Fantasy Football Week 11: Return of the Bye
By Tim Bearden in News on Nov 20, 2011 3:00PM
The good news is, this is your last bye week. The bad news is, injuries continue to mount.
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has been officially ruled out against the New York Giants because of his broken ribs suffered last week. Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has also been ruled out Sunday. Peyton Hillis continues to struggle with his hamstring injury and won't play, yet again. Raiders running back Darren McFadden is showing improvements, but he is also ruled out this week. The Raiders expect him to return in Week 12. Matt Schaub is rumored out for the season with a foot injury, but the Texans have only officially listed him as out for next week's game.
After weeks of supplying fantasy advice, we should all know who the major players are and who you should start on a regular basis. But what about those on the fence guys? This week I'm dedicating this article to those players. The ones that you want to play, you really want them to do well, but they have a bit of a sorted history for your roster.
Teams on a bye this week: Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. Which means we're without top players like Drew Brees, Arian Foster, Rashard Mendenhall, Darren Sproles and Ben Roethlisberger.
So without further ado, here is your start/sit list for Week 11.
Starts:
1. Matt Moore (QB) - It's no secret that the Bills have gone cold while Moore and the previously winless Dolphins have started to click. Moore didn't throw a touchdown pass last week and relied heavily on running back Reggie Bush for two touchdowns, but he and wide-receiver Brandon Marshall have started to gel. Against a questionable Bills secondary, who are 27th in the league against the pass, he could be a good option. Especially for a bye week fill.
2. Alex Smith (QB) - Smith has been playing well this season. He's flown under the radar with names like Cam Newton and Matt Stafford making headlines. He hasn't been spectacular, but he's been fairly consistent and should do well against a weak Arizona passing defense.
3. Reggie Bush (RB) - I said at the beginning of the season Bush was going to have a good season and I was wrong, for a while. In the last two wins Bush has had three touchdowns and double digit fantasy points. He still only has one game with over 100 yards rushing, but the way he's performing shows us he's ready to be a prominent player again.
4. Maurice Morris (RB) - Jahvid Best is out with a concussion, which makes Morris the man for the Lions. He had a rough week against the Bears last week, but expect that to change as they take on the Carolina Panthers, whose rushing defense isn't exactly top of the line.
5. Harry Douglas (WR) - Douglas is performing well while Julio Jones is out with an injury. He had 133 yards last week against a tough New Orleans defense and he faces a decent one this week against Tennessee. With Matt Ryan in the pocket, I expect him to still do well.
6. Brandon Marshall (WR) - See Matt Moore. Marshall and Chad Henne just didn't have that "umph" he and Moore do right now. Marshall is starting to see a lot more targets and seems to be dropping less passes. He's a nice bye week fill in place of Marques Coltson or in place of the injured Maclin.
7. Frank Gore (RB) - Gore does have a banged-up knee and a history of injuries, but if he's listed to play, he's as good of option as any right now. He had a rough beginning this season only totaling 148 yards in the first three games, but since he's only had one game without a hundred yards. That was last week against the Giants.He should do well against Carolina.
8. Sidney Rice (WR) - He hasn't had the most consistent season, but Rice is going against the Rams this week. While they are one of the better pass defenses, Rice can be one of the better receivers when he's having a good day. This could be his week to turn things around.
9. Carson Palmer (QB) - Now that we've given him a few weeks to get back into game shape, he's a safe bet for your lineup. His first three games looked like he was still shaking off some of the rust, but he's going up against the Vikings, whose secondary is suspicious at best.
10. Fred Davis (TE) - Davis is a respected tight end who just hasn't had a consistent season. The Cowboys, though, give up the third most fantasy points to tight ends this season. And with Jimmy Graham out this week on a bye, he's nice back-up to have.
Sits:
1. Josh Freeman (QB) - He's had a good season except for last week against the Texans, and this week he plays the Packers. If Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson have their way, Freeman could be a sitting duck for sacks and turnovers.
2. Andy Dalton (QB) - Dalton may have thrown well against Tennessee's defense, but he didn't last week against the Steelers and probably won't this week against the Ravens. The Ravens and Steelers have comparable defenses and Dalton may get smothered this week.
3. Ryan Torain (RB) - Don't get Shanahan-ed. He did it to us last week by switching Roy Helu out for Torain, but it's always a gamble to go with a Mike Shanahan running back.
4. Roy Helu (RB) - See Ryan Torain.
5. Jackie Battle (RB) - The Patriots have one of the better run defenses in the league and Battle, while valuable, has been sporadic this season and just isn't a good option for Week 11.
6. Dwayne Bowe (WR) - Maybe it was a fluke last week, but it was enough of a change to spook me into thinking the Patriots passing defense may not be that bad after all. They really shut down the Jets with 5 sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one touchdown. I don't think Bowe stands a chance anymore.
7. A.J. Greene (WR) - He missed practices this week and is listed doubtful for the game on Sunday. I wouldn't risk it.
8. DeSean Jackson (WR) - The Giants have proven to be formidable opponents this season and the Eagles haven't exactly been the poster child for perfection. The Giants lead the league in sacks with 30 on the season and Vick isn't throwing this week. Jackson should probably be replaced on your roster.
9. Kellen Winslow (TE) - With Woodson being a threat anywhere on the field, Winslow probably won't see too many opportunities outside of the end zone against the Packers. And that's not always reliable for points.
10. Carolina Panthers (D/ST) - After Matthew Stafford's poor performance last week and the Lions' inability to effectively run the football, expect them to bounce back this week and give this Panthers defense fits. They haven't been that good this season and don't expect any different this week.
Those are your starts/sits for Week 11. Remember we're only a few short weeks from the playoffs. Make sure you check back here next week to see who you should rely on to get you there.
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