The beginning of Week 11 in the NFL means that there is about a month left in the majority of fantasy football leagues — those start ’em and sit ’em decisions only get magnified as your margin for error of making the playoffs gets smaller. The lowest over/under at sportsbooks at the moment is 45 (Denver Broncos vs. Miami Dolphins), and the expectation is that there will be quite a few shootouts, leading to fantasy points galore. 2020 has been a topsy-turvy season for fantasy football, with names like Carson Wentz and Amari Cooper proving unreliable, while the likes of Justin Herbert and Justin Jefferson have seriously outproduced their ADP. With the Bears, Bills, Giants, and 49ers on a bye, let’s dive into the Week 11 slate and put our best foot forward setting our fantasy football lineups.
Which quarterbacks should I start or sit in my Week 11 fantasy football lineup?
Who Should I Start Today | Start ’em
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Coming off a game with four touchdown passes and two of his favorite targets – Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster – having admirable games, he might roll right into another such performance. The Jaguars have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game, along with the second-highest completion percentage to opposing gunslingers.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. New York Jets)
The Jets are tanking, let’s be honest: they just cut their interception leader, Pierre Desir, and placed Brian Poole on injured reserve. Herbert should pass for 500 yards against a pass defense allowing over 335 passing yards per game. I would start Uncle Rico at this point versus the Jets secondary.
Other quarterbacks to consider starting this week
- Cam Newton, New England Patriots (at Houston Texans)
- Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at New Orleans Saints)
Who Should I Sit Today | Sit ’em
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Los Angeles Rams)
The Rams pass defense is in the top three in passing yardage and opposing QB rating. On paper, this is a tricky matchup for both phases of the Buccaneers offense. Pick your battles wisely if you have the roster flexibility.
Jared Goff, Rams (at Buccaneers)
The Buccaneers defense leads the NFL in interceptions and ranks second in sacks. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is one of the most aggressive play-callers in the game. Again, if you have the quarterback depth on your roster, look for a less convoluted matchup if possible.
Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (at Cleveland Browns)
Wentz looked like MVP of the league before his injury in 2017, but flash forward to 2020, where it’s been a hard year for everyone. My goodness! I have lost trust in Wentz, and the weather in Cleveland is shaping up to be another windy and rainy contest.
Which running backs should I start or sit in my Week 11 fantasy football lineup?
Start ’em
Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Green Bay Packers)
Hines is the hot hand and running back of choice in the Colts backfield. I love his usage in the passing game, and it will be needed to stay up to pace with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense. You may see his name quite often in future start ’em sit ’em segments, as he has an elite stretch for the rest of the fantasy football season in terms of run defenses he’ll be facing.
Related | Fantasy RB Rankings Week 11: Sleepers, must-starts, potential busts
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions (at Carolina Panthers)
Swift is getting considerate volume and is another running back that is highly utilized in the passing attack. The game script says the Lions will likely be playing from behind, and Stafford will need Swift’s receiving skills to stay in the game.
Mike Davis, Panthers (vs. Lions)
Another week without CMAC means another week of Davis balling out! Davis has the juiciest matchup in Week 11, against a Lions rush defense allowing the most fantasy points per game to opposing ball carriers. If the game script I predict holds true, the Panthers will be in a position to be milking the clock late in the game, allowing Davis’ stats to pile up.
Other running backs to start this week
- Damien Harris, New England Patriots (at Houston Texans) — be mindful of his injury status!
- Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
- Kalen Ballage, Jets (at Chargers)
Who Should I Sit Today | Sit ’em
Ronald Jones/Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers (vs. Rams)
Normally when a ball carrier has a 98-yard touchdown the previous week in the NFL, he’s clearly a start ’em, but the Buccaneers running back committee is a top sit ’em for me this week. The Rams defense is too staunch against the run, giving up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs.
Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos (vs. Miami Dolphins)
This isn’t an argument for the Dolphins’ run defense, which can be spotty. It’s against the Broncos’ likely game plan. When you look at Drew Lock being questionable for the game and not getting the reps in practice, the Dolphins will almost undoubtedly force the Broncos to win through the air.
Which wide receivers should I start or sit in my Week 11 fantasy football lineup?
Start ’em
Mike Williams, Chargers (vs. Jets)
The Jets’ secondary is decimated due to injury. Or, the team is tanking, and they stink. At any rate, Williams should get looks in the red zone on Sunday and could be onto a monster afternoon if he can convert one or two of those red zone trips. Both Williams and Keenan Allen should win one-on-one matchups and have chances at marquee outings for the Chargers.
Related | Fantasy WR Rankings Week 11: Sleepers, must-starts, potential busts
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
This is a great matchup for Jefferson and his skill set. Jefferson is the explosive play wide receiver for the Vikings, and the Cowboys secondary is one of the worst defenses against explosive passing plays.
Other wide receivers to start this week
- Michael Pittman Jr., Colts (vs. Packers)
- Jakobi Meyers, Patriots (at Texans)
- Curtis Samuel, Panthers (vs. Lions)
- Diontae Johnson, Steelers (at Jaguars)
Which tight ends should I start in my Week 11 fantasy football lineup?
Start ’em
Taysom Hill (on ESPN leagues), Saints (vs. Falcons)
Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (vs. Bengals)
Flat out, Alex Smith looks his way, as Smith has done historically with his TEs. Last week, Thomas had four catches on six targets for 66 yards. This week, Thomas takes on a Bengals defense that allows the second-most fantasy points against opposing TEs.
Are there any defenses to consider when it comes to start ’em options this week?
- Dolphins (at Broncos)
- Chargers (vs. Jets)
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