Happy Thursday and welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out. For all things fantasy football, follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard).
It is Thursday so we got ourselves some football tonight. The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Baltimore Ravens in a division rivalry. This is finally a prime-time game that is appealing compared to the last few. Bengals are going to be without Hubbard on defense and without Higgins on offense. Both teams are coming off one possession losses that both teams were favored to win. Ravens are favored by 3.5 with an over/under of 46.5. My prediction for this game is a 23-17 win for Lamar and company. Big games from Lamar and Andrews. Boyd could go off again as well.
I’m here every week during the fantasy football season with start and sit suggestions that can impact your team each week. My decisions as always include obvious and not so obvious picks. I would also like to clarify that my sit suggestions are based on the assumption you have or can add a player that has a better chance at success. Good luck this week and continue to check out my weekly articles.
TNF START/SIT
Start – Mark Andrews – Pretty obvious pick here but I love the matchup. The Cincinnati Bengals have allowed over 600 yards of offense to tight ends this season which only 4 teams have done. They have also allowed 4 TDs to tight ends including Mark back in week 2 when the Ravens edged out the Bengals by a score of 27-24. Andrews has played the Bengals 10 times in his career and has scored in 6 of those games including a multi-TD performance. In fact, he has scored in his last 3 games against the Bengals. Heated rivalry between division opponents with a lot on the line.
Sit – Gus Edwards – I’m picking Edwards here due to the fact that his volume hasn’t been as high as it has been. He has 16 carries in his last 2 games combined after having 3 consecutive games with 14+ carries. I know I know he has scored 7 TDs in his last 4 games. Unheard of TD scoring, especially on a team with Lamar Jackson. Edwards will need to continue his TD scoring to be used in this game. Keaton Mitchell has become a hot name after his last 2 games with TDs cutting into his playing time.
Im starting to think my Thursday picks are cursed after the Andrews season ending injury and the 2 TDs by Gus Edwards.
Happy Saturday November 18th to all fantasy followers out there and welcome back to my Start/Sit Hub. Week 11 began on Thursday with the Ravens handing the Bengals a 14-point loss. Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards had themselves a nice outing, however it was also a game of injuries. Not only did the Ravens lose elite TE Mark Andrews for the remainder of the season, but the Bengals lost their star QB Joe Burrow for the remainder of the season. It clearly hits harder for the Bengals, but injuries are terrible no matter the team or position. The Bengals will host the Steelers next while the Ravens travel to the Chargers in LA. Next week’s games start on Thursday per usual but its Thanksgiving, so we get a feast. Packers @ Lions for an appetizer, Commanders @ Cowboys for dinner, and the 49ers @ Seahawks for dessert.
The games that I’m looking forward to watching in week 11 include the Steelers/Browns, the Raiders/Dolphins, Cardinals/Texans, Vikings/Broncos, and the MNF matchup Eagles/ Chiefs Superbowl rematch. Enjoy your weekend of football and good luck getting that fantasy W.
WEEK 11 BYES: Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints
START OF THE WEEK
Start – Cooper Kupp – Kupp is fresh off his BYE week and is supposed to get Mathew Stafford behind center in this game. That makes a huge difference in Kupp’s receiving success. In Kupp’s first 2 games back this season he scored a TD and was over 118 yards in both games. His targets have stayed decent, with and without Stafford, but he was also playing great pass defenses and now gets the Seahawks who are average at defending the pass at best. Rams know the Seahawks well so Kupp should be ready to get his.
Steelers @ Browns
Start – Jaylen Warren – Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren had great games in a win over Green Bay last week. Warren finished with 101 rushing yards on 15 carries and a rushing TD. Warren had set a career high in rushing yards last week with 88 and topped that the very next week with his 101. Warren gets the tough Browns defense, but I think Warren will have opportunities to shine here, especially in the passing game.
Sit – Najee Harris – Like I said above, both Pittsburgh RBs had good outings last week. Harris finished with a season high 82 rushing yards for him. The Cleveland defense is not going to lay down here. Najee will need a TD in this game to boost his fantasy stats. Harris has a good history with Cleveland in his now 3rd year as a pro in the NFL, however in their first meeting this season, Harris only mustered up 43 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
Bears @ Lions
Start – Jahmyr Gibbs – Gibbs has been on a nice roll these past weeks. He has scored in 3 consecutive games including 2 in week 10. He has also been active in the receiving game going for 35+ yards in each of his last 3 games. Well now David Montgomery is back to playing so we have a two headed attack in Detroit again. Both are solid options against the Bears subpar rush defense. I like Gibbs slightly more than Montgomery due to his pass catching.
Sit – D’Onta Foreman – Foreman has the tough task of taking on the rush defense of Detroit who has exceeded expectations thus far. Foreman has been good in the absence of any other superior RB. Roschon Johnson is active but clearly lower on the depth chart. Khalil Herbert is set to return from IR which is sure to dampen Foreman’s expectations. I don’t think Foreman or Herbert have great games, especially with Justin Fields back and most likely he will run wild.
Chargers @ Packers
Start – Keenan Allen – This is one of more obvious picks to start here but it is too inticing not to mention. Allen is coming off a 175-yard receiving game with 2 TDs. He caught 11 of his 14 targets in the close loss to Detroit. Surprisingly this isn’t his best game ever, let alone best this season. Allen went for 215 receiving yards already in a game this season and now has his 2nd multi-TD game of his season. Allen should be bombarded with targets per usual.
Sit – Donald Parham Jr – Gerald Everett was in this spot for me until he was declared OUT for week 11. Enter Parham Jr. He is certainly looking like a boom or bust play with limited boom potential. Parham has exceeded 22 receiving yards just once this season when he had 43 yards. Donald has 4 TDs this season through the air which is 2nd most on the team so his TD potential could save him, but I would stay clear of him.
Raiders @ Dolphins
Start – Raheem Mostert & De’Von Achane – The Dolphins are healthy and that is scary. Both Mostert and Achane have been lethal this season. Mostert has 13 total TDs while Achane has 7 total TDs. Both RBs can be used in the pass game as well. Raiders haven’t been able to stop opponents running the ball so both RBs are in play here. If I had to choose, I would choose Mostert due to him remaining healthy more this season.
Sit – Jakobi Meyers – Vegas just beat both New York teams back-to-back and now get the Dolphins in Miami who are looking healthy. The Raiders seem to be going back to its running game to lean on. In fact, Josh Jacobs had 26 carries in week 9 and 27 carries in week 10. Those totaled up to over 200 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. Meyers has also had a rough time in his last 3 games catching 2 or less passes in each.
Giants @ Commanders
Start – Brian Robinson – I like Robinson a lot in this game and the news that Antonio Gibson is doubtful definitely only makes that feeling better. The Giants have been exposed over and over again. What’s weird is that these teams already played each other this season and somehow the Giants walked away with the 7-point win which is 1 of their 2 only wins. Washington may have only scored 7 points in that game, but it was Robinson who found the endzone. Brian had 6 receptions for 119 receiving yards and a score to go along with his 38 rushing yards last week.
Sit – Giants not named Saquon – Giants are a hot mess, especially on offense. Tommy Devito could be in for a decent game but not much has been done to make that feel good about that. A healthy Barkley is always in play and why not against a division rival he is used to. Don’t get cute, Barkley is the only Giant in play for me this week.
Cowboys @ Panthers
Start – Tony Pollard – Tony Pollard hasn’t scored a TD since he had 2 in the season opening win over the Giants. Since week 3 Pollard has not exceeded 55 rushing yards and only had 1 great receiving game back in week 6. Well, the Cowboys get the Panthers this week. The Panthers defense that has been keeping QBs and WRs in check but not the RBs. RBs have been successful against Carolina and Pollard is next in line. I think this is the week we see Pollard get out of his average funk and find the end zone in what should be a rather easy win for Dallas.
Sit – Miles Sanders – Sanders is on the only team in the NFL with less than 2 wins. After CMC split Carolina, Sanders was added in this past offseason to be the go-to RB. However, that hasn’t been the case. Miles has a solid 72 yards performance in week 1 but has not exceeded 43 yards since. Sanders can be used in the pass game which is what Miles’ owners are hopeful for in this game. Chuba Hubbard has looked like the better RB this season and has been getting a lot more carries recently.
Titans @ Jaguars
Start – Christian Kirk – Christian Kirk leads the Jags in receiving yards and targets this season. Since week 1 concluded, Kirk switched to another gear and instantly became a big part of the Jags passing attack. Trevor Lawrence clearly trusts him a lot to be slinging it his way so often. Kirk has 5+ targets in every game since week 1, has scored 3 receiving TDs, and has his 2nd 100+ yard receiving game this season. Tennessee’s defense isn’t going to slow kirk down much if at all.
Sit – Trevor Lawrence – Although Lawrence has 6 wins already this season, He hasn’t been the fantasy QB we were all hoping for. Lawrence has 2 games this season with 2 passing TDs and the rest are all 1 or less. Trevor has 3 INTS to just 1 passing TD in his last 2 games played. Lawrence’s stock is plummeting.
Cardinals @ Texans
Start – CJ Stroud – Rookie of the year candidate CJ Stroud gets to take on the Cardinals this week. Stroud has gotten this Houston team to 5 wins already and he’s been doing it well. Stroud is 2nd to only Sam Howell in passing yards this season. Howell has thrown the ball the most this season while Stroud has thrown the ball the 10th most in the NFL. CJ has multiple TD passes in 5 games including his record setting 5 TD performance back in week 9. Cj has also found the endzone twice in his last 3 games via his rushing abilities.
Sit – Michael Wilson – I went with Michael Wilson here simply based off the fact that he was 3rd in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in Kyler Murrays season debut. Trey McBride was huge for Kyler and Rondale Moore also contributed. Wilson did have 6 targets which is good, but he only caught half of those for 34 yards. Marquise brown is also in the mix who was inches from a TD in his last game.
Buccaneers @ 49ers
Start – Brock Purdy – Purdy has one of his better performances in week 10 in a solid win over Jacksonville. Purdy threw for 3 TDs and didn’t throw any INTs. The was Brock’s 4th multi-TD game through the air and 5th multi-TD game including rushing TDs. Purdy has healthy weapons around him again and it should be another convincing win this week against the soft Buccaneers pass defense. Fire up all the 49ers!
Sit – Baker Mayfield – Baker has thrown 6 passing TDs in his last 3 games total and only 1 INT in that span of time. He is also averaging over 235 passing yards per game this season with nearly a 3:1 TD to turnover ratio. Only hope here is if he can throw to Evans and Godwin a lot more than expected, but I think the 49ers defense won’t allow much to happen.
Jets @ Bills
Start – Dalton Kincaid – Kincaid is killing it for the Bills as a rookie TE, however his success isn’t enough for the Bills to get out of whatever slump they have been in. Over the last 4 weeks Kincaid leads the entire Bills team in receptions, reception yards, he is tied for receiving TDs, and only Stefon Diggs has more targets. With the drama surrounding Diggs and his displeasure with the Bills could be great for Kincaid giving him even more room and opportunity.
Sit – Gabe Davis – I have said it all season, so I’ll say it again, Gabe is the ultimate boom or bust WR. Davis has 3 games this season with 6+ receptions, but also has 5 games with 2 or fewer receptions and 7 games with 3 or fewer receptions. Its either home run or strikeout most of the time for Gabe if you follow. Jets’ defense is elite against the pass game so it will be interesting to see how Davis plays but more importantly how Josh Allen plays.
Seahawks @ Rams
Start – Cooper Kupp – SEE START OF THE WEEK TOP OF PAGE
Sit – Tyler Higbee – Higbee is having a rough season to say the least. The veteran TE has not scored a TD since Christmas of 2022. The matchup isn’t bad for Higbee but I’m going to assume most of the targets will go Kupp’s and Nacua’s direction. You can do better than Higbee this week I’m almost certain.
Vikings @ Broncos
Start – Javonte Williams – Williams has turned it up recently for the Broncos helping them get on this 3-game win streak. Javonte has scored a receiving TD in each of his last 2 games and has rushed for 79+ yards in 3 consecutive games. Williams is a problem in the open field, and I can see that being the case this week as well. This game could end up being a shootout which also benefits Williams, especially in the pass game.
Sit – Jerry Jeudy – Jeudy scored his first TD back in week 8 in an upset win over the Chiefs. Jerry also racked up 81 receiving yards back in week 3 when the Dolphins put up 70 on Denver. Other than those 2 positive attributes to his season, there hasn’t been a lot going for him. He has 3 or fewer receptions in 3 of his last 4 games and in 5 games all season. Minnesota has been kind to opposing WRs, but I think Sutton is the WR you want to start here.
Eagles @ Chiefs
Start – DeVonta Smith – DeVonta has had an up and down season like most, but he is on the upside right now. He has 4 TDs this season including 1 in each of his last 2 games. Keep in mind Smith has 100 receiving yards when these 2 teams met in last season’s Superbowl. This is all impressive stuff given he is opposite AJ Brown who has been a gift from the heavens in fantasy football and in Philadelphia this season. No Dallas Goedert? More opportunity and volume to Smith.
Sit – Isiah Pacheco – Pacheco is a great RB with great success; however, he takes on the Eagles this week who have simply not allowed RBs to have any success this season. Philly has allowed under 600 yards rushing this season to opposing RBs which is 100 less than next best Detroit with 712 yards. Eagles have also allowed just 3 TDs rushing this season, which is tied for lowest with guess who, yup Kansas City. I think Mahomes will air it out in order to beat the Eagles this week and might need to abandon the run faster than they’d like.