Quarterbacks

Off The Top

Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF (MIA, @IND, JAC, STL) – The Bills run the ball quite a bit but they also involve their RBs in the passing game, which boosts Fitzpatrick’s numbers. He’s capable of stinkers but with so many QBs nursing head injuries, he provides brilliant Week 11 risk-reward filler. He’s owned in about 70 percent of fantasy leagues. Update: With Fred Jackson (concussion) already ruled out for Thursday night’s game, it’s likely the Bills offense will be a little more pass heavy than usual.

Digging Deeper

Sam Bradford, STL (NYJ, @ARI, SF, @BUF) – Bradford (36 percent owned) had an excellent game against the stingy San Fran defense (275-2-0) and could be worth a look as a bye week replacement in Week 11 facing the Jets. He involves a host of talented young receivers and benefits greatly from the return of Danny Amendola.

Scouring The Barrel

Nick Foles, PHI (@WAS, CAR, @DAL, @TB) – If Vick’s concussion isn’t a minor one, we’ll probably see Foles get his first NFL start against the Redskins in Week 11. It’s a desperation move for fantasy owners, but he looked good in the pocket on Sunday, completing 22 of 32 passes for 219 yards and a TD. Update: Vick’s “significant” concussion is expected to keep him out several weeks and possibly for the remainder of the season. The Eagles are planning to start Foles in Week 11.

Updates

Carson Palmer, OAK (NO, @CIN, CLE, DEN) – Though his team got blown out, Palmer mixed in some decent fantasy numbers (368-2-1) and finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in Week 10 tossing a 55-yard TD pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey and a 30-yard scoring strike to Denarius Moore.

Ryan Tannehill, MIA (@BUF, SEA, NE, @SF) – Only a handful of Week 10 QBs had worse games than Tannehill (217-0-3), and most of them were knocked from the game with concussions.

Blaine Gabbert, JAC (@HOU, TEN, @BUF, NYJ) – Gabbert had 209-0-1 and 10 rushing yards before being pulled for Chad Henne.

Running Backs

Off The Top

Daniel Thomas, MIA (@BUF, SEA, NE, @SF) – Reggie Bush got benched after fumbling against the Titans and Thomas finished with five carries for 21 yards and 5-34-0 receiving. Already the Dolphins goal line back, he could be in for more touches in a favorable Week 11 matchup.

Digging Deeper

Marcel Reece, OAK (NO, @CIN, CLE, DEN) – If Darren McFadden misses any more time, Reece will likely reap the fantasy benefits, especially since he’s a pass-catching and big-play threat even when Run-DMC is healthy. Update: McFadden and Mike Goodson were both still in walking boots on Monday, so Reece will probably get the lion’s share of touches out of the backfield this week.

Chris Ivory, NO (@OAK, SF, @ATL, @NYG) – Ivory was a huge part of the Saints win over Atlanta in Week 10, rushing for 72 yards on seven carries, highlighted by a 56-yard TD run. He’s owned in about a quarter of fantasy leagues but he’s an explosive runner who could be factor down the stretch.

Scouring The Barrel

Ronnie Hillman, DEN (SD, @KC, TB, @OAK) – As the Broncos approach the playoffs, it’d be wise to rest Willis McGahee and give their change-of-pace back – the rookie Hillman – a few more carries. On Sunday, Hillman (who I included in this column a couple weeks ago) had just five carries for 5 yards, but included a score. Update: HC John Fox expressed some concern with McGahee’s recent fumbling woes, opening the door for more touches to go Hillman’s way.

Updates

Jacquizz Rodgers, ATL (ARI, @TB, NO, @CAR) – While Michael Turner struggled to gain positive yardage (just 15 yards on 13 carries), Rodgers had 29 rushing yards on three carries and 4-33-0 receiving. His value is steadily on the rise.

Vick Ballard, IND (@NE, BUF, @DET, TEN) – Ballard had 59 total yards (12 carries for 48 yards and 2-11-0 receiving) in the win over the Jags.

Danny Woodhead, NE (IND, @NYJ, @MIA, HOU) – Woodhead was the top fantasy producer for the Pats in Week 10, scoring twice and tallying 61 total yards (15-yard TD run; 4-46-1 receiving).

Taiwan Jones, OAK (NO, @CIN, CLE, DEN) – After falling behind, Jones was an afterthought, finishing with two carries for six yards and one 7-yard reception.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Off The Top

WR Andre Roberts, ARI (@ATL, STL, @NYJ, @SEA) – The Cards are coming off a bye and Roberts, while turning in a solid season, might be available in some formats. He should be owned in all 12-team leagues but often gets overlooked because of the tenuous QB situation – a pretty sorry state of affairs – in Arizona. The bottom line is that Roberts gets open and knows how to get into the end zone.

WR Danny Amendola, STL (NYJ, @ARI, SF, @BUF) – Amendola (80 percent owned) returned from a three-week hiatus (shoulder) and snagged 11-102-0 on Sunday, missing out on an additional 80-yard reception in OT that was called back due to a non-reporting penalty. He appears to be healthy and once again a favorite target for Bradford.

Digging Deeper

WR Cecil Shorts, JAC (@HOU, TEN, @BUF, NYJ) – Shorts has a tough Week 11 matchup and his QB situation is not a desirable one, but he’s compiled 561 receiving yards this season on just 29 catches – good for a 19.34 average.

WR Brandon LaFell, CAR (TB, @PHI, @KC, ATL) – Lafell only has a couple TD receptions on the season but one of them came in Week 1 against the Bucs. He was targeted eight times in the Week 10 loss to Denver, one more than Steve Smith, who caught just 1-19-0, while LaFell had 4-29-0.

