Week 11 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

The 2025 fantasy football season has flown by with dizzying speed, and hard though it may be to believe, the final month of the regular season is already here in most leagues.

And that means it's time for the stretch run.

For some, this last month of the season is equal parts celebration and coronation. Barring complete collapse, they will cruise into the playoffs. The goal now is to prevent that collapse and lock down a first-round bye.

For others, it's all over but the crying; however, misery loves company, so they can try to at least play spoiler and drag as many teams down with them as possible.

Then there's the large group of fantasy managers for whom nothing is certain. Stack some victories, and it's on to fantasy's second season; stumble, though, and this year's campaign will end in disappointment.

Regardless of which camp you're in, the goal in Week 11 is the same: Set the best possible lineup and notch a win. The point of this column is to help you do just that, by pointing out some players who should be rolled out this week and some others who should be rolled as far away from the starting lineup as possible.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Bengals QB Joe Flacco

Start 'Em

Joe Flacco, Cincinnato Bengals (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

The return of Joe Burrow to the practice field may have put an expiration date of sorts on Flacco's fantasy value. However, the veteran threw for 470 yards and four touchdowns last time out, and now faces a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that ranks dead-last in the NFL in pass defense.

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Rodgers isn't especially easy to trust in fantasy after laying an egg in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Bengals defense tends to make every opposing quarterback look like a superstar. Only the Dallas Cowboys have surrendered more fantasy points per game to the position this year.

Sit 'Em

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (at DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,800]

Sitting Mahomes may not be realistic for many fantasy managers, but his 250-yard, zero-score effort against the Buffalo Bills last week was his worst statistical effort of the season. This week, he draws an even worse matchup against a Broncos team that is 31st in fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at BUF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,400]

Mayfield has been mired in something of a statistical funk, and he ranks outside the top-20 quarterbacks in fantasy points since Week 6. The Bills stumbled badly last week in Miami, but they are still third in pass defense and fourth in fantasy points per game surrendered to quarterbacks in 2025.

Sleeper

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,700]

The idea of starting Smith in an important fantasy matchup may not be appealing, but the Dallas defense has been 12 kinds of terrible this year. The Cowboys are 31st in both total defense and scoring defense and sit 29th in the league against the pass. If ever there was a week for Smith to be fantasy-relevant, this is it.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Start 'Em

Woody Marks, Houston Texans (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Marks out-touched veteran Nick Chubb 16-6 last week, turning those 16 touches into 81 total yards and a touchdown. A similar workload this week against the woeful Titans should produce a beefy stat line. Tennessee ranks 27th in the NFL against the run and fourth in PPR points per game allowed to running backs.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers (at JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

The Jaguars aren't an especially favorable fantasy matchup for opposing running backs, but after turning 26 touches into 108 total yards and a score last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vidal has now surpassed 100 yards with a touchdown in two of his past three starts. He's a top-15 fantasy RB over that span.

Sit 'Em

R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Harvey is a popular player in fantasy circles with JK Dobbins' status for Week 11 (and potentially longer) in danger due to a foot injury. But while Harvey should see an uptick in touches this week, it comes against a Chiefs defense giving up the seventh-fewest PPR points per game to running backs.

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens (at CLE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,600]

Henry is on pace to top 1,300 rushing yards for the season, and he's near-impossible to sit in fantasy leagues. But when the Ravens faced the Browns in Baltimore in Week 2, he had his worst outing of the season—just 23 rushing yards on 11 carries. Cleveland is dead-last in PPR points per game allowed to running backs this year.

Sleeper

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,500]

Rodriguez actually drew the start over Jacory Croskey-Merritt last week before leaving the game with a shoulder issue. The third-year pro is off the injury report ahead of a road matchup with the Miami Dolphins, who have allowed 139.7 yards per game on the ground—seventh-most in the NFL.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Eric Gay

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton

Start 'Em

Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings (vs. CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Addison has just eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown over the past three games combined. He is overdue for a big game, and the Bears have been soft against the pass, 26th in passing yards per game surrendered and fifth in PPR points per game given up to wide receivers.

