Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 11

Though four teams are on bye this week, fantasy managers lucked out given the lack of fantasy-relevant names on the Bucs, Cardinals, Giants, and Panthers. But we're still down two of the top fantasy quarterbacks and tight ends, as well as several running backs.

Even so, this slate looks to be a bit more fantasy-friendly than last. That's good in that we have more starting options to choose from, but it's bad in that it strains start/sit decisions even more than usual.

But that's what I'm here for.

As always, this piece lists out every fantasy-relevant player, sorted by position and bucketed into tiers with the higher-tiered players deemed more startworthy. For specific start/sit advice between two players in the same tier, refer to our NFL projections, which come via numberFire.

These tiers are meant to reflect your typical 12-team, half-PPR scoring formats with only one starting quarterback -- though the general rankings can be loosely applied to most formats. Here's a quick breakdown of the tiers:

• Tier 1: Lineup Locks
  • Players you aren't thinking twice about.
• Tier 2: Solid Starts
  • Players you start with confidence.
• Tier 3: Flex Plays
  • Players you start but with less confidence.
• Tier 4: Streamers
  • Players that work in a pinch.
• Tier 5: Sit if Possible
  • Players you're only starting as a last resort.

Any player not listed can be assumed sit-worthy in most leagues.

All betting references refer to the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Fantasy Football Start or Sit: Week 11

Quarterback

Here are the FanDuel Research Week 11 Fantasy Football quarterback projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel, followed the Week 11 quarterback tiers.

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Lamar Jackson (BAL) @ PIT
Jalen Hurts (PHI) vs. WAS
Josh Allen (BUF) vs. KC
Brock Purdy (SF) vs. SEA
Jayden Daniels (WSH) @ PHI
Joe Burrow (CIN) @ LAC

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Bo Nix (DEN) vs. ATL
Patrick Mahomes (KC) @ BUF
Geno Smith (SEA) @ SF
C.J. Stroud (HOU) @ DAL

Jared Goff (DET) vs. JAC
Last week was ugly for Goff -- there's no sugarcoating it. He entered Week 10 with just four interceptions on the season before tossing five (!) against the Texans. That came alongside a season-low 50% completion percentage, so I can understand if the trust is gone here. But this week's matchup is too good to ignore. The Jags are 32nd in schedule-adjusted pass defense, 29th in pressure rate, and have allowed the 3rd-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. With Goff back at home, there's at least a strong floor this week.

Russell Wilson (PIT) vs. BAL
Mr. Unlimited has been on a heater since making his season debut, and he gets a premier fantasy matchup in Week 11. Russ has finished as a top-10 quarterback in two of three starts, tossing six touchdowns while adding a score on the ground. That touchdown rate (7.1%) will regress eventually, but high touchdown rates aren't new for him. This week, he'll welcome a Ravens secondary that ranks 30th in adjusted pass defense while allowing the highest pass rate and third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Justin Herbert (LAC) vs. CIN
Derek Carr (NO) vs. CLE

Jordan Love (GB) @ CHI
I'm generally bullish on how this Green Bay passing attack will perform over the second half of the year, but it's hard to get too excited with them this week. They're outdoors with high winds and a chance of rain in the forecast taking on a Bears secondary that leads the league in adjusted pass defense. They've given up the fewest fantasy points to the position, and opposing offenses have a bottom-five pass rate in three weeks since their bye. It's fair to question if the Packers get any pushback from the Bears offense, too, capping Love's ceiling this week.

Jameis Winston (CLE) @ NO
We've gotten the full Jameis Winston experience across his two starts. After totaling 23.6 fantasy points in an upset win over Baltimore, Winston threw 3 interceptions and completed just 56.5% of his passes en route to 13.1 points against the Chargers. Still, the Browns have attempted 40+ passes in each of his two starts, with Winston posting an eye-popping 9.6-yard average depth of target (aDOT). That should come in handy against a Saints secondary that's given up the ninth-most YPA (yards per attempt) and recently traded their top corner. In an indoor game against a suspect defense, Winston's upside is worth considering.

