The Cleveland Browns will face the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Browns skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 11 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Jameis Winston, QB
Having one good (8.1 yards per pass and three scores against the Ravens in Week 8) and one bad game (5.1 yards per pass and three interceptions against the Chargers in Week 9) during two Jameis Winston starts is about as spot-on as it gets. We have a decade-large sample size telling us that this is what we get from Winston, and that can be of use in our game, but it has to be the perfect spot.
And no, I’m not talking about the perfect spot for Winston — the perfect spot for you. If you’re fighting for your life and willing to throw all caution to the wind, Winston should be on your radar. This Saints team is in full 2025 mode, and that could allow for some fireworks, but I’m more interested in this random number generator down the stretch.
I don’t know about you, but in my experience, it seems like there is usually a significant mismatch at some point in the semifinals or championship matchup. Some teams get hot at the right time and find themselves matched up with the powerhouse that has controlled the entire season. Sound familiar?
- Week 16 at Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 17 vs. Miami Dolphins
It’s rare to stash a quarterback, but if you’re honest with yourself and view your team as a long-term underdog, putting a volatile player like this on your roster makes plenty of sense.
As for Week 11, I don’t have Winston ranked as a top-15 QB.
Jerome Ford, RB
Jerome Ford recorded just five touches total in the two weeks leading into the Week 10 bye and seems to have be passed by D’Onta Foreman for the secondary role in this limited offense behind Nick Chubb.
Even if you’re building your roster to include handcuff running backs, Ford isn’t a player I’d roster — with a clear path to work early this season, his next game with 13-plus touches this year will be his first. In filling out my roster, I want to be an injury away from impactful volume and Ford doesn’t check that box.
Nick Chubb, RB
It’s OK. It’s OK to root for Nick Chubb. His recovery story is a good one, and he’s generally a fun player to watch. At this point, however, your investment has to end there until we see him produce anything close to the elite form that comes to mind when you hear his name.
Entering the Week 10 bye, there were 56 running backs with at least 40 carries this season. Chubb ranked 56th in boom/bust rate (the difference in the percentage of carries gaining at least 10 yards and the percentage of carries failing to gain yardage: -31%).
That might not be entirely Chubb’s fault (he ranks 49th on that list in percentage of carries against a loaded box, Jerome Ford ranks 56th), but for purposes of setting a lineup, I really don’t care where the blame lies.
Could Chubb peak down the stretch of this season? It’s possible given the schedule, but this is a running back approaching his 29th birthday, who plays for a dead team and is a UFA this summer — I’m not optimistic.
Cedric Tillman, WR
Cedric Tillman has been on the field for over 80% of Cleveland’s offensive snaps over their past three games after failing to reach 40% in each of the first six weeks. And guess what the 6’3” 24-year-old has done with the opportunity?
- Three straight top-12 finishes
- One end-zone target in every game
- 140.8 air yards per game
That sort of production doesn’t happen by accident, and I don’t think it just dries up barring significant changes. That first note is something that CeeDee Lamb and Drake London have not accomplished this season.
I don’t have Tillman ranked as a WR1, but I have a hard time thinking you have three pass catchers who grade out better for me this week. That makes Cleveland’s budding star a starter across most, if not all, formats.
Jerry Jeudy, WR
Jerry Jeudy still hasn’t found paydirt since scoring Cleveland’s first touchdown of the season. However, like the rest of the Browns, there is a more clean path to fantasy viability with Jameis Winston under center.
- Weeks 1-7: 80.1 air yards per game and 15.2% on-field target share
- Weeks 8-9: 117.0 air yards per game and 19.2% on-field target share
I’m not suggesting that banking on a Jeudy breakout game is ever going to be a great idea, but the breadcrumbs are being laid and enough trends are moving in the right direction to consider him in specific situations.
This Cleveland schedule is a friendly one for the fantasy postseason, making a player like this a good player to roster, even if you don’t plan on playing him routinely. Jeudy is a low-end Flex play, a viable option if you’re without Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr. this week.
David Njoku, TE
For the record, calling any player “safe” when operating within the Jameis Winston vortex is a dangerous step to take. That said, David Njoku is trending in that direction.
He missed nearly a month early in the season, and in his four games as a full-time player (over 73% of the snaps in each of those contests), he’s earned at least seven targets. Given the state of this running game, I have a hard time thinking we won’t get reasonable volume through the air in Cleveland for the rest of 2024. The veteran tight end is pretty clearly the best bet to lead this team in looks.
The production might be spotty, but the process of trusting Njoku weekly at this position is sound, and I’m co-signing it for every week moving forward.
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints Trends
Cleveland Browns
Team: The Browns have not played a single defensive snap with a lead in four of their past five games.
QB: Typically, quick pass rate and an average depth of throw are inversely correlated; as one goes up, the other goes down. Among QBs with at least 75 pass attempts this season, Jameis Winston ranks top-5 in both categories.
Offense: Cleveland is passing on 61% of their red zone plays, their highest rate since 2015 (63.8%).
Defense: In their three games before the Week 10 bye, the Browns allowed a touchdown on seven of eight red zone trips.
Fantasy: Cedric Tillman has been on the field for over 80% of Cleveland’s offensive snaps over their past three games after failing to reach 40% in each of the first six weeks and guess what the 6’3” 24-year-old has done with the opportunity?
- 3 straight top-12 finishes
- 1 end zone target in every game
- 140.8 air yards per game
Betting: The Browns are 1-7 ATS (12.5%) in their past eight road games played on extended rest.
New Orleans Saints
Team: The Saints have played four games this season decided by a FG or less (only the Colts and Texans have more such games).
QB: Derek Carr’s average length of touchdown passes this season is a league-high 29.6 yards. He’s the only QB with an average of even 27 yards and is easily pacing for the highest mark of his career.
Offense: Since Week 3, only the Chargers and Browns finish a higher percentage of their offensive drives with a punt than the Saints (46.1%).
Defense: Only 28.6% of opponent drives result in a punt against the Saints (28th).
Fantasy: Alvin Kamara has three straight games with at least 50 receiving and 50 rushing yards, joining Christian McCaffrey as the only player with such a streak since 2017.
Betting: The Saints are just 6-8 outright in their past 14 games as a favorite (5-9 ATS over that run).