Welcome to our Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 11 of the 2022 fantasy football season!
We’ve made it to the double-digit fantasy weeks, which means we are one step closer to fantasy football playoff time! Contrary to popular opinion, in my opinion, this is not the time of year to be focused on your playoff matchups just yet. You must get to the big dance before you can start clicking those heels. Luckily for you, I’ve found some good matchups to try and avoid to help get you one step closer to making the playoffs this season. Here are my Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 11.
Quarterback
START: Daniel Jones versus The Detroit Lions
Is Daniel Jones a great quarterback? No. However, he has a GREAT matchup. There are four teams on bye for Week 11, so Jones can be a back-end top-12 quarterback for this week. Over the last three games, Jones had two good matchups. He scored 30.78 against the Jaguars and 22.28 against the Texans. He has at least five rush attempts per game and averages 43 rushing yards per game. Obviously, he is not Justin Fields, but Jones’ rushing provides a decent floor. The Detroit Lions give up the most fantasy points to the quarterback. Daniel is an upside bye-week replacement quarterback for Week 11.
Additional Start Candidates: Kirk Cousins vs. The Dallas Cowboys and Jimmy Garoppolo vs. The Arizona Cardinals
SIT: Matthew Stafford versus The New Orleans Saints
Matthew Stafford should be nowhere near your starting roster, and he is droppable in most leagues too. Unfortunately, the reigning Super Bowl champions have fallen apart this season. The Rams’ offensive line just keeps getting worse as they suffer another injury each week. The final straw broke the camel’s back; Cooper Kupp is on IR. The running game has been inept, and the only part of the passing game that was productive is gone. It does not matter who the Rams play because you just need to stay away from Matthew Stafford.
Additional Sit Candidates: Matt Ryan vs. The Philadelphia Eagles and Marcus Mariota vs. The Chicago Bears
Running Backs
START: David Montgomery versus The Atlanta Falcons
Pour one out for Khalil Herbert because he went to the IR. David Montgomery has been fine this season, but nothing special. However, he won’t share as many snaps and touches with Herbert injured. Montgomery’s ceiling was capped with Justin Field’s insane running over the last month. The good news is that the Atlanta Falcons are a great matchup. They have allowed seven touchdowns to running backs over the last four games. I expect Fields to run all over the Falcons, but that will open up lanes for Montgomery. Hopefully, Fields does not take away all of the scoring opportunities, but the Falcons should give the Bears plenty of opportunities to score. At worst, Montgomery should be in your flex spot, but he is worthy of an RB2 spot if you have bye-week issues with your roster.
Additional Start Candidates: Gus Edwards/Kenyan Drake vs. The Carolina Panthers and Devin Singletary vs. The Cleveland Browns
SIT: James Conner versus The San Francisco 49ers
James Conner is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season because he scored two touchdowns. He had 21 carries, which is a great workload, but he only ran for a paltry 69 yards. Conner is relevant because of his volume. However, you need to temper expectations this week because the 49ers are a tough matchup. The 49ers have allowed the fewest rushing yards to running backs this season. Conner is already inefficient in neutral matchups. The only way Conner is fantasy relevant this week is by him falling into the endzone. I do not like his odds this week and you should sit Conner.
Additional Sit Candidates: Dameon Pierce vs. The Washington Commanders and Darrell Henderson Jr. vs. The New Orleans Saints
Wide Receivers
START: George Pickens versus The Cincinnati Bengals
George Pickens is a boom/bust rookie wide receiver. He is talented and exciting, but he is attached to a bland offense. It has been a struggle for the Steelers’ offense this year to score. Typically, that is not a team profile you should target. However, it was encouraging to see the team manufacture touches for Pickens last week and he converted one of his two carries for a rushing touchdown. He does not have a great matchup this week against the Bengals. However, since Claypool was traded to the Bears, the targets are more consolidated, which is a benefit for Pickens’ upside. I would prefer to start Pickens as my WR3, but 10 of the top-20 WRs are on bye this week. Pickens has plenty of risks, but he has boom potential.
Additional Start Candidates: Kadarius Toney vs. The Los Angeles Chargers and Darius Slayton vs. The Detroit Lions
SIT: Jakobi Meyers versus The New York Jets
Jakobi Meyers is the WR1 for the New England Patriots. However, he relies on a high target share on a low-passing volume team. He is the WR21 in points per game (11.8), which is solid. This week he faces the New York Jets, who have been a frisky defense. I do not know if Sauce Gardner will shadow Meyers all game, but the rookie cornerback is a STUD and will shut down Meyers anytime he covers him. The Patriots have run the ball great this season, but their passing game has been below average. I cannot buy into Meyers this week with this tough matchup because I cannot trust that he will get double-digit targets to make him fantasy-relevant.
Additional Sit Candidates: Adam Thielen vs. The Dallas Cowboys and Brandin Cooks vs. The Washington Commanders
Tight Ends
START: Cole Kmet versus The Atlanta Falcons
Cole Kmet is on FIRE! Is it sustainable? Statistics would say no. However, the tight end position is a wasteland for fantasy, so ride the momentum with Kmet until it comes crashing down. He has scored five touchdowns over the last three games. He is the TE1 during the span, scoring 11.8 fantasy points more than the TE2 (Dallas Goedert). Kmet led tight ends during that span in target share (28.9%), but he had the 5th most targets (13) and 5th most receptions (9). The Chicago Bears offense does not pass enough. That is why Kmet’s success is unsustainable. Fields’ dual-threat ability has challenged defenses and Kmet has taken advantage by getting open and scoring touchdowns. Kmet is Fields’ favorite target right now. The Atlanta Falcons are a positive matchup for Kmet because they give up the 9th most points to the tight end position. Eventually, the clock will strike midnight for this Cinderella story will come to end and Kmet will turn back into a pumpkin, but until then keep starting Cole Kmet.
Additional Start Candidates: Greg Dulcich vs. The Las Vegas Raiders and Dawson Knox vs. The Cleveland Browns
SIT: Kyle Pitts versus The Chicago Bears
Guess who had the 2nd highest target share for tight ends over the last three games? Kyle Pitts! He was right behind our “Tight End Start of the Week” with a 28.8% target share. Now Kmet and Pitts play in the same game in Week 11. Why should you sit Kyle Pitts then? Those are empty targets for Pitts. He has an astounding 15 targets during that three-game span, but only four receptions. Marcus Mariota and Kyle Pitts are just not on the same page. Pitts is incredibly athletic and talented, but it is not translating to fantasy football success this season. Pitts has the highest average depth of target for all tight ends by almost three yards (13.7 aDOT)! The Falcons are trying to use Pitts downfield for big plays, but Mariota is not connecting with him. Pitts’ tight end league-leading air yards (740) have been basically worthless this season. He is the TE30 for fantasy points per target (1.26 points). There is no way to trust Kyle Pitts until he has multiple positive games in a row, so you must sit him for Week 11.
Additional Sit Candidates: Pat Freiermuth vs. The Cincinnati Bengals and Tyler Higbee vs. The New Orleans Saints
