RADIO
Brandon Murchison's under-the-radar starts and sits for your Week 11 fantasy football lineups - sneaky players to start, and typical starters that may disappoint.
If we learned anything from the fantasy scoring in Week 10 is that hitting on the right quarterback can make or break your week. Sure, the household names like Lamar Jackson (35.65 FP) and Patrick Mahomes (34.30 FP) paced the field, but it was the play from lesser QBs like Daniel Jones (33.40 FP) and Mitchell Trubisky (21.45 FP) that surprised many owners last week. What's been the case for most of the 2019 season, scoring from the passing games from around the league, has been somewhat consistent and can be reliable to find starters even further down the rankings. The running back position has been the biggest stress inducer for owners this season. Scoring has been carried by the big names at the top, but if you find yourself as an owner of James Conner or Le'Veon Bell, it has been a tough season. The pool of players that we look at as RB2/RB3 types each week can tend to get ugly and are hit or miss calls these days.
Week 11 may be much of the same as we are looking at some strong matchups for the upper echelon players in the league. Going into the weekend, the players that routinely occupy starting spots in your lineups should once again thrive and provide solid days in scoring. But it's those middle-tier players that leave you scratching your head. Analyzing the matchups and looking into the numbers can alleviate some of the stress you may incur as you try to decide on just who will fill that RB2 role or slide into your Flex.
So let's jump into the numbers as I present to you my Woo's and Boo's for Week 11 to help you with those tough lineup decisions you may be facing.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
Woo! - Week 11 Starts
Philip Rivers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Rivers has had somewhat of a frustrating season up until this point. He has not thrown for more than two touchdowns in a game since Week 1 and his passing attempts have dropped over the last two games. That must change in this matchup against the Chiefs. The Chiefs are allowing 19.9 FPPG on the year, while Rivers has failed to top 14.8 FP in five out of his last six games. I expect to see the Chiefs get points on the board early in this game, putting Rivers and the Chargers in a mode in which they must keep pace. Look for Rivers to finally get a three-touchdown game under his belt and be a Top 10 play for Week 11.
Devin Singletary @ Miami Dolphins
With Singletary seemingly now controlling this backfield for the Bills, the matchup in Week 11 in one to take advantage of. The Dolphins are one of the worst in fantasy in points allowed to the position (23.0 FPPG) as teams tend to pile up the carries against this defense. That should easily be the case here as I expect to see Singletary get a minimum of 15 touches in the game. Making him a solid play as an RB2 this week.
Mohamed Sanu @ Philadelphia Eagles
After being acquired by the Patriots, many wondered what Sanu's true role would be in the receiver rotation. After a five target debut, Sanu exploded for 14 targets and 10 catches in Week 9. This week, Sanu should once again shine as he is faced with a matchup against a very soft Eagles secondary. Currently allowing the 6th most points to the position (27.4 FPPG), he could easily see another double-digit target game. Look for Sanu to feast on the perimeter defenders of the Eagles to the tune of seven catches for 85 yards and a score. Making him a lock as a high-end WR3 in Week 11.
Greg Olsen vs. Atlanta Falcons
Olsen's fantasy production has been quite volatile throughout the 2019 season. But coming off of an eight-catch performance, there is some momentum on Olsen's back. He has at least six targets in three of his last four games and faces a Falcons Defense that has allowed five Top-10 games to the position this year. Scoring just 10 touchdowns over his last 261 targets, you could say that he is due. This should be the case in this matchup as he should see five catches for 70 yards and a score. Olsen will be a very trustworthy TE1 in Week 11
Boo! - Week 11 Sits
Kyler Murray @ San Francisco 49ers
The rubber meets the road for Murray as he goes to San Francisco to play the stout 49ers Defense. In their previous meeting, he faired well, but to expect much of the same here could lead to disappointment. The defense has allowed only eight passing scores on the year while intercepting 11. That is where we may see Murray fall into a trap in this game with the 49ers disguising their coverages and leading to turnovers. Most Murray owners have had a solid backup plan in place all season long and that is an avenue that I would entertain in Week 11.
Mark Ingram vs. Houston Texans
Ingram's numbers have been trending in the wrong direction as of late. With 15 or fewer carries in six out of nine games, he has also finished with under 52 yards on the ground in five of those matchups. For a heavily dependent guy on rushing scores to be matched up against a defense that has only allowed two on the year, this game could be a tough one for Ingram. He will need the volume to be a player to truly reach his value and I'm not sure the Ravens will do that in this game. He will still be a player that is looked at as an RB2 in Week 11 but temper your expectations based on recent performances.
Stefon Diggs vs. Denver Broncos
Diggs hit a hot streak for several weeks but has come back down to earth over the last couple of games. Look for that to continue in Week 11 as he faces a Broncos secondary that has allowed only 18.2 FPPG on the season. I expect to see Diggs lined up opposite Chris Harris for much of this game which should limit the targets that he will see. Diggs may be locked into your starting lineup at the moment, but if you have a bench player with a soft matchup, this may be a week to plug that player in.
Zach Ertz vs. New England Patriots
Ertz is a player at the tight end position that rarely gets thought about in terms of being benched in fantasy. But in Week 11, playing against the tough Patriots Defense, that could be a notion in some fantasy owner's minds. They allow a mere 4.5 FPPG and based on how out of sync the Eagles have looked on offense recently, it's tough to call Ertz a "must start" this week. There may be a player or two on the waiver wire that is worth the one-week pickup if you are in dire need of a win, but if you must play Ertz this week be aware that he could provide a very low floor.
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