As the calendar turns to November and the air grows colder, the margin for error across the NFL and fantasy football shrinks. Now barreling toward the playoffs, the true contenders begin to separate from the rest. Some teams are heating up at the perfect time, while others are watching their title dreams freeze over like the cold tundra of Lambeau Field. Week 10 brought upsets, breakout performances, and statement wins. With each yard, our season grows closer to its epic conclusion. Let’s dive into the week that was.
NFL Week 10 Recap | Headlines
In the NFL’s first regular season in Berlin, the Indianapolis Colts beat the Atlanta Falcons thanks in large part to one of the season’s most electric individual efforts. Jonathan Taylor erupted for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns. Taylor might be the NFL’s MVP when all is said and done, but he is certainly the MVP for dynasty managers fortunate to have him in their lineups.
The Detroit Lions dismantled the Washington Commanders 44 to 22 in a game that was never as close as the final score would indicate. Jahmyr Gibbs was the star of the show behind a three-touchdown performance. While many of the top dynasty wide receivers have disappointed this season, the elite running backs have shone.
The New England Patriots continued their resurgent season by holding off Tampa Bay 28 to 23. The Patriots extended their AFC East lead as the Buffalo Bills stumbled badly in an embarrassing 30 to 13 upset loss to the Miami Dolphins. TreVeyon Henderson rewarded patient dynasty managers with a breakout performance of 147 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. De’Von Achane one-upped Henderson with 174 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns while adding 6 receptions for 51 yards through the air.
In a clash of NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints bested the Carolina Panthers 17 to 7. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns while the Saints defense dominated, holding Bryce Young to just 124 yards passing.
The Baltimore Ravens continued their surge with a victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Playing in his 100th NFL game, Lamar Jackson spread the ball around, with Zay Flowers providing the big plays with 75 receiving yards. J.J. McCarthy showed flashes for Minnesota with 248 yards, but penalties and turnovers doomed the Vikings as the Ravens pulled away in the second half.
Break up the New York Jets! Winners of two in a row, the Jets rode Breece Hall to victory over the Cleveland Browns. Hall racked up 83 rushing yards and delivered a 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown to seal the win. Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, but the Browns couldn’t overcome late defensive breakdowns and special teams woes.
Seattle exploded out of the gate, piling up 35 points against the Arizona Cardinals before the halftime whistle even blew. The Seahawks’ offense totaled nearly 200 rushing yards while Jaxon Smith–Njigba continued his monster campaign with another 93 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy managers with any Arizona Cardinals in their lineups enjoyed oodles of garbage time points, including 9 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown for Trey McBride. Doesn’t matter when you get them, fantasy points are fantasy points!
At Sofi Stadium in the City of Angels, the Los Angeles Chargers handled the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to steady play from Justin Herbert. In another game that wasn’t as close as the final score may indicate, Herbert threw for 220 yards and a touchdown while Ladd McConkey (107 yards, TD) and Kimani Vidal (95 yards, TD) also enjoyed big games. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense sputtered again, including a disappointing 3 receptions for DK Metcalf.
In the freezing Lambeau chill, the Philadelphia Eagles leaned on their defense to eke out a gritty 10-7 victory over Green Bay. The Packers’ offense looked lifeless, but Philadelphia’s offensive woes continue to be a storyline fantasy football managers simply can’t shake. A.J. Brown had just 2 receptions for 13 yards.
If you’re looking for an offensive explosion, look no further than the Houston Texans upset win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Longtime Texans backup quarterback Davis Mills threw for nearly 300 yards passing, leading the Texans to 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Nico Collins was the beneficiary of the late-game heroics, ending with 7 catches for 136 yards.
After another late-game collapse in a loss to Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, the New York Giants parted ways with head coach Brian Daboll. It is a stunning fall from grace for the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year who lost his job despite injuries to Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and Malik Nabers.
Big Performances
- The Running Backs Run It Back – this week’s top four fantasy performances were courtesy of Jonathan Taylor, De’Von Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs, and TreVeyon Henderson. Taylor has been 2025’s fantasy most valuable player, averaging 27.4 points per game through the Colts’ bye this week.
- “I Love Trash!” – fantasy managers everywhere tuned into Oscar the Grouch during the 4pm window with huge garbage time outputs from notable fantasy assets like Trey McBride and Puka Nacua. No lead is safe until the final whistle blows!
- Quarterbacks are Quarterwhack?! – The top twelve quarterbacks this week included Davis Mills, Mac Jones, Dillon Gabriel, Tyler Shough, Marcus Mariota, and Jacoby Brissett. Isn’t fantasy football fun? The more we think we know about this game, the more we don’t.
