Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 11: Choosing Top Fantasy Football Locks and Flops

At no point in the NFL season can fantasy football players stop adapting. Ignoring current trends and settling into a routine lineup could prove costly come playoff time.

One way or another, injuries plant an imprint over the week's prominent roster decisions. A key return directs a running back into starting lineups over his part-time replacement, and a recuperating quarterback climbs above an ailing signal-caller battling a sour stretch.

Ailments aren't contained to that battered person. With a former fantasy starting quarterback out of commission, his wide receivers will pay the price, especially this weekend.

November is no time for loyalty, so don't be afraid to jettison some big names to the bench in lieu of someone with a better matchup. Ride with these guys in Week 11 at the expense of expected duds on the other side of the equation.

Quarterback: Start Robert Griffin III Over Cam Newton

The last time Robert Griffin III truly warranted QB1 status, we lived in a much different world. Way back in 2012, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers posted gaudy numbers, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series while LeBron James battled the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

OK, so maybe things haven't changed that much over the past two years. Griffin's rookie breakout is still etched enough in everyone's memory to keep him fantasy relevant despite missing six games this season.

Heck, it was just a month ago people labeled Kirk Cousins Washington's future franchise quarterback. After all, he played well in one game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so clearly he's the reincarnation of Tom Brady.

So why give Griffin a show of support this week? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers allow 18.1 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, per ESPN.com's standard scoring. That mark ranks fifth-worst, which is actually a flattering representation of their defense, slotted second-worst in passing defense and opposing completion percentage.

In his first game back from an ankle injury, Griffin went 18-of-28 for 251 passing yards, a touchdown and a pick against the Minnesota Vikings, a sneaky tough matchup considering their No. 4 passing defense. A Week 10 bye gave him an extra week to repair, so roll with him against Tampa Bay.

The Atlanta Falcons are the only defense that has allowed more passing yards per game than the Buccaneers. Cam Newton is facing them this Sunday, giving the dual-threat fantasy star a golden opponent. He's still not a top-10 play.

Newton is averaging 233.3 passing yards per game with a 58.1 completion percentage that ranks 28th among qualified quarterbacks. He has surrendered eight interceptions during the past six games, including three in a Monday night slaughtering where he got sacked nine times by the Philadelphia Eagles.

He's taken a massive beating over his career, as evidenced by ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Per the Charlotte Observer's Jonathan Jones, Newton conceded to feeling an ill-effect due to the barrage of hits: 

"

Hurt is hurt, If you’re asking me am I hurt right now? Yeah, I’m hurt. I haven’t felt 100 percent in a long time. Is that going to hinder anything or that’s been my excuse of why we’re on a losing streak? No. But can I play? Yes, I can play. And I will be playing. So it’s mind over matter. You can’t give it energy, and I’m not.

"

Until his productions proves he is fine, look for a better alternative to Newton.

Running Back: Start Ryan Mathews Over Branden Oliver

Harry How/Getty Images

Missing the past seven games due to a sprained MCL, Ryan Mathews will return at an opportune time. Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego projected Mathews' workload for his revival with the San Diego Chargers this weekend.

"Mathews likely will lead the backfield in touches versus Oakland, projecting to see around 15 or so, depending on game flow," Gehlken wrote on Wednesday.

Hardly a crazy amount, it's enough to make him an intriguing flex play against the Oakland Raiders, who rank No. 27 against the run. Mathews hasn't suited up since Week 2, and he averaged 3.1 yards per carry during that short sample size. But before going down, he happened to have faced two top-five rushing defenses. 

The hesitant owner would rather not rush someone back into the starting lineup after a two-month absence. Let him prove he's healthy as the San Diego Chargers ease him back into action. That's well and good, but few gamers are swimming in potent rushers.

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Had Mathews returned a month ago, he might not have had returned to a starting gig. Branden Oliver churned out two consecutive 100-yard outings in Weeks 5 and 6, making him fantasy's new flavor of the week at running back.

Since those two outings, the undrafted rookie has delivered deteriorated results with the passing of each week. He's averaging 3.0 yards per carry in his past three games, failing to reach the end zone after scoring three times during his two-week breakout.

Date	OPP	Rush	Rush YDs	YPC	Rec.	Rec YDs
10/19	KC	15	67	4.5	2	11
10/23	DEN	13	36	2.8	7	27
11/2	MIA	13	19	1.5	1	7

The Chargers and fantasy gamers caught lightning in a bottle for a momentary clip, but he'll get tossed to the wayside with Mathews back in the fold. 

Wide Receiver: Start Mohamed Sanu Over Any Arizona Cardinals Wideout

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Mohamed Sanu ignited most of his owners' fears with a two-catch, 20-yard dud against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10. After shining so for long, he found himself back in A.J. Green's shadow.

Sure, he loses some value with the Cincinnati Bengals' star wideout around, but don't write off Sanu due to one uneventful evening. He didn't disappear, as Andy Dalton targeted him seven times, which is still decent despite being his lowest tally since Week 2.

In Green's first game back from a month-long hiatus, Sanu secured 95 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars, proving the third-year pro can still hold his own given the right matchup. Ranked No. 24 against the pass, the New Orleans Saints are that right matchup.

Weird things have happened in Thursday night games, so don't panic too much over Dalton's stinker against the Browns. He remains qualified enough to feed Green and Sanu the ball, and both can make defenders pay deep.

Now for the gloomier outlook. On the verge of sparking a career renaissance for the 8-1 Arizona Cardinals, Carson Palmer's season took a cruel turn when he suffered yet another devastating injury at the worst possible time. After tearing his ACL last Sunday, the veteran is done for the season, as noted by the NFL's official Twitter account:

While the Cardinals have held down the fort with Drew Stanton at the helm, the 30-year-old understudy has completed 49.5 percent of his passes in a limited sample size. In the three games he has started, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd have both failed to score a single touchdown.

Stanton's three scores each benefited John Brown, a talented deep threat who is nowhere near consistent enough to trust on a weekly basis. Especially against the Detroit Lions, who give up the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in ESPN.com leagues.

Even with a healthy Palmer, none of Arizona's receivers are recommendable choices this week. Without him, Fitzgerald is the only semi-startable one, and even the future Hall of Famer is safe to bench.

Player	Position	Team	OPP
Mark Sanchez	QB	PHI	GB
Tre Mason	RB	STL	DEN
Matt Asiata	RB	MIN	CHI
Rueben Randle	WR	NYG	SF
Reggie Wayne	WR	IND	NE
Mychal Rivera	TE	OAK	SD

Player	Position	Team	OPP
Rashad Jennings	RB	NYG	SF
Jonathan Stewart	RB	CAR	ATL
Pierre Garcon	WR	WAS	TB
Greg Jennings	WR	MIN	CHI
Jared Cook	TE	STL	DEN
Cleveland Browns	D/ST	CLE	HOU