Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 11: Latest Fantasy Football Lineup Advice for Sunday

Owners might enter Week 11 start 'em, sit 'em decisions grumpy, and who could blame them?

Injuries, as they always do, continue to claim top stars such as New England Patriots wideout Julian Edelman, putting him on a list with Le'Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles and many more.

Then there's simple unpredictability: Last week, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made a surprise appearance off the bench and exploded for 379 yards and three touchdowns.

The best way for owners to combat factors they cannot control is to stand tall in charge of those they can, meaning they put themselves in the best possible position with the assets available. 

With hours to go before Sunday kickoff, here's a look at value comparisons at each spot and start-sit decisions to consider.

QB

Matchup	Verdict
Tom Brady (vs. BUF) vs. Philip Rivers (vs. KC)	Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers (at MIN) vs. Andy Dalton (at ARI)	Aaron Rodgers
Cam Newton (vs. WAS) vs. Derek Carr (at DET)	Derek Carr
Carson Palmer (vs. CIN) vs. Jameis Winston (at PHI)	Carson Palmer
Tyrod Taylor (at NE) vs. Jay Cutler (vs. DEN)	Tyrod Taylor

Start: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. OAK)

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Owners might not flock to the idea of Matthew Stafford in Detroit, thanks to a season riddled by iffy coaching and offensive-line play.

Still, this is the week to throw the Lions starting quarterback into the lineup with the Oakland Raiders in town. He has five trips to double digits this year, and—despite the best efforts of Charles Woodson—the Raiders allow the sixth-most points to quarterbacks.

Oakland's defense has allowed two or more passing touchdowns to quarterbacks seven times this year. Stafford's sure to make it an eighth, especially if his own defense cannot get a few stops against a young offense and things turn into a bit of a shootout.

Sit: Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (vs. DAL)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill does right by owners in good situations, which is why—despite residing with a tumultuous franchise—he's posted eight double-digit outings with two or more scores six times.

This weekend isn't one of those ideal scenarios, though, even if a showdown with the Dallas Cowboys sounds like it on paper. Dallas surrenders the ninth-fewest points to the position and has let up just two passing touchdowns over its last four games since a bye week.

Whatever changes the Cowboys made on the break worked, and it's hard to imagine Tannehill will be the one to solve the riddle. Look for the Dolphins to lean on the ground game.

RB

Matchup	Verdict
Devonta Freeman (vs. IND) vs. Doug Martin (at PHI)	Devonta Freeman
Adrian Peterson (vs. GB) vs. Chris Ivory (at HOU)	Adrian Peterson
Lamar Miller (vs. DAL) vs. Todd Gurley (at BAL)	Todd Gurley
Danny Woodhead (vs. KC) vs. Chris Johnson (vs. CIN)	Danny Woodhead
DeMarco Murray (vs. TB) vs. LeGarrette Blount (vs. BUF)	DeMarco Murray

Start: Jeremy Langford, Chicago Bears (vs. DEN)

Jeremy Langford of the Chicago Bears is fantasy's biggest breakout star over the past few weeks, starting in place of Matt Forte (knee). 

Langford has outbursts of 22 and 29 points in his last two games, the latter number a ridiculous mark against a stingy St. Louis Rams defense. Like the starter in front of him, though, the rookie gets it done on the ground and through the air.

That is what makes him such an attractive play against the Denver Broncos, who have fallen from defensive dominance in recent weeks by allowing nine, 21 and 30 points to running backs over their last three, including a touchdown in each.

Granted, Forte has a questionable tag, but even if he suits up, it's hard to imagine he receives the full workload. Why not ease him back in with the way Langford continues to play?

Sit: Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers (at MIN)

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

There's a bit of hype around Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy because he's on the way back from injury after surprisingly sitting out last week.

“I thought Eddie looked good yesterday. I thought he had one of his better practices. It looks like he’s bouncing back," Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said, per Vic Ketchman of Packers.com.

