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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Welcome to Week 11. This should be a pretty interesting one, beginning with Tuesday night's waiver runs. There's no shortage of intriguing options to consider this week, even more than normal, and with the Bills, Bears, Giants, and 49ers on bye, there really aren't that many must-start options you'll have to replace. That only makes things easier, unlike last week. Before we get to the rest of what you need to know to kick off Week 11 -- including some big injury updates for Drew Brees and Drew Lock, plus seven big questions for the week and a recap of Monday Night Football -- we've got Jamey Eisenberg's top waiver-wire priorities ready to kick off today's newsletter. 
Here are the top five players Jamey is recommending to add for Week 11:
  • Jameis Winston (4%) -- We know Winston can be a very good Fantasy quarterback, so if he gets the chance to start against the Falcons in Week 11 he might just be a top 12 Fantasy QB. Oh, and the Saints get the Falcons again in Week 13, if Brees has to miss multiple weeks, as seems likely. 
  • Salvon Ahmed (6%) -- Ahmed got 21 of 29 Dolphins RB touches in Week 10, and figures to be the lead back again, especially if Matt Breida remains out. 
  • Kalen Ballage (60%) -- Two weeks in a row of Ballage revenge games. He had 15.2 PPR points in Week 10 against the Dolphins, and now he gets a much better matchup against the Jets. If Justin Jackson (knee) is out, Ballage might be close to a must-start back. Imagine saying that in September. 
  • Nyheim Hines (48%) -- Hines has shown significant upside a few times this season, thanks to three multi-touchdown games -- including two in his last three. The Colts are going with the hot hand, so Hines isn't a sure thing, but you have to like the odds. 
  • Jakobi Meyers (57%) -- Here are the wide receivers with more targets than Meyers over the last three weeks: Davante Adams, Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill. The list of receivers with more Fantasy points in that stretch is a few names longer, but he's still a top 10 PPR WR since Week 8. 
You can read the rest of Jamey's priorities for each position here, but that's not all you need. Read on for more on the latest injuries, the biggest questions, and a recap of all of Week 10's action, and if you have any questions, send them my way at Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com with the subject line "Ask FFT" and I may answer them in an upcoming newsletter. 
Injuries, News and Notes
Here's the biggest news you need to know from Monday: 
  • Christian McCaffrey (shoulder) is unlikely to play in Week 11 -- That's per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who famously tends to get these things right. McCaffrey was originally called "day to day" heading into Week 10, but it was clear that wasn't going to be the case once word leaked that he wouldn't play. This isn't a guarantee that McCaffrey won't play Sunday against the Lions, but it seems more likely than not that he'll be out. Mike Davis suffered what seems to be a minor thumb injury last week, but we'll keep an eye on that one when practice opens up tomorrow. 
  • Drew Brees is dealing with multiple rib fractures -- Brees is pretty beat up right now -- he was dealing with a shoulder injury over the last few weeks and then suffered fractured ribs on both sides along with a collapsed lung. He hasn't been ruled out, but it seems almost certain he will miss at least Week 11 against the Falcons. Sean Payton declined to name a starter when asked Monday, but it seems likely to be Jameis Winston, who played 34 of 37 snaps in the second half after Brees' injury Sunday. Taysom Hill played plenty in that second half, but rarely as a QB. 
  • Drew Lock has a rib injury  -- Lock suffered the injury during the first half of Sunday's game, and while he is considered day to day, but the Broncos are waiting for X-rays, and I would bet he won't play this week against Miami. We'll know more Wednesday, but for now, expect Brett Rypien to start for the Broncos, making the Dolphins DST an excellent starting option. 
  • Teddy Bridgewater has a sprained MCL -- Another one that doesn't sound particularly serious, but that's easier to say now than when practice actually starts. Bridgewater could be a pretty solid streaming option in Week 11 against the Lions, but you won't want to chase him on waivers Tuesday until we know his status. P.J. Walker could be an interesting streamer in 2QB and SuperFlex leagues if he gets the chance to start. 
