Top-40 RB Rankings - Week 11

5 Starts & 5 Sits - Week 11

Streamers for the Desperate - Week 11

Week 11 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds

Alex Ciulla

Week 10 was a bit of a bust for fantasy football. With four teams on bye and the combined points per matchup reaching the second-lowest mark of the season, fantasy options were slim. From a football standpoint, however, the weekend delivered. Eight of 13 matchups were decided by a touchdown or less, highlighted by Baltimore vs. Cincinnati’s thrilling opener and the Lions making history as the first team since 1970 to win after trailing by 15+ points with five interceptions from their QB.

While fantasy points were scarce, injuries were down for the first time, sparing us from the usual carnage. However, several key offensive linemen were injured, which could affect upcoming fantasy production.

Injury notes:

Dalton Kincaid (TE, Bills): Left in the first half against the Colts with a knee issue and was ruled out. There’s no update as of this time, but his fantasy value has been underwhelming, so he can be benched for now.

Miles Sanders (RB, Panthers): Left early in the win over the Giants with a foot/ankle injury and was ruled out. Sanders hasn’t been a strong fantasy asset, but this opens up an opportunity for rookie RB Jonathon Brooks (knee) to step into a larger role.

Sam LaPorta (TE, Lions): Suffered a sprained AC joint against the Texans. He was initially expected to be week-to-week, but recent reports suggest he may only miss a few days.

Aaron Jones (RB, Vikings): Left the game against the Jaguars with a rib injury but returned later. This appears to be a pain tolerance issue, so monitor his practice participation this week.

Saquon Barkley (RB, Eagles): Left early with an elbow injury but returned after halftime, indicating he should be fine moving forward.

As always, this column assumes PPR scoring and focuses on players with around 50% or less ownership on Yahoo! For those interested in deep league waiver gems, don't miss Streamers for the Desperate – Week 11 by ASL Founder Leonard LaPadula!

Now let’s dive into the top player waiver adds!

Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (55% Owned) 

Chargers QB Justin Herbert wasn’t needed much in the team’s 27-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The final score makes this game appear closer than it was, but Tennessee couldn’t accomplish much against the league’s No. 1 scoring defense. Still, Herbert was excellent, completing 14-of-18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown while adding another score and 32 yards on nine carries.

The 26-year-old has been a stronger fantasy asset recently and should see more action in Week 11 at home against the Bengals. With Bengals QB Joe Burrow heating up and Cincinnati allowing the eighth-most passing yards (2,202) and sixth-most passing TDs (17) in the league, this game has shootout potential.

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (33% Owned)

I expected Denver QB Bo Nix to struggle against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, but the rookie impressed, nearly leading Denver to an upset despite a late field goal block. As a result, Nix’s solid play and occasional rushing ability give him a higher fantasy ceiling than expected. Additionally, he’ll have a much easier matchup in Week 11 when the Broncos face the Atlanta Falcons, one of the league's worst pass defenses. If Chargers QB Justin Herbert is unavailable, Nix is a solid streaming option.

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (22% Owned) 

There’s no getting around it – Pittsburgh QB Russell Wilson has looked eons better as a Steeler than he ever did as a Bronco. While Mr. Unlimited wasn’t super accurate in Week 10, (completing just 50% of his passes in a thrilling victory over rookie QB Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders), he did toss three touchdowns – the first time he’s done so since Week 8 of 2023.

I expect Wilson to complete more passes next Sunday when Pittsburgh faces the Baltimore Ravens, who boast a high-powered offense but a porous defense. As long as Pittsburgh RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren don’t dominate, Wilson should be a solid option.

Running Backs

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers (51% Owned) 

Steelers RB Jaylen Warren matched his season-high with 35 snaps against the Commanders, splitting time evenly with teammate Najee Harris. While Harris saw more carries (21 to Warren's 14), it's pretty clear Warren remains the preferred option in the passing game.

While the former Oklahoma State standout may not have a high ceiling with Najee soaking up most of the carries, Warren is a solid low-end FLEX with upside if Harris misses time. At this point in the season, all handcuffs should be rostered, and Warren is one of the better ones available.

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals (18% Owned) 

The Cardinals dominated the Jets 31-6, and rookie RB Trey Benson led the team in rushing with 62 yards on 12 touches, nearly doubling teammate James Conner’s 33 yards on two fewer carries. Additionally, Benson saw his opportunity share increase, playing 16 snaps for the second straight week.

Benson’s usage percentage is impressive, and contrary to what you might think, most of his work wasn’t in garbage time. He and Conner mixed evenly throughout the game until the final drive when the Cardinals pulled their starters. On an additional note: Benson’s 6.2 YPC outpaced Conner’s 2.8, making this an intriguing development.

 While I don’t expect the Florida State alum to take over the backfield in 2024, he’s undoubtedly making his case for an elevated role in the offense. Stash him while you can.

