Fantasy
11/20/23
7 min read
2023 Fantasy Football: Takeaways From Every Week 11 Game
The article below details one need-to-know takeaway from each NFL Week 11 contest, aimed at providing readers with immediately actionable fantasy football information.
Top 4 Takeaways
Stars Injured in Rams' Victory Against Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters QB Geno Smith suffered a triceps/elbow bruise and appears to have avoided a UCL (elbow) injury. His status for Seattle’s Week 12 Thanksgiving game is to be determined. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker suffered a “legit” oblique strain and appears likely to return in Week 13.
Backup QB Drew Lock would be a volatile QB2 against the San Francisco 49ers’ talented pass rush, although S Talanoa Hufanga’s ACL tear gives Seattle’s wide receivers a downfield advantage.
With Smith and Walker unlikely to succeed in a quick turnaround, rookie RB Zach Charbonnet can be expected to handle a high-volume, dual-threat workload. Charbonnet’s 4.9 yards per rushing attempt rank No. 6 (minimum 50 rushing attempts) and his 82.6 percent catch rate ties for No. 12 (minimum 20 targets). He will push for an RB1 ranking.
Los Angeles Rams No. 1 WR Cooper Kupp suffered a low, lateral ankle sprain where the foot plants and inverts. Per Doctor of Physical Therapy Adam Hutchison’s injury report, wide receivers average 1.9 games missed, although 47.2 percent miss no time due to inversion ankle sprains. The average reduction in fantasy points scored varies with the amount of time missed.
Should Kupp miss time, Los Angeles No. 2 WR Puka Nacua returns to elite WR1 status while No. 3 Tutu Atwell assumes WR3/flex viability.
Fields Can Be High-End QB1
Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields played well in his return after his Week 6 thumb sprain. Coach Matt Eberflus unleashed Fields as a dual-threat weapon in Weeks 4-5. His Week 11 showing bore similar usage to his early-season explosive performances.
Fields' increased rushing volume makes up for his temporarily reduced passing volume.
The table below compares Fields’ Week 11 usage and results with his Weeks 4-5 data.
| Justin Fields | Weeks 4-5 | Week 11 |
| Passing Att. Per Game | 32 | 23 |
| Completion Rate | 67.2% | 69.5% |
| aDot | 9.0 | 10.9 |
| 10+ Air-Yard Rate | 35.9% | 39.1% |
| 15+ Air-Yard Rate | 25.0% | 21.7% |
| 20+ Air-Yard Rate | 14.1% | 13.0% |
| Rush Att. Per Game | 7.5 | 18 |
| Yards Rushing Per Game | 41.0 | 104 |
| Fantasy Points Per Game | 30.44 | 21.16 |
Fantasy managers should expect Fields to return high-end QB1 value via positive touchdown regression.
No. 2 RB Chandler Outplays No. 1 Mattison
Minnesota Vikings RB Ty Chandler again played behind sluggish starting RB Alexander Mattison, but Chandler’s sterling efficiency should force coach Kevin O’Connell’s hand in the coming weeks.
The table below reflects the Minnesota backfield’s Week 11 usage and results. “third/fourth-&-Long” refers to third- and fourth-down with three or more yards to go.
| Minnesota Vikings RBs - Week 11 | Alexander Mattison | Ty Chandler |
| Rush Att. - Yards - TD - Fum. | 18 - 81 - 0 - 1 | 10 - 73 - 0 - 0 |
| Yards After Contact/Rush Att. | 3.44 | 2.80 |
| Routes - Rec./Tgt. - Yards - TD | 19 - 1/2 - -1 - 0 | 7 - 4/4 - 37 - 0 |
| TPRR - YPRR | 10.5% - -0.05 | 57.1% - 5.29 |
| third/fourth-&-long | 4 | 2 |
| 2-Min. Drill | 9 | 0 |
| Green Zone Snaps | 6 | 1 |
| Red Zone Snaps | 9 | 3 |
Chandler’s quickest path to an increased role comes via the passing game, but Chandler’s rushing efficiency should not be overlooked. Among 33 NFL running backs with at least 20 rushing attempts over the last two weeks, Chandler’s 4.7 yards per rushing attempt and 31-yard long gain rank No. 9.
