When the Falcons face the Panthers to begin Week 10 on "Thursday Night Football" (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video), fantasy football owners will be hoping for another high-scoring affair. When the teams met in Atlanta just two weeks ago, the Falcons survived a surprise shootout, 37-34 in overtime, and wherever you find a score like that, start 'em, sit 'em questions are sure to follow.
In the winning effort, Marcus Mariota threw three TDs passes and the Falcons ran for 167 yards as a team. The Panthers got 317 yards and a TD from P.J. Waker along with 169 yards rushing.
This time, the backfields will be adding Cordarrelle Patterson and (likely) Chuba Hubbard (ankle), replacing Caleb Huntley and Spencer Brown in big complementary rushing roles to Tyler Allgeier and D'Onta Foreman, respectively. In the passing game, the players still to consider are D.J. Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Kyle Pitts. One thing fantasy owners must know is the forecast calls for rain and considerable wind that can affect the playing surface and production.
With all that in mind, here's breaking down the entire start 'em sit 'em picture for Thursday night, including a couple of DFS lineup suggestions for FanDuel and DraftKings:
WEEK 10 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Falcons: Who to start or sit in fantasy football on Thursday night
Sit: QB Marcus Mariota
Mariota has had a rollercoaster season, and this passing matchup isn't the best, despite what Mariota did against Carolina in Week 9. He also had two interceptions in the first meeting, and the Falcons are still a run-first offense. With poor conditions expected, just pass on Mariota.
MORE TNF: DK lineup | FD lineup | Hubbard update
Start: RB Cordarrelle Patterson and RB Tyler Allgeier
Patterson and Allgeier are both healthy, and they formed a great one-two punch in the backfield against the Chargers in Week 9. Patterson scored a pair of TDs, and Allgeier, who's getting more involved in the passing game, paced the team in scrimmage yards. That makes them strong RB2 and flex plays, respectively, this week.
WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Sit: WRs Drake London, Damiere Byrd, and Olamide Zaccheaus
These receivers have been so random with big plays or TDs, and the volume is unpredictable week-to-week. And, let's face it, the Falcons would prefer Mariota not throw much, period. Look elsewhere for deep sleepers against two fine corners in Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson.
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Start: TE Kyle Pitts
Look, the numbers haven't been great and he's one of the most frustrating fantasy assets, but he did put up a 6-80-1 line against Carolina the first time and figures to be faded less in the short passing game.
WEEK 10 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Start: K Younghoe Koo
He didn't have the best revenge game against the Chargers, but he's still one of the league's most reliable kickers, even in low-scoring conditions.
WEEK 10 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Sit: Falcons D/ST
We get thinking about them because of what they did to Walker the first time with a pick-six, but that was at home. Fade them on the road in prime time because they're really not very good.
WEEK 10 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Panthers: Who to start or sit in fantasy football on Thursday night
Sit: QB P.J. Walker
You can't trust him as an individual passer, and there are plenty of better options this week, even in superflex leagues. It would shock no one if he has low volume and gets benched again.
Start: RB D'Onta Foreman | Sit: RB Chuba Hubbard
Foreman proved worthy in this matchup two weeks ago and carried the load well when needed filling in for Derrick Henry last season. Hubbard is just a change-of-pace option and better play for a guaranteed negative script, which this is not. Foreman should rebound from the disappearing act in Cincinnati.
Start: WRs D.J. Moore
Moore made the blunder of removing his helmet on the field to cost his team in Week 8, but he also made a tremendous play in regulation to tie the game. He's still a stud, and it's helpful again that there's no A.J. Terrell or Casey Hayward.
Start: WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
The former LSU star is finding his groove with two straight solid outings. Between the Falcons' cornerback injuries and this week's depleted WR depth, Marshall is playable again in deeper leagues as a WR3 or flex.
Sit: TE Tommy Tremble
He has an awesome name, but it also makes us fearful to play him in fantasy.
Sit: K Eddy Pineiro
Don't be a hero by trying to play Pineiro in the rain.
Start: Panthers D/ST
Home-time prime-time bump plus bad conditions plus a shaky QB? Sure, give the Panthers a shot as a deep-league streamer.
Falcons vs. Panthers: FanDuel single-game lineup
- MVP (1.5X): RB Cordarrelle Patterson $14,000
- AnyFLEX: WR D.J. Moore $12,000
- AnyFLEX: RB D'Onta Foreman $11,000
- AnyFLEX: RB Tyler Allgeier $10,000
- AnyFLEX: TE Kyle Pitts $8,500
It's risky to fade both QBs, but here's attaching ourselves to both running games and the top passing-game playmakers.
Falcons vs. Panthers: DraftKings Showdown lineup
- Captain (1.5X): RB Tyler Allgeier $9,300
- FLEX: RB Cordarrelle Patterson $11,800
- FLEX: WR D.J. Moore $9,200
- FLEX: RB D'Onta Foreman $7,800
- FLEX: TE Kyle Pitts $7,000
- FLEX: D/ST Panthers $3,800
Here's that same concept applied to DK, only with some room to play the Panthers' defense and hope for some cheap big plays.
