Fridays are for Five Lists of Five here at DKNetwork, and it’s sticks season! Week 11. Sticks. 11—get it? Sure you do. Energy is high! As is uncertainty abound. Big question marks still hang over players like Amari Cooper, Dalton Kincaid, Sam LaPorta, Tee Higgins, etc. We need fantasy football stashes. Fantasy football streamers. It never ends.
A reminder of the premise behind this specific series of lists: All I want is for you to be better than your friends. You’re going to be surrounded by them on Sunday, probably. How sweet would it be if you could be sure you’ve checked every box possible that might guarantee you a resounding victory this week? Some kick-your-feet-up insights? I’ve got some.
Again—I know my audience. The smoke-break audience. The quick-scan-of-the-phone-on-the-way-to-the-fridge audience. The give-me-as-much-info-as-possible-as-fast-as-possible audience. I’m a man of the people.
And so, once more: Five Lists of Five. Think of these as byte-sized, two-minutes-to-yourself lists to scan during your weekend as you foam at the mouth for any competitive fantasy edge. As much relevant analysis as I can fit into, like, 250 words per player.
Kicking it off this week with my top five fantasy football must-starts and smash spots.
Also available from this week’s Fantasy Fridays Five Lists of Five:
- Top five fantasy football players to stash ahead of NFL Week 11
- Top five fantasy football players most likely to score a touchdown in Week 11
- Top five fantasy football streamers for NFL Week 11
- Top five wide receivers due for fantasy football breakouts in NFL Week 11
Smash ‘Em
Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints (vs. Cleveland Browns)
As the Saints offense gears up for a frisky winter with its rag-tag cast of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, and Derek Carr, superstar Alvin Kamara might be in for quite a fantasy stretch run. We know that the Saints’ offense need not be anything better than league-average for Kamara to eat heartily around the holidays.
The Browns defense ranks 14th in the league in EPA/rush, which means it’s plain-old average at stopping the run. Had Kamara not dropped that pass last week for a clear touchdown, he’d be too big a name to even include on this list.
Not to mention (which I cover in my Top five fantasy football running backs most likely to score a touchdown in NFL Week 11), the Saints have the fourth-best goal line grade this week, with a +26.5 run-to-pass differential in goal-to-go situations. There’s always the risk that Taysom Hill might steal a rushing TD, but Kamara’s a great bet for paydirt this week.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
How many more times is Quentin Johnston going to find blown coverages? Four of his receiving touchdowns this year have come with the nearest defender beyond ten yards from QJ at the catch point. Credit to him, honestly, for not dropping any of these, as the narrative last year with him was that he’d drop even the most cupcake pass. Not so in 2024.
In any case, I do doubt that Sunday Night Football is going to be as high-scoring an affair as folks think. I haven’t watched the Bengals control the script of a game in which they’ve been competitive—all year, maybe. This is a Chargers team that takes control of the game.
No matter. The Cincy defense is awful, Quentin Johnston is an extremely athletic ship who’s been raised by the rising cultural tide of the new Harbaugh coaching staff, and Herbert trusts him more now. I like Johnston to catch a touchdown this week.
David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns (vs. New Orleans Saints)
The Saints defense is only just fine against tight ends this year, both in terms of actual scoring defense and fantasy scoring. Njoku’s had two weeks to heal up from the ankle injury he sustained in Week 8, which kept him out Week 9.
As far as the passing attack goes, he’s the best red zone option they have. Jameis knows this. Jameis will force this issue by forcing him the ball. A fully-healthy Njoku is a threat to be a fantasy volcano each-and-every week. If Njoku makes it through this one healthy, he’ll have quite the game.
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
Bills versus Chiefs. Dalton Kincaid has been officially ruled out as of this morning. In the wake of that news, my colleague Zach Thompson wrote about Knox’s fantasy outlook from a DFS perspective for Week 11:
With the increased volume, Knox should be in a smash start spot against the Chiefs. Kansas City gives up the most yards per game to tight ends this season and the most fantasy points per game to the position as well. Opposing tight ends have totaled 22 catches for 210 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs in just the last three games, and one of those was against the Broncos, who don’t have a clear go-to at the position.
Knox played 70% of snaps last week against the Colts and finished with two catches on three targets for 40 yards. He also had a 50-yard game against the Seahawks in Week 8 and found the end zone in Week 6.
Knox has had some of his finest games against the Chiefs, as ZT noted above. I think we see it again here in Week 11 for the showcase game at 4:25 p.m. ET.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears (vs. Green Bay Packers)
Feel play. If the Bears handle this personnel/play-calling change correctly (yeah, right), they’ll simplify their offensive game so as to try to elevate Caleb Williams’s strengths and minimize his weaknesses. When Caleb was at his best, D’Andre Swift hung 20+ PPR points against the Rams, Panthers, and Jaguars defenses.
Swift has still been serviceable while the Bears have plummeted to rock bottom. It’s a divisional matchup at home at Soldier Field, in front of a fanbase whose stratospheric expectations for a playoff team have been utterly dashed before Thanksgiving. They’re not going to want to turn the ball over.
Swift will see as many carries as he’s seen all year in this one. I’ll take the optimistic play that he’ll be efficient with his touches and provide solid fantasy returns.
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