The NFL regular season still has seven weeks to go but the fantasy football regular season (for most leagues) is winding down. Only three weeks are left before the fantasy postseason begins, and the time has come to begin making tough choices involving players who helped you get this far but are trending in the wrong way.
Let's break down four fantasy stars who struggled mightily in Week 11 that should merit bench consideration going forward.
QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
While the Seahawks are considered by some as a Super Bowl contender, their performance in Week 11 didn't do much to help that opinion. The big disappointment came from Sam Darnold, a solid streaming option for most of the year who laid a complete dud against the best defense he's seen in a minute.
The Rams harassed Darnold mercilessly in a 21-19 nail-biter and he didn't stack up well against the pressure, tossing four interceptions to ensure he ended the week in the negatives for fantasy purposes. With the Seattle running game remaining ineffective, Darnold proved unable to elevate the offense in a critical spot, which is a problem for those in the fantasy game.
Managers banking on Darnold need to be very picky with him going forward, and next week's spot against Tennessee isn't a sure bounce back with the Titans' defense being the more dependable unit for a 1-win team. Streaming Darnold is no longer advisable and he can be dropped for better options in shallow leagues.
TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Widely considered a bust entering the fantasy season, Kyle Pitts has quietly delivered low-end TE1 value for managers who took him late in drafts. That value has started to dissipate as Atlanta's season has begun to spiral down the drain and the Falcons' play calling has tried to funnel the ball to its best performers.
Despite getting a few extra possessions in an overtime loss on Sunday against Carolina, Pitts recorded only two catches for 14