Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em quarterbacks: Week 11 fantasy football

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em quarterbacks: Week 11 fantasy football

November 14, 2024

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Fantasy football managers are bracing themselves for the six-team “Byemageddon” in Week 12, but Week 11 will be no cakewalk at quarterback either.

Four teams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be off in Week 11. That means Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield owners will scramble to find quarterback fill-ins to bolster their rosters amid their playoff pushes.

Injuries have also removed a few notable starters from the Week 11 ranks. Dak Prescott (hamstring) is expected to miss the rest of the season, while the uncertain status of Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) could thin the streamer ranks.

Even so, there should be a handful of readily available quarterback options for fantasy owners to plug into their lineups.

Who are the best quarterbacks to start and sit in Week 11? Here’s a breakdown of the signal-callers to trust and fade.

Fantasy football start ’em: Week 11 QBs

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Baltimore Ravens)

Wilson has made those who doubted him look foolish through three starts with the Steelers, posting a 3-0 record and averaging 245.7 yards and two touchdowns through the air per game. He has routinely connected with George Pickens on deep balls and figures to do that often against a Ravens defense that has allowed an NFL-high 3,144 yards and 21 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks.

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (vs. Indianapolis Colts)

Rodgers had his fourth game of the season with one or fewer touchdown passes in Week 10 against the Cardinals. He has tended to bounce back well after posting lower-end passing numbers, as evidenced by each of the games immediately after his previous one-or-fewer-TD performances in 2024.

  • 281 yards, two touchdowns
  • 244 yards, two touchdowns
  • 233 yards, two touchdowns

That’s good for an average of 252.7 passing yards and two touchdowns in those bounce-back spots. Add in that Rodgers is playing a Colts defense that has surrendered the fifth-most passing yards to quarterbacks this season, and it seems like a good time to trust him.

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Herbert is heating up in Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s offense. He is averaging 241.7 passing yards and 27.7 rushing yards over his last three games and has logged two touchdowns in each outing. The Bengals have surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season and have allowed a league-high 336 rushing yards. Herbert’s rushing floor should make him a threat to be a top-10 quarterback this week, making him a great streamer.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (at Dallas Cowboys)

Stroud has struggled over his last four games, with just two touchdowns in that span and leading the Texans to a 1-3 record. That said, the second-year quarterback’s top receiver, Nico Collins, is expected to return in Week 11 after a five-game absence.

In four full games with Collins, Stroud averaged 263.5 passing yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game. The Cowboys have allowed four of the last five quarterbacks they have faced to throw multiple touchdowns against them, so this should be the spot in which Stroud finally breaks out of his month-long slump.

Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 11 QBs

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago Bears)

Love had a week off to rest his ailing groin, but he draws a difficult matchup in his return to the field. The Bears have allowed the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this year and have only allowed six passing touchdowns. Love has the talent needed to buck that trend, but it’s hard to recommend trusting him this week between his uncertain health and penchant for interceptions.

Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (at Tennessee Titans)

Darnold is coming off his worst performance as the Vikings‘ starting quarterback. He failed to record a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars despite the Jaguars entering Week 10, allowing the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Darnold also tossed a season-high three interceptions in the contest, bringing his total from his last two outings to five.

Until Darnold shows better form, it will probably be best to leave him on the bench, especially against a Titans defense that has been solid against opposing quarterbacks (16th in fantasy points allowed to the position).

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (at Denver Broncos)

Impressively, the Broncos have only allowed teams to throw multiple touchdowns against them in two of their ten games this season. Granted, those two performances came in Weeks 8 and 9, respectively, but Denver returned to form by limiting Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10.

Cousins has only recorded multiple passing touchdowns in four of his ten starts this season. That puts him at a high risk of busting during this difficult matchup.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 11

Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:

→ Kickers are people, too: Here are some of the most clutch kickers to have on your fantasy team in Week 11.

→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 11.

→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 11 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.

→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 11.

→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 11.