Scouring The Barrel

WR Mohamed Sanu, CIN (@KC, OAK, @SD, DAL) – Sanu scored his first career TD in Week 10 against the Giants and hauled in 4-47-1 on the day. He’s got a favorable schedule on the horizon and is worth a look in deeper formats.

Updates

TE Jermaine Gresham, CIN (@KC, OAK, @SD, DAL) – Gresham caught three of the four balls thrown his way (3-15-1), including a second half TD that extended the Bengals’ lead.

WR Kenny Britt, TEN (BYE, @JAC, HOU, @IND) – The Titans didn’t need much help from Britt (2-36-0) in the drubbing of Miami. There’s a chance Britt becomes a waiver wire casualty in Week 11, the last of the NFL bye weeks. Update: HC Mike Munchak said Monday the team would look for ways to get Britt the ball following the Week 11 bye.

TE Brandon Myers, OAK (NO, @CIN, CLE, DEN) – Another solid performance from Myers (5-57-0), although this one came without a score. Update: After suffering his second concussion of the season last week (and his fourth known concussion since 2009), it’s probable that Myers will miss some action.

WR Golden Tate, SEA (BYE, @MIA, @CHI, ARI) – The former Notre Dame wideout had a huge fantasy day Sunday hauling in 2-51-1 and throwing a 23-yard TD pass to Sidney Rice on a trick play.

WR Donald Jones, BUF (MIA, @IND, JAC, STL) – Another excellent spot start call on my part, Jones was a consensus #45-50 WR according to most site rankings (we had him at #45), and he finished as a Top 15 WR with 6-74-1 on 10 targets.

WR Emmanuel Sanders, PIT (BAL, @CLE, @BAL, SD) – Update: Sanders caught just two of his seven targets for 30 yards, but Ben Roethlisberger exited the game early with a shoulder injury and could miss some extended action. Antonio Brown will probably miss a couple more games, so Sanders is still relevant – just not as exciting an option without Big Ben.

WR T.Y. Hilton, IND (@NE, BUF, @DET, TEN) – Hilton had 30 rushing yards on two carries but only saw one target and didn’t catch a pass with Donnie Avery back in action. Update: The Colts will need all their offensive weapons to be clicking to beat the Pats in Week 11. This could be a shootout so Hilton is a decent deep-league play.

WR Danario Alexander, SD (@DEN, BAL, CIN, @PIT) – While many sites didn’t even include Alexander in their Top 50 rankings for Week 10, we knew better. The 24-year-old receiver caught an 80-yard TD bomb from Rivers and finished as the second best fantasy WR of Week 10 with 5-134-1.

IDP

Off The Top

DL Justin Smith, SF (CHI, @NO, @STL, MIA) – Smith is a versatile veteran DL with a great Week 11 matchup, and he’s still available in over a third of IDP leagues. Give him a shot against the Bears.

LB Von Miller, DEN (SD, @KC, TB, @OAK) – While Wesley Woodyard has garnered a lot of attention as the breakout IDP star of this defense, Miller is a talented pass rusher who’s picking up a lot of steam. He has 10.0 sacks on the season and could be in for another monster game against the division rival Chargers.

Digging Deeper

DB Madieu Williams, WAS (PHI, @DAL, NYG, BAL) – A steady contributor with 63 total tackles, an INT and five PD on the season, Williams has a good matchup against the struggling Eagles in Week 11.

LB Rey Maualuga, CIN (@KC, OAK, @SD, DAL) – With 77 total tackles on the season, the former USC standout is having a career year. He’s available in plenty of IDP leagues and has an outstanding Week 11 matchup.

Scouring The Barrel

DL Stephen Bowen, WAS (PHI, @DAL, NYG, BAL) – He’s been relatively quiet this season (just 18 total tackles and 0.5 sacks through nine games) but Bowen is my super-sleeper IDP pick for Week 11.

DB Dunta Robinson, ATL (ARI, @TB, NO, @CAR) – Robinson is coming off a decent game at New Orleans and is my sleeper DB pick for Week 11. He’s a veteran DB with plenty of upside.

Updates

DL Terrell Suggs, BAL (@PIT, @SD, PIT,@WAS) – The Ravens defense manhandled the Raiders and Suggs contributed two solos, an assist and two PR. His value when he’s DL-eligible continues to rise.

LB Lavonte David, TB (@CAR, ATL, @DEN, PHI) – David followed up a monster Week 9 with another big game racking up 14 total tackles (13 solos) against the Chargers. He’s an LB1 moving forward.

LB Bruce Carter, DAL (CLE, WAS, PHI, @CIN) – Carter also impressed against Philly and while he didn’t get any garbage points, he compiled 10 solo tackles and helped the Cowboys post an important win.

DB Dawan Landry, JAC (@HOU, TEN, @BUF, NYJ) – My best IDP call of the week, Landry had eight solos, a PD and INT. He’s one of the better DL options in his division.

DL Antonio Smith, HOU (JAC, @DET, @TEN, @NE) – Smith managed just one solo tackle Sunday night as the Bears offensive line did a decent job keeping him and J.J. Watt in check. LB Tim Dobbbins did all the damage that was needed to knock Jay Cutler (concussion) from the game.

DB Josh Norman, CAR (TB, @PHI, @KC, ATL) – Norman had five solos in the loss to Denver. He’s worth an occasional spot start in deeper IDP formats.