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Notable Injuries & Status Watch
Garrett Wilson re-injured his knee and looks to be out 3-4 weeks, although with the way Justin Fields has been playing, maybe that’s doing fantasy managers a favor. Recent rookie breakout tight end Oronde Gadsden II suffered a knee injury in the Chargers’ win against the Steelers. Fellow rookie Jaxson Dart received a concession late in the Giants’ loss to the Bears and in considered day-to-day. The Cardinals’ running back issues continue with an ankle injury for Zonovan “Bam” Knight while Dalton Kincaid hurt his hamstring late in the Bills’ loss to the Dolphins.
Meanwhile, we’re awaiting second opinions on J.K. Dobbins’ foot injury, which is never a good sign when it comes to the injury-plagued running back. Finally, the disappointing rookie season for Travis Hunter officially comes to an end, as the two-way star was placed on injured reserve with surgery to repair his right knee.
In positive injury news, Brock Purdy looks to be set to return for San Francisco in week 11 after a multiple-week stint on the sideline. Although he has already been ruled out for week 11, there are also rumors of a Joe Burrow return sooner than later to salvage a bit of the season for the Cincinnati Bengals.
3 Up & 3 Down: Which Dynasty Assets Are Producing And Who Is Letting You Down?
Rising
- “Hey, Drake” – Drake Maye continues to show he’s not like us while leading the New England Patriots to an 8-2 record, tied for best in the NFL. He’s currently the fourth-ranked fantasy scorer overall at 207.7 total points.
- “One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall” – could Megatron’s single-season receiving record be in jeopardy? Jaxon Smith–Njigba is on pace to eclipse Calvin Johnson’s mark of 1964 receiving yards set back in 2012.
- “Tez the Season” – As we approach the holidays, Tez Johnson has made the most of his opportunity in Tampa Bay. With several injuries in front of him, the diminutive receiver caught 4 passes for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns on Sunday. With Mike Evans out for the season and Chris Godwin not ready to return, Baker Mayfield’s focus has shifted to Tez and fellow rookie superstar Emeka Egbuka, who also had himself a day (6-115-1).
Falling
- “What Can Brown Do For You?” – the answer to this question for A.J. Brown’s fantasy managers is apparently nothing, as he continues to be a mainstay in this column.
- “It’s the Pitts… man” – after three straight stellar outings for Daniel Jones and the Colts, Michael Pittman was a dud for fantasy lineups this week. Despite a huge day for the rest of the Colts’ offense, Pittman caught just 2 passes for 19 yards.
- “Brock Bottom” – Brock Bowers was supposed to be one of the surest things for fantasy football this season, but between injury and an off lack of usage, it’s been a frustrating experience. How does 33-year-old Tyler Lockett get double the targets of Bowers? It’s no wonder that the Raiders have scored the second-fewest points this season, ahead of only the talentless Tennessee Titans.
DNA League Trivia | In the same year (2012) he set the NFL’s single-season receiving yardage record, Calvin Johnson also set the mark for consecutive 100-yard receiving games. How many did he have?
(click for answer)
Standings | Nerds App League Snapshot
Current Standings:
Dynasty Rankings (from Nerds App):
Contender Rankings (from Nerds App):
Week 10 Highlights
This week’s Dynasty Nerds App League summary is All Chalk, No Shock. The better teams won convincingly. Thanks in large part to Jonathan Taylor, Doc Mitchell’s team was our highest scorer this week as he doubled up Jon Glosser 216.53 to 107.2.
Garret Price’s team underperformed, but even then, he had no trouble trouncing Taylor Christianson’s squad 147.60 to 75.64. Taylor’s lineup included no fewer than five players who scored less than a single fantasy point, including Ollie Gordon, who scored -0.3 points. Impressive!
Jared Wackerly’s ragtag band of players continues to outperform expectations, crushing Matt Cooper’s bottom-three roster. Suppose we had a time machine to go back to the start of the season. Would anyone have predicted a lineup starting Jacoby Brissett, Rico Dowdle, Tre Tucker, Demario Douglas, Chris Rodriguez, and Kyle Monagai would be 12-8?
Mychal Warno sent John Hammersmith to another loss, 162.64 to 134.67. John’s squad joins Taylor and Matt at the bottom of the standings while Mychal makes a push for the playoffs. With Christian McCaffery and Puka Nacua, he has a dangerous lineup that could explode any given week.
Riddled by injuries, Nick Piovano’s squad limped to a loss against Keith Ensminger this week. Nick’s roster is an alphabet soup full of painful vowels, nothing but “Os” and “Is” for his injured players, including Tucker Kraft, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Kyler Murray.
Matchup of the Week | Peter Monahan vs Rich Dotson
Final Score: 176.14 to 162.87
Peter’s team took a swing at the king and didn’t miss, besting Rich 176.14 to 162.87. Although Rich’s team remains atop the standings at 16-4, his lead is down to a single game over both Doc Mitchell and Garret Price.