  • Carlos Hyde (hamstring) could be back in time for Thursday night's game -- Last week, Pete Carroll made it sound like Hyde was further away from returning than Chris Carson (foot). Now, it sounds like Hyde may be able to play Thursday against the Cardinals, while Carson is further away. If Hyde does return, he'll likely start over DeeJay Dallas and should be considered a low-end No. 2 RB, worth adding on waivers this week if he's out there. 
  • Tyler Lockett is dealing with a knee sprain -- Carroll told reporters Lockett is dealing with a bit of swelling in the knee, but seemed optimistic about his chances of playing in Week 11. Let me clue you in on something, however: The next time Pete Carroll gives an overly pessimistic statement about a player's injury status will be the first. Maybe this is nothing to be worried about, but I would definitely be making alternative plans if I have Lockett in my lineup. 
  • Andy Dalton was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list -- The Cowboys haven't declared whether Dalton will start in Week 11 against the Vikings, but … he's almost certainly going to be the starter in Week 11 against the Vikings. 
  • Zach Ertz (ankle) has been designated to return from IR -- That doesn't necessarily mean Ertz will return in Week 11 -- in fact, I'd probably bet against it at this point. However, Dallas Goedert did play the first week he was designated to return, so it's not impossible. We'll see what things look like in practice, though if Ertz does play, I would be hesitant to start either him or Goedert.
  • Sam Darnold (shoulder) is out for Week 11 -- Joe Flacco will get another start, and … he was awesome in Week 9 against the Patriots, for what it's worth. That isn't very much, because there's no way you're starting him outside of 2QB or SuperFlex leagues. 
  • The Dolphins waived Jordan Howard -- And that's with Matt Breida and Myles Gaskin injured, so clearly, Howard lost his place in Miami's rotation, and 33 yards on 28 carries will do that. As long as Breida and Gaskin are out, Ahmed will be the starter. 
Week 11's Biggest Questions
You've got questions, I've got answers. Here are my thoughts on some of our readers' biggest questions heading into Week 11: 
  • Mischie: I just lost Brees. Who should I pick up? 
I think it probably has to be Winston, given the matchup against the Falcons -- and the potential rematch in Week 13. He could be a stud for the next few weeks. You could also consider Kirk Cousins (45% rostered), who gets the Cowboys in Week 11 or Alex Smith (13%) against the Bengals, but I think I would prefer Winston to either. 
  • John: When is it too early to start mailing in the regular season and start preparing a playoff roster?
As long as you've locked in a playoff spot and don't have a bye week to play for, it's never too early. If you've only got pride to play for in the regular season and you're just biding your time until the playoffs, you should be looking for ways to build the best possible team come playoff time. My suggestion? Try to see if the person who has Christian McCaffrey or Michael Thomas is desperate and will move them for immediate help at a discount. You can try the same thing with the teams on waivers in Week 11, except that there isn't a ton to get excited about between the Bears, Giants, 49ers, and Bills. But see if the person who has Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs or Allen Robinson is in a must-win spot and will move them. 
  • Ray: How should I approach handcuffs with the playoffs approaching?
Generally speaking, I don't think making a priority of drafting your starter's backup is the best usage of resources in drafts, because you have a finite amount of picks, so dedicating two roster spots for one backfield means you are guaranteed to only hit one one of those picks. However, once you get to the playoffs, you know what your lineup looks like most weeks, so it's less about having as many darts available to throw and more about making sure your starting lineup spots are as strong as possible. That makes it more important to add the truly valuable backups, though there aren't necessarily a ton of those, either. 
  • Bill: Is Damien Harris an RB1 and weekly starter? 
Yes, he's a weekly starter, but he isn't an RB1 for Fantasy. We saw a perfect example of why in Week 10: 121 rushing yards and 12.1 PPR points. He's looked like a great runner, but he has a nonexistent role in the passing game and plays next to Cam Newton, limiting his touchdown opportunities. He's the definition of a TRAP back
  • Joe: What do I do with Michael Thomas?
