Week 11 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Play or Bench Advice on Top Fantasy Football Stars

It's bound to be a good week for fantasy football owners when the Thursday night NFL game features a showdown between Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. 

Week 11's opening act then gives way to plenty of superstars sitting in seemingly great situations at just the right time of year for owners who are trying to make one final push down the stretch. 

With a nice balance of names like Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Chubb sitting next to Ben Roethlisberger and David Johnson on the scoring lists as of late, owners have plenty of options each time out while pulling from droves of data this late in the season.

Here's a look at some top matchup value comparisons and start-sit scenarios leaning on these resources. 

QB 

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Matt Ryan (vs. DAL) vs. Drew Brees (vs. PHI)	Drew Brees
Carson Wentz (at NO) vs. Deshaun Watson (at WAS)	Deshaun Watson
Aaron Rodgers (at SEA) vs. Matthew Stafford (vs. CAR)	Aaron Rodgers
Dak Prescott (at ATL) vs. Patrick Mahomes (at LAR)	Dak Prescott
Philip Rivers (vs. DEN) vs. Russell Wilson (vs. GB)	Philip Rivers

Star to Know: Dak Prescott, DAL (at ATL) 

Dak Prescott has been impossible to trust this season from a fantasy perspective, something he announced loud and clear with a Week 1, 8.7-point showing. 

Prescott went on to miss the 20-point mark until Week 6. But the good news is he has now surpassed that mark in three of his last four outings, with the offense seeming to open up more around him after the arrival of Amari Cooper. 

The budding situation has helped Prescott blossom into a must-start player in Week 11 thanks to a matchup against an Atlanta Falcons defense allowing the third-most points to opposing quarterbacks on average. 

Rookie Baker Mayfield put up 22.65 points on the unit last time out, becoming the seventh passer to pass the threshold against the Falcons. Call it an incredible floor for Prescott this week. 

Star to Sit: Mitchell Trubisky, CHI (vs. MIN) 

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Trubisky got a nod in the intro because he's been one of the most overlooked stars in the league this year. 

But such a status doesn't always translate to guaranteed fantasy production. Trubisky's last two weeks say it all—he put up 36 points in a good matchup against Detroit in Week 10, but on the road in Buffalo the week prior, he blundered his way to nine points. 

Expect a bad performance in Week 11 with the Minnesota Vikings in town, as the defensive-minded team only allows the 11th-fewest points to opposing passers on average. 

While it doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world, the fact the Vikings have held Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford to less than eight points apiece over their past two outings says it all. 

RB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
David Johnson (vs. OAK) vs. Kareem Hunt (at LAR)	David Johnson
Christian McCaffrey (at DET) vs. Ezekiel Elliott (at ATL)	Ezekiel Elliott
Saquon Barkley (vs. TB) vs. Leonard Fournette (vs. PIT)	Saquon Barkley
Alvin Kamara (vs. PHI) vs. Melvin Gordon (vs. DEN)	Melvin Gordon
Lamar Miller (at WAS) vs. Aaron Jones (at SEA)	Lamar Miller

Star to Know: David Johnson, ARI (vs. OAK) 

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson hasn't always been an easy play this year despite his recent outbursts. 

After all, one of the league's worst coaching staffs refused to even throw Johnson the ball, which was a big part of his appeal and push for an MVP award in the past. Things have gotten better in recent weeks, but Johnson is still far from a guarantee with a sporadic 20.10, 11.9, 8.5, 12.0 and 33.8 points over his last five outings. 

But in Week 11, owners are right to expect something close to the final number listed. Thank the Oakland Raiders, a team that has clearly thrown in the towel on the season and happens to allow the sixth-most points to backs. 

A week ago, Melvin Gordon dropped an even 25 points on the unit with 72 or more yards on the ground and through the air, so expect similar damage from Johnson.  

Star to Sit: Joe Mixon, CIN  (at BAL) 

While the upside always seems huge with Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, a variety of factors usually hold him back. 