Tier 4: Streamers

Aaron Rodgers (NYJ) vs. IND
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) vs. LV
Matthew Stafford (LAR) @ NE

Sam Darnold (MIN) @ TEN
Darnold was truly abysmal last week, but it felt like he'd been knocking on the door of a three-interception game for weeks. Though that was just the second time Darnold failed to reach 15 fantasy points this season, it warrants some concern ahead of Week 11's date with Tennessee. The Titans are 12th in adjusted pass defense and has allowed the 2nd-fewest YPA through the air. There's more downside than upside this week, though the Vikings' system at least keeps him on the streaming radar.

Drake Maye (NE) vs. LAR
Maye wasn't great against Chicago, but he still averaged 7.4 YPA and managed 12.8 fantasy points despite unfavorable weather and a tough opposing defense. The weather won't be much better in New England this week, but the matchup is. The Rams are just 21st in adjusted pass defense, and they've given up the second most YPA. However, they're also second in pressure rate, and Maye's YPA drops to 5.1 when pressured -- a bottom-10 mark according to PFF. There's a wide range of outcomes here, but it's hard to ignore the upside given his rushing. His scramble rate jumps to 20% when pressured, the second highest in football.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Caleb Williams (CHI) vs. GB
Anthony Richardson (IND) @ NYJ

Kirk Cousins (ATL) @ DEN
Despite exceeding 300 yards and attempting his second-most passes of the season (38), Cousins cooked up only 11.2 fantasy points in what looked like a plus matchup last week. The volume was nice to see, but it wasn't exactly surprising that he failed to throw a touchdown after tossing seven scores across the previous two games. Even so, it's hard to project a bounceback on the road against a Denver secondary ranked fifth in adjusted pass defense.

Running Back

Here are the FanDuel Research Week 11 Fantasy Football running back projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel, followed the Week 11 running back tiers.

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Christian McCaffrey (SF) vs. SEA
Alvin Kamara (NO) vs. CLE
Joe Mixon (HOU) @ DAL
Kyren Williams (LAR) @ NE
Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) vs. JAC
Bijan Robinson (ATL) @ DEN
Jonathan Taylor (IND) @ NYJ
De'Von Achane (MIA) vs. LV
Breece Hall (NYJ) vs. IND
Derrick Henry (BAL) @ PIT
Saquon Barkley (PHI) vs. WAS

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Aaron Jones (MIN) @ TEN
Kareem Hunt (KC) @ BUF
James Cook (BUF) vs. KC
Kenneth Walker III (SEA) @ SF
David Montgomery (DET) vs. JAC

Josh Jacobs (GB) @ CHI
Jacobs enters Week 11 fresh off a bye in a potentially awesome game environment for fantasy production. Not only are the Packers 5.5-point favorites in an outdoor game with potentially impactful weather, but the Bears are one of the biggest run funnels in the league. Chicago ranks 1st in adjusted pass defense but just 22nd against the run. They've surrendered the seventh-most RYOE (rushing yards over expectation) per attempt to running backs and opposing teams have pounded the rock against them in recent weeks. Since their Week 7 bye, the Bears have been passed on at the fifth-lowest rate in football. With at least 19 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) in six straight games, Jacobs is a borderline must-start.

Chase Brown (CIN) @ LAC
Brown has taken off since Zack Moss hit IR. Over the last two games, Brown has seen an 84% snap rate, averaging 125.5 scrimmage yards and 36 adjusted opportunities. He's seen 89% of Cincy's red zone rush attempts over that span while commanding the second-highest target share (17.6%) on the team. There's a chance Khalil Herbert eats into his short-yardage work, and the receiving volume could drop if Tee Higgins suits up. But he's coming off RB5 and RB4 weeks, so I can't imagine sitting him even if the matchup is tough.

Tier 3: Flex Plays

D'Andre Swift (CHI) vs. GB
J.K. Dobbins (LAC) vs. CIN
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) vs. LAR
Austin Ekeler (WSH) @ PHI

Tony Pollard (TEN) vs. MIN
The Titans followed through with their desire to use two backs last week as Pollard failed to reach double-digit carries for just the second time all year. That coincided with his lowest snap rate (53%) of the season, though he did catch all 4 targets. All of a sudden, this looks like a split backfield between Pollard and Tyjae Spears. That's not ideal for Pollard's fantasy stock heading into a date with the Vikings -- numberFire's top run defense and one that's permitted the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Consequently, we can drop Pollard down to flex consideration, and I'd certainly consider benching him if a higher-upside option is available.