The first question to answer is: Do we have reason to believe Thomas' value has changed dramatically? There would be two factors that could lead to the answer being "yes," in my eyes: Either you think he's not healthy, or you think his situation has gotten much worse. It's entirely possible the former is true, though he played a pretty typical number of snaps and routes in Week 10, so I'm inclined to think he's healthy enough. The loss of Brees could make this a worse situation, obviously, but I'm inclined to think the opposite -- Winston is less likely to dump the ball off or find the "safe" play, and he'll take risks to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. I don't think Thomas will suddenly start running Mike Evans ' route tree, but Winston might take an extra chance or two at the big play, enough to make this a net-neutral move for Thomas' value. Hold him or trade for him. 
  • Nick: Is Robby Anderson still a must-start WR?
When it comes to whether you should dramatically change your opinion on a player, production is an important thing to look at, but it's more important to look at how the production comes, too. In Anderson's case, his emergence as a must-start WR was driven by his emergence as the No. 1 target for the Panthers offense, and his recent struggles (132 yards in his last three games) haven't coincided with a change in that usage. In fact, his 27 targets over the last three games are just one shy of his previous three-game high this season. Production can fluctuate, but as long as Anderson is earning this kind of work, he's a must-start option. Don't overreact to the natural, largely random fluctuations we see during the course of a season. He's still the No.1  option here, though an injury to Bridgewater would certainly hurt his value, so watch that situation closely. 
  • Allie: Is Travis Kelce the only must-start TE? 
Given that most leagues require at least one tight end for at least 10 teams, there has to be more than one must-start tight end, right? The simple math almost demands it. Well, Darren Waller hasn't averaged more than 8.0 yards per target in any game this season and hasn't topped 50 yards since Week 7; that's your No. 2 tight end in PPR scoring on both a per-game basis and overall. T.J. Hockenson is No. 3 in both with a season-high of 65 yards and only three games out of nine with more than six targets. Waller and Hockenson are part of a larger group that includes Mark Andrews, Hunter Henry, Noah Fant and probably a few others who are technically "must-start" tight ends, but they are pretty much all touchdown-or-bust guys. Kelce is the only exception at the position at this point. 
We can only hope this -- 149 yards of total offense -- was rock bottom for the Bears offense, but you run the risk of being overly optimistic.
  • Injuries: Nick Foles (leg) -- It's not quite clear what the injury is at this point, but Foles had to be carted off after one of several hard hits late in the fourth quarter, with coach Matt Nagy telling reporters it was a hip or leg injury. 
  • Winner: Adam Thielen/Justin Jefferson -- We got quite a lot of questions about Thielen and Jefferson last week, and I tried to caution against getting too pessimistic about Thielen, and the same went for Jefferson -- I view them as two sides of the same coin. Both have big-play and touchdown potential to make up for what they lack in volume due to Minnesota's conservative offensive approach. We saw both types of upside tonight, and it was a good example of why there's always a chance you'll regret benching either. They have so much weekly upside, even if they're bound to disappoint from time to time, too.
  •  Another winner: David Montgomery -- Cordarrelle Patterson served as the lead back for the Bears in Montgomery's (concussion) absence, but that amounted to just 12 touches and two targets. Ryan Nall added two targets and one carry, and Artavis Piece had three carries of his own. None of them looked like threats to Montgomery's playing time when he is healthy enough to return. This is a bad offense and Montgomery isn't enough of a difference maker to rise above it, but his dominance of the touches in Chicago when healthy will continue to make him a No. 2 RB you'll have trouble sitting.  
  • Loser: Nick Foles -- Even before the injury, Foles looked like he might be at risk of losing his job. If Mitchell Trubisky was healthy he very well may have well before that injury. It's not clear if Trubisky's shoulder will be healthy enough for him to play in Week 11, but if he is, I will say this: I don't think it's a downgrade for this Bears offense. Foles has been that bad this season, so maybe the more dynamic athlete in Trubisky can spark something. Anything. Please, for Allen Robinson's sake. 
  • What you might have missed: The Bears did an incredible job keeping Dalvin Cook in check, but he did get loose once, rushing for 36 yards on one fourth-quarter carry -- only for it to be called back for a penalty. Even more notably, the Bears came within inches of actually being in position to take a lead with two minutes left in the game, but Foles just barely overthrew Anthony Miller on fourth down from the Vikings 35. It would have been a definite touchdown. 
 
 
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