Mixon has 23 or more points twice this year but double digits overall just three times. But coaching and game flow have a way of spoiling what should be productive days, which owners know all too well based on him putting up 27.3 points against Tampa Bay before just 9.5 against New Orleans on only 11 carries. 

Now Mixon's erratic usage goes on the road to face a Baltimore Ravens defense allowing the fewest points to running backs outright, something Mixon already dealt with once this year by turning 21 carries into 9.2 points. 

Though game flow might be better this week, owners can do better by throwing a streamer in Mixon's spot. 

WR

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Julio Jones (vs. DAL) vs. DeAndre Hopkins (at WAS)	Julio Jones
Michael Thomas (vs. PHI) vs. Adam Thielen (at CHI)	Michael Thomas
Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. TB) vs. Amari Cooper (at ATL)	Odell Beckham Jr.
Antonio Brown (at JAX) vs. Doug Baldwin (vs. GB)	Antonio Brown
Mike Evans (at NYG) vs. Tyler Boyd (at BAL)	Mike Evans

Star to Know: Demaryius Thomas, HOU (at WAS) 

Now would be a good time to jump on the Demaryius Thomas train. 

Thomas made his Houston Texans debut two weeks ago and only received three targets, but he caught all of them for 61 yards and 7.6 points while functioning as the clear-cut No. 2 receiver. 

Coming out of a bye week, Thomas next gets to line up against a Washington Redskins defense coughing up the eighth-most fantasy points to his position. 

Pairing extra time to learn the system with fresh legs, Thomas looks like a great play against a shaky defense (from a fantasy standpoint, at least) while the Redskins focus on throwing everything they have at DeAndre Hopkins. 

Star to Sit: Golden Tate, PHI (at NO) 

While on the topic of new faces in new places, it is best to address Golden Tate. 

Tate made his Philadelphia Eagles debut in Week 10, receiving only four targets, which placed him fourth on the targets list during a game Carson Wentz attempted 44 passes. 

The result was 2.9 points, and owners might want to expect something similar in Week 11 despite a good-looking matchup against the Saints. The 2.9-point showing came after a bye week in which Tate had extra time to learn the offense, yet he clearly wasn't a top option. 

Until Tate can reliably get on the field and eat a big chunk of targets, he's a no-fly zone despite name recognition and a solid-looking situation. 

TE

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Zach Ertz (at NO) vs. Austin Hooper (vs. DAL)	Zach Ertz
Eric Ebron (vs. TEN) vs. Travis Kelce (at LAR)	Travis Kelce
O.J. Howard (at NYG) vs. Evan Engram (vs. TB)	O.J. Howard
Ricky Seals-Jones (vs. OAK) vs. Jared Cook (at ARI)	Jared Cook
Greg Olsen (at DET) vs. Jordan Reed (vs. HOU)	Greg Olsen

Star to Know: Zach Ertz, PHI (at NO) 

Zach Ertz is a major part of the reason Tate might never hit expectations with the Eagles. 

Ertz erupted in the same game Tate caught two passes, catching 14 of his 16 targets for 145 yards and two touchdowns, good for 33.5 points. It was his seventh trip to double digits on the year and also his seventh-time with double-digit targets. 

On paper, Ertz could have a tough time against a Saints defense only surrendering the fifth-fewest points to tight ends this year. But his targets numbers paint a different picture, especially if Philadelphia is trading for help like Tate but getting little relief so far, meaning one of the most consistent performers at an unsteady position should have another big day. 

Star to Sit: Jimmy Graham, GB (at SEA) 

Don't expect much from a so-called revenge game. 

Jimmy Graham hasn't done much this year despite playing with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, hitting double digits just four times. His usage has been all over the place, hence going from six targets in Week 9 to just one in Week 10, scoring 13.5 and 1.9, respectively. 

Now Graham has to face his former team, and those Seattle Seahawks only allow the sixth-fewest points to opposing tight ends. Just two players have hit double digits on the unit all year, so sporadic usage and a brutal matchup has to trump any narratives that might pop up around Thursday's matchup. 

All scoring info, points-against info and ownership stats courtesy of Yahoo standard leagues.