Week 11 Fantasy Football Projections: Cam Newton and Rookie QBs Who Will Tank

The negative connotation surrounding the phrase "rookie quarterback" has been thrown out the window. Unfortunately, brutal matchups for rookie quarterbacks are going to force all three rookie starters to struggle today.

You may be thinking about starting a rookie quarterback. This week, doing so would cripple your fantasy squad.

Here are the rookie starters who will tank this week.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Newton has had a monster season and has exceeded the lofty expectations that come along with being the No. 1 overall pick.

Newton started out the season with consecutive 400-yard performances, but has since slowed down considerably. He's still dominating, but his status as a fantasy starter varies week-to-week.

This week, he's taking on Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit Lions. The Lions allow 184 passing YPG, which ranked fourth in the NFL.

To make matters worse, Suh and the Lions have 26 sacks on the season and know how to make life miserable for a rookie QB. Expect the deep rotation of defensive lineman to shut Newton down.

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson is going to have a field day against a weak Raiders run defense that allows 132.4 YPG, but many are looking to Ponder to hold down the fort this week and excel against the Raiders with Richard Seymour banged up.

While Ponder faces a weak secondary and he's had at least 190 yards in his past three starts, this is AP's offense. The Vikings are at their best when they are at home and Peterson is running at will. Such will be the case this week.

Expect Ponder's attempts and numbers to hit the 200-yard mark at best. While the other rookies on this list are on here because their matchups are so daunting, Ponder is on here because the Vikings are going to get the ball in the hands of their best playmaker and run away with a victory.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have shocked everyone and Dalton deserves a huge amount of the credit in Cincinnati. They have a top-five offense, but more surprising is the way they filled the voids Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer created with tremendous rookie talent.

This week, A.J. Green is banged up and Dalton has to go up against the Ravens in Baltimore. Ray Lewis or no Ray Lewis, Dalton is going to be under fire and the Bengals can't rely upon their run offense to open up the pass game.

Dalton has been more valuable to the Bengals than fantasy owners this season. He's thrown for under 200 yards more times than he's thrown for over 200 yards and though he's consistent, his numbers aren't mind-blowing.

Expect a pedestrian outing as Dalton takes on a Ravens defense that surrenders under 200 yards through the air and Terrell Suggs and the Ravens pass rush is going to be eager to show this rookie who really owns the AFC North.