Week 11 of the NFL season has arrived, with the playoffs on the horizon, and every game holding some additional weight. There are just two bye weeks on the schedule as the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints will take in this week from their couches. The Sunday slate will kick off with another overseas morning matchup, this time in Spain between the Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins. But there is a loaded day of Sunday action, headlined by the Buccaneers facing the Bills, the Rams playing the Seahawks, and the Denver Broncos hosting the Kansas City Chiefs.
There are still plenty of ways to get involved in the action with DraftKings Sportsbook and DFS contests. As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here is a look at a few players in line to outperform their price point to help give you an edge across the Sunday slate. This article presents my top DFS lineup and the logic behind each selection.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterback
Bo Nix ($6,100)
The Denver Broncos sit atop the AFC West standings with an 8-2 record on the season. They will play a divisional matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 5-4 on the season. This is an important matchup for the Chiefs, who are feeling the pressure to qualify for the postseason well beyond what was expected at this stage of the season. But they have looked more like themselves of late and need to build off this momentum. The Chiefs are coming off a loss to the Bills last week, but won the three previous games and five of their last seven. Kansas City has scored 21+ points and Patrick Mahomes has thrown for 224+ passing yards in each of these games.
If the Broncos are to have a chance in this matchup, they are going to need to put up some points. Bo Nix must be at the epicenter of this. The second-year quarterback has thrown for 2,126 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on the season while adding 205 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. Nix is averaging 19.8 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring, which ranks 12th among starting quarterbacks. But has tallied as many as 40.0 fantasy points in a game this season and will be facing a Chiefs’ defense that ranks 21st in net yards per pass attempt. Josh Allen carved them up for 273 passing yards and three total touchdowns just two weeks ago. While Nix will not be confused for Allen, he has adequate weapons around him, and the injury to J.K. Dobbins should only reinforce the desire for the Broncos to lean on a pass-first attack. Expect Nix to see plenty of passing opportunities in this matchup and play a huge role in some high-scoring figures to be put on the board. Count on Nix to outperform his price point and be ready to step up in this divisional matchup.
Other Considerations: Josh Allen ($7,000), Patrick Mahomes ($6,800), Baker Mayfield ($6,400), Sam Darnold ($5,700)
Running Back
Josh Jacobs ($7,800)
Josh Jacobs currently ranks fourth in the NFL in total touches at 190 on the year, or 21.1 per game. He has established himself as the foundation of the Packers’ attack, with this becoming increasingly important alongside Jordan Love’s inconsistencies. Jacobs has rushed for 608 yards and tallied 237 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns scored on the season. The former Raiders’ standout is averaging 19.7 fantasy points per game, which ranks seventh among running backs.
The Packers will be facing a Giants team this week that saw the bottom fall out for their outlook as a franchise. They fired head coach Brian Daboll following last week’s loss, and Jaxson Dart will miss this week due to a concussion. While Jameis Winston will provide some excitement under center, this does not fix any of their defensive issues. New York ranks 27th in points allowed, 29th in total yards conceded, 31st in rushing yards allowed, 30th in rushing touchdowns given up, and dead last in net yards per rush attempt. Jacobs has been one of the best running backs all season and will face his friendliest matchup to this point. Expect an impressive statistical output and for Jacobs to be in the mix for one of the highest fantasy football scorers of the week.
Kimani Vidal ($5,900)
The Chargers’ running game is extremely depleted, with Najee Harris, Omarion Hampton, and Hassan Haskins each on injured reserve. This has left Kimani Vidal as just about the lone option at the running back position. Through the seven games he has been active, Vidal has tallied 404 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns. This includes two touchdowns in the past three weeks and a pair of matchups with 117+ rushing yards on the season. Just last week, Vidal rushed the ball 25 times for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers.
Los Angeles will face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Jacksonville has dropped three of its past four games and allowed 29+ points in each of its past three games. On the season overall, the Jaguars rank 20th in points allowed and 23rd in yards conceded. Vidal is averaging 11.4 fantasy points per game on the season and has surpassed 17 fantasy points in three games this season. With the 24-year-old in a prime position to take just about the entirety of the running back opportunities, count on Vidal putting forth a strong fantasy football output in Week 11.
Other Considerations: James Cook ($7,300), Quinshon Judkins ($6,400), D’Andre Swift ($5,800), RJ Harvey ($5,400)
Wide Receivers
Rashee Rice ($7,900)
The absence of Rashee Rice was greatly felt in this Chiefs offense. Across his three games back, Rice has pulled in 20 receptions for 215 yards and three scores. The lack of reliable wide receiver production has weighed down the Chiefs’ offense, and it is no coincidence that Kansas City has begun to hit its stride since its top wide receiver has returned to the field. Looking at the fantasy production, Rice has posted fantasy outputs of 23.2, 25.5, and 18.6 based on DraftKings scoring. This 22.4 average fantasy points per game ranks third among wide receivers, albeit with a limited sample size.
Denver has a strong overall defense, but the Chiefs are looking like themselves again. Expect Rice to continue being a huge part of the attack, and for Kansas City to be playing with a level of desperation with their playoff outlook more in doubt than expected at this stage of the year. The 25-year-old has been targeted at least seven times in every game; expect this to continue to be the case in the divisional matchup.
