QBs
1.Aaron Rodgers
2.Tom Brady
3.Marcus Mariota
4.Cam Newton
5.Ben Roethlisberger
6.Drew Brees
7.Dak Prescott
8.Andrew Luck
9.Russell Wilson
10.Matthew Stafford
11.Derek Carr
12.Tyrod Taylor
13.Kirk Cousins
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14.Eli Manning
15.Jameis Winston
16.Blake Bortles
17.Colin Kaepernick
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18.Carson Palmer
19.Andy Dalton
20.Joe Flacco
Last week I continued to be high on Marcus Mariota ( ESPN #11, ME #5), and the ESPN experts continued to ignore his hot streak. Well, he ended up as the #1 fantasy QB in Week 10, so keep rolling him out there! The experts moved him up to 6th in their rankings this week, but I'm still higher on him than they are (as I have him at the #3 spot).
I was down on Cam Newton (ESPN #4, ME #9), who I no longer blindly rank as a top-5 fantasy QB (like the ESPN guys do). To be fair, he still had a very good game. But also to be fair, he finished as the #8 fantasy QB. This week in a primetime Thursday nighter...at home...against the Saints? Yeah, I'll fire him up as a top-5 play for Week 11 (ESPN has him ranked at #1 though...disagree!).
 I'm high on: Dak Prescott ( ESPN #13, ME #7)
Dak has scored multiple times in every game since Week 2, and he's been a top-5 fantasy QB in his last 4 games. Baltimore actually does a decent job at stopping the run, and guess who they'll try to stop after he had that huge game against the Steelers last week? ZEKE! I could see Prescott having another game with 3 passing touchdowns, and he could end up being a top-5 fantasy QB yet again.
I'm down on: Alex Smith (ESPN #18, ME NOT RANKED)
Even in a week with Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers on a bye, I still couldn't find room for Alex Smith. Sure, Tampa Bay is pretty terrible against the pass. But hey, at least they held the Bears in check last week. Meanwhile, Alex Smith hasn't even thrown for over 200 yards since Week 7, and he has AVERAGED just over 11 fantasy points this season. He looks like he'll be without Maclin for another week, and I think this is a big Spencer Ware game. In fact, I'd almost bet that KC's defense will have more TDs than Alex Smith in this game! |
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RBs |
1.Le'Veon Bell
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2.DeMarco Murray
3.David Johnson
4.Ezekiel Elliott
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5.LeSean McCoy
6.Spencer Ware
7.Jay Ajayi
8.LeGarrette Blount
9.Lamar Miller
10.Frank Gore
11.Latavius Murray
12.Todd Gurley
13.Jonathan Stewart
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14.Theo Riddick
15.Jordan Howard
16.Jeremy Hill
17.Doug Martin
18.Carlos Hyde
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19.Rob Kelley
20.C.J. Prosise
21.Mark Ingram
22.Isaiah Crowell
23. James Starks
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24.Giovani Bernard
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25.Ryan Mathews
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26.Rashad Jennings
27.Terrance West
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28.Darren Sproles
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29.Chris Ivory
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30.Thomas Rawls
31.Dwayne Washington
32.Tim Hightower
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33.TJ Yeldon
34.James White
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35.Matt Asiata
36.Paul Perkins
37.Kenneth Dixon
38.Duke Johnson
39.Chris Thompson
40.Derrick Henry
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Last week I was one for two with my RB picks versus ESPN's rankings. I was down on Christine Michael (ESPN #18, ME #25), pointing out that he had less than 100 rushing yards in his last 3 games combined, and C.J. Prosise would likely be in the game more than him. Michael ended up with just 5 carries for 22 yards (and one catch for 4 yards). He was outside of the top-40, while Prosise was a top-10 fantasy RB in Week 10. He also got WAIVED by the Seahawks earlier this week. I mean, I was down on the guy but not THAT down on him!
I was high on Kapri Bibbs in Week 10 (ESPN #37, ME #28), who also finished outside of the top-40. I thought he'd be more in the mix against a weak New Orleans run defense, but Booker out touched him 26-7. I guess Kubiak was all talk saying Bibbs deserved more work. We'll see how that backfield shakes out after Denver's bye week...
