Week 11 Fantasy Football Rankings: Analyzing Top Performers for Each Position
November 13, 2013
The 2013 season of fantasy football, much like the NFL itself, has been a quite unpredictable roller coaster.
Finding consistent performers in the fantasy landscape is easier said than done this year, with injuries and surprising results decimating expectations more so than in recent seasons.
But these select few at each position are worth putting faith in, as they'll be on top of the fantasy world—at least for one weekend.
Let's break down the top five fantasy performers at each position entering Week 11.
| Week 11—Top Fantasy QBs | ||
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent |
| 1 | Drew Brees (Saints) | 49ers |
| 2 | Peyton Manning (Broncos) | Chiefs |
| 3 | Cam Newton (Panthers) | Patriots |
| 4 | Russell Wilson (Seahawks) | Vikings |
| 5 | Matthew Stafford (Lions) | Steelers |
| Steven Cook's projections | ||
Drew Brees has been scorching hot in fantasy football. In related news, water is wet.
In a tough matchup week for the league's top quarterbacks, Brees will rise above his own formidable opponent in the San Francisco 49ers. Throwing for a combined 11 touchdowns and over 300 yards in his last three games, Brees will continue his electrifying ways.
Gimpy ankle or not, nothing is wrong with Peyton Manning's arm, and his high-flying offense should have some success against even the toughest of defenses in the Kansas City Chiefs.
Matthew Stafford won't have his typical dominant performance against the fourth-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers pass defense, but his pass-happy offense will result in a decent outing for him.
| Week 11—Top Fantasy RBs | ||
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent |
| 1 | Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks) | Vikings |
| 2 | Jamaal Charles (Chiefs) | Broncos |
| 3 | Adrian Peterson (Vikings) | Seahawks |
| 4 | LeSean McCoy (Eagles) | Redskins |
| 5 | Reggie Bush (Lions) | Steelers |
| Steven Cook's projections | ||
Arguably the two most dominant fantasy backs meet in Week 11, with Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Seahawks hosting Adrian Peterson's Minnesota Vikings.
That game is set to be a mismatch, and the performances of each running back will reflect that. The Seahawks will be nursing a lead early on and will pound the rock with the physical Lynch. But, as we've seen plenty of times, being down doesn't exactly mean the Vikes will abandon AP and the run game.
I went with Reggie Bush over guys like Frank Gore and Knowshon Moreno for No. 5, mainly because the Steelers struggle on the ground with the 29th-ranked run defense. He's also a very potent factor in the passing game.
| Week 11—Top Fantasy WRs | ||
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson (Lions) | Steelers |
| 2 | Brandon Marshall (Bears) | Ravens |
| 3 | Andre Johnson (Texans) | Raiders |
| 4 | Demaryius Thomas (Broncos) | Chiefs |
| 5 | A.J. Green (Bengals) | Browns |
| Steven Cook's projections | ||
Whether he plays the fourth-ranked pass defense or not, Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson is pretty much a shoo-in for the top fantasy receiver slot. He's surpassed 20 ESPN fantasy points in each of his last three games.
Past him, Brandon Marshall is another obvious choice, as his game hasn't missed a step since Josh McCown took over at QB for the Chicago Bears. The opposing Baltimore Ravens rank in the bottom half of the league in pass defense.
It's been a season to forget for the Houston Texans, but not wideout Andre Johnson. Off his 229-yard, three-score performance in Week 9, he added two more touchdowns in Week 10 and looks like Case Keenum's favorite target.
Facing the 22nd-ranked pass defense in the Oakland Raiders, count on Johnson to have another big day.
| Week 11—Top Fantasy TEs | ||
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent |
| 1 | Jimmy Graham (Saints) | 49ers |
| 2 | Rob Gronkowski (Patriots) | Panthers |
| 3 | Vernon Davis (49ers) | Saints |
| 4 | Julius Thomas (Broncos) | Chiefs |
| 5 | Jordan Reed (Redskins) | Eagles |
| Steven Cook's projections | ||
It's tough to pick against Rob Gronkowski as the league's top tight end fantasy-wise, but Jimmy Graham will dethrone him for this week.
Gronkowski faces a tough matchup against the surging Carolina Panthers, who have put a lid over the end zone lately. While he should have his usual effective game, Graham's matchup against San Francisco should produce more numbers.
The Panthers held Vernon Davis to just one catch for two yards last week, but the Niners offense should flow through its security blanket this weekend as it looks to forget that ugly loss to Carolina.
Jordan Reed's emergence has made him a reliable fantasy play, but this week he enters the top five coming off a stellar month of play. A tough road test at the Philadelphia Eagles will make him even more of an option for Robert Griffin III.
| Week 11—Top Fantasy D/STs | ||
| Rank | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Seahawks | Vikings |
| 2 | Cardinals | Jaguars |
| 3 | Bengals | Browns |
| 4 | Panthers | Patriots |
| 5 | Packers | Giants |
| Steven Cook's projections | ||
A turnover machine, the Seattle defense tops the rankings again as it faces a Vikings offense in Week 11 that always poses a possibility of coming up flat.
The Arizona Cardinals defense has put up solid performances against the Atlanta Hawks and Houston in recent weeks. Playing the Jacksonville Jaguars automatically makes a defense a fantasy option, but Arizona has earned its No. 2 ranking.
Having not given up 20 points since Week 5, the Panthers defense is disrupting backfields and should continue that trend despite playing the always tough New England Patriots.
The Green Bay Packers have been hit or miss in fantasy, but playing the turnover-prone New York Giants, Green Bay should be able to notch a couple of takeaways and give its team a boost on defense without Aaron Rodgers around to lead the offense.