Courtland Sutton ($5,900)
On the other side of this matchup, Courtland Sutton has made his case for why he should be viewed as a legitimate WR1 this season. The SMU product has pulled in 41 receptions for 590 yards and four touchdowns. He has seen double-digit targets in two games this season and been a reliable part of the Broncos’ attack. Sutton is averaging 12.9 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring, which ranks 30th among wide receivers. Kansas City’s defense has been solid, but it’s not impenetrable.
Expect both teams to be putting up some points and airing the ball out at a high rate. Count on Courtland Sutton being involved heavily in the Broncos’ attack. Nix has been a bit erratic in recent weeks, which has limited the output of Sutton. He has pulled in just 41 of the 66 passes thrown his way as evidence of this. But Sutton has performed well against the Chiefs in the past, with 11 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns last year against Kansas City. This game has a chance to become a shootout; count on Sutton to do his job in the offensive attack. Expect his output to outperform his $5,900 price point in the divisional battle.
Khalil Shakir ($5,300)
The Buffalo Bills are off to a 6-3 start to the season and rank sixth in the league in scoring at 27.6 points per game. Josh Allen has looked like an MVP again this year, and Buffalo has done their best to cement itself as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. While names like Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid steal the spotlight, Khalil Shakir has quietly led the team in receiving production. Through Buffalo’s first nine games, Shakir has tallied 45 receptions for 457 receiving yards and three touchdowns. His 12.1 fantasy points per game lead the team’s receiving corps, as well.
The Bills will face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, who have a high-powered offense of their own. Buffalo will need to continue to score at a high rate, and Shakir will be involved in this attack. He has pulled in six receptions in back-to-back weeks and five or more in four of the past five games. Shakir has tallied 11+ fantasy points in eight of the 10 games this year and posted a season-best 20.8 fantasy points against the Panthers. Count on him to outperform his $5,300 price point and maintain his increased role in the offense in what should be a high-scoring battle.
Other Considerations: Justin Jefferson ($7,500), Emeka Egbuka ($7,200), Tee Higgins ($6,000), Keenan Allen ($5,300)
Tight End
Kyle Pitts Sr. ($4,000)
The Atlanta Falcons’ injury report is a scary sight this week. They are particularly banged up at the wide receiver position, including top pass catcher Drake London being listed as questionable with an illness and back injury. There seems to be some legitimate concern that London, who ranks second in the NFL in targets per game, may miss this week’s matchup. Someone has to catch the ball in the offense, and Kyle Pitts Sr. will be counted on at a higher rate for the Falcons.
Through his opening nine games, Pitts has tallied 45 receptions for 420 yards and a touchdown. He has been targeted at least four times in every game this season and tallied seven or more receptions in three games. Pitts is averaging 10.3 fantasy points per game, which ranks 16th among tight ends. Atlanta will be facing off with the Carolina Panthers this week. Carolina has struggled to slow down opposing tight ends this season, allowing 5.6 receptions and 70.4 receiving yards per game on the season. Just last week, they allowed seven receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown to the Saints’ tight end position. Expect Pitts Sr. to see his expectations scaled up in the shorthanded offense and for him to put forth a strong fantasy football output tonight.
Other Considerations: Travis Kelce ($4,800), Cade Otton ($4,200), Luke Musgrave ($3,700)
Flex
Jayden Higgins ($3,500)
Digging in the bargain bin a bit to allow for some of the higher-priced stars, Jayden Higgins is a player worth a flyer this week. The rookie wide receiver has tallied just 19 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns on the season. He is averaging just 54.5% of the offensive snaps on the year. But Higgins is coming off a career-best five-reception performance for 42 yards and a touchdown with Davis Mills as his quarterback. C.J. Stroud will remain out this week with his concussion, and Mills is in line to make his second consecutive start.
Higgins has seen his role grow as the season has progressed, which includes seeing as many as 82.5% of the offensive snaps and having tallied 55% or more of the snaps in four of the past five games. The Iowa State product has three touchdowns over the past six weeks and is averaging 2.5 receptions per game over this time, after having just four total through the first three weeks. Houston will be facing the Titans this week, who rank 30th in points allowed and 25th in yards given up. Higgins’ ceiling is fairly low, but one big can vastly outperform this price point. It was encouraging to see his chemistry with Davis Mills, and don’t be shocked if Higgins produces his best performance of the year in this matchup.
Defense & Special Teams
Green Bay Packers ($3,600)
The Green Bay Packers’ defense has not quite possessed the level of bite that has been hoped for this season. But they still are an extremely respectable unit with a favorable matchup this week. Green Bay ranks seventh in points allowed, fifth in yards given up, and second in net yards per pass attempt allowed. They are freshly off limiting the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to fewer than 300 total yards and just 10 points in last week’s matchup. Their sights will now shift to another NFC East opponent in the New York Giants.
The Giants rank 24th in points and 14th in yards tallied on the season. But there have been several different versions of this team seen this year, with the Russell Wilson-led unit starting the year and Jaxson Dart providing some juice in recent weeks. With Dart sidelined with a concussion, Jameis Winston will get the start under center for the first time this year. While Winston has the arm talent to make some throws, he is also one of the more turnover-prone quarterbacks in all of football and will still be without several of the key position players around him. The Packers have a better defense than they have played this year, and Winston will allow him the opportunities to generate takeaways in this matchup. $3,600 is a bit of a steep price point for the matchup, but there is a clear path to the Packers being the top-scoring defense of the week with a defensive touchdown on the table.
Other Considerations: Falcons ($3,500), Bears ($2,800), Bengals ($2,400)
