Throughout the 2024 season, NFL Network analysts will provide one bold prediction heading into each week's slate of games (see the full Week 10 schedule).
Maybe this is wishcasting after spending the first overall pick in my fantasy draft on a player who has taken zero snaps so far this season. Or maybe it’s having watched Kyle Shanahan force-feed his guy in the pursuit of a consecutive-games touchdown record. Whatever the reason, I expect Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 debut to look like he never left, with the running back scoring 20 fantasy points Sunday. That’s great news for CMC fantasy owners and 49ers fans. Not so much for the Buccaneers.
By Week 10 of last year, there had already been three 200-yard receiving games, and there were five total in 2023. We just got our first of this season on Thursday night, with Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase posting 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns in Cincinnati's 35-34 loss in Baltimore. Now it's time for his former LSU teammate to follow suit! Minnesota's Justin Jefferson has been heating up with 115 and 137 receiving yards in his last two games, and he faces the Jaguars' 31st-ranked pass defense on Sunday. Jefferson reaches 200 yards for the first time since Week 14 of 2022, when he had 223 yards on 11 catches against Detroit.
Early on Sunday morning, rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. and the Giants will take on the Panthers in Munich, Germany. Carolina has allowed the most rushing yards per game (159.3) and most rushing touchdowns (15) in the entire NFL. It’s a dream matchup for New York’s new lead running back, and I think he capitalizes, to the tune of 30 fantasy points -- a mark no Giants running back outside Saquon Barkley has hit in over a decade.
One of the true strength-on-strength matchups this week: Pittsburgh's second-ranked scoring defense (14.9 points per game allowed) vs. Washington's third-ranked scoring offense (29.2 ppg). In another coming-of-age statement game, Jayden Daniels puts up 30 points, the most the Steelers' D has allowed all season. Conversely, Dan Quinn's Commanders defense bursts the Russell Wilson "moon ball" magic by holding Pittsburgh to fewer than 20 points.
Jaguars rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. is facing a Vikings defense that has allowed the most fantasy PPG to WRs. Minnesota also plays a lot of zone coverage, and Thomas is top three in the NFL in yards against zone. The rookie goes off for 100 yards and a TD -- with Mac Jones likely in at quarterback for an injured Trevor Lawrence -- but it is only the second-best WR performance in this game, as Justin Jefferson feasts on Jacksonville's secondary.
Full NFL Week 10 schedule
Thursday, November 7
Sunday, November 10
- New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers in Munich (9:30 a.m. on NFL Network/NFL+)
- New England Patriots at Chicago Bears (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Minnesota Vikings at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Tennessee Titans at Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX)
- New York Jets at Arizona Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Detroit Lions at Houston Texans (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC/Universo/TeleXitos/NFL+)
Monday, November 11
- Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN Deportes/NFL+)
