Week 11 Fantasy Football Rankings: Analyzing Top Starts for Every Position

The dreaded bye week is almost a thing of the past for fantasy football owners.

This weekend, 30 NFL squads will take the field, giving fantasy managers more options at their disposal. Those with Dallas Cowboys on their roster will have to fill a void or two, but gamers will not be counting on a St. Louis Ram other than the burgeoning Zac Stacy. 

That means this week's rankings should be more prominently filled with stars occupying the top spots. Gone are the days of pressing Keenan Allen into top-10 duty.

Who will be Week 11's top fantasy performers? To the ranking tables we go!

Quarterback

Rank	Player	Matchup
1	Drew Brees	San Francisco 49ers
2	Peyton Manning	Kansas City Chiefs
3	Russell Wilson	Minnesota Vikings
4	Philip Rivers	at Miami Dolphins
5	Robert Griffin III	at Philadelphia Eagles
6	Matthew Stafford	at Pittsburgh Steelers
7	Nick Foles	Washington Redskins
8	Cam Newton	New England Patriots
9	Ben Roethlisberger	Detroit Lions
10	Tom Brady	at Carolina Panthers

Do Drew Brees and Peyton Manning have particularly promising matchups? No. Are you still insane for even considering benching one of them? Absolutely. (Unless you have both, but in that case, how? And why?)

Russell Wilson is this week's fringe fantasy starter who volts into top-five quarterback territory due to his appetizing matchup against the Vikings, who allow 399.3 total yards per game. A returning Percy Harvin would sweeten the pot even more.

Starting any quarterback against Carolina is risky business, but it will take a strong-minded individual to sit Tom Brady after burning the Pittsburgh Steelers for 432 yards and four touchdowns.

The Lions allow 275.6 passing yards per game and will force the Pittsburgh Steelers to fire away through the air. Ben Roethlisberger compiled a combined 789 yards against the Vikings and Bears earlier in the season, so consider using him against another defensively challenged NFC North squad.

Running Back

Rank	Player	Matchup
1	LeSean McCoy	Washington Redskins
2	Jamaal Charles	at Denver Broncos
3	Marshawn Lynch	Minnesota Vikings
4	Adrian Peterson	at Seattle Seahawks
5	Frank Gore	at New Orleans Saints
6	Knowshon Moreno	Kansas City Chiefs
7	Reggie Bush	at Pittsburgh Steelers
8	Alfred Morris	at Philadelphia Eagles
9	Matt Forte	vs. Baltimore Ravens
10	Eddie Lacy	at New York Giants

After Dallas, Washington allows the most fantasy points per game to running backs at 21.6, according to ESPN. LeSean McCoy earned 184 rushing yards and a touchdown during their earlier meeting.

The Chiefs lead the league in defensive sacks and takeaways, but they also surrender 5.0 yards per carry. Don't shy away from Knowshon Moreno this Sunday.

Against the Saints, who ran third against the pass but 23rd against the run, don't be surprised if Frank Gore gets the ball 25-30 times for a San Francisco team that records the league's least amount of passing yards.

Not included above, Andre Brown is now the undisputed No. 1 back for the Giants. Chris Ivory should receive another heavy workload against the Bills, and Andre Ellington will have a monster game if the Cardinals just give him the darn ball.

Wide Receiver

Rank	Player	Matchup
1	Calvin Johnson	at Pittsburgh Steelers
2	Andre Johnson	Oakland Raiders
3	DeSean Jackson	Washington Redskins
4	Brandon Marshall	at Chicago Bears
5	Pierre Garcon	at Philadelphia Eagles
6	A.J. Green	Cleveland Browns
7	Vincent Jackson	Atlanta Falcons
8	Antonio Brown	Detroit Lions
9	Demaryius Thomas	Kansas City Chiefs
10	Victor Cruz	Green Bay Packers

I don't know—are you guys really sold on this Calvin Johnson guy? Yes? Fine, I'll give him a shot against Pittsburgh, who allowed 55 points to the Patriots during Week 9.

Exhibit A on why you never let touchdowns guide your decisions: After starting the first seven games of 2013 without a touchdown, Andre Johnson has scored five times in the past two games. The targets and production were always there, so naturally, the end-zone trips followed. Kudos to those who bought low on the star wideout.

Denver's trio of receivers have a tough secondary awaiting them, but they're too good to bench. The same goes for A.J. Green, who should be followed by Joe Haden all day.

I endorsed Big Ben, so some receiver has to reap those rewards. Enter Antonio Brown,who has caught at least five passes in every game this season.

Tight End

Rank	Player	Matchup
1	Jimmy Graham	San Francisco 49ers
2	Rob Gronkowski	at Carolina Panthers
3	Antonio Gates	at Miami Dolphins
4	Jordan Reed	at Philadelphia Eagles
5	Julius Thomas	Kansas City Chiefs
6	Jordan Cameron	at Cincinnati Bengals
7	Tony Gonzalez	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8	Vernon Davis	at New Orleans Saints
9	Greg Olsen	New England Patriots
10	Timothy Wright	Atlanta Falcons

The Dolphins have surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points per game (8.8) against tight ends, so expect a nice effort from Antonio Gates. He hasn't scored in his last five games, but the big man has averaged 8.4 targets during that stretch.

The Eagles have the only defense playing in Week 11 that yields more than 300 passing yards per game. That makes Jordan Reed one of many Washington skill players worth starting on Sunday.

Jordan Cameron is no longer praised as a fantasy deity after totaling a subdued 240 yards and a touchdown in his last five games (including a four-yard dud last weekend), but he's still a top talent who caught 10 passes the last time he faced the Bengals.

Defense

Rank	Team	Matchup
1	Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings
2	Arizona Cardinals	at Jacksonville Jaguars
3	Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns
4	Houston Texans	Oakland Raiders
5	Carolina Panthers	New England Patriots
6	Buffalo Bills	New York Jets
7	Chicago Bears	Baltimore Ravens
8	New England Patriots	at Carolina Panthers
9	New York Jets	at Buffalo Bills
10	New York Giants	Green Bay Packers

The Texans still lead the league with 280.0 yards allowed per game. They're going to eventually figure this out, and Oakland is as good of an opponent as any to start against.

With 32 sacks and 16 takeaways, the Bills are a sneaky, good fantasy defense. Take a chance on Geno Smith increasing his 16-turnover tally.

Over the past three games, the Giants have collected eight turnovers and were responsible for just three touchdowns. Their opponents have guided this turnaround, but Scott Tolzien isn't Aaron Rodgers.

Although the Chiefs have been far and beyond the best fantasy defense this season, it's not safe starting them against the Broncos. But if the decision boils down to use them or dump them, hope for the best against a battered Peyton Manning.

Kicker

Rank	Player	Matchup
1	Steven Hauschka	Minnesota Vikings
2	Matt Prater	Kansas City Chiefs
3	Nick Folk	at Buffalo Bills
4	Nick Novak	at Miami Dolphins
5	Justin Tucker	at Chicago Bears
6	Alex Henery	Washington Redskins
7	Robbie Gould	Baltimore Ravens
8	David Akers	at Pittsburgh Steelers
9	Stephen Gostkowski	at Carolina Panthers
10	Graham Gano	New England Patriots

The Jets have the perfect offense for a kicker's fantasy value. They can move the ball but not prolifically enough to find the end zone with poise. Nick Folk has converted six field goals of 40 yards or more during their last three games.

Graham Gano has made five 50-yard field goals for a team that feels little need to force the issue with such a stout defense backing it up.