Through 10 weeks, our Position vs. Fantasy Defensive Points Allowed tool has solidified as a tool to help you find good matchups. It'll keep getting stronger as the weeks go by, and we'll have less reason to say things like, "But they played against Peyton Manning last week â of course their numbers are horrible!"
As always, please remember that the players listed are mostly meant to be borderline guys, who need reasons for you to play or bench them. You won't see recommendations to start Calvin Johnson and Matt Forte, because you should always start Johnson and Forte. Make sense? Good.
Note: The fantasy points per game (FPPG) referenced below are from FOXSports.com standard leagues.
Week 11 Byes: Ravens, Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets
Thursday game: Bills at Dolphins
Quarterbacks
Stay away: Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins (at Lions)
Tannehill was here last week, and that call turned out correct, as he threw for 207 yards with one touchdown and had zero yards rushing. Should we double down? Probably, as the Bills rank fourth with 16.9 FPPG allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Also, Tannehill is dealing with ankle and shoulder issues.
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Russell Wilson can't run for 100 yards all the time, folks. This Sunday, he visits hostile Arrowhead Stadium to visit the Chiefs and their seventh-ranked fantasy defense (17.8 FPPG to opposing QBs). Wilson is outside my top 12 at his position, and isn't a recommended start if you have a decent alternative.
Play, play, play: Robert Griffin III, Redskins (vs. Buccaneers)
Is RG3 back? Week 9 was encouraging, as he completed 18 of 28 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown, and added seven carries for 24 yards (including some designed runs). Griffin isn't back to fantasy stud status, but should be considered a solid start against the Bucs' 28th-ranked fantasy defense (22.9 FPPG to opposing QBs).
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On the other side of the ball in Washington, Tampa's Josh McCown gets a crack at the Redskins' 30th-ranked fantasy defense (24.6 FPPG to opposing QBs). McCown isn't a great option, but if you've been using Tony Romo or maybe Joe Flacco a lot, he's not a bad one-week streamer after throwing for 301 yards and two scores against the Falcons. Having receivers as good as Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans is always helpful.
Running Backs
Stay away: Joique Bell, Lions (at Cardinals)
Bell ran pretty well (10 carries, 44 yards) against the Dolphins in Week 10, but he only touched the ball 12 times, as both Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick got some action. Against a tough Cardinals' fantasy defense (12.9 FPPG to opposing RBs), he's a bench candidate if you have two solid alternatives.
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Tre Mason touched the ball 18 times against the Cardinals in Week 10, and totaled 81 yards from scrimmage. He's clearly the lead back for his team, and while you rarely like to sit guys who get the ball that much, the ninth-ranked Bronco fantasy defense (14.6 FPPG to opposing RBs) comes to town on Sunday. The Broncos have allowed a puny 67 yards per game on the ground, so Mason is likely to struggle.
Play, play, play: Steven Jackson, Falcons (at Panthers)
The Panthers have struggled lately on defense - they're ranked 28th with 22.3 FPPG allowed to opposing backs - and will be without DT Star Lotulelei (ankle) on Sunday. Jackson hasn't exactly been tearing it up, but he's had 34 carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns over his last two games. He's a solid RB2 for Week 11.
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Ryan Mathews has been out since Week 2 with a knee injury, but returns Sunday against the Raiders' 30th-ranked fantasy defense (24.3 FPPG allowed to opposing RBs). The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Mathews should see about 15 touches, and if accurate, that's enough to make him an RB2.
Wide Receivers
Stay away: Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (vs. Lions)
In three full games with Drew Stanton under center earlier this season, Fitzgerald caught 12 passes for 142 yards. With their Lions' top-ranked fantasy defense (17.1 FPPG allowed to opposing WRs) coming to the desert, you'll want to stay clear of Fitz.
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Which Saints' wideout gets the ball this week? It's always a mystery, though Brandin Cooks has picked up the pace lately (14-222-2 over his last three games). However, the Bengals - as bad as they've looked recently - own fantasy's fourth-best defense against wide receivers (19.1 FPPG). I've got Cooks highest among the Saints at WR28, but can't say I'd feel confident starting him.
Play, play, play: Pierre Garcon, Redskins (vs. Buccaneers)
This is a lukewarm recommendation, as Garcon is WR27 on my board. However, he's facing a league-worst Bucs' fantasy defense (29.8 FPPG to opposing WRs), and I keep looking back to the 12 targets he got back in Week 1. You like Garcon, right, RG3?
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If you're digging a bit deeper - perhaps in a PPR league - Cleveland's Andrew Hawkins might not be a bad WR3 option against the Texans' 31st-ranked fantasy defense (28.1 FPPG to opposing WRs). Reminder: One more week to Josh Gordon.
Tight Ends
Stay away: Nobody of note
The obvious entries here are Mychal Rivera and Martellus Bennett, who play against the third- and fourth-ranked fantasy TE defenses. But they're still top-10 options at the position, so let's consider all our usual suspects to be startable.
Play, play, play: Jared Cook, Rams (vs. Broncos)
Cook draws a Broncos' defense that has allowed 10.6 FPPG to fantasy tight ends. If you're missing Jason Witten or Owen Daniels this week, Cook should be able to provide comparable production.
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Kyle Rudolph played in just three games before needing sports hernia surgery, but he's ready to return this week against the Bears' botton-ranked fantasy defense (13.4 FPPG to opposing TEs). It's hard to trust someone in his first game back from injury, but Teddy Bridgewater has thrown to fill-in Chase Ford quite a bit lately, and a healthy Rudolph is a superior player to Ford.
