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Week 10 Recap

Top Performers

The Rams have been made to patiently wait for Tavon Austin to show the explosiveness that made him an early pick in the NFL Draft. The wait is finally over. Austin scored a 98-yard punt return touchdown to go with two receiving touchdowns. He amassed 172 return yards and 142 rushing and receiving yards in the game. Austin had a few long returns earlier in the season that were negated by penalties, but this one finally stood. With this result Austin should keep the return duties locked up for St. Louis long enough to show whether he can repeat his performance.

The 74 punt yards tallied by both Antonio Brown of Pittsburgh and Patrick Peterson of Arizona were runners up to Austin's big day when it came to punt returns. Brown managed it in two returns, while Peterson required six.

Dwayne Harris topped kick returners with 5 returns for 121 yards for the Cowboys before leaving the game with an injury. Devin Hester was close behind with 114 kick return yards for Chicago. Hester's 16 punt return yards gave him 130 return yards for the day, second best in overall yards to Tavon Austin.

All Week 10 Returners

Here are the top returners for Week 10 sorted by total return yards:

Top THIRTY to Date

Here are the top thirty returners for the year based on total return yards. 

Week 11 Outlook

Job Changes

The 49ers waived Kyle Williams and Perrish Cox as the return of Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree should bolster their receiving corps. With their release, the starting punt return job has been reclaimed by LaMichael James, while Anthony Dixon is seeing time as the kick returner. This situation may still be fluid, as it was not all that long ago that LaMichael James was being left off the active roster.

The Buccaneers turned to receiver Skye Dawson to handle a few kick returns, while Eric Page continued to handle punts since Jeff Demps went on Injured Reserve. Dawson had two kick returns for 42 yards, and also took a lateral on a punt return which explains his stat line of 17 punt return yards on 0 punt returns. Yards gained after a lateral count as the same type being gained by the player who pitched the ball. Only the first player who gained possession of the punt is credited with a punt return, however.

It did not take long for the Colts coaching staff to change their mind after saying last week that T.Y. Hilton would continue as the punt returner even after the loss of Reggie Wayne. Hilton gave way to LaVon Brazill, who returned 3 punts for 25 yards against Houston.

Ball control issues for Keshawn Martin in Houston have led to Deji Karim and Dennis Johnson being given a chance at kick returner. Both challenged Martin in the preseason before being released at the end of training camp. The injury to Arian Foster and the release of Cierre Wood have brought them back to the Texans. At this point it is a guessing game which will get the returns in the next game, though Karim received the returns in Week 10. Martin continues to hold on to the punt return job for now, though Johnson is a threat to him there as well.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Damian Williams had to leave the Titans' game against the Jaguars and is now considered week to week. Though Alterraun Verner handled the returns after the departure of Williams, the coaching staff is saying that will not be the situation going forward if Williams cannot play. Receiver Devon Wylie has been activated from the practice squad and should take over the return duties in the meantime.

The New York Giants placed David Wilson on Injured Reserve, ending his season. Wilson was dealing with a neck injury but the team felt he was not going to recover in time to play this year.

Percy Harvin will likely be active for the Seahawks in Week 11, but it will be a surprise to see him in the return game right away.

Week 11 Team Return Projections

Week 11 Player Return Projections