Fantasy football lineup advice: Week 11 boom or bust

Fantasy Football – Quarterback

Boom: Drew Brees, NO @ TB

Brees’ Week 10 performance (11.5 points) can be best viewed as an aberration, as the Atlanta’s mediocre pass rush somehow sacked the future Hall of Famer 6 times – the most Brees has taken since 2013. It’s a tall task for for anyone to hold the Saints from reaching the end-zone throughout the entirety of a game, but the Falcons? I’m in disbelief. Owners with Brees shouldn’t worry, as this marked just the second time in his past 15 games that he’s failed to throw at least one touchdown.

Luckily, the Buccaneers’ defense provides the perfect remedy for Brees and co. to get back on track, as they’ve been torched to a tune of 320 passing yards per game. Tampa Bay’s 23.9 fantasy points per game allowed to QBs is second-worst to only Arizona. Look for the Brees to turn to the passing-game early and often in a divisional battle between two high-powered offenses.

Honorable Mention: Jimmy Garoppolo (SF vs. ARI), Derek Carr (OAK vs. CIN)

Bust: Baker Mayfield, CLE vs. PIT

Is it possible the former No. 1 overall pick is beginning to turn the corner? While Mayfield hasn’t had that big statistical game just yet, he hasn’t killed your lineup either, scoring at least 17 fantasy points in three of his last four games. More importantly, he’s taking better care of the ball (just one turnover in his last three) – each against top-tier defenses in NE, DEN, and BUF. His serviceable play even led the Browns to their first win last week since Week 4.

Mayfield’s recent “success” may get put on hold this week, as the visiting Steelers have boasted a white-hot defense as of late. Minkah Fitzpatrick has made all the difference for this unit. Since his arrival in Pittsburgh, the Steelers have allowed just over 10 FPPG to enemy passers. This defense has evolved in legitimate powerhouse, and in what should be a close divisional battle, owners should be looking elsewhere for production in Week 11.

Dishonorable Mention: Matthew Stafford (DET vs. DAL), Kirk Cousins (MIN vs. DEN)

Sleeper: Sam Darnold, NYJ @ WSH

In Week 10 against the Giants, Darnold got this offense rolling early, completing his first seven pass-attempts and leading his team to score on each of their first two possessions. He’s shown the ability to post admirable numbers in better matchups, which should make the 22-year-old a popular streaming play this week against the 1-8 Redskins. His confidence is growing, and his fantasy scores should follow.