The fantasy football playoffs are rapidly approaching, and I hope that you’re well on your way to qualifying. Let’s dive into another five burning questions as we look ahead to this week.
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1. Can Russell Wilson (QB – SEA) Bounce Back in Week 11?
Seattle’s Russell Wilson has been a fantasy superstar since Week 1, scoring 20 to 30-plus points each week. Every week, that is, except for Week 10, where we saw a version of Wilson we hadn’t yet seen in 2020. He completed 22 passes on 37 attempts for fewer than 250 yards and zero touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions, was sacked six times for a loss of 28 yards, and recorded a fumble.
It was jarring to witness, but we have to remember that the Rams have historically played the Seahawks with tenacity and grit. The Rams are also second-best in the NFL against quarterbacks. Over ten weeks, they have allowed only 201 completions on 313 attempts for 1,990 yards, nine passing touchdowns, and only three quarterback rushing touchdowns.
The Arizona Cardinals, who the Seahawks will face on TNF in Week 11, are a far cry from the vaunted Rams defense. The Cardinals are ranked 24th versus opposing quarterbacks, as they have allowed over 2,400 yards and 16 passing touchdowns. Josh Allen scored 28.86 in Week 10, rookie Tua Tagovailoa scored 21.42 in Week 9, and let’s not forget that Wilson posted a whopping 32.92 points against Arizona when they last met in Week 7. He is poised for a big bounce-back game in a favorable matchup with a big chip on his shoulder.
2. Which Teams Have The Best Schedule from Weeks 11-16?
As I mentioned in last week’s Five Burning Questions, I will continue to list teams with favorable matchups by position as we head to and through the playoffs. These are a basic look at a handful of teams and is by no means an exhaustive list. Make sure you look at our Strength of Schedule tool for a schedule breakdown of all 32 teams.
QB: Saints, Giants, Chargers
RB: Bears, Colts, Panthers
WR: Eagles, Ravens, Giants
TE: Saints, Steelers, Vikings
DST: Seahawks, Cowboys, Dolphins
3. Who Are Three Top Trade-Away Targets?
If you have your eye on some players you want to target, the best way to get them is to offer a quality player in return. Don’t be that man or woman who offers junk. It’s insulting. Just don’t do it.
What you can do, then, is offer fantasy producers who may see some target and touch regression based on their upcoming matchups. James Robinson is one player who you can trade away while he’s hot but could struggle in the weeks to come. The Jaguars have the fourth-hardest schedule for running backs in Weeks 11-16, and they will face Baltimore and Chicago in Weeks 15 and 16.
Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett has an uphill battle the rest of the season. If he’s healthy, you may want to offload him now. There is the chance that he has an explosive game that only Lockett can have, but that is what gives this offer so much value for a good player in return in your negotiations. Not only is D.K. Metcalf emerging as the WR1 in their offense, but the Seahawks will face the first and second-best defenses against receivers in Weeks 15 and 16. One of those teams includes the Rams (Week 16), and we saw what happened last week when these two teams faced each other.
In addition to the Seahawks, the Texans have a bad run of matchups during the fantasy playoffs. They will play the Chargers, Buccaneers, and the Chiefs, who are all top-ten in defenses against receivers. Will Fuller or Brandin Cooks could be just the ticket you need to seal the deal for another player you may be targeting.
4. Who Are Three Top Trade-For Targets?
Leading the charge for the top trade-for candidates is running back David Montgomery. I know, it’s not very flashy, but the Bears have a bye this week, then they face bottom-six defenses against running backs (except Minnesota in Week 15). Montgomery is attainable without a high price tag, and with his bye this week, his manager may need to make moves to get a starter on their roster.
The second trade-for candidate, Detroit’s running back D’Andre Swift, will likely cost a bit more. He’s become essential to the Lions offense, and his role should continue to increase. The Lions face bottom-eight defenses in Weeks 11, 12, 14, and 15. In Weeks 13 and 16, the Lions play the Bears and Buccaneers, two strong defenses against the run.
The best schedule for receivers goes squarely to the Bengals with quarterback Joe Burrow gun-slinging his way through his rookie year. Ideally, Tee Higgins would be the receiver to target, but that may be impossible after back-to-back weeks of big scoring games. I personally would go after Tyler Boyd, especially after a down game against Pittsburgh. Both receivers can be fantasy-relevant at the same time, with Burrow attempting a minimum of 30 passes per game.
5. Who Can You Stream to Replace Drew Brees (QB – NO)?
If you don’t have a backup quarterback, or that backup is injured or on a bye, then you may need to stream your signal-caller this week to stay alive for the playoffs. First, you may not need to look any further than the Saints and pick up Jameis Winston. He’s prone to turnovers, but he also averaged around 23 fantasy points per game in 2019. Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins will face the second-worst defense versus quarterbacks in the Green Bay Packers, and he’s coming off of a Monday night win against the Bears.
However, if Ben Roethlisberger is available to pick up, he would be my pick for Week 11. The Steelers will face the Jaguars who are third-worst in the league against quarterbacks. They have allowed over 2600 yards on 212 receptions and 19 touchdowns to the position. For Roethlisberger, it’s not just about a favorable matchup, but more so the plethora of weapons at his disposal. Receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster , Diontae Johnson , and Chase Claypool have been making waves in fantasy, and even tight end Eric Ebron has gotten involved. Roethlisberger also has a very favorable matchup in Weeks 14 and 15 when they face the Bills and then the Bengals for a second time.
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Lauren Carpenter is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Lauren, check out her archive and follow her @stepmomlauren.
