Week 11 Fantasy Sleepers: AJ Dillon, Jamal Agnew among players with increased roles

We’re back to normalcy with bye weeks, as just two teams are on bye in Week 11. That said, we’ll have to find sleepers to replace Broncos and Rams, injured stars, and players with bad matchups. We’re here to help you identify under-the-radar values specific to this week. Whether it’s with players on your roster or those sitting on the waiver wire, there are always guys with sneaky upside ready to enter your lineups. Jamal Agnew is the type of player on the start ’em, sit ’em bubble thanks to a usage increase, while AJ Dillon has been stashed on benches all year long but ready to break out in a big way. For those reasons, we like their chances enough to put them on our Week 11 fantasy sleeper list.

WEEK 11 FANTASY: Busts | Start ’em, sit ’em

It’s worth noting that any of our selections could bust this week, but so could bonafide studs. We’re taking some chances here, as we don’t want to say anyone too obvious. A list of easy choices wouldn’t do anyone any good. You aren’t going to start the guys below over consistent, proven producers, but you’re probably not searching for fantasy sleepers if your lineup is set. However, even if that’s the case, our sleepers list can help you find value in DFS contests, as the prices of these players should be affordable.

Our Week 10 fantasy sleepers contained the worst results we’ve ever had at one position. Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz completely stunk it up despite great matchups. At RB, Mark Ingram had success, while Kenyan Drake fell flat. We also picked Myles Gaskin, who might not have underperformed had an offensive lineman not stolen a screen pass intended for Gaskin near the goal line. At tight end, Tyler Conklin came up huge, but Pat Freiermuth and Noah Fant were merely average. And lastly, Rashod Bateman has a nice day, while Jerry Jeudy and DeSean Jackson did next to nothing.

All in all, it wasn’t our best week, but we’ll continue searching for sneaky value on the start-or-sit bubble and promise not to simply name must-start options.

Week 11 Fantasy Sleepers: Running backs

D’Onta Foreman, Titans vs. Texans (Jackson Sparks). It appears Foreman is the most attractive fantasy asset in the Tennessee backfield, and he has a lot more juice than Adrian Peterson. Shocking, we know. He’ll take on the team that drafted him this week, and the Texans are a bottom-10 unit against fantasy RBs. The Titans have won without Derrick Henry (foot), but the rushing attack has been mediocre. This feels like a get-right game for the running game, and Foreman should take advantage.

Myles Gaskin, Dolphins @ Jets (Vinnie Iyer). He’s not the most exciting play, but he’s a lot easier to trust on the road than anything in Miami’s passing game.

AJ Dillon, Packers @ Vikings (Matt Lutovsky). Dillon isn’t just a “must-start” — he’s a player who should be started over almost all RBs this week. Not only does he figure to get 20-plus touches like last week (and in Week 16 of 2020 when Aaron Jones was out), but he could easily get over 100 total yards and multiple TDs — like he did last week and in Week 16 of 2020.

WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Week 11 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks

Mac Jones, Patriots @ Falcons (Sparks). In the past two weeks, Jones completed 75 percent of his passes and posted four touchdowns to one interception. Atlanta is a bottom-five team against fantasy QBs, so while Jones is hot, this is a good time to play him on Thursday night. He doesn’t have the rushing upside we all covet in fantasy, but he can get it done with his arm in this one.

Justin Fields, Bears vs. Ravens (Iyer). Fields should come back stronger and more confident after the bye and do damage with volume against an overrated pass defense.

Daniel Jones, Giants @ Buccaneers (Lutovsky). Jones hasn’t done much over the past several weeks, but he should have almost all of his weapons healthy after a bye. The Bucs have tightened up on pass defense, but they’ve had trouble with mobile QBs this year (at least 38 rushing yards allowed to Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, and even Jameis Winston) and are clearly still vulnerable in the secondary due to injuries. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Jones post 250 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, and multiple TDs.

WEEK 11 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder

Week 11 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide receivers

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers @ Jaguars (Sparks). After being in the doghouse early in the season, Aiyuk is now running a ton of routes and has been targeted 19 times in the past three weeks. Jacksonville gives up the 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, so here’s a spot for Aiyuk to have his best performance of the season. There is a risk the 49ers simply run the ball an absurd number of times, but the Jags are much weaker against the pass than the run.

Kadarius Toney, Giants @ Buccaneers (Iyer). Toney. Toney? Toney! Back in Florida, expect the Giants to finally free the first-rounder again now that he’s healthy after a bye. Tampa’s depleted secondary can’t handle his unique blend of speed and quickness in garbage time.

Jamal Agnew, Jaguars vs. 49ers (Lutovsky). Agnew is coming off a zero-catch game, but he once again had five targets — the fifth straight game in which he’s had that many. Last week, he salvaged his day with 79 rushing yards and a touchdown. He’s an explosive, versatile playmaker, and the Jags usually find some way to get him the ball, and he can produce against anyone.

WEEK 11 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Week 11 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight ends

Cole Kmet, Bears vs. Ravens (Sparks). You may accuse us of recency bias with this selection after Kmet had his best game of the season the last time we saw him, but the matchup with Baltimore couldn’t get much better, and it looks like Justin Fields might be turning the corner as a young QB. Baltimore gives up the second-most points to fantasy TEs, but they are strong against WRs. That said, it’s clear where the Ravens’ defense is vulnerable, so we like Kmet to have a second consecutive productive week.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers @ Chargers (Iyer). Don’t be discouraged by his clunker against the Lions, as the Chargers cannot cover the tight and allowed a double-score game to Tyler Conklin last week.

C.J. Uzomah, Bengals @ Raiders (Lutovsky). Uzomah has been the definition of a boom-or-bust player this year, but if there’s ever a spot for him to “boom,” it’s this week. Vegas is allowing the most fantasy points per game to TEs, so Uzomah should get loose for some big gains or a TD — or both.

WEEK 11 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel | Yahoo

Week 11 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Defense

Cleveland Browns vs. Lions (Sparks). After looking like an elite defense early in the season, Cleveland has been awful on that side of the ball, to say the least. However, this is the Lions’ offense we’re talking about. The passing game is non-existent, and they don’t run the ball well either. There’s too much talent on this defense to get exposed by Jared Goff, who is always liable to turn the ball over multiple times.

New York Jets vs. Dolphins (Iyer). Robert Saleh and his players heard the farting noise from Rex Ryan earlier in the week and will be challenged to play well and squeeze on Tua and a limited offense.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Saints (Lutovsky). Trevor Siemian has been fairly efficient in two-plus games as a starter, turning it over just once. However, we know that’s not his M.O., and he took four sacks last week. The Eagles turned in two big D/ST performances in the past three games, and even though they have a low floor, they also have a sky-high ceiling. They’re worth a shot in a thin week for D/STs.