Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 11: Smartest Matchups to Exploit, Sleeper Plays and More

As we march toward Week 11 of the fantasy football season, we are that much closer to the fantasy playoffs.

Also, Week 11 is the mark of the final week of bye weeks.

The final week of byes will include the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers. Thankfully, there are only a few players on all of those teams combined that are going to be tough to play without.

There are plenty of great matchups this week for both fantasy and real football.

We'll also get to see a game from Mexico City between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders.

This will also be the week in which the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers make up their Week 1 game.

Let's explore some potential lineup questions you might have as Week 11 develops.

QB Advice

Tom Brady: Start 'em

Carson Wentz: Start 'em

Russell Wilson: Start 'em

Andy Dalton: Sit 'em

Derek Carr: Sit 'em

Drew Stanton: Sit 'em

Star to Exploit: Alex Smith

Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Let me start off by saying this: The Kansas City Chiefs are a heck of an offense this week heading into New Jersey to take on the New York Giants.

As we saw in Week 10, the Giants got the snot kicked out of them by none other than the 49ers.

Sheesh.

Imagine what Smith and the Chiefs will do to them?

Through Week 9, the Giants ranked 26th in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) against the pass—and that's before they gave up 31 points to the C.J. Beathard-led 49ers.

Heading into the season, the Giants were a team that was supposed to be one of the best, but that obviously isn't the case.

The Chiefs are coming off a bye in Week 10. Week 9 marked the first game in which Smith threw an interception. He now has an 18-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

He's going to carve up this Giants secondary with the help of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce and running back Kareem Hunt.

Smith will be a top-three quarterback this week.

RB Advice

Leonard Fournette: Start 'em

Jay Ajayi: Start 'em

Kareem Hunt: Start 'em

Gio Bernard: Sit 'em

Doug Martin: Sit 'em

Tevin Coleman: Sit 'em

Sleeper Option: Jamaal Williams

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

This is simple logic here.

In Week 10, the Green Bay Packers lost two running backs to injury: Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Jones will miss three to six weeks due to a sprained MCL.

Should Montgomery also miss time, Williams will be the lead back against a Baltimore Ravens defense that ranked 16th in DVOA against the run through Week 9.

The Ravens are coming off a bye and are a tad inconsistent defensively. We're not sure which Ravens defense we'll get in Week 11.

Williams saw 21 touches in relief of Jones and Montgomery, so maybe the sheer volume of touches will overwhelm the Ravens and result in points either way.

It may not be the most efficient outing in the world for Williams, but hey, points are points.

Start Williams should Montgomery and/or Jones miss Week 11.

WR Advice

Antonio Brown: Start 'em

Mike Evans: Start 'em

Alshon Jeffery: Start 'em

Brandon LaFell: Sit 'em

Cooper Kupp: Sit 'em

Randall Cobb: Sit 'em

Sleeper Option: Paul Richardson

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

For Monday Night Football in Week 11, the Seattle Seahawks will host the Atlanta Falcons.

This is notable because the Seahawks are coming off a Thursday Night Football outing in Week 10, giving them what we refer to as a "mini-bye."

Ironically, the season-ending injury to cornerback Richard Sherman might help Paul Richardson here.

Why?

Well, the Falcons managed to put up 27 points in Week 10. Although their offense has been somewhat inconsistent this season, to keep up with the Seahawks and score, they'll need to do it through the air.

Without Sherman, that will make it that much easier for Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

If it goes that way, the Seahawks will be throwing as well. However, they'll be throwing against a Falcons defense that, through Week 9, ranked 24th in DVOA against the pass.

But, where Richardson comes in is here: The Falcons ranked 32nd in DVOA against opposing No. 2 wide receivers.

Richardson had just one catch for 43 yards in Week 10, but this game has plenty more potential to have more points scored and the Falcons cannot defend wide receivers.

Bounce-back week for Richardson incoming.

TE Advice

Tyler Kroft: Start 'em

Rob Gronkowski: Start 'em

Travis Kelce: Start 'em

Austin Hooper: Sit 'em

Eric Ebron: Sit 'em

Vernon Davis: Sit 'em

Star to Exploit: Zach Ertz

Elsa/Getty Images

Ertz is in a realm of tight end that very few are a part of.

For example, Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce are also matchup-proof, must-start, pretty-much-a-wide-receiver tight ends, but that's it.

Ertz, Gronk and Kelce.

The Eagles are coming off a bye and will be taking on the Cowboys, who just got their butts kicked by the Falcons.

The Cowboys' mediocre secondary has been the talk of their defense, and they also don't do that well against tight ends, ranking 26th in DVOA against them through Week 9.

That stat comes before Football Outsiders accounts for Falcons tight end Austin Hooper catching six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Ertz is in a fantastic spot here. He should get plenty of catches, yards and score a touchdown or two.

Fly, Eagles, fly.

D/ST Advice

Baltimore Ravens: Start 'em

Kansas City Chiefs: Start 'em

Houston Texans: Start 'em

Oakland Raiders: Sit 'em

Cleveland Browns: Sit 'em

Washington Redskins: Sit 'em

Statistics courtesy of Football Outsiders and Pro Football Reference. Please note that Football Outsiders, at the time of this writing, is only updated through Week 9 and DVOA rankings will update later in the week.