I'm high on: Dwayne Washington (ESPN #47, ME #31)
This one is kind of a gut call, but in his first game back from injury since Week 4, Washington ended up with nearly an even split with Riddick in Week 9 against the Vikings. He only had 10 carries for 26 yards, but I like that he was heavily involved in the running game. This week he gets the Jags, who give up the 4th most rushing yards/game this season. They've also given up 9 rushing TDs, which averages out to one per week. By my monkey math, this means that Dwayne Washington has some upside to get 50 yards and find the endzone for the first time since Week 1.
I'm down on: Duke Johnson (ESPN #29, ME #38)
The Browns are facing the Steelers this week, who are giving up a lot of fantasy points to running backs this season. The problem is, Duke Johnson hasn't scored a lot of fantasy points this season. He has just two games in which he has scored double digits, and he has less than 5 fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 games. I just have a hard time recommending him at all, and he barely cracked my top-40, much less my top-30. |
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WRs
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1.Antonio Brown
2.Odell Beckham, Jr.
3.Mike Evans
4.A.J. Green
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5.Jordy Nelson
6.Dez Bryant
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7.T.Y. Hilton
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8.Allen Robinson
9.Amari Cooper
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10.Brandin Cooks
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11.Kelvin Benjamin
12.Donte Moncrief
13.Doug Baldwin
14.Larry Fitzgerald
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15.Julian Edelman
16.DeAndre Hopkins
17.Michael Crabtree
18.Terrelle Pryor, Sr.
19.Davante Adams
20.Michael Thomas
21.Stefon Diggs
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22.Golden Tate
23.Rishard Matthews
24.Randall Cobb
25.Willie Snead
26.Jamison Crowder
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27.Robert Woods
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28.Steve Smith, Sr.
29.Eli Rogers
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30.Sterling Shephard
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31.Marvin Jones
34.Tyreek Hill
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36.Cameron Meredith
37.Kenny Britt
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38.Cole Beasley
39.Eddie Royal
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40.Pierre Garcon
41.Devante Parker
42.Michael Floyd
43.Corey Coleman
44.Marqise Lee
45.Tyler Lockett
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I was one for two on my WR picks last week too, as both of my picks finished outside of the top-40. I was high on Terrelle Pryor, Sr. ( ESPN #21, ME #11), but he and Corey Coleman both put up horrible numbers against the Ravens on Thursday night. Pryor ended up with 5 catches for 48 yards. But the guy I was down, Jarvis Landry (ESPN #17, ME #24), didn't do much better. He only had 6 catches for 53 yards in San Diego, and he continues to slide down my WR rankings.
I'm high on: Eli Rogers (ESPN #43, ME #29)
I have both Demaryius and Julio on a bye this week, so I've been prepared for a couple of weeks now to start Willie Snead and Kenny Britt this week. And while I'm still starting Snead tomorrow night, Britt scares me now that Jared Goff is finally getting his first start. Maybe Goff will be better than Case Keenum. Maybe he'll be on his back all day and only complete 5 passes. Who knows? The uncertainty has me looking elsewhere for my #2 WR this week, and I keep going back and forth between Robert Woods and Eli Rogers. Ultimately I'll probably go with Woods because he's the #1 WR on his team and has legit upside in a decent matchup.
 But I really like Rogers to have a good game in Cleveland this week too. The Browns are giving up top-5 fantasy points to WRs this season, and they're getting smoked by slot receivers (where Rogers has been lined up mostly). With the Steelers dealing with several injured wideouts, Rogers is really the #2 option after Antonio Brown. I think he could easily end up with 75 yards and a TD.
I'm down on: Jordan Matthews (ESPN #23, ME #33) |
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This guy is dealing with a lot in Week 11: back spasms, a struggling rookie QB, the Legion of Boom, and a case of the drops (which really should start being called a case of the Jordan Matthews). If you're in need of a WR who will probably get you 68 yards and zero touchdowns, Jordan is your guy. But I can't see ranking him as a WR2 this week in Seattle. His upside just feels so low to me against that secondary.