While that is encouraging news for Lacy's 93.2 percent of owners, it doesn't change the fact he has reached double digits just once this season, nor does it mean he will steal the full workload from James Starks, who has played well in his absence. 

Above all else, it's hard to imagine Lacy finds much in the way of room against the Minnesota Vikings, the defense allowing the seventh-fewest points to backs with one touchdown surrendered over its last five games. 

WR

Matchup	Verdict
Julio Jones (vs. IND) vs. Jarvis Landry (vs. DAL)	Julio Jones
DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NYJ) vs. Larry Fitzgerald (vs. CIN)	DeAndre Hopkins
Brandon Marshall (at HOU) vs. A.J. Green (at ARI)	Brandon Marshall
Calvin Johnson (vs. OAK) vs. Michael Crabtree (at DET)	Michael Crabtree
Tavon Austin (at BAL) vs. T.Y. Hilton (at ATL)	Tavon Austin

Start: Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings (vs. GB)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Some owners might consider Vikings wideout Stefon Diggs, who is only owned in 78.1 percent of leagues, a flash in the pan. 

Folks will remember Diggs' outbursts of 12, 16 and 15 points, beginning in Week 6, as he morphed into one of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's favorite targets.

Diggs has cooled off in recent weeks, with just nine total points over the course of his last two, but odds are his target count once again explodes, thanks to what is sure to be a shootout with the Packers.

The Packers have allowed three touchdowns to wideouts over their last two games and at least 22 points to crops of receivers in each of their last four. Diggs has the talent to slip behind the secondary and worsen those numbers while carrying owners.

Sit: Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams (at BAL)

Sometimes sitting in the best matchup of the week doesn't mean a thing, which is why it's so important for owners to look at numbers and well beyond. 

Look at St. Louis Rams wideout Tavon Austin. On paper, he figures to feast against the Baltimore Ravens, the defense allowing the most points to wideouts on average, including allowances of two or more touchdowns to the position in each of its last four outings and six times total.

But Austin's usage is all over the place. He has outbursts of 21 and 23 points this year but six showings in the realm of single digits. His targets aren't consistent, the rushing chances are sporadic and it's difficult to predict who lines up under center these days.

There's no guarantee Austin sees the ball more than a handful of times, which takes Baltimore's woes out of the equation.

TE

Matchup	Verdict
Rob Gronkowski (vs. BUF) vs. Jordan Reed (at CAR)	Rob Gronkowski
Tyler Eifert (at ARI) vs. Greg Olsen (vs. WAS)	Tyler Eifert
Travis Kelce (at SD) vs. Charles Clay (at NE)	Travis Kelce
Jimmy Graham (vs. SF) vs. Martellus Bennett (vs DEN)	Jimmy Graham
Jason Witten (at MIA) vs. Jacob Tamme (vs. IND)	Jason Witten

Start: Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at MIN)

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Want a Green Bay weapon to start against the Vikings? 

Try tight end Richard Rodgers on for size, owner of three scores over his last two outings. Rodgers continues to develop a better rapport with his similarly named quarterback and now has five or more catches in four games this season.

Minnesota's defense has shown a bit of a newfound weakness against the position since a Week 5 bye, too, allowing three double-digit outings in five games and six or more catches three times in that span.

If the Vikings clamp down on the outside, Rodgers is in for a huge day.

Sit: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals (at ARI)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert receives plenty of praise for a breakout season, but alongside his four double-digit outbursts rest five single-digit showings. 

Eifert looks great from a traditional stats standpoint, but for fantasy purposes, he's stuck in a spread-it-out attack where the team can ignore him completely and still score well. Last week, he scored just two points, putting him at three points or fewer in two of his last three.

If one had to guess, Eifert is in for another dud, thanks to an encounter with the Arizona Cardinals. The hosts of the showdown surrender the fourth-fewest points to tight ends this year and have allowed just one touchdown.

Eifert, of course, has the talent to ruin such a ranking, but it's not a gamble owners should have an interest in taking.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 21. Statistics courtesy of ESPN. Cleveland, New Orleans, New York Giants, Pittsburgh on bye.