Add Bengals’ Browning, Ravens’ Likely
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow tore his TFFC wrist ligament, and Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews suffered a fibula fracture and ankle ligament tear. Both players are out for the season.
Cincinnati’s backup QB Jake Browning is a worthwhile add in two-quarterback and superflex leagues. Baltimore No. 2 TE Isaiah Likely is a priority add in all formats.
Remaining Storylines
Pollard Delivers Useful Total, Sell High
Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard’s 18 points-per-reception (PPR) in Week 11 is his highest in a game since Week 3. RB Rico Dowdle tallied 10 intended touches despite spraining his ankle late in the week.
A 21-yard rushing touchdown boosts Pollard’s showing. Fantasy managers should consider selling high on him.
Warren Laps Harris By 100-Plus Yards
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin returned RB Najee Harris to the No. 1 depth-chart spot after giving RB Jaylen Warren the honor in Week 10. However, Warren outgained Harris by more than 100 yards from scrimmage, totaling 145 yards and three receptions on nine rushing attempts and three targets.
Harris’ poor showing (36 total yards and one reception on 12 rushing attempts and two targets) could allow Warren to resume committee-lead status in Week 12.
Dillon Likely Starts In Week 12
Green Bay Packers Nos. 1 and 3 running backs Aaron Jones (likely MCL sprain) and Emanuel Wilson (shoulder dislocation) will likely miss time. That lines up No. 2 RB A.J. Dillon for full-time starting duties in Green Bay’s Week 12 game against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
Should Jones miss multiple weeks, Dillon offers fantasy managers a flex-worthy profile thanks partly to his mild-to-moderate pass-catching efficiency (0.84 yards per route run, YPRR).
Murray Is Elite QB1
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 231.5 yards passing per game and 42 yards rushing per game rank No. 16 (min. 50 passing attempts) and No. 3 (min. 12 rushing attempts), respectively.
The shifty scrambler has scored rushing touchdowns in both 2023 games. Murray is an elite QB1 moving forward.
Potential to Sell High on Ridley
Jacksonville Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley produced a season-high 31.1 PPR points against Tennessee’s soft coverage unit. Jacksonville has a likely shootout against the Houston Texans in Week 12 before facing the Bengals’ soft perimeter coverage in Week 13.
The Cleveland Browns and Ravens await after the fantasy-friendly two-game stretch. That creates a potential last-second sell-high moment for Ridley managers.
Achane Re-Injures Knee
Miami Dolphins rookie RB De’Von Achane aggravated his Week 5 knee sprain, potentially sidelining him for another week.
Should Achane miss Miami’s Week 12 game against the New York Jets’ stout run defense, RB Raheem Mostert’s touch competition would be reduced. Still, Salvon Ahmed (12.00 PPR points) played well in Achane’s relief.
Buy Bellinger In Dynasty
New York Giants TE Darren Waller (hamstring strain) was added to injured reserve in Week 9.
Despite playing with QB Tommy DeVito for 11 of New York’s last 12 quarters, No. 2 TE Daniel Bellinger has averaged 1.35 YPRR since then. Bellinger flashed at times in 2022 and has a chance to earn the No. 1 role by year’s end.
49ers Lose Hufanga
The San Francisco 49ers lost one-half of their league-best safety tandem when Talanoa Hufanga suffered a likely season-ending ACL tear while attempting to tackle Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Rachaad White. The secondary will likely yield far more explosive pass plays to opposing passing games in the coming weeks. Among 68 NFL safeties with at least 10 targets thrown into their primary coverage, Hufanga’s 0.1 yards allowed per coverage snap in Weeks 1-10 tied for No. 2, per SportsInfoSolutions.
Allen Excels in Brady's System
The Buffalo Bills replaced offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey with quarterbacks coach Joe Brady after last week’s 22-24 loss to the Denver Broncos. QB Josh Allen turned in top-three season-long rates this week, producing a 108.2 NFL passer rating while averaging 8.6 yards per passing attempt. His 275 yards passing ranked No. 5 on the week and his three touchdowns passing tied for No. 1.
