The Fantasy Footballers’ Week 11 Starts
If you’re eagerly anticipating the Starts of the Week then good on you because you’re probably right in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. Here are The (verified) Footballers’ Week 11 Starts from today’s episode!
Andy’s Starts
QB Tyrod Taylor at Cincinnati
Cincinnati has given up 2.37 TD to fantasy QB’s if you throw out their Cleveland game. Taylor has a rushing TD in 3 straight games. He’s been putting up consistent numbers. Love him this week.
RB Theo Riddick vs Jacksonville
Riddick has been over 5.0 a carry since his return, he’s so flexible and so crucial to the gameplan that he has a high floor. He’s averaging more TD receptions per game than any other fantasy RB while being the 3rd most targeted RB. The points will be on the board in this matchup with Jax.
WR Kelvin Benjamin vs New Orleans
Benjamin hasn’t had a TD since Week 4, but he’s exceeded 70 yards in five straight games and went for 8-86 last time he played New Orleans. He has the 3rd most yards in the red zone this year and will spend a lot of time there against New Orleans giving him a great chance for a score.
TE Vernon Davis vs Green Bay
Not many teams worse at defending TE than Green Bay (see: Delanie Walker last week) and WAS has two TEs to contend with. With DJax missing another game, Vernon Davis may extend his streak of double-digit fantasy points into 5 straight. He can be played this week. (Shout out to Zach Miller too)
Mike’s Starts
The Hitman’s Starts of the Week privilege has been revoked until such time as he has been verified on Twitter and/or returns from vacation. Feel free to check in on Mike’s verification status here.
Jason’s Starts
QB Marcus Mariota at Indianapolis
Do you know how good Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have been this year? Well since Week 5 they are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best fantasy QBs. The number 1 above them all is Mariota who is on fire. Stay in the flames.
RB LeGarrette Blount at San Francisco
This might be an obvious start, but there’s some uncertainty because of the status of Dion Lewis. He gets to play San Francisco while heavily favored. Even if Tom Brady has an excellent game, Blount is going to get his touches.
WR Larry Fitzgerald at Minnesota
Fitzgerald has a tough matchup against Joe Haden, just had an MRI, and will probably be limited in practice most of this week, but Jason is not afraid. Bruce Arians doesn’t think there’s any way Fitzgerald misses this game against Minnesota. He’s had two weeks in a row with over 10 receptions and he’s not going to crap your team-make sure he’s in your lineup.
TE Jack Doyle vs Tennessee
Doyle has been heavily used and Tennessee is 25th against TEs this year. The over/under is at 53, which means there will be plenty of opportunities to score.
Eric’s Starts
QB Kirk Cousins vs Green Bay
Fun fact: Cousins has thrown at least 1 TD in 31 0ut of the 33 games with 20 or more pass attempts. Meanwhile, the Green Bay defense has been hit with the injury bug and continues to struggle against competent QB play. Only Matt Barkley and Eli Manning have thrown for fewer than 280 yards and/or 3 TDs against Green Bay this year. This seems like an excellent spot for Cousins to have a big day at home.
RB Latavius Murray vs Houston
Murray does what Murray does and keeps on plodding along. His workload hasn’t been very high, but he still has 8 TDs in seven games this year. Houston has a decent defense but the offense is completely defunct, which should allow Murray to rack up carries. Murray has only had two games with 18 or more carries(Jacksonville and Denver), but he scored 2 and 3 TDs in those two games. If Murray gets his touches, look for another multi-TD day against Houston.
WR Jamison Crowder vs Green Bay
“Crowder has two straight 100-yard games and he has three straight games with 10+ points in standard scoring leagues.” That was last week. Unfortunately, Crowder’s 100-yard game streak ended but he still eked out a 10-point standard scoring week. Look for Crowder to approach double-digit targets and get back on that 100-yard horse against this Green Bay defense that’s getting gashed through the air.
TE Julius Thomas at Detroit
Not to toot my own horn but I felt strongly about Antonio Gates last week and almost nailed his production down to the yard (I called for 5-60-1 and he actually went for 4-63-1). Toot-toot. I feel even more strongly about Julius Thomas this week. Thomas has had a TD in three out of the last four games and gets a dream matchup against Detroit who has already given up 8 TDs to TEs in nine games. I’m going to press my luck and call for a 6-73-1 line on 9 targets for Thomas this week.
Jason Moore’s Ironclad, Lock-and-Loaded 100% Guaranteed ‘Boom Boom Kicker of the Week’
Jason has spent days diving deep in leg angles, exit velocity, ball rotation, natural gas laws, kick mechanics, and the ins and outs (but mostly the outs) of kicker psychology to come up with his Boom Boom kicker of the week. Jason’s proprietary algorithm has come up with Kansas City’s kicker Cairo Santos who has had three weeks in a row with four FG attempts. This will win people their matchups this week!
Be sure to check out all of Episode #310: Starts of the Week, Week 11 Matchups, Boom-Boom! If for no other reason, you have to listen for the Boom Boom Kicker of the Week drop.