The DFS Academy is back for Week 10! As a reminder, we’re keeping things simple this year. While we have no original DFS article series, you can still catch our DFS podcast every week. This article is a breakdown of that show. Think of it as your DFS Week 10 study guide.
And don’t forget, you can play against us every week on DraftKings and FanDuel. Subscribe to the pod, hop in the Discord, and join the fun.
You can always watch the episode in its entirety below:
Here are your necessary links:
Answers to the Test
Let’s start by analyzing last week’s winning lineups.
The Week 9 Milli Maker winner dropped a massive 264.7 points, the highest total of the season. The winning build featured:
Caleb Williams (38.7), Christian McCaffrey (37.3), Jaylen Warren (16.9), Ja’Marr Chase (20.1), Drake London (41.8), Olamide Zaccheaus (17.8), Brock Bowers (46.3), Kyle Monangai (25.8), and the Titans DST (20).
The big focus on CHI/CIN was absolutely the right call. Monangai popped as the free square, and Zaccheaus was a sharp get-different stack with Caleb and Chase as the bring-back. After that, it was studs up top with minimal correlation and a cheap defense.
If you listened last week, you heard us mention CMC, Chase, Monangai, and Bowers as core plays; the blueprint was there.
Debriefing Week 9: Cash in 60 Seconds
The key piece was the Kyle Monangai free square (91% rostered), which we discussed on the show and hammered home again on SSDD.
At QB, the lineup landed on Jaxson Dart (67%), and Parker Washington (38%) emerged as an easy salary-saver, even more popular than Chimere Dike by kickoff.
DFS Week 10 Picks
Cash Plays (Austin’s Specialty)
Cash is all about safety, and Austin has the syllabus.
Top of the Class
The high-priced aces ($8,000+) that deserve straight A’s.
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba (DraftKings: $8,600 / FanDuel: $9,500)
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Amon-Ra St. Brown (DraftKings: $8,400 / FanDuel: $9,300)
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Jahmyr Gibbs (DraftKings: $8,000 / FanDuel: $8,800)
Band Nerds
Reliable mid-tier plays ($6,000–$8,000) who won’t skip practice or production.
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De’Von Achane (DraftKings: $7,400 / FanDuel: $8,500)
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Trey McBride (DraftKings: $6,000 / FanDuel: $7,000)
Bookworms
Smart value options ($4,000–$6,000) who could quietly ace the slate.
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Jacoby Brissett (DraftKings: $4,600 / FanDuel: $6,900)
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Jaxson Dart (DraftKings: $5,700 / FanDuel: $7,700)
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Rhamondre Stevenson (DraftKings: $5,400 / FanDuel: $6,000)
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Darius Slayton (DraftKings: $4,300 / FanDuel: $5,800)
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Parker Washington (DraftKings: $4,700 / FanDuel: $5,600)
C’s Get Degrees
Deep punts (under $4,000) that let the rest of your lineup shine.
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Mason Taylor (DraftKings: $3,200 / FanDuel: $5,000)
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Jacksonville Jaguars (DraftKings: $2,600 / FanDuel: $4,200)
Tourney Talk
Cash is safe, but GPPs are the real test. Here’s where we’re swinging for the ceiling.
Quarterbacks
Austin:
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Matthew Stafford (DraftKings: $6,500 / FanDuel: $8,000)
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Caleb Williams (DraftKings: $6,000 / FanDuel: $7,400)
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Sam Darnold (DraftKings: $5,800 / FanDuel: $7,500)
Ryan:
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Jared Goff (DraftKings: $5,900 / FanDuel: $7,800)
Yes, it’s back-to-back Goff weeks. He’s inconsistent, and yes, it’s outdoors, but Washington’s been getting shredded by QBs.
Running Backs
Austin:
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Christian McCaffrey (DraftKings: $9,000 / FanDuel: $9,700)
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Kenneth Walker (DraftKings: $5,300 / FanDuel: $7,200)
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DeAndre Swift (DraftKings: $6,100 / FanDuel: $7,100)
Ryan:
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Quinshon Judkins (DraftKings: $6,500 / FanDuel: $7,600)
Reports say his shoulder is fine, and the Jets just traded their best defenders. No Quinnen Williams and no Quincy Williams (benched) means the middle of that defense is wide open. We saw Judkins score three TDs just a couple of weeks ago, and another eruption is on the table.
Wide Receivers
Austin:
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Davante Adams (DraftKings: $7,700 / FanDuel: $8,800)
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Marvin Harrison Jr. (DraftKings: $5,300 / FanDuel: $6,600)
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Darius Slayton (DraftKings: $4,300 / FanDuel: $5,800)
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Jameson Williams (DraftKings: $4,900 / FanDuel: $6,700)
Ryan:
Probably stacking Goff with Amon-Ra St. Brown in Cash, but going elsewhere in GPPs.
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Emeka Egbuka (DraftKings: $7,000 / FanDuel: $7,800)
He should be fully healthy now, and with Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin out, he’s the WR1 against a defense that just surrendered three TDs to Drake London.
Tight Ends
Austin:
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Dalton Schultz (DraftKings: $3,600 / FanDuel: $5,100)
Ryan:
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Sam LaPorta (DraftKings: $4,400 / FanDuel: $6,400)
The perfect Goff stack partner. Washington’s also been leaking points to tight ends, giving up two 20+ point games in their last three.
Defense
Austin:
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Jacksonville Jaguars (DraftKings: $2,600 / FanDuel: $4,200)
Ryan:
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Cleveland Browns (DraftKings: $2,900)
too cheap for their ceiling. -
Carolina Panthers (FanDuel: $3,600)
sneaky home play vs. a rookie QB who just lost his WR2.
Valedictorian Shootout
We had our closest contest ever, and Austin edged out the win by just 0.6 points, 142.3 to 141.7. That moves him to 4–5 on the season.
Both lineups hit at QB, TE, and DEF. Ryan held his own at RB and WR, but Austin’s wideouts carried him to the narrowest of victories.
This week’s lineups:
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Austin: Brissett, Achane, Stevenson, St. Brown, JSN, P. Washington, Slayton, Taylor, JAX
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Ryan: Goff, Judkins, Etienne, Marks, ARSB, Egbuka, Shakir, Andrews, CLE
Winner gets bragging rights each week, and by season’s end, we’ll see who’s crowned Valedictorian and who ends up class clown.
Join the Class
Play with us every week on DraftKings and FanDuel — contests go live before the weekend, and we shout out the winners right here.
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DraftKings: pfirshizzle – 185.9 points – 10th win in our tourneys!
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FanDuel: mathisgolden – 182.7 points – 2nd win this season.
Here are your necessary links:
Looking for more? Here are Club Fantasy’s Week 10 rankings!