Audric Estime, Denver Broncos (3% Owned) 

For the first time this season, Denver turned to rookie RB Audric Estime to lead their backfield. He played 26 snaps, more than any other Broncos RB, while incumbent Javonte Williams saw just three touches and 17 snaps. Estime also outpaced the rest of the rotation, including 2nd year RB Jaleel McLaughlin, who had only two carries.

If this marks a changing of the guard, it’s worth noticing. Estime was a standout at Notre Dame, racking up 1,341 yards and 18 TDs on 210 carries last season (6.4 YPC). While he lacks elite shiftiness, the 21-year-old is a powerful runner with excellent vision and balance. With QB Bo Nix playing well, Estime is worth a shot.

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Wide Receivers

Jauan Jennings/Cedric Tillman, SF/CLE (60/58% Owned) 

Despite not playing for the same team, I’m grouping these two athletes this week because the case for adding them is straightforward. Simply put, San Fran WR Jauan Jennings and Browns WR Cedric Tillman need to be owned in a higher percentage of leagues. 

While Tillman was on a bye this week, Jennings played and played well, notching seven receptions and 93 yards on 11 targets. All three of those figures led the 49ers, who had their full complement of weapons available at QB Brock Purdy's disposal. 

To that end, until they prove otherwise both Jennings and Tillman are must-start options.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (41% Owned)

In the Chargers' blowout win over the Titans, WR Quentin Johnston wasn't heavily involved, but he did catch QB Justin Herbert's only passing touchdown. With just two receptions for 24 yards on two targets, it was a quiet game outside of the TD.

I said it last week, too, but Johnston has looked like a completely different player this year and should continue to post helpful fantasy numbers as long as LA doesn’t revert to a run-heavy game script in neutral situations. I expect them to have to throw the ball a bit more in Week 11 against a white-hot Bengals squad that’s scored 34 or more points in each of their last two outings, thus keeping Johnston in the mix of fantasy relevancy.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (37% Owned) 

QB Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seemingly play every team tough, and that forced San Fran QB Brock Purdy to match his season-high in passes (36). All the 49ers’ skill players got in on the fun though, and WR Ricky Pearsall showed off his blazing speed on a 46-yard touchdown. Pearsall would go on to finish the outing with 73 receiving yards (second on the team) while nabbing 4-of-6 targets.

Pearsall played the third-most snaps of San Francisco’s wide receiver corps behind Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jauan Jennings, and it looks like he’s getting his legs under him. I still don’t think this stat line is prescriptive moving forward, but the rookie wideout is one of the few WR handcuffs I’d consider stashing.

Adonai Mitchell, Indianapolis Colts (6% Owned) 

With Colt's #1 WR Michael Pittman (back) inactive, rookie WR Adonai Mitchell stepped up, leading all Colts wideouts in snaps. He finished with a career-high six catches for 71 yards on six targets. If Pittman remains out, Mitchell could have a significant role in this offense moving forward.

This might be controversial, but I liked Adonai Mitchell more than his former Texas teammate WR Xavier Worthy coming into the league. While Worthy’s speed is impressive, Mitchell is the more polished route-runner and could carve out a bigger role in the Colts' passing game. Pick up and stash if possible.

Tight Ends

Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers (2% Owned) 

I’m giving New England TE Hunter Henry a break this week, as the Patriots used a lot of two-tight end sets with fellow TE Austin Hooper leading the way. To that end, If you need a tight end for Week 11, the Chargers Will Dissly could be a solid streaming option. Like QB Justin Herbert and WR Quentin Johnston, Dissly’s recent play has been solid—he led the team in both targets and receptions in their win over the Titans and has been reliable in three of the last four games. While it’s unlikely he does that consistently, Dissly leads all Chargers’ tight ends in snaps and will likely be in somewhat of a shootout next weekend against Cincinnati. 

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers (3% Owned) 

I’ve been keeping an eye on Carolina rookie TE Ja’Tavion Sanders for a few weeks. While he had just two catches for eight yards in the Panthers' win over the Giants, he scored his first career touchdown. Despite the modest stats, the 21-year-old seems to have developed a rapport with both QB Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton.

Sanders has a far rosier outlook in dynasty formats, but the Texas product is getting a ton of playing time and appears to be adapting to the NFL quickly.

While Week 10 didn’t deliver the usual fantasy fireworks, it was still packed with excitement and notable developments. From thrilling finishes to intriguing performances, several players stood out as potential waiver wire targets, and others, like Ja’Tavion Sanders and Adonai Mitchell, are beginning to carve out more prominent roles. As we approach Week 11, fantasy managers should prioritize injuries and increasing usage trends to make informed decisions about streaming options and stashing potential breakouts.

With bye weeks still in play, and injuries always looming, keeping an eye on the right matchups and emerging talent is crucial. Whether you’re filling in gaps on your roster or looking to strike gold with a sleeper, this week's waiver wire offers opportunities for savvy owners to make their moves before it's too late. Keep monitoring the latest news, and make sure you're ahead of the curve. Best of luck in Week 11!