Nick Chubb (CLE) @ NO
Nick Chubb has yet to make a fantasy impact, but I'm bullish on his outlook coming out of Cleveland's bye. Though he cleared a 40% snap rate in only one of his first three games, Chubb still saw at least 17 adjusted opportunities and 3 red zone rush attempts each game. I'd expect that volume to continue rising as he gets further removed from his knee injury, and this week's matchup has all the makings of a vintage Chubb breakout. The Saints are 31st in adjusted run defense and have permitted the most yards per carry (5.2) in the league. He's a rock-solid flex option.

Tier 4: Streamers

Rico Dowdle (DAL) vs. HOU
Raheem Mostert (MIA) vs. LV
Travis Etienne (JAC) @ DET
Najee Harris (PIT) vs. BAL
Jaylen Warren (PIT) vs. BAL
Audric Estime (DEN) vs. ATL

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Javonte Williams (DEN) vs. ATL
Tyjae Spears (TEN) vs. MIN
Gus Edwards (LAC) vs. CIN
Tyler Allgeier (ATL) @ DEN
Braelon Allen (NYJ) vs. IND
Jerome Ford (CLE) @ NO
Zamir White (LV) @ MIA
Alexander Mattison (LV) @ MIA
I don't even want to pretend to know what's going on in the Raiders' backfield. Though Mattison had averaged a 65% snap rate and 24.5 adjusted opportunities from Weeks 5-8, Vegas spread the rock in their final game before the bye. No running back exceeded a 50% snap rate in that one, and all three of Mattison, Zamir White, and Ameer Abdullah saw between 6 and 10 adjusted opportunities. White's snap rate was easily the lowest, but he also tied Mattison with three red zone rush attempts. The Dolphins are seventh against the run and a bottom-10 fantasy matchup for running backs, so I'm happy to fade this committee entirely.

Wide Receivers

Here are the FanDuel Research Week 11 Fantasy Football wide receiver projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel, followed the Week 11 wide receiver tiers.

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) @ LAC
Nico Collins (HOU) @ DAL
Justin Jefferson (MIN) @ TEN
George Pickens (PIT) vs. BAL
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) vs. JAC
Puka Nacua (LAR) @ NE
Cooper Kupp (LAR) @ NE
A.J. Brown (PHI) vs. WAS
D.K. Metcalf (SEA) @ SF
Deebo Samuel (SF) vs. SEA

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Tyreek Hill (MIA) vs. LV
Davante Adams (NYJ) vs. IND
Zay Flowers (BAL) @ PIT
Garrett Wilson (NYJ) vs. IND
DeVonta Smith (PHI) vs. WAS
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) @ SF
Josh Downs (IND) @ NYJ

CeeDee Lamb (DAL) vs. HOU
I was optimistic Cooper Rush would be able to support Lamb in fantasy, and that was mostly true despite a tough matchup last week. Lamb scored only 5.4 fantasy points in his first full game without Dak Prescott, but he caught 6 of 10 targets (34.5% share) and would've had a touchdown if JerryWorld didn't shine the sun right in his face. Granted, Lamb still finished with only 24 scrimmage yards, but the volume is going to be there. While he may not have as much upside anymore, Lamb should still be confidently started in fantasy.

Jauan Jennings (SF) vs. SEA
Jennings looks like a weekly fantasy starter with Brandon Aiyuk out for the season. After missing two games, Jennings returned to lead the 49ers with 7 receptions, 11 targets, and 93 receiving yards. Though he went for a tame 12.8 fantasy points, Jennings got all the tasty looks we want in fantasy. On his way to a 32.4% target share, Jennings saw 5 downfield targets (10+ yards) and 2 red zone targets while posting an 86% route participation. He now ranks fifth among all WRs in YPRR (yards per route run), so we shouldn't hesitate to deploy him against Seattle's league-average pass defense.

