America’s favorite game is back and The Sports Bank has you covered with the best and worst of what was Fantasy Football Week Eleven.
RB Kevin Smith came out of no where and with the help of QB Matthew Stafford put together a pleasant fantasy day for the Detroit Lions.
Follow the jump to receive up-to-date fantasy analysis and the best waiver wire pick-ups for week twelve!
* Points and line-up statistics adapted from ESPN standard scoring leagues
Fantasy MVP: QB Matthew Stafford (28/36, 335 YDS, 5 TD and 2 INT = 29 points)
Last week, Stafford was in the proverbial fantasy dog house for throwing four interceptions against the Chicago Bears. Stafford started off with another two interceptions against the Panthers, but quickly found his form once the Lions established their running game with the new-and-improved Kevin Smith (could have been MVP if he was owned in most fantasy leagues.) Surprisingly enough, none of Stafford’s five touchdowns were to Calvin Johnson, but rather five different receivers. Next up is the undefeated Green Bay Packers who have been playing slightly better on the defensive end. Regardless of the outcome, expect Stafford to have a decent week when it comes to fantasy.
Honorable Mention: RB Ray Rice (26 points)
Disappointing Performance of the Week: RB Matt Forte (20 ATT for 57 YDS = 7 points)
While the Chicago Bears did get the W versus San Diego, it wasn’t Forte who led the way. It was fairly obvious that the Chargers made stopping Forte an emphasis. It also didn’t help his stock when Marian Barber vultured a score in Sunday’s game. Nonetheless, expect Forte to return to his double-digit average when the Bears take on a Raiders team who is struggling against the run this season. Plus, Jay Cutler is out with his broken thumb which means Forte will be a work-horse for the rest of the season.
Wasting Away (Best Bench Player): WR Nate Washington (9 REC, 115 YDS and 2 TD = 23 points)
Washington took all nine of his targets and turned them into catches, something he’s made a habit of this season. Even though starting QB Matt Hasselbeck was forced to leave the game, Washington showed no signs of slowing down with rookie QB Jake Locker in the game. Started in only 43.3 percent of leagues, fantasy owners really dropped the ball this past week. The only problem with Washington is consistency and there’s plenty of problems in that department in Tennessee, so buyers beware.
Somebody Pick Me Up (Best Free Agent): RB Kevin Smith (201 Total YDS and 3 TD = 38 points)
Why did the Lions get rid of this guy in the first place? Yes, he may have been over-used in college and played behind a terrible offensive line to start his career in Detroit. But, this past Sunday, he made the 0.7 percent of fantasy owners who took a leaf of faith on picking him up very very happy. Additionally, I don’t expect Smith to be a one-week wonder because the Lions desperately need the running game and they seem to be content with riding with Smith.
Redskins QB Rex Grossman (24 points, 7.4 %), Ravens WR Torrey Smith (22 points, 43.7 %) and Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya (18 points, 16.0 %) should also be considered for roster spots in the upcoming week.
Hurts So Bad (Worst Injury): Chicago Bears Jay Cutler (Broken Thumb)
For you brave souls who were depending on Cutler for your starting fantasy duties, it may be time to panic because Cutler appears he will miss most of the regular season after opting to have surgery on his broken thumb. But, the fact remains that Cutler ranks right outside the top 20 for fantasy QB and you could and still can simply do better on the waiver wire. Utilize a week-by-week approach and go after guys like Rex Grossman and Matt Moore who have soft match-ups from time-to-time. For those who own Bears’ wideouts (e.g. Earl Bennett and Roy Williams), they will receive a considerable bump in the negative direction as I expect the Bears to primarily run the ball, especially with the weather conditions becoming more frigid.
What surprised you the most in Fantasy Week Eleven? Let me know by commenting below!
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.
2011 Fantasy Football Awards Archive
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten
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