Week 11 of the NFL season is right around the corner, and fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to optimize their lineups. Deciding on who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially when a player like Derrius Guice comes back from the injured reserve. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start em’, sit em’ matchups of the week to put together the best possible lineup.
Week 11 Wide Receiver Start/Sits
Derrius Guice, David Johnson Highlight Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Start/Sits
Start: Derrius Guice
Derrius Guice is officially back from the injured reserve, and the running back will probably see the majority of the work against the New York Jets. Adrian Peterson has played well as the lead back and would probably see the majority of the carries if the Redskins were trying to compete in 2019. However, the Redskins are (justifiably) more interested in developing their young talent than winning at this point in the season. Case Keenum is better than Dwayne Haskins right now, but the Redskins are letting Haskins take command of the offense. By that same logic, Guice should be the leader of Washington’s backfield.
Peterson was a healthy scratch the last time Guice was fully healthy, but that probably won’t happen again. Peterson’s proved his worth with some solid play, so he’ll probably see a decent percentage of the carries. However, head coach Bill Callahan and his stubborn run-first philosophy ensures that there will be enough carries to go around. Derrius Guice doesn’t have RB1 or RB2 upside, but he’s a solid flex play with a reliable workload.
Sit: David Johnson
The fast, electric, and dangerous David Johnson of 2016 simply doesn’t exist anymore. After years of taking a heavy workload, the former third-round pick looks like a washed-up shell of his former self. The Arizona Cardinals sent a fifth-round pick over to the Miami Dolphins for half a season of Kenyan Drake, and they wouldn’t have done that if they didn’t plan to utilize Drake. The Cardinals benched Johnson in Week 10, and he’ll start Week 11 coming off of the bench. It sounds crazy to say, but David Johnson simply isn’t good enough to be a reliable start if he’s not getting a full workload.
Start: Raheem Mostert
As of this posting, it appears as though Matt Breida is going to miss Sunday’s matchup. Brieda suffered a knee injury and should be sidelined for the next game or two. The third-year running back has a history of playing through injuries he shouldn’t, but Raheem Mostert is going to be a smart start if Breida misses time.
Kyle Shanahan likes to utilize at least two running backs in his gameplans, and Mostert should be the first guy off the bench after Tevin Coleman. Mostert is one of the more efficient running backs and should earn anywhere from 7-13 touches as the primary backup. He should be a safe flex play with RB2 upside if he happens to find the endzone.
Sit: Sony Michel
Rex Burkhead is finally healthy again, which is bad news for Sony Michel. The Patriots still prefer to use a three-headed backfield, and Burkhead has been the more effective player when healthy. Nobody adapts to the strength of the personnel better than the New England Patriots, and right now, Rex Burkhead and James White are better fitted for their offense than Sony Michel.
Michel is at his best when he can run between the tackles with a fullback in front of him. Quite frankly, the Patriots don’t have the personnel to pull off that style of play with James Develin and David Andrews on the injured reserve and the entire offensive line struggling. New England’s offense is at it’s best when running a quick, hurry-up, and Michel simply isn’t made to success with that style of play. Unless Burkhead gets hurt again, you’re probably better off leaving Michel on the sideline.
Start: Brian Hill
Brian Hill is going to see a massive workload in Week 11, simply because the Atlanta Falcons do not have another good running back of note on the roster. After Devonta Freeman went down with an injury, Brian Hill recorded 20 carries for 61 yards to go along with a 10-yard touchdown reception. Even if he’s not the most talented back in the league, that type of workload in Atlanta’s high-powered offense ensures he’ll have some type of fantasy relevance.
Sit: Kalen Ballage
Normally, opportunity is king in fantasy football. A player like Brian Hill may not be as talented as David Johnson, but the opportunity presented to Hill makes him the better play. However, there are exceptions to that rule, as Kalen Ballage simply doesn’t have the talent required to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him. Last week, Ballage recorded 20 carries for just 42 yards to go along with four receptions for two yards. It’s hard to imagine Ballage doing better with a similar workload in Week 11, as he’s simply not a talented player and Miami’s offensive line cannot open any rushing lanes. Ballage isn’t good enough to create yards on his own, so you’re better off benching him unless you’re in a 12- or 14-man league with multiple flex spots.
Auto-Starts (Better Than Derrius Guice; No Particular Order)
Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette, Nick Chubb, Ezekiel Elliott, Alvin Kamara, Le’Veon Bell, Austin Ekeler, Melvin Gordon, Josh Jacobs, Todd Gurley, James White, James Conner