Led by Matthew Stafford, Peter’s team continues to impress. With other notable performances on the week by Nico Collins and Emeka Egbuka, Peter is a strong contender. He is second in total points for the season, just behind Doc Mitchell.
On the other side, Rich takes just his fourth loss of the season. Disappointing games from Justin Herbert, Saquon Barkley, and Quinshon Judkins weren’t enough in this heavyweight battle. While Rich has Justin Herbert to anchor his quarterback spot, his roster’s weakness seems to be at QB2, with only Trevor Lawrence available to fill his Superflex spot. Will the streaky Lawrence be Rich’s Achilles heel as we enter the playoff stretch?
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Manager Spotlight | Interview With Mychal Warno | @dynastydadmike
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been with Dynasty Nerds?
I am from Mountain Home, Arkansas. I have been a life long Buccaneers fan and have been lucky enough to see 2 superbowl wins in my lifetime. I have been with Dynasty Nerds for 6 years as a writer and my official title with the company is Senior Trade Analyst.
You’re right on the cutoff line for the playoffs. How do you feel about your chances in this league?
I feel good about my team and hopefully have enough horses left for a playoff push.
Do you want to push forward for the playoffs or hang back? Are there any moves you’re looking to make?
Going into the draft, I knew I wanted a win-now team, and that is how I drafted. Unfortunately, many of those aging veterans are hurt, and even some of my younger pieces are injured as well. Luckily, I have made some moves to help me stay afloat.
Do you have anything to say to the Nerd Herd or any trash to talk to your opponents this week? Anything at all you would like to say, this is your forum.
I hope the Nerd Herd is enjoying this league as much as I have enjoyed participating in it. I am not a huge trash talker for leagues so I will just tell Nick Piovano good luck. I also want to tell the Nerd Herd thank you so much for reading our articles and reaching out with their engagement. We truly have the best fantasy football community!
Trade of the Week
Rich Dotson sends Devaughn Vele to Mychal Warno for Marvin Mims.
Dear reader, I know you’re a hardcore dynasty fantasy football player, and let me butter you up even more: if you’re reading this article and this particular blurb, you are among the hardest of the hardcore. Well done!
I could pontificate about how the trade of Rashid Shaheed could open up targets for Devaughn Vele. I could wax poetically about Marvin Mims’ athletic profile and his anticipated return to the Broncos’ lineup, giving them a much-needed spark.
With all that out of the way, I’m not sure this trade could elicit a strong opinion out of even Steven A. Smith. Sometimes, a simple trade is just a simple trade, and we don’t need to do much analysis.
Also, it’s the only trade that happened in our league this week, so.
Elimination Watch | Bottom 3 in the Danger Zone
The Danger Zone
- Taylor Christianson (2-18) – After starting the season 2-0 with a victory over Jared, Taylor has 18 losses in a row. Seemingly a lock for the bottom 3, has Taylor done enough to be saved from elimination?
- John Hammersmith (5-15) – With the loss of Jaxson Dart, John’s season potentially just moved from “on the brink” to “over the edge.” Will he be a one-and-done manager in the DNA League?
- Matt Cooper (5-15) – With the holidays approaching, the best analogy I can give for Matt’s roster is the Island of Misfit Toys. Jaret Patterson? We have a Gluteous Minimus sighting! Matt does have elite young pieces like Brock Bowers and Trey McBride, but he’s also still holding onto aging veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Zach Ertz. How active will he be as we head into this final stretch?
Looking Ahead | Week 11 Preview
- It’s Garret Price versus Jared Wackerly in the Battle of the College Nerds. Tune into the Dynasty Nerds podcast feed on Fridays each week where Garret and Jared join Jagger May and Andrew Mott for in-depth analysis of college prospects.
- In the NFL, division rivals collide as the Seattle Seahawks travel to play the Los Angeles Rams while the Kansas City Chiefs fly to Mile High to face the Broncos. The Vikings and Bears renew their NFC North rivalry.
- In the AFC East, the Jets travel to Foxboro to play the Patriots, who are up two games in the division on Buffalo. What about the Bills? Can they rebound? They have a difficult matchup at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wake up early on Sunday morning to see the NFL’s first regular-season game live from Spain as the Dolphins host the Commanders. ¡Buenos días!
- Sunday Night Football brings us a great matchup in the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, which will make up for the Monday Night stinker that is the Dallas Cowboys against the Las Vegas Raiders. Maybe a good evening to get the house ready to host the family for Thanksgiving!
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Trivia Answer | Calvin “Megatron” Johnson had a span of 8 games with 100+ receiving yards. (click to return)
