Fantasy Football Week 10 Quarterback Preview: Dak Prescott a scary start, even with Packers defense banged up

The Green Bay Packers have placed Rashan Gary on Injured Reserve and could be with out two other starters in Week 10 against the Cowboys. Incredibly, I'm still not comfortable ranking Dak Prescott as a top-12 option in Week 10. That's partially because of the change in philosophy for the Cowboys and partially because the Packers matchup still may not be great, even without Gary.

• Week 10 Previews: WR | RB | TE

Josh Allen is the only QB to top 20 Fantasy points against Green Bay since Week 1 and the Packers have only allowed three quarterbacks to score more than 15 points in a game. On the other hand, the Packers have one of the worst run defenses in the league and these injuries aren't going to help with that. The path of least resistance against them is still on the ground, and the Packers anemic offense is not going to motivate anyone to go pass-heavy against them.

The motivation to pass or run is the second complicating factor. The Cowboys made a change in philosophy while Prescott was out to commit to the run and that hasn't changed since Prescott returned. The Cowboys have thrown 25 and 27 passes in Prescott's first two games back. Each of the past four seasons, Prescott has averaged between 0.6 and 0.66 Fantasy points per pass attempt which means he needs more than 30 pass attempts to project 20 Fantasy points. Recent history combined with the current matchup should give you no confidence Prescott will throw 30 passes.

Let's get to the rest of the preview:

Week 10 QB Preview

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

QB Preview

Numbers to know

• 115.9 -- Tua Tagovailoa leads all quarterbacks with a 115.9 passer rating. 
  
• 170.6 -- The Packers have allowed just 170.6 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks.
  
• 210 -- Three games in a row for Geno Smith with at least 210 passing yards and two touchdown passes. It doesn't look like he's going away. 
  
• 2.5% -- Tom Brady's touchdown rate still hasn't rebounded. This is just the second year of his career below a four percent rate. I will continue to bet on regression.
• 19.7 -- Jimmy Garoppolo has scored at least 19.7 Fantasy points in four straight starts. 
• 408 -- Justin Fields has rushed for 408 yards in his past four games. Lamar Jackson is the only other quarterback to run for that many yards all season.

QB Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that Matter

Trevor Lawrence QB

JAC Jacksonville • #16
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ KC KC -9.5 O/U 50.5

OPP VS QB 26th

PROJ PTS 17.9

QB RNK 13th

YTD Stats
PAYDS 2075	RUYDS 152	TD 14	INT 6	FPTS/G 18

Justin Fields QB

PIT Pittsburgh • #1
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DET CHI -3 O/U 48.5

OPP VS QB 27th

PROJ PTS 25.6

QB RNK 5th

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1322	RUYDS 602	TD 14	INT 6	FPTS/G 20.5

Kirk Cousins QB

ATL Atlanta • #8
Age: 35 • Experience: 13 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ BUF BUF -6 O/U 46.5

OPP VS QB 3rd

PROJ PTS 14.8

QB RNK 12th

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1999	RUYDS 38	TD 15	INT 6	FPTS/G 20.5

Dak Prescott QB

DAL Dallas • #4
Age: 30 • Experience: 9 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ GB DAL -5 O/U 43

OPP VS QB 9th

PROJ PTS 19.6

QB RNK 10th

YTD Stats
PAYDS 591	RUYDS 45	TD 4	INT 2	FPTS/G 16

Taylor Heinicke QB

ATL Atlanta • #4
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ PHI PHI -11 O/U 44.5

OPP VS QB 2nd

PROJ PTS 15.6

QB RNK 21st

YTD Stats
PAYDS 629	RUYDS 50	TD 6	INT 3	FPTS/G 20

QB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)

Russell Wilson QB

PIT Pittsburgh • #3
Age: 35 • Experience: 13 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ TEN TEN -2.5 O/U 36.5

OPP VS QB 25th

QB RNK 15th

ROSTERED 66%

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1694	RUYDS 113	TD 7	INT 4	FPTS/G 16.3

This is a last gasp for Wilson and the Broncos in 2022. The hope would be that his hamstring and lat injuries healed on the bye and he got more comfortable in Paul Hackett's offense. The Titans defense has been much better against the run than the pass and has given up its share of big plays this season.

Andy Dalton QB

CAR Carolina • #14
Age: 36 • Experience: 14 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ PIT NO -1.5 O/U 40

OPP VS QB 28th

QB RNK 20th

ROSTERED 27%

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1385	RUYDS 33	TD 10	INT 5	FPTS/G 18.1

We don't know for sure that Dalton will be the starter and we don't know for sure if T.J. Watt will be returning for the Steelers, or what shape he'll be in if he does. What we do know is that the Steelers have given up a bunch of big plays and Chris Olave has been one of the best deep targets in the league for Dalton. This is more of a desperation stream than someone like Garoppolo, who I want to start.

One To Stash (QB Preview)

Deshaun Watson QB

CLE Cleveland • #4
Age: 28 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ MIA MIA -3.5 O/U 48.5

OPP VS QB 32nd

QB RNK NR

ROSTERED 60%

YTD Stats
PAYDS 0	RUYDS 0	TD 0	INT 0	FPTS/G 0

Watson is still a couple of weeks away from returning, but he has top-five upside when he comes back and we're close enough to his return to stash him, especially if your QB has already had his bye.

QB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Justin Fields QB

PIT Pittsburgh • #1
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DET CHI -3 O/U 48.5

OPP VS QB 27th

PROJ PTS 25.7

QB RNK 5th

YTD Stats
PAYDS 1322	RUYDS 602	TD 14	INT 6	FPTS/G 20.5

Fields has been absolutely on fire over the past month, he's added Chase Claypool to give him better weapons, and he faces the Detroit Lions, who may just be the worst defense in the league. He's clearly the top play in cash games this week.

Contrarian DFS Play

Trevor Lawrence QB

JAC Jacksonville • #16
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

I've been discouraged by Lawrence's sophomore campaign, but the Chiefs provide an excellent get-right spot. Before the Chiefs faced Malik Willis in Week 9, they had allowed four straight QBs to top 20 Fantasy points, and two of them scored 31.

QB Preview

Heath's projections