'Who Needs Reality?': Excellent Fantasy Football Starts for Week 11

With the exception of Justin Hunter and the majority of my tight end picks (thanks for nothing, Travis Kelce, Heath Miller and Larry Donnell), Week 10 was my best week of projections thus far this season. Most of my recommended starts performed quite well. My other three receivers besides Hunter—Jordan Matthews, Roddy White and Brandin Cooks—came through particularly well. I started that very trio in a daily fantasy league and finished quite well. 

Before my head gets any bigger and I start sounding more obnoxious than I already do, I will stop bragging about the past and start talking about the present. 

Since I was so dead-on with my picks last week, the odds are that these forthcoming picks for Week 11 in fantasy football are not going to be too accurate. 

In the name of optimism, however, I'll try my best to make it two weeks in a row of solid picks. Here are a handle of players that I love as great starts for Week 11 in the NFL. 

Please remember that I use a standard scoring system when projecting these points:

• One point per 10 rushing or receiving yards
• One point per 25 passing yards
• Six points for each rushing or receiving touchdown
• Four points for passing touchdowns
• Minus-two points for interceptions and fumbles lost

Additionally, be sure to stay tuned to the official NFL injury report to get the official word on who is in and who is out come game day.

Finally, please remember that with this column, I intend to list players you should start who wouldn't be ultra-obvious picks. Therefore, I won't be telling you to start Peyton Manning, Matt Forte, Julio Jones, etc. 

Quarterbacks to Start

Besides the obvious names this week, I don't love too many sleeper quarterbacks. I think we'll see great weeks from the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, etc. However, I think the numbers from the non-studs will be subpar. 

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

One slight under-the-radar guy who I do like very much this week is San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. Coming off a bye week and two weeks removed from a horrid 37-0 loss in Miami, I like both Rivers and the rest of the Chargers to shine this week at home against the Oakland Raiders. 

The Raiders are not a hard team to move the ball against, and I think Rivers will have multiple scoring opportunities. The yardage total probably won't be crazy since I think San Diego will run a lot, yet I think Rivers throws three touchdown passes. 

• 240 yards, one pick and three touchdowns = 19 points

Other Solid Ball-Throwers

• Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton was horrendous against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10. It was the Thursday night game, and the performance from Cincinnati on national television was embarrassing. I have to believe that Dalton has a better game this week against the New Orleans Saints. 

• Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have a ton of problems to address when the season ends, yet passing offense is definitely at the bottom of the list. McCown is a solid NFL quarterback, and with rookie receiver Mike Evans quickly becoming a star, veteran receiver Vincent Jackson still a threat to defense and rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins finding his stride, I think the Bucs will move the ball well through the air this week. Their opponent, the Washington Redskins, struggle horribly in pass coverage. 

Running Backs to Start  

Nick Wass/Associated Press

As was the case last week as well, this isn't a very good week for running backs outside of your usual studs. With DeMarco Murray, Justin Forsett and Denard Robinson all on bye and a handful of other starters banged up, you're probably happy to just have two healthy running backs to start his week. That said, here are some guys that I feel confident can get you at least eight points. 

• Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions: With Reggie Bush likely sitting out, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra, Theo Riddick gets the start as the pass-catching back for Detroit. The Arizona Cardinals are particularly good at stopping the run, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Riddick get six to eight receptions on Sunday. 

• Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans: With the amount of work he's getting, (16 or more carries in three of the last four games) it's tough to hate Sankey. Considering his highest rushing total in any of those four games was 61 yards, it's also tough to love Sankey. He's the definition of a "meh" player, yet as far as bye-week replacements go, he's very solid.  

• Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers: Gore is no longer a must-start (he's closer to a must-sit most weeks), yet he has a great matchup this week against the New York Giants. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch absolutely destroyed the Giants defense last week, rushing for 140 yards and four touchdowns. Gore won't get anywhere near that in either category, yet I can totally see 70 yards and a touchdown for "Old Man" Gore.  

Wide Receivers to Start

Bill Haber/Associated Press

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks has had at least five catches and 70 total yards in every home game this season. What is great for Cooks' owners is that the Saints play at home in four of the next six weeks. 

I am very confident in recommending Cooks moving forward. He's a safer bet at home, yet I'll take him anywhere from here on out. He's officially replaced Marques Colston as the number one wide receiver on New Orleans and is only behind tight end Jimmy Graham as quarterback Drew Brees' favorite target. 

• Seven catches, 101 yards and a touchdown = 16 (23 in PPR)

Other Solid Pass-Catchers

• Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons: White looks fully healthy as of late and has been producing nicely. Also, in his last three games against the Carolina Panthers, White has five total touchdowns and at least eight catches per game. Additionally, White only needs 73 yards to reach 10,000 career receiving yards. I think he gets it this week.

• Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts: Wayne is at the tail end of his brilliant career, and he's no longer the stud he once was. That said, I have a great feeling that Wayne shines in this week's Sunday night game against the New England Patriots. Wayne has always been a prime-time machine.

• Malcom Floyd, San Diego Chargers: Super-sleeper here, but if you need someone off the waiver wire, Floyd is an educated pick. He burned the Oakland Raiders earlier this season, so there's a good chance that Philip Rivers looks in the direction of his veteran deep-threat receiver again on Sunday. 

Tight Ends to Start

Colin E. Braley/Associated Press

I've been far too bullish on Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce this season. While he's shown flashes of brilliance and potential, he is like many of us across the country—underemployed. 

The Chiefs simply don't look Kelce's way enough to make him consistently relevant in fantasy. Additionally, he splits time with veteran tight end Anthony Fasano. This week, however, Fasano may miss the game, according to Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star, meaning that Kelce should be on the field way more than he has been. 

• Five catches, 75 yards and a touchdown = 13 points (18 in PPR) 

Other Solid Big Guys Who Catch Balls

• Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: He has two touchdowns in his last three games, and the Washington Redskins have given up the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. 

• Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings: Rudolph is a risky play because we're not sure how healthy he is returning from injury, yet even if he's only at 80 percent, he could easily exploit his matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Bears give up the most fantasy points to tight ends. 

• Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams: A sleeper pick, but if you're desperate, the Denver Broncos are not great at defending tight ends, and the Rams have to throw to somebody when they are down by 35. Cook is coming off a nice game, yet he is a desperation play; he could easily flop. 

Defense/Special Teams to Start

Bob Levey/Getty Images

I don't think a lot of defenses are going to have crazy numbers this week. There's just not many matchups that scream "shutdown" or "super sloppy" game.

That being said, my top pick for defense this week is the Houston Texans squad. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is expected to play, so between the one-two punch of him and defensive end J.J. Watt, I expect the Texans to be able to overhaul this injured Cleveland Browns offensive line and rack up some sacks. 

Other Solid Defense/Special Teams Starts

• Denver Broncos (at St. Louis Rams)

• Detroit Lions (at Arizona Cardinals)

• Arizona Cardinals (vs. Detroit Lions)

There we go, folks. Hopefully I'm on the money with some of these picks this week, and I hope the fantasy gods reward you with a victory.

Remember to always refer to your gut and intuition as the source you trust the most when making a tough lineup decision. Sometimes, it's easy to predict how things will play out logically. Often times, however, logic—and reality—is overrated. 

Who needs reality? We've got fantasy (football). 

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All stats courtesy of NFL.com and FFToday.com.