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Terry McLaurin (WSH) @ PHI
Khalil Shakir (BUF) vs. KC
DeAndre Hopkins (KC) @ BUF
Cedric Tillman (CLE) @ NO
Jakobi Meyers (LV) @ MIA
Tank Dell (HOU) @ DAL
Ladd McConkey (LAC) vs. CIN
Courtland Sutton (DEN) vs. ATL
Jameson Williams (DET) vs. JAC
Tee Higgins (CIN) @ LAC

Darnell Mooney (ATL) @ DEN
Drake London (ATL) @ DEN
We have to downgrade the entire Falcons air attack given their road date with the Broncos -- numberFire's No. 5 pass defense and the fourth-worst fantasy matchup for opposing wide receivers. That caps the upside of both Mooney and London, though the latter appears more likely to see destroyer-of-worlds Pat Surtain. Even so, I'm not opposed to flexing either given their stellar volume. Both are right around a 25% target share on the season, and their air yard shares are north of 30%. Again, we should temper expectations when Atlanta's implied total is just 21 points. But there's still enough volume to make both viable starters.

Calvin Ridley (TEN) vs. MIN
It's kind of flown under the radar, but Ridley has feasted since DeAndre Hopkins got traded. Over Tennessee's last three games, Ridley has seen otherworldly 36.4% target and 53.3% air yard shares, culminating in 6.7 receptions and 100 yards per game. He's averaged 6.7 downfield targets over this stretch, propelling him to a pair of top-10 fantasy finishes at the position. I'm bullish that volume continues against a Vikings defense that's allowed the highest opposing pass rate and third-most fantasy points to wide receivers. He's a high-upside flex this week.

Tier 4: Streamers

Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC) @ DET
D.J. Moore (CHI) vs. GB
Tyler Lockett (SEA) @ SF
Jaylen Waddle (MIA) vs. LV
Demario Douglas (NE) vs. LAR
Rashod Bateman (BAL) @ PIT
Xavier Worthy (KC) @ BUF
Quentin Johnston (LAC) vs. CIN
Ricky Pearsall (SF) vs. SEA

Jayden Reed (GB) @ CHI
Reed bounced back from a pair of quiet outings to notch 113 yards on 6 targets (16.2% share) in their final game before the bye, but he still only has one game with a target share north of 20%. We know how dynamic Reed is, and he's one of the few players who doesn't need tons of volume to be viable in fantasy. But that does lower his floor week-to-week, and this matchup at Chicago is less than ideal. The Bears have the top pass defense in football, and they're top-10 in YPRR and fantasy points per target allowed to wide receivers. He's the only Packers receiver I'm comfortable starting this week, but it still doesn't feel great.

Elijah Moore (CLE) @ NO
Jerry Jeudy (CLE) @ NO
Cedric Tillman looks like the Browns wide receiver to roster right now, but we shouldn't sleep on Moore or Jeudy this week. They've both seen target shares north of 20% and averaged more than 5 downfield targets in two games with Jameis Winston. The Saints are better against the pass than the run, but we also don't have a huge sample without shutdown corner Marshon Lattimore. On top of that, Cleveland was at a +2.3% PROE (pass rate over expectation) in Winston's two starts, so I don't anticipate the Browns abandoning the pass anytime soon. In an indoor game with a tight spread (Saints -1.5) and palatable over/under (44.5), I can get behind both as streamers.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Romeo Doubs (GB) @ CHI
Noah Brown (WSH) @ PHI
Jordan Addison (MIN) @ TEN
Gabriel Davis (JAC) @ DET
Demarcus Robinson (LAR) @ NE

Keenan Allen (CHI) vs. GB
Rome Odunze (CHI) vs. GB
I'm optimistic the Bears firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will help their offense, but it's still impossible to feel good about the Chicago passing attack right now. Though Allen has seen a team-leading 28% target share since the bye, he's been held under 7 fantasy points in three straight games. Odunze enjoyed a pseudo breakout against the Cardinals two weeks back, but he still has only two weeks finishing as a top-40 WR. The Packers sport a top-10 pass defense, so do yourself a favor and keep both glued to your bench this week.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (NO) vs. CLE
Sure, Valdes-Scantling has spent the majority of his career catching passes from (prime) Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, but maybe he just needed Derek Carr to unlock him. That feels unlikely, but it's hard to argue with the early results in New Orleans. MVS served as the Saints' premier downfield target last week, catching all 3 targets for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns. We cannot expect anything close to the same final tally against Cleveland, but this isn't a bad spot for downfield threats. The Browns have surrendered the second-highest aDOT to opposing wide receivers, and they're bottom-10 in deep targets allowed. I wouldn't start him unless you're truly desperate, but there are worse dart throws.

