Your complete fantasy football guide to Week 10

The bye weeks are almost over -- and fantasy owners are do doubt celebrating. But there's a silver lining to all these bye weeks that often goes overlooked: the benefit of coming back after a week off.

Most fantasy owners are always looking at  which teams have their byes coming up (this week it's the Bills, Lions, Colts and Raiders), but how many times to they look backward? Six NFL teams had last week off and should be as fresh as they've been since Week 1. If you have Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton playing Monday night against the New York Giants, for example, expect a good matchup to play like a great one.

The same can be said for skill players on the Cardinals, Bears, Texans, Patriots and Redskins. Don't forget those teams' extra advantages when you set your Week 10 lineups.

With that in mind, let’s start with the one thing most fantasy owners want to know every week ...

Who should I start?

The most basic question of them all. The best thing to do is check our updated Week 10 rankings, courtesy of FantasySharks.com.

Who’s in?

– Alex Smith. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has sufficiently recovered from his non-concussion and will reclaim the starting job from Nick Foles. He should have running back Spencer Ware back in the lineup as well, but will be missing wideout Jeremy Maclin. Look for a lot of short passes -- it's Alex Smith after all -- against a Carolina Panthers defense that ranks 29th in passing yards allowed per game.

– James Starks. He appears to be on track to play for the first time since Week 5, when he injured his knee. He returned to practice last week and has been a limited participant this week. That said, Ty Montgomery is still the No. 1 option out of the backfield for the time being. Even if he is active and does play, it's best to wait at least another week before putting Starks in your lineup.

 Who’s out?

– Travis Benjamin. He's officially listed as doubtful, but only the most desperate fantasy owners should consider him in Week 10. He hasn't practiced all week and the late afternoon kickoff vs. Miami will severely limit the options if he's ruled out just before kickoff. Tyrell Williams and Antonio Gates should see an uptick in targets.

– DeSean Jackson. Even a with the benefit of the bye week, Jackson is still hampered by a rotator cuff injury. He's officially doubtful as well, but isn't expected to play at home vs. Minnesota. Jamison Crowder and tight end Jordan Reed should be busier than normal.

Who’s questionable?

– Doug Martin. His hamstring has improved to the point where it's likely he'll be active for the first time since Week 2 when the Buccaneers host the Chicago Bears. However, the Bears are tough against the run and they're coming off their bye week. The Bucs have had a little extra prep time as well after playing last Thursday, but that isn't going to impact Martin's status. Mike James and Peyton Barber are in line for more work, but they're not worth starting.

-- Dion Lewis. The Patriots have an injured running back of their own who's close to returning to the lineup. Lewis hasn't played all season after undergoing knee surgery, but he could be activated this week. Lewis is a great stash for the final few weeks, but he'll likely be eased into the offensive rotation.

-- Christine Michael. He was already losing snaps to C.J. Prosise -- and that was before Michael was added to the injury report on Friday with a hamstring issue. The Seahawks play the Sunday night game at New England (coming off a bye) so Michael should be avoided in all formats.

Every week, we highlight the top injury concerns fantasy owners are facing. But remember, everything is subject to change, so be sure to make one final check before kickoff.

The best thing to do is keep an eye on Paste BN Sports' NFL home page and follow Paste BN Fantasy Sports on Twitter.

Where’s the extra edge?

– Still torn over which borderline players to sit or start? Marc Caviglia of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football examines some of this week’s tough calls.

– For The Win's Steven Ruiz has this week’s fantasy studs, duds and sleepers.

-- If you're looking for some players who could emerge unexpectedly this week and be worth starting in deep leagues ... or who could put you over the top in daily fantasy, check out these deep sleepers from TheFantasyGreek.com.

-- We'll also answer your questions on Sunday morning before the games start in our weekly chat.

How's the weather? 

The conditions can have a major impact on how each game unfolds, especially later in the season. Keep up-to-date in real time with NFLWeather.com.

What about the matchups?

Here are the NFL rankings in average yards gained and given up through the first seven weeks of the season.