Which under-the-radar players might be able to give your fantasy team a lift? Which chalky players might not be as safe as they seem?
Our featured analysts name some potential sleepers and underachievers for Week 11.
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Q. Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start and why do you think he has upside this week?
Damiere Byrd (WR – ATL)
“Damiere Byrd vs. Chicago. Both teams will be looking to run the ball, so the last thing anyone expects is a Byrd touchdown. Last week against the Panthers, it was Byrd, not Drake London or Kyle Pitts, who led the Falcons’ passing attack, recording 58 yards on three receptions. Chicago has allowed 36.23 fantasy points per game to wide receivers over the last four weeks. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this week … Byrd is the word.
– Matt Donnelly (Dynasty Vipers)
Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)
“Jaylen Warren is seeing more opportunities as the season goes on, and with Najee Harris dealing with a knee issue, Warren could see even more carries in Week 11. The Bengals have had all sorts of issues with the Steelers the last year or so, and Warren could make for a sneaky flex play in PPR formats.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
“My Week 11 sleeper of the week is RB Jaylen Warren. Warren saw a season-high 71.1% snap share in Week 8 and a 42.9% share in Week 10. He looks to be the most explosive back on the team, outpacing Najee Harris in yards per carry, yards per reception and juke rate. In Week 10, Warren saw 11.5% of the target share vs. Harris’ 3.8%. I expect Warrens’s involvement to continue and his snap share to be closer to 50/50 moving forward.”
– Billy Muzio (FullTime Fantasy)
Ben Skowronek (WR – LAR)
“Ben Skowronek has played 81% of the Rams’ offensive snaps this season and is on a 49-catch pace. That pace is destined to pick up now that Cooper Kupp is on IR and will miss at least four weeks. There’s no substitute for Kupp, but Skowronek might at least be able to approximate Kupp’s usage. (Kupp and Skowronek both have an average depth of target of 7.1 yards.) The assumption seems to be that Allen Robinson and Tyler Higbee will pick up most of the slack in Kupp’s absence, but Skowronek might end up getting the biggest value boost. He’s a sneaky flex option this week against the Saints.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“Ben Skowronek is someone I would be putting in flex spots this week. We just don’t know where the Rams are going to put the ball. Since Skowronek has been out-targeting Van Jefferson, and his usage has been close to Allen Robinson’s this season, it makes sense that Skowronek will get more targets. When Cooper Kupp left the game on Sunday, Skowronek finished second in targets behind Tyler Higbee. He is easily in the flex conversation this week, as it is likely he maintains this uplift in work.”
– Adam Murfet (5 Yard Rush)
Q. Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?
Deebo Samuel (WR – SF)
“Deebo Samuel vs. Arizona. I’m not even mad, just disappointed with Samuel’s performance thus far this season. The matchup is great this week, as the Cardinals are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers over the last four weeks — which makes disappointment almost a certainty. Samuel has just a single 100-yard receiving game to date, and it appears that with the weapons on this 49ers offense, someone will be getting the fantasy squeeze each and every week.”
– Matt Donnelly (Dynasty Vipers)
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – IND)
“Michael Pittman Jr. does have Matt Ryan back under center, but the Eagles’ corners are excellent. Coming off an embarrassing performance versus Washington, I expect the Eagles’ defense to take their aggression out on the Colts, and that could mean underwhelming stats for Pittman.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
“My Week 11 sit of the week is WR Michael Pittman. Pittman will most likely disappoint fantasy managers in his matchup vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. He is scheduled to square off against Darius Slay and James Bradbury, both of whom are allowing fewer than six fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.”
– Billy Muzio (FullTime Fantasy)
Gabe Davis (WR – BUF)
“Gabe Davis is averaging 5.9 targets a game, and while he makes those targets count (22.7 yards per catch, five TDs), the lesser target volume makes for uneven week-to-week production. There’s also the Buffalo weather to consider. Western New York is expected to be slammed with a multi-day snowstorm that could last through the weekend, and the forecast calls for 20-30 mph winds in Buffalo during the Browns-Bills game. With less-than-ideal passing conditions, it might be worth benching Davis.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Allen Lazard (WR – GB)
“While Allen Lazard has been the ONE Green Bay wide receiver to roster this season, there is just no trusting him this week. The matchup looks great on paper. Tennessee has given up the third-most fantasy points to the WR position so far this year. But Christian Watson emerged last week with three touchdowns, while the running game was effective. Not to mention that Green Bay is a better team when Aaron Rodgers is only throwing the ball 30 times a game. When Rodgers has thrown the ball more than 35 times this season, his completion percentage drops to just above 61%. If Green Bay is only passing 30 times and splitting targets between Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Christian Watson, Robert Tonyan and Lazard, plus others, you become reliant on Lazard scoring more than a touchdown to justify his WR13 ranking. And since this offense hasn’t been THAT potent this year, I’d be very cautious with Lazard this week.”
– Adam Murfet (5 Yard Rush)
Thanks to the experts for sharing their advice! For more of their insight, be sure to follow each pundit on Twitter (click their names above) and visit their respective sites.
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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.