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TEs
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1.Greg Olsen
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2.Jordan Reed
3.Delanie Walker
4.Martellus Bennett
5.Tyler Eifert
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6.Travis Kelce
7.Jimmy Graham
8.Eric Ebron
9.Zach Miller
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10.Kyle Rudolph
11.Cameron Brate
12.C.J. Fiedorowicz
13.Jason Witten
14.Jack Doyle
15.Julius Thomas
16.Coby Fleener
17.Zach Ertz
18.Ladarius Green
19.Gary Barnidge
20.Lance Kendricks
Last week my tight end rankings were essentially the same as ESPN's, so I didn't give you a guy I was high/down on. It was a weird week for the TE position, as tons of guys had only 4 or 5 fantasy points: Gronk, Reed, Olsen, Graham, and Kelce to name a few. I'm sure some of those guys will get on track this week, except for Gronk (who likely will be out with some sort of lung injury?).
I'm high on: Cameron Brate ( ESPN #18, ME #11)
I suppose Brate doesn't have the best matchup in Kansas City this week, but the guy has found the endzone in 3 straight games and has 5 TDs on the year. He's scored more than 6 fantasy points in 5 of his last 7 games, and I think you could do much worse after the top-10 or so ranked TEs this week.
I'm down on: Dennis Pitta (ESPN #12, ME NOT RANKED)
Speaking of much worse...
 If you're in a standard league (non PPR, no fractional points), here are Pitta's fantasy points this season:
3, 10, 4, 1, 5, 3, 4, 1, 2
Yes, he gets a lot of targets from Flacco. But he hasn't done anything with them...like at all lately! I don't see how the ESPN guys can rank him as a TE1, when there are plenty of other guys who have at least had some production since EARLY SEPTEMBER! I ranked 20 tight ends this week, and I still couldn't bring myself to rank Pitta.
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DEF
1.Seahawks
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2.Chiefs
3.Cardinals
4.Dolphins
5.Lions
6.Steelers
7.Rams
8.Giants
9.Patriots
10.Cowboys
11.Raiders
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12.Vikings
I was pretty spot on with my defensive picks last week. I was high on my Washington Redskins (ESPN #16, ME #7), who sacked Bradford 3 times and picked him off once. They weren't the #7 fantasy defense in Week 10, but they were a top-12 unit (so, startable in fantasy for sure). This week they're outside of my top-12, as they host the Packers on Sunday night. I have a feeling this one could be something like 38-31, and I don't want to bet on Aaron Rodgers continuing to turn the ball over.
I was down on the San Diego Chargers (ESPN #4, ME #11), who were riding high as of late, but a lot of it was on defensive TDs (which tend to be fluky). They gave up 25 points in a loss to the Dolphins and finished in the BOTTOM FIVE of all fantasy defenses in Week 10.
I'm high on: Detroit Lions (ESPN #13, ME #5)
I tend to like teams coming off their bye week. Last week it was the Redskins. This week it's the Lions, who get Blake Bortles and company in Week 11. Bortles has been a turnover machine this year, and Jacksonville has given up the 9th most fantasy points to opposing defenses as a result. Detroit's defense has put up good fantasy numbers in each of their last 3 games, and I think they'll keep it rolling at home in this one.
 I'm down on: Minnesota Vikings (ESPN #4, ME #12)
'Member when this was the best defense in the league? 'Member when Jon Gruden was calling them "Purple Reign" on Monday Night Football over and over and over? 'Member when they were holding teams to an average of less than 13 points/game in their first 5 games (before their bye)?
Yeah, I remember all of that. I also remember their most recent 4 games when teams have scored at least 20 points against them in each of those contests. Meanwhile, Minnesota only has 3 TOTAL sacks in those 4 games. They have also only forced 2 turnovers in their last 3 games, and those were against the Bears, Lions, and Redskins. We're not talking about powerhouse offenses who never turn over the ball. We're talking about not getting any turnovers from Jay Freaking Cutler! I almost didn't rank the Vikings this week, but I left them in the top-12 because Arizona has given up the 4th most fantasy points to opposing defenses this year. That has to count for something. I just don't think it counts toward ranking the Vikings as a top-5 unit.
Good luck to everyone in Week 11!
(Except you, Turrah...)
Cheers,
Bart
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