Tight Ends

Here are the FanDuel Research Week 11 Fantasy Football tight end projections as well as each player's NFL DFS salary on FanDuel, followed the Week 11 tight end tiers.

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Travis Kelce (KC) @ BUF
George Kittle (SF) vs. SEA
Brock Bowers (LV) @ MIA
David Njoku (CLE) @ NO
T.J. Hockenson (MIN) @ TEN

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Evan Engram (JAC) @ DET
Tucker Kraft (GB) @ CHI
Dallas Goedert (PHI) vs. WAS
Kyle Pitts (ATL) @ DEN

Taysom Hill (NO) vs. CLE
Hill couldn't replicate his Week 9 magic last time out, but he was again a huge part of the New Orleans offense. He's second on the team in opportunity share (28.1%), averaging 4.5 carries, 3.5 targets, and 55 yards while playing nearly half the snaps in the last two games. Hill has also seen three red zone rush attempts over that stretch, so he should have another decent chance to score this week considering the Saints' 23-point implied total and lack of other playmakers. With two top tight ends on bye this week, Hill makes for a solid starter.

Hunter Henry (NE) vs. LAR
In five games with Drake Maye under center, Henry leads the Patriots with a 20.3% target share and 28.6% red zone target. He played 83% of snaps during that stretch, including 96% of red zone snaps. That kind of utilization sets him up as a fantasy starter ahead of this week's home date with the Rams. LA has notoriously bled production to tight ends, and this year has been no different. Against tight ends, the Rams have allowed the second-most YPRR and fourth-most fantasy points per target. Expect another busy day for the vet.

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Jonnu Smith (MIA) vs. LV
Mike Gesicki (CIN) @ LAC
Jake Ferguson (DAL) vs. HOU
Zach Ertz (WSH) @ PHI
Sam LaPorta (DET) vs. JAC

Mark Andrews (BAL) @ PIT
Andrews has come on strong of late, averaging the fourth-most fantasy points (11.9) at the position since Week 5. But he's just third on the Ravens in target share (15.6%) and has a 55% route participation over that stretch. The bulk of Andrews' production has come via his five touchdowns over this span -- and that's hard to trust on an offense with as many weapons as Baltimore's. Pittsburgh has given up a top-10 target rate to tight ends, but they're 11th in fantasy points allowed per target. While you can start him if you lack other options, he's not a priority for me this week.

Will Dissly (LAC) vs. CIN
Dissly has become Justin Herbert's favorite target over the last month. Across LA's last four games, Dissly leads the team with a 24.3% target share and is averaging 1.3 more targets per game than the next-closest Charger. He hasn't scored in this stretch despite a team-leading 33.3% red zone target share, and his 40.3 yards per game has kept the fantasy production in check. But the Bengals are a top-five fantasy matchup for tight ends, and the Chargers have revved up the aerial attack since their bye. Dissly's a quality start this week.

Tier 4: Streamers

Dalton Schultz (HOU) @ DAL
Pat Freiermuth (PIT) vs. BAL
Juwan Johnson (NO) vs. CLE

Dawson Knox (BUF) vs. KC
Knox posted a season-high 59% route participation last week as Dalton Kincaid was limited to a 24% snap rate due to injury. If Kincaid is unable to go, Knox would be a defensible streamer in deeper leagues. Though he's yet to crack a 10% single-game target share, Knox has played 76% of red zone snaps over the last five games, tying for third on the Bills in end zone target share (14.3%). The floor is nonexistent here, but there's at least touchdown upside -- more than we can say about most other tight ends in this range.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Cole Kmet (CHI) vs. GB
Noah Fant (SEA) @ SF
Tyler Conklin (NYJ) vs. IND
Isaiah Likely (BAL) @ PIT

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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.