TOP 5 RUSHING MATCHUPS WEEK 10
To view all of our Week 10 Matchup content, please see the links below:
Top 5 Passing Matchups Week 10
Bottom 5 Passing Matchups Week 10
Top 5 Rushing Matchups Week 10
Bottom 5 Rushing Matchups Week 10
Rushing Matchup Chart Week 10
Passing Matchup Chart Week 10
Cleveland vs Houston
The Browns remain one of the league’s most run-focused teams under coach Kevin Stefanski. Only four teams have produced more yardage per game or per attempt than this crew, which closely mirrors Stefanski’s resume in Minnesota. This is a run-dominant attack even when Baker Mayfield is under center - and if he can’t get cleared from COVID-19 protocol in time, that discrepancy could swell even more. It’s still unclear as to whether Nick Chubb can return to action, and how much work he’ll handle if he does. But no matter the distribution, it’s safe to expect the Browns to lean hard on the ground game, so both Chubb and Hunt boast value on their own in any scenario. They certainly have the line, ranked fifth by Footballguys’ Matt Bitonti, to clear paths to success in this ultra-favorable matchup.
The Texans were shredded for 138 yards on Opening Night by Chiefs rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and nothing has yet been solved. Opponents are producing like clockwork, averaging 5.1 yards per rush and 137 a game from their running backs alone. This unit remains badly overmatched up front, and without the roaming playmakers on the second level to track the run. Apart from the still-dominant J.J. Watt, the Texans lack reliable hammers up front, which leaves wide lanes for runners to attack. Nose tackle D.J. Reader, a run-stuffing specialist who left for Cincinnati in the offseason, would come in handy today. Zach Cunningham leads the linebacker crew, but has suffered through a horrendous season and is anything but a deterrent. When a team sets out to run on the Texans, they generally do it with ease and success. These run-oriented Browns are built to cash in on this matchup.
Baltimore at New England
The Ravens remain a ground-obsessed offense, running more often (33 times a game) and for more yardage (170) than anyone. Not even losing Mark Ingram (ankle) from the equation has slowed this attack - Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, and of course Lamar Jackson continue to pound the ball relentlessly without him. Edwards and Dobbins are splitting reps evenly, and each has his niche in the rotation. That makes them tough to project, but still confident, high-floor plays with efficiency. Ingram may return for Sunday’s game, but he’d be mostly redundant in such a deep, diverse group.
The Patriots run defense has fallen off dramatically from its dominant 2019 form. They’ve been gashed for efficiency for most of the season, and especially of late, allowing 5.0 yards per carry to running backs over the past 4 weeks. The depth chart simply doesn’t boast ideal Bill Belichick personnel after a mass exodus of key starters. There are several intriguing pass-rush specialists here but little early-down talent to lean on. Lacking a powerful nose and playmaking linebackers, there are often wide lanes blown through the Patriots’ light front seven. That’s allowed Phillip Lindsay (23 for 101), Jeff Wilson (17 for 112 and 3 touchdowns), and the Bills’ Devin Singletary/Zack Moss duo (28 for 167 and 2) to create one splash play after another - and to find the end zone often in mini-shootouts.
Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati
The Steelers haven’t committed much to the run over the past two weeks, finding themselves stifled by the Ravens’ stout defense, then pressed into catch-up mode by the Cowboys. But virtually every time game flow has allowed, James Conner has answered the bell and produced at a high level. Working behind an elite front line that’s back to full health, Conner is capable of exploiting big holes for at least a few chunk runs a game. The team likes to spell him some with one-speed thumper Benny Snell and dynamic rookie Anthony McFarland, but neither is a true threat to his role. If this game unfolds as expected, Conner will see plenty of opportunity in a particularly strong matchup.
The Bengals, growing as a team and pacing up on offense, keep finding themselves in pass-happy shootouts and not facing much rush volume. But when opponents do take to the ground, they tend to find success in it. Lead backs are averaging 5.1 yards per carry in this matchup, and overall 10 different runners have topped 60 yards on the day. Just before the bye, Derrick Henry rolled to 112 on a series of chunk runs, mostly to the edges of the Bengals’ undermanned line. And on the second level, there’s very little playmaking prowess, with linebackers that grade out near the bottom of the league. Josh Bynes and Germaine Pratt provide almost no resistance, and far too much is asked of box safety Vonn Bell in run support. Conner shouldn’t have trouble finding lanes to exploit whenever he’s leaned upon Sunday.
Washington at Detroit
The Football Team would do well to go ahead and hand the run-game keys to Antonio Gibson outright. The explosive rookie’s usage has been all over the place, going from 9 rushes to 20 to 6 over the past three games. But they’ll need stability more than ever with Alex Smith, a 36-year-old playing ultra-conservative ball in his return, under center for the near future. If Ron Rivera‘s Football Team is going to extend drives and create yardage on the ground, Gibson is a far superior option to the likes of Peyton Barber. He showed in Week 7 he can take advantage of Washington’s stout run-blocking line and put together a big day (128 yards and a touchdown). His burst and athleticism could pay off handsomely against the Lions’ undisciplined front seven.
The Lions, by now, should be almost fully built in the image of their third-year coach, Matt Patricia. But the defensive-minded Patricia again finds himself presiding over one of football’s worst run defenses. Only the Texans and Cowboys are allowing more ground yards per game - opponents certainly aren’t shy about targeting this group early and often. Last Sunday may have brought these struggles to a head, with the Vikings’ Dalvin Cook (206 yards and 2 touchdowns) and reserve Alexander Mattison (69) churning out whatever they pleased for 60 minutes. There has to be a breaking point somewhere, but this weak unit remains an ideal fantasy target until further notice. The front line, even with run-stuffing nose Danny Shelton on the field, is too easily pushed around. And the linebacking corps, packed with notable names and early-round picks, leaves very little impact. Former cornerstone Jarrad Davis has been demoted to reserve duties, while Jamie Collins, Reggie Ragland, and the rest continue to showcase their run-game deficiencies weekly. The Football Team could hardly ask for a better get-right matchup for the dynamic Gibson.
Green Bay vs Jacksonville
The Packers have Aaron Jones back to full health, which brings the dynamism back to this attack. They did manage to paper over two games without him; luckily, they’re incredibly deep in the backfield. Jamaal Williams is a capable jack-of-all-trades who can pick up what’s blocked while bulldozing rookie A.J. Dillon offers a trait neither Jones nor Williams has. Coach Matt LaFleur would love for this offense to be a more run-driven one; he’s said as much ever since riding Derrick Henry like a workhorse in Tennessee. He certainly has the line for it, boasting two strong road-graders up the middle in Corey Linsley and Billy Turner. If star tackle David Bakhtiari can return this week, it will only add fuel to an already scorching matchup.
The Jaguars come fresh off a pair of low-production games on the ground, leading some to believe this beleaguered unit has turned a corner. But on closer inspection, this remains a solid defense to target in fantasy backfields. Neither the Chargers nor the Texans boast much of a ground game to speak of at the moment, but Jacksonville had given up huge days to Joe Mixon (25 for 151 and 2 touchdowns), David Johnson (17 for 96), and D’Andre Swift (14 for 116 and 2) just prior. The Jaguars lack a true nose tackle, and they run a high rate of nickel sets, which often leave linebackers Myles Jack and Joe Schobert on an island. Jack is enjoying an excellent year, but neither Schobert nor the secondary has been strong in support. With Aaron Rodgers able to spread out this already-thin unit, Jones shouldn’t have trouble finding running room of his own.
