stuck with another snoozefest in prime-time. Funny enough, the 49ers have won the last four meetings between these two teams with an average point-differential of less than a touchdown.
Now before we begin, please take a moment to understand what exactly you are getting yourself into by playing single-game Showdown Slates. We love to have some skin in the game, for sure, but these slates are, for all intents and purposes, a lottery ticket. Sure, there are times when the chalk hits and everyone shares in the prizes, but, more often than not, you need to hit on that random dart-throw that differentiates your lineup from that of the herd in order to claim the top prize. As a result, we encourage you to play responsibly and not over-invest. Stick to the GPP contests (single-entry preferred), don’t blow your whole bankroll, and understand that, unless you are a max-entry player, you should prioritize having fun.
OK. Lecture over. Let’s get to tonight’s action.
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: Rams -3.5
O/U: 50
Weather: cloudy with temperatures in the low-60s; winds NW 6 mph
Notable Injuries:
Los Angeles Rams
Robert Woods, WR – knee (out)
Brian Allen, C – elbow (questionable)
Darious Williams, CB – ankle (questionable)
San Francisco 49ers
JaMycal Hasty, RB – ankle (out)
Mohamed Sanu, WR – knee (out)
DVOA Defensive Rankings
Rams
vs Pass: 5th
vs Run: 14th
49ers
vs Pass: 25th
vs Run: 6th
**Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.
MVP/Captain
Matthew Stafford, QB LAR – His overall numbers are up across the board and now takes on a pass defense that may not give up a ton of passing yards (just 206.5 per game), but routinely struggles in coverage, as evidenced by the ranking of 25th in DVOA against the pass. Over his last three games, Stafford has averaged 311 passing yards and has a 7:2 TD:INT. With opposing quarterbacks posting a 102.0 passer rating against the 49ers, Stafford’s numbers should fall in line here.
Cooper Kupp, WR LAR – He’s Stafford’s best friend in the whole wide world and he’s got the targets, target share, receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns to prove it. With Robert Woods out and Odell Beckham still learning the Rams system, expect a heavy lean on Kupp tonight.
George Kittle, TE SF – The Rams may rank eighth in DVOA against the tight end, but they’re allowing the seventh-most fantasy points and an average of 64 receiving yards per game to them. Kittle returned from injured reserve last week and immediately led the team with eight targets, six catches, 101 receiving yards and a touchdown. He’ll remain a focal point of this offense tonight and every game.
Mid-Tier
Deebo Samuel, WR SF – It will be interesting to see if Jalen Ramsey stays in the slot all game or if he shadows Samuel at any point. Samuel has mostly played on the outside with just 28-percent of his snaps coming out of the slot, so if Ramsey, who has played 44-percent of his snaps as the slot-corner, doesn’t shadow, he’ll have a much easier time gaining separation. If we haven’t heard anything by game-time, get Samuel into those lineups.
Darrell Henderson, RB LAR – The 49ers may rank sixth in DVOA against the run, but they are allowing 131.6 rushing yards per game and have given up 12 touchdowns on the ground. The Rams will likely give a lot of early work to Henderson and allow play-action to develop and open things up for the pass. His fantasy numbers have run hot and cold recently but he still has five touchdowns in his last five games.
Elijah Mitchell, RB SF – With no injury designation this week and JaMycal Hasty out, you can expect Mitchell to lead this backfield in carries once again. He had nearly 80 all-purpose yards in a tough loss to Arizona last week, but posted a 100-yard effort with a touchdown in each of the two prior games. The Rams may be allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game but they’ve coughed up 10 touchdowns on the ground this season.
Van Jefferson, WR LAR – Woods is out for the season and OBJ is still learning the ropes, so perhaps the value of Jefferson stays intact this week. He’s seen 20 targets over the last three games, but has just a 50-percent catch rate and only one touchdown to show for it. However, if there was ever a golden opportunity for him to shine, it would be here. A big game tonight could entrench him as the team’s No. 2 while Beckham stays on as the deep threat.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR SF – He’d be more well-liked if Ramsey is shadowing Samuel, but even if he isn’t, Aiyuk has garnered more attention recently with 15 targets which he turned into 10 catches for 134 yards and one touchdown over his last two games. If he can continue to see this kind of volume, he’ll be worth an add to your lineups.
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB SF – He’s thrown for over 300 yards in each of his last two games with two passing and two rushing touchdowns under his belt. It won’t be an easy game for him as opposing quarterbacks have been limited to just an 82.9 passer rating this season. They’ll need to establish the run with Mitchell before things open up for the passing attack, so if you think the Niners can get it done on the ground, Garoppolo should have a decent night.
Odell Beckham, WR LAR – You know the Rams are going to find ways to take their shiny, new toy out for a spin. He’ll slot in as the deep threat for Stafford and should see a handful of targets come his way. If he can convert one for a really big play, he’ll earn the value you need.
Dart Throws
Jeffery Wilson, RB SF – He was activated from injured reserve last week but didn’t play a single snap. With Hasty out, Wilson should see the field this week as a third-down/goal-line option. The cost is pretty low, so all you would need from him is the touchdown. The yards accumulated or passes caught won’t be abundant.
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Player News
Bears coach Ben Johnson said the team’s starters will play in their second preseason game against the Bills.
Johnson gave his starters the day off for Chicago’s first preseason game of the year. He told reporters that having the starters skip last week’s game and suit up versus Buffalo maximizes the number of reps they can get. That means we should see at least a few drives from Caleb Williams and company. Reports from camp have been mixed at best, but it’s impossible to say what the offense will look like until they take the field for an actual game. Their date with Buffalo could also give fantasy managers more insight into how the rookies, Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, will be deployed. Both rookies played with the backups last week.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Justin Jefferson (hamstring) is “definitely progressing” but will not practice this week.
Jefferson suffered a mild hamstring strain at the start of camp and has yet to return to practice. O’Connell told reporters he will be re-evaluated next week, meaning Jefferson will be held out of Minnesota’s joint practices with the Patriots. While you never want to see your first-round fantasy pick missing time with a hamstring injury, there’s still nearly a month to go before the start of the season and Jefferson doesn’t necessarily need the practice reps. Fantasy managers should get more clarity on the situation when O’Connell gives an update next week. Until then, Jefferson is firmly planted in the first six picks of fantasy drafts.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports Browns QB Shedeur Sanders suffered an oblique injury in Wednesday’s practice.
As Kay Cabot notes, the injury likely rules Sanders out for the team’s upcoming preseason game against the Eagles. Sanders suffered the injury early in Cleveland’s joint practice with the Eagles and spent the rest of the session watching from the sideline. Dillon Gabriel was able to practice through his hamstring injury, suggesting he could be ready to suit up versus Philly. Gabriel would get an extended look under center if Kenny Pickett remains sidelined with his hamstring injury and Sanders isn’t ready to return by Saturday.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Shedeur Sanders will start the team’s preseason game against the Eagles if Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel remain sidelined.
Both quarterbacks are nursing hamstring issues. Neither was able to suit up for the Browns’ first preseason game against the Panthers. Gabriel recently returned to team drills, but Stefanski wasn’t willing to commit to him playing against Philly this weekend. The rookie from Oregon will likely draw the start if healthy. While the battle between the rookies may be the most interesting for Browns fans, all signs point toward one of the veterans starting in Week 1. As the only healthy veteran right now, Joe Flacco is on track to take the first snap of the regular season.
The Athletic’s Jesse Newell believes the Chiefs “envision a role” for WR Tyquan Thornton this season.
This isn’t the first we’re hearing of a role for the former second-round pick either. ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote about a potential rotational gig for Thornton last week. Newell calls him a perfect fit for the field-stretching role held by Justin Watson in previous seasons. Thornton was cut by the Patriots in the middle of the 2024 season and the Chiefs quickly scooped him up on their practice squad. A strong start to training camp has him as a heavy favorite to make the team’s 53-man roster. Though he is still a long-shot to be fantasy-relevant this year, Thornton seems to have found his niche in the pros.
NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports Saints LG Trevor Penning suffered a turf toe injury.
Underhill didn’t put a timeline on Penning’s injury but did note that players typically need 4-6 weeks to recover from this type of issue. That would make Penning unlikely to suit up for Week 1, though it’s possible his timeline is shorter. Penning is making the transition from tackle to guard this year, and early reports from training camp were positive. The lost practice reps may be even more detrimental to Penning than a missed game.