Miami Dolphins’ Kenyan Drake (32) runs past Carolina Panthers’ Kawann Short (99) in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (Mike McCarn/AP)
Last week’s advice worked out perfectly, going six-for-six with some low-ranked starts and big-name sits. Starts of Jared Goff, Orleans Darkwa and Robby Anderson each had great weeks and deserved to be in all starting lineups. Goff finished at QB3 with 355 yards and three touchdowns. Darkwa had 88 total yards and a two-point conversion to finish at RB19 despite not scoring a touchdown. Anderson ended up at WR14 after a day with 85 yards receiving, including a touchdown.
Sitting Ben Roethlisberger, Adrian Peterson and Jordy Nelson might have seemed ambitious, but all three played pretty poorly. Roethlisberger had the best week of the three, finishing at QB11, but there were several guys like Goff that you could have picked up off waivers and put in a better performance. Peterson was dreadful, rushing 21 times for just 29 yards and a fumble. Nelson was also awful, catching just three passes for 20 yards.
Let’s keep it going for Week 11.
Start: QB Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings
Keenum had a huge game last week with 304 yards and four touchdowns and I expect him to remain hot this week. Keenum takes on the Rams, which is a bad matchup based on season performance, as the Rams rank fourth-best in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. However, the Rams have been much worse on the road. They’ve allowed an average of 7.1 fantasy points to quarterbacks at home, but on the road that average jumps to 18.8. Keenum has a healthy Stefon Diggs back and should put up good numbers in Minnesota’s dome.
Sit: QB Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Mariota takes on the Steelers this week, who have been the third-toughest defense for opposing fantasy quarterbacks: Pittsburgh is allowing just 11.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Mariota will be on the road for this game, where his fantasy points per game drops from 17.1 to 12.5. Keep the Titans quarterback on your bench this week.
Start: RB Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins
Drake ran for nearly eight yards per carry two weeks ago, and the Dolphins “rewarded” him with seven carries last week in a blowout loss. In Week 11, Miami will likely be in a much more competitive game with the Bucs. Tampa Bay gives up the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs, and I’m confident Adam Gase will realize Drake needs the ball more. Put him into your lineup and be ready for Drake running in for six with his woes.
Sit: RB Samaje Perine, Washington Redskins
With Rob Kelley out for the year, Perine is being added in every fantasy league as the presumed starter in Washington when they take on the Saints. However, in the two full games that Kelley has missed this season, Perine has rushed 28 times for 72 yards. A horrible 2.57 yards per carry looks even worse when you consider these games were against the Raiders and 49ers, rushing defenses in the bottom four of the NFL. The Saints will score plenty of points against the Redskins and Washington will have to turn to Chris Thompson. Leave Perine on your bench.
Start: WR Sterling Shepard, New York Giants
In Shepard’s first two games back from injury, he has caught 16 passes for 212 yards. Expect that to continue on Sunday when he takes on the Chiefs, who give up the most fantasy points to wide receivers. Shepard is essentially all the Giants have at wide receiver, so Eli Manning looks to him frequently. In a game where the Giants will be coming from behind, Shepard is sure to have a big game.
Sit: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Fitzgerald has some of the worst home-road splits in the league, averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game in Arizona and 7.2 anywhere else. That kind of discrepancy alone provides reason to bench Fitzgerald as he heads to Houston, despite the Texans’ shaky passing defense. Fitzgerald also has Blaine Gabbert making his season debut at quarterback, which likely won’t help the fantasy performance of his veteran wide receiver.
Josh Buser is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at joshua.buser@uconn.edu.
