Week 10 was another example of why you shouldn’t draft a quarterback high in the fantasy football draft.
Three of the top-five fantasy football scorers among quarterbacks were streaming options, with C.J. Beathard, Case Keenum and DeShone Kizer finishing ahead of players like Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford.
Having a consistent quarterback is nice, but not necessarily the key to winning your league. You can stream quarterbacks and wide receivers. You can’t stream running backs.
I’ll try to find the best streaming options this week in the week 11 quarterbacks start ’em, sit ’em guide in fantasy football.
Start
Alex Smith vs. New York Giants
Remember when the Giants were a dominating pass defense? Last year seems so far away at the moment.
Andy Reid is ridiculous after a bye week (see my NFL picks later in the week), so he’ll easily have his team ready against the dreadful Giants. In the last three games, New York is giving up 306 yards per game through the air. They now allow the second-most fantasy points per game against quarterbacks, and by the end of week 11, they should have the dubious honor of being No. 1 in that category.
Smith has reverted to old Alex Smith in recent weeks, with only game of throwing more than 300 yards. But he won’t turn over the football and the Giants are allowing touchdowns to quarterbacks at an alarming rate. Smith should be a top-five option in week 11.
Kirk Cousins vs. New Orleans Saints
Nobody’s been better against the pass than the Saints in recent weeks.
New Orleans is allowing 130 yards per game through the air in the last three games. The Saints also are opportunistic this season, giving up 10 touchdowns through the air and intercepting nine passes.
So why am I starting Cousins? New Orleans’ defense is improved from recent years, but this cannot continue. They haven’t improved that much. Eventually, the Saints will return back to the middle somewhere, which should allow Cousins to be a QB1 this week.
New Orleans allows 166 yards per game passing on the road, and 245 yards passing at home. Cousins will feel comfortable in the dome, and this game should have good game flow for high production. Expect a lot of points, so Cousins should get the start.
Drew Stanton/Blaine Gabbert vs. Houston Texans
Don’t laugh. Regardless of who is under center for Arizona, I would pick him up as a streaming option for week 11.
The Texans are atrocious against the pass. They’re allowing 354 yards per game through the air in the last three games. Notably, especially against Arizona, they’re allowing less than 80 yards rushing per game in those contests, too.
So the Cardinals won’t find much room running the football. That will put the pressure on either quarterback to make some noise against the Texans.
Neither are consistently great options, but both are relatively the same, so even if Stanton can’t go because of injury, I would still ride Gabbert into week 11.
Sit
Marcus Mariota vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
If you picked Mariota as your main fantasy threat in the preseason, then I’m sorry. He’s not panning out.
It might not completely be Mariota either. He looks injured. Even though he did scramble more in week 10, he doesn’t look comfortable in the pocket. And the Titans offense isn’t exactly exciting by any means. It’s basically run twice and then throw on third down and hope for a penalty or a player to catch and run the ball for a first down.
And even though Pittsburgh’s defense has been down against the pass, I’ll trust Pittsburgh on a short week against that bland Tennessee offense. The Steelers can still rush the passer, so that will be a major thorn in Mariota’s side.
Philip Rivers vs. Buffalo Bills
Rivers wasn’t terrible in week 10, but as expected, he wasn’t a QB1. I’d anticipate the same kind of outing against a reeling Bills defense.
Buffalo has fallen out of favor with about everyone and it’s due to the rush defense, the calling card in the beginning of the season. Teams are rushing for 182 yards per game in the last three games, complicating things for a defense that relies on turnovers.
With their backs against the wall, I expect the Bills to maintain its focus in the passing game and for the Chargers to look to the run first, and the pass second. The Bills are allowing only 211 yards per game through the air during this recent three-game stretch, so Rivers won’t have much room to pass.
Rivers might not be too bad, but he won’t be in the QB1 conversation in week 11.
Eli Manning vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Manning was my streaming option in week 10 and it worked out OK. He ranked 10th in fantasy points among quarterbacks, putting him in that QB1 range for 12-team leagues.
Even with a solid matchup on paper in week 11, I’m passing on Manning this week. The Giants don’t have any weapons and the offensive line is in shambles.
Against a San Francisco team that hasn’t stopped anyone through the air, Manning needed a garbage touchdown in week 10 to reach QB1 status. Kansas City’s defense is terrible, too, but Reid’s bye week streak is too much to ignore.
The defense will be ready and the Giants are looking to the 2018 draft. Don’t fall for the temptation to pick up Manning as a streaming option this week.
