Fantasy Football: 4 Bold Predictions for Week 11

There's nothing quite like the NFL.

Football is one of the most intense, exciting sports on the planet. The source of the now-ubiquitous saying "Any Given Sunday," the NFL is a place where even struggling teams have a chance to topple the best in the league. Anything can happen when you only play 17 regular season games a year.

That uncertainty is a huge driver behind the excitement the NFL generates each and every season. What's more fun than watching something totally unexpected unfold before your eyes?

That's why, this year, we'll be bringing you four bold predictions to watch for in each week the 2023 NFL season.

NFL Bold Predictions for Week 11

Kyler Murray Will Finish as the QB1

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray did not look like a quarterback that hadn't played in almost a year during his Week 10 2023 debut.

The former first overall pick shined in his return to the field, guiding his team to their first victory since Week 3. His knee looked just fine during the game and especially on his 13-yard rush, during which he reached a top speed of 20.17 miles per hour -- the 13th-fastest recorded speed of any ball carrier on the week. In addition to rushing for 33 yards and a score on 6 carries, Murray also threw for 230 yards, the second-highest sum a Cardinals quarterback has thrown for so far this year. The Cardinals might be a real threat in the NFL in the second half of the season.

Murray finished the day without a passing touchdown but was literally inches away from an elite fantasy finish -- wide receiver Michael Wilson was ruled down at the one-yard line before Clayton Tune subbed in a for QB-sneak touchdown while Marquise Brown just narrowly missed what could have been a near-30-yard receiving touchdown earlier in the game. It has only been one week, but Murray is already knocking on the door of elite fantasy production.

Murray eventually finished the week as the QB13, but it won't be long before he claims a top finish for himself. In fact, it could happen as early as this weekend as the Cardinals visit the Houston Texans. The Texans' defense has begun to show cracks in recent games; they've allowed 64 points and 799 passing yards over their last two games. With C.J. Stroud pushing the Texans' games into shootouts, opposing offenses have had to keep pace via the passing game, leading to back-to-back QB7 overall finishes for their Week 9 and 10 opponents. With a full week of practices under his belt, Murray is poised to take the QB1 overall finish against the Texans in Week 11.

Tony Pollard Will Find the End Zone

Tony Pollard hasn't reached the end zone since Week 1. That will change in Week 11.

The Dallas Cowboys back has touched the ball 148 times since his two-score Opening Day performance but has only notched a single two-point conversion on those opportunities. That is a shocking number of opportunities without a touchdown. Fortunately, a Week 11 date with the Carolina Panthers might be just what the doctor ordered.

The Panthers' rushing defense ranks dead last in numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics and has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. They couldn't even keep the Tyson Bagent-led Chicago Bears out of the end zone last week, coughing up 80 yards and a touchdown to D'Onta Foreman on 21 carries. It has been a long drought for Pollard, but he should hit pay dirt against this Panthers squad.

The Panthers have given up rushing touchdowns in all but two games so far this season. The Cowboys' offense has conspired against Pollard for long enough, and he'll find his way into the end zone for the first time since Week 1 as he takes on Carolina's worst-in-class rushing defense.

Garrett Wilson Will Finish as a Top-6 Wide Receiver

This was supposed to be Garrett Wilson's year. The ascendant talent, fresh off of an Offensive Rookie of the Year award-winning debut campaign, was set up to reach new heights in the 2023 season with Aaron Rodgers under center for the New York Jets. Rodgers had routinely elevated wide receivers to WR1 overall status over his illustrious career, making his pairing with Wilson one of the most highly-anticipated QB/WR pairings to watch in the league. Instead, Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon just a handful of snaps into the year, forcing Wilson to catch passes from Zach Wilson for another wasted season.

Even with as good as Garrett Wilson has been, poor play from his quarterback has frustratingly limited him to WR2 status in fantasy football; he has yet to finish any week better than the WR15 overall. Still, even with the Jets' numerous issues on offense, things have been looking up for Wilson since the team's bye. He has drawn a whopping 40 targets over his last 3 games, converting them into 23 catches for 179 scoreless yards.

It's clear that the team used their bye week to hammer the mantra of "target Garrett Wilson" into Zach Wilson's brain, and one of these days it's going to yield fantasy WR1 results. That could come this week against a reeling Buffalo Bills defense that has lost multiple key players to injuries this season.

This Will Be the Week Calvin Ridley Goes Off

If you drafted Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Calvin Ridley this summer hoping to get a good value on a potential WR1, you're probably feeling sorely disappointed right about now.

The former Atlanta Falcons star has finished outside of the top 24 wide receivers in all but two of his games so far this year, falling flat more often than not in Jacksonville's struggling offense. It's been a rough season in general for Jacksonville, but Ridley's struggles have been front and center. Fortunately, he could have a massive week against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.

The Titans' passing defense has been pretty weak this season, allowing opposing passers to average 6.6 net yards per pass attempt (the seventh-most in the league). They don't look especially good by any metrics but are frankly fortunate that they don't look even worse; they have played a borderline comical slate of opposing passers this season.

According to numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics the Titans have squared off against just one single top-ten passing offense so far this season. Apart from that one matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers they've mostly played against an assortment of injured quarterbacks. Each of Deshaun Watson, Joe Burrow, Anthony Richardson, and Desmond Ridder either entered their game against the Titans injured or left their matchup early due to injury.

Despite playing against all of these injured quarterbacks, the Titans are still allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game (31.1) to opposing wideouts. That puts Ridley, who despite his struggles this year still ranks 17th in the league in share of his team's targeted air yards, in position to finally convert his opportunities into fantasy points.

Interested in playing NFL DFS? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.