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (at JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]

Allen was quiet in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he did become the Chargers' all-time franchise leader in receptions, passing Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates. Look for bigger and better things from Allen against a Jaguars defense allowing the 10th-most PPR points per game to wideouts.

Sit 'Em

Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,400]

London has been on fire the past couple of games, amassing 15 catches for 222 yards and four touchdowns over that span. But the last time the Falcons faced the Panthers they didn't score a point (no, really), and Carolina is quietly surrendering the fourth-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Somehow, Troy Franklin (and not Sutton) leads all Broncos in targets this season. The Chiefs have given up the sixth-fewest PPR points per game to receivers this year, and in two matchups against Kansas City last season, Sutton had six catches for 75 yards.

Sleeper

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals (vs. SF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,800]

With Marvin Harrison Jr. out this week after an appendectomy, Wilson will serve as Arizona's No. 1 wideout Sunday. That should mean a nice target share against a San Francisco 49ers team that ranks 22nd against the pass in a game where the Redbirds will likely be trailing.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts

Start 'Em

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

Why the NFL is subjecting the good people of Madrid to this dog of a football game is a mystery. With Terry McLaurin again on the shelf, Ertz should be a significant part of the Washington offense, and the Dolphins have allowed the third-most PPR points per game to tight ends in 2025.

Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000]

Pitts has been in a funk of late—he hasn't topped 10 PPR points since catching nine passes for 59 yards in Week 8 and hasn't found the end zone since Week 4. He should shake off that slump this week against a Panthers team that has given up the seventh-most PPR points per game to tight ends this season.

Sit 'Em

Travis Kelce, Kansas City (at DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,800]

Kelce has looked like, well, Travis Kelce the past two weeks, piling up 10 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown over that stretch. However, the Broncos defense is allowing less than 180 passing yards per game this year.

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (at PHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,400]

LaPorta has been on a mini-rip the past two weeks, posting top-five fantasy numbers over that span. However, in addition to a poor fantasy matchup with an Eagles team allowing the third-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends, he has picked up a back injury and missed practice time this week.

Sleeper

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

Pittsburgh's offense looked atrocious from top to bottom last week against the Chargers, but nothing cures an ailing offense quicker than a date with a Bengals defense that also leads the league in PPR points per game given up to TEs this year.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Falcons LB Kaden Elliss

Start 'Em

Atlanta Falcons Defense (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500]

The Falcons have been inconsistent defensively this season, and they rank just inside the top-15 defenses in fantasy points. However, the Panthers offense is not great. It's allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to defenses.

San Francisco 49ers Defense (at ARI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

The 49ers are one defensive injury away from open tryouts in the parking lot, but that likely won't matter Sunday against a Cardinals team short its starting quarterback. And its starting running back. And its No. 1 wide receiver. But Trey McBride is still healthy, so keep hope alive.

Sit 'Em

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (at DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,100]

The Chiefs are sixth in total defense, seventh against the pass and fourth in the NFL in points per game allowed. But Kansas City is just 10th in fantasy points among defenses, and while Denver has struggled at times offensively in 2025, it hasn't really translated to giving up fantasy points to defenses.

Philadelphia Eagles Defense (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900]

The Eagles have a reputation as one of the league's best defenses, but Philadelphia has been a low-end fantasy starter this year. Fantasy managers need to look elsewhere in Week 11, though, because the Detroit Lions are pretty good on offense and dead-last in fantasy points per game allowed to defenses.

Sleeper

Chicago Bears Defense (at MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,800]

The Bears have thrown up a couple of real stinkers this season—as in negative points in two outings in some scoring systems bad. The Vikings also have no shortage of offensive talent, but they have allowed 34 sacks (tied for the most in the NFC) and given the ball away 17 times, which is also tied for most in the conference.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.