Fantasy football weekly with Travis Petty Jr

LAURINBURG — Week 10 of the NFL season is upon us, meaning we’ve reached the halfway point. The Fantasy Football playoff picture either has your team in it or you’ve already given up on the NFL season. That being said, this weekly breakdown is for fantasy owners looking to make a splash throughout the season.

Top three quarterbacks

Josh Allen on the road versus the Miami Dolphins

After an emotional win over their arch-nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen is 14-2 against the Miami Dolphins and I expect his dominance to continue over their division foe. Allen is a must-start this Sunday.

Sam Darnold at home versus the Arizona Cardinals

Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks offense have been on fire the last three weeks. During this stretch, he has passed for 838 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions, helping the offense average 28.3 points per game. Darnold is a must-start this Sunday.

Baker Mayfield at home versus the New England Patriots

This week was a toss-up between Drake Maye and Baker Mayfield. You can’t go wrong with either choice, as we’re in for a shootout between two top-15 scoring offenses—and maybe the game of the week. But Baker Mayfield gets the slight edge due to the home-field advantage. Mayfield is a must-start this Sunday.

Top three running backs

Saquon Barkley on the road versus the Green Bay Packers

Coming off their bye week, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles will be well rested and ready to go for the Monday Night lights. In the Eagles’ last game, Saquon rushed for a season-high 150 yards. Confidence should be high in his first game back. Barkley is a must-start on Monday Night Football.

Jonathan Taylor at home versus the Atlanta Falcons

Jonathan Taylor had his worst performance of the season last week against the Steelers, rushing for a season-low 45 yards on 14 carries. For the Colts to have a functional offense, he must be the focal point. Taylor is a must-start this Sunday.

Rico Dowdle at home versus the New Orleans Saints

The Carolina Panthers are one of the surprise teams in the NFL. Rico Dowdle has been a key player for the Panthers’ offense; since Week 5, he has rushed for 652 yards and three touchdowns, including a 130-yard rushing performance last week against Green Bay. New Orleans’ defense ranks as the 24th-ranked rush defense, giving up 129.4 yards per game. Dowdle is a must-start this Sunday.

Top three wide receivers

Justin Jefferson at home versus the Baltimore Ravens

It’s been a while since I mentioned Justin Jefferson. However, he has quietly posted 649 receiving yards on 47 receptions and two touchdowns, ranking fifth in the NFL. He has seen 10-plus targets in his last six games. Jefferson is a must-start this Sunday.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba at home versus the Arizona Cardinals

The league’s leading receiver, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, is one of the most exciting wideouts in the NFL. Only 10 weeks into the season, he has posted 58 receptions, 948 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Seattle Seahawks look like one of the premier teams. Seattle’s fourth-ranked passing offense is going up against the ninth-worst pass defense in Arizona. Smith-Njigba is a must-start this Sunday.

D.K. Metcalf on the road versus the Los Angeles Chargers

This week’s wildcard decision involves D.K. Metcalf, who faces a challenging matchup against the Chargers’ defense. Despite this, he boasts a high target value in the red zone and leads the Steelers’ receivers with five touchdowns. Metcalf is a must-start this Sunday.

Top three tight ends

Dallas Goedert on the road versus the Green Bay Packers

A consistent red-zone threat, Dallas Goedert is tied for sixth in the league in touchdowns (6) and second at the tight end position. He is set to face a Packers’ defense that allows the most catches to the tight end position. Goedert is a must-start on Monday Night Football.

Tyler Warren at home versus the Atlanta Falcons

Just like every week, Tyler Warren is my favorite tight end in the NFL. Despite being a rookie, he continues to see a high number of targets and ranks second at his position in receiving (518). Warren is a must-start this Sunday.

Dalton Schultz at home versus the Jacksonville Jaguars

Dalton Schultz is in for a favorable match against the Jaguars’ defense. Jacksonville’s defense surrenders the second-most touchdowns and the fourth-most yards to the tight end position. With starting quarterback C.J. Stroud out due to a concussion, Davis Mills will get the start. Expect him to feed the tight end position. Schultz is a must-start this Sunday.

Top three defenses

Buffalo Bills on the road versus the Miami Dolphins

This season has been challenging for Miami. Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and head coach Mike McDaniel have struggled significantly. The Dolphins currently rank 27th in offense; meanwhile, Buffalo has recorded sacks at the second-highest rate. The Bills’ defense is a must-start this Sunday.

Cleveland Browns on the road versus the New York Jets

This week’s game, seemingly unremarkable at first glance, puts two of the worst teams against each other, highlighted by the Jets’ trade of Pro Bowl players Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. That said, New York’s offense will be in for a long night against the Browns’ defense. Cleveland generates sacks at the third-highest rate, ranks sixth in pass defense and allows the second-lowest rushing yards to quarterbacks this season. The Browns’ defense is a must-start this Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks at home versus the Arizona Cardinals

Arizona is entering a hostile environment on a short week after playing Monday Night Football. The Cardinals have the 21st-ranked offense, with former first-round pick Kyler Murray being placed on the injured reserve. Backup Jacoby Brissett will be the starter for the next four games. Seattle the last three weeks, has held opponents to under 20 points. The Seahawks defense is a must-start this Sunday.