Final Week 11 Pre-Game Thoughts

Driving from North Carolina to Missouri today, so will be offline for most of it.  Feel free to pitch in and answer questions.  A few final pre-game thoughts, focused first on TEs:

Gary Barnidge (ESPN’s 19th ranked Week 11 TE) is ridiculously undervalued.  The QB situation is a joke, while Corey Coleman’s return pushes Barnidge further down the priority list.  But 30-mile-per-hour winds and a bottom-third pass defense (Steelers) creates an opportunity for the former TE1 to give desperate fantasy owners a great shot at TE1 production.

Will Tye (ESPN 23rd ranked Week 11 TE) has 15 targets in his last two games.  I was incredibly high on him this preseason after he closed out 2015 with 368 yards and three TDs in his final seven games (that projects out to an 841/7 season).  He won’t go scoreless in 2016, and a matchup against the Bears makes him a worthwhile nothing-to-lose fantasy option.

On the flip side, Dennis Pitta is still—inexplicably—viewed as a TE1 in many circles.  ESPN ranks him 12th this week.  I’m predicting less than 40 yards.

A quick look at DSTs: the Bengals (16th ranked) and Raiders (13th ranked) both should be DST1s this week.  The Giants (7th ranked) are a must-start option in every league, with a solid shot at top 3 production. 

And people keep asking me for deep, deep flyers.  So here are a few I strongly believe in for Week 11:

- ESPN’s 28th ranked RB Thomas Rawls (could put up 12 yards on five carries, or could post 70 yards and a score; worth the risk if you’re thinking of settling for a 5-point option)
- 35th ranked RB Paul Perkins
- 49th ranked WR Marqise Lee
- 51st ranked WRs (tied) Danny Amendola and Tyler Lockett
- 55th ranked RB Benjamin Cunningham (because Todd Gurley isn’t getting it done)

Good luck today.