Fantasy Football Rankings Week 11: Highlighting Most Trustworthy Stars

Every week, I get a lot of questions from people on Twitter asking me if they should trust their stars despite tough upcoming matchups. And depending on the player—some guys should never, ever be doubted—their fears are generally warranted.

That said, there are plenty of stars with favorable matchups this week whom you absolutely, positively should trust. You'll find them in my top-10 rankings, and we'll break a few of them down, along with providing an overall look at each position this week.

Notes: Points against stats via ESPN. Point totals are for standard-scoring leagues. The St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys are on a bye. 

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Robert Griffin III	Washington	Philadelphia Eagles	28
2	Nick Foles	Philadelphia Eagles	Washington	25
3	Cam Newton	Carolina Panthers	New England Patriots	24
4	Matt Stafford	Detroit Lions	Pittsburgh Steelers	22
5	Drew Brees	New Orleans Saints	San Francisco 49ers	21
6	Peyton Manning	Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	20
7	Russell Wilson	Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	18
8	Andy Dalton	Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	17
9	Case Keenum	Houston Texans	Oakland Raiders	17
10	Matt Ryan	Atlanta Falcons	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	16

Despite both players having tough matchups, you simply don't sit Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, ever. They are so good—and their offenses so potent—that they get started regardless of their opponent. 

That said, it doesn't mean either one is the top option this week. They remain in the QB1 grouping, but matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, respectively, limit their upside somewhat. 

Generally speaking, I think you trust your studs at quarterback this week. A few players have emerged in the later weeks—well hello there, Nick Foles and Case Keenum—but don't get too fancy at quarterback.

And don't trust Tom Brady just yet—the Carolina Panthers give up just 8.4 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks per game, best in the NFL. 

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	LeSean McCoy	Philadelphia Eagles	Washington	22
2	Marshawn Lynch	Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	21
3	Jamaal Charles	Kansas City Chiefs	Denver Broncos	19
4	Adrian Peterson	Minnesota Vikings	Seattle Seahawks	18
5	Frank Gore	San Francisco 49ers	New Orleans Saints	17
6	Reggie Bush	Detroit Lions	Pittsburgh Steelers	17
7	Alfred Morris	Washington	Philadelphia Eagles	16
8	Matt Forte	Chicago Bears	Baltimore Ravens	15
9	Giovani Bernard	Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	14
10	Eddie Lacy	Green Bay Packers	New York Giants	13

Much like the quarterback position, you trust your studs at running back this week.

Yes, the questions get interesting in the RB2 ranks—can you trust Stevan Ridley against the Carolina Panthers? Can we trust Ray Rice or C.J. Spiller again this season? Will Knowshon Moreno disappear against Kansas City? How much will Chris Johnson produce against the Indianapolis Colts—but the RB1 group is pretty much par for the course this week. 

Matt Forte isn't a tough call to start given how good he has been this year, but his upside seems limited by a Baltimore Ravens defense giving up just 10.4 points to opposing running backs per week, best in the NFL. Still, Giovani Bernard managed 14 points against them last weekend, so Forte should produce as well. 

LeSean McCoy is still a steady RB1, but he probably won't be one of the top two or three options very often the rest of the way. With Foles starting, McCoy is averaging 12.2 points. When Foles hasn't started this year, McCoy averaged 14.8 points and exceeded 20 points twice. 

Still, a matchup against Washington is tantalizing to put him atop the rankings this week. 

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Calvin Johnson	Detroit Lions	Pittsburgh Steelers	23
2	DeSean Jackson	Philadelphia Eagles	Washington	20
3	Brandon Marshall	Chicago Bears	Baltimore Ravens	19
4	Josh Gordon	Cleveland Browns	Cincinnati Bengals	18
5	Vincent Jackson	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	16
6	Demaryius Thomas	Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	15
7	Andre Johnson	Houston Texans	Oakland Raiders	14
8	Pierre Garcon	Washington	Philadelphia Eagles	14
9	Larry Fitzgerald	Arizona Cardinals	Jacksonville Jaguars	13
10	Antonio Brown	Pittsburgh Steelers	Detroit Lions	13

Welcome back to the land of the WR1, Andre Johnson—you were sorely missed. Sixty-three fantasy points in his past three games with Keenum under center will do that. This week, he replaces Jordy Nelson, who has exactly nine receptions for 96 yards since Aaron Rodgers went down to injury in the Green Bay Packers' first drive against the Chicago Bears two weeks ago. 

A lot of folks have questioned why I have Josh Gordon so high, and the answer is two-fold. First, the Cincinnati Bengals are without their top cover corner, Leon Hall. Second, Gordon has reached seven or more fantasy points in five of seven games and has hit double-digit points four times. 

I think he's locked and loaded as a WR1, barring truly tough matchups.

A.J. Green also drops out of the top 10 this week with a tough assignment lining up across from Joe Haden, making it a tough week for elite receiving options considering Dez Bryant is on bye and Wes Welker could have a tough week against a good Kansas City offense.

Still, mainstays of the WR1 group—Calvin Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Brandon Marshall and Demaryius Thomas—aren't going anywhere and seem matchup-proof at this point. And look for Vincent Jackson to break his string of three-straight games with seven fantasy points or less against the same Atlanta Falcons defense he torched in Week 7 to the tune of 10 receptions, 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Jimmy Graham	New Orleans Saints	San Francisco 49ers	17
2	Rob Gronkowski	New England Patriots	Carolina Panthers	17
3	Jordan Cameron	Cleveland Browns	Cincinnati Bengals	15
4	Vernon Davis*	San Francisco 49ers	New Orleans Saints	14
5	Jordan Reed	Washington	Philadelphia Eagles	13
6	Tony Gonzalez*	Atlanta Falcons	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	13
7	Julius Thomas	Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	11
8	Antonio Gates	San Diego Chargers	Miami Dolphins	10
9	Timothy Wright	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	9
10	Greg Olsen	Carolina Panthers	New England Patriots	9

In general, this position is so thin that you have no choice but to trust your studs.

And honestly, players like Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and Julius Thomas have done nothing to make you doubt them. Jordan Cameron torched the Bengals for 10 receptions, 91 yards and a touchdown in Week 4, so he should get back on track after having just one reception for four yards last week.

The only real concern among the top 10 is the health of Vernon Davis and Tony Gonzalez. Davis practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday, so he should be good to go, though Gonzalez didn't practice and looks like a game-time decision.

If he starts, you start him. But have a backup plan in place.

Defense/Special Teams

Rank	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Seattle Seahwks	Minnesota Vikings	18
2	Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	16
3	New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	15
4	Arizona Cardinals	Jacksonville Jaguars	14
5	Detroit Lions	Pittsburgh Steelers	12
6	New England Patriots	Carolina Panthers	11
7	Green Bay Packers	New York Giants	10
8	New York Giants	Green Bay Packers	10
9	Carolina Panthers	New England Patriots	9
10	Indianapolis Colts	Tennessee Titans	8

Surprisingly, two of the top four fantasy defenses—the Chiefs and Niners—don't even make this list, while starting the Panthers is absolutely terrifying against a rejuvenated Brady and New England Patriots offense coming off a bye.

I like the Panthers enough to keep them in the top 10, but they're a risky selection nonetheless. 

So, trust the Seattle Seahawks or Bengals, but after that, don't be afraid to go with an unorthodox choice for your defense this week. 

Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy lineup questions, tweet random fantasy musings and wonder how the New Orleans Saints could earn almost as many first downs (40) on Sunday night as the Dallas Cowboys ran plays (43).