Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 11: Predicting Fantasy Studs and Duds for Upcoming Games

With unpredictability at every turn, there are many tough decisions to make in fantasy football between bench players and starters. Week 11 of the NFL season will be no different.

Whether it's a high draft pick who you have to build up the courage to sit or a recent waiver addition who is begging to be started, some choices come easier than others.

Here's a breakdown of the best starts and sits for some likely flex options on your team in Week 11. 

Start: Riley Cooper, WR, Eagles

Offseason expectations were for Cooper to be the No. 2 wideout in Philly, but he didn't surpass two catches in a game until Week 6. 

In the last two weeks, he's become a fantasy star. He has five touchdowns and 243 receiving yards in those two contests—both wins—and has turned into one of Nick Foles' favorite targets. 

His quick emergence has reverberated significantly onto fantasy football. The once waiver-ridden Cooper is now owned in 60 percent of ESPN leagues and started in a whopping 40 percent of them. 

In Week 11, Cooper faces the Redskins , who have the seventh-worst pass defense and have given up 19 passing TDs on the season—fourth-most in the NFL. Foles is scorching hot in recent weeks, and he'll continue that with Cooper for another big day on a hapless secondary. 

Sit: Greg Olsen, TE, Panthers

Coming off two straight games with a touchdown, Carolina tight end Greg Olsen had to face the elite San Francisco defense. They shut him down—one catch for 14 yards.

Olsen will face another tough test on Sunday, as his Panthers play the New England Patriots. The Pats' defense hasn't let up a touchdown to a tight end this season other than Tony Gonzalez in Week 4. 

New England has kept its opposing tight ends under 43 receiving yards in its last four outings, and that will continue against Cam Newton's offense. 

Start: Fred Jackson, RB, Bills

Let's get this out of the way—the Jets have the NFL's best rush defense. But coincidentally enough, Jackson had arguably the best rushing performance against the Jets defense of any back this season.

Jackson picked up 72 yards in Week 3, but it was on seven carries, and he also added 37 through the air. Now, C.J. Spiller is in the doghouse and Jackson is getting a lion's share of the carries. 

Inconsistency has struck the 32-year-old in recent weeks since his strong start. But going up against a defense that he notched a great performance on last time should result in a reliable outing for Jackson. 

Sit: Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints

Benching Mark Ingram would have gone without saying weeks ago. After a huge game against Dallas—14 carries, 145 yards and a touchdown—Ingram has become a blazing hot waiver wire for owners making a playoff push.

The Saints rusher is suddenly owned in 70 percent of ESPN leagues and started in just under 10 percent, but he's best set resting on the bench until he can prove himself further. He hadn't surpassed 20 yards in a game before Week 10, and it was in a blowout against Dallas.

In a clash for NFC supremacy against San Francisco this weekend, don't expect Ingram to be in much for mop-up duty like he was last week. There shouldn't be much mopping up to do in this game, as the evenly matched teams will be going to the wire.

Should Ingram's workload increase, he'll become a viable fantasy option. It's just hard to see him racking up anywhere near 14 carries in a close game. 

Start: Ben Tate, RB, Houston Texans

With Arian Foster on the IR for the rest of the year, it is Ben Tate's job to lose in Houston and he looks dead set on making the most of it.

Tate has amassed 59 carries in his last four games, all of which were losses, and heads into a favorable matchup against Oakland.

Andre Brown torched the Raiders last week for 115 yards and a score, and the same should be expected of Tate as he continues to emerge as a fantasy threat. 

Sit: Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers

Steelers rookie running back Le'Veon Bell has carried a big workload in recent weeks, having hit the double-digit mark in ESPN leagues in his last three games. But he faces a tough matchup in Week 11.

The Lions aren't elite on defense—though they give up the eighth fewest rushing yards per game and just five touchdowns on the year.

But their offense is. Matthew Stafford having a big day over a far below average Pittsburgh secondary (29th in pass defense) will force Ben Roethlisberger to air it out and abandon the run in a game that is destined to be a shootout.

Bell is only a fantasy factor when he receives a ton of carries, and that certainly won't be the case against Detroit when the Steelers go behind early. 

All stats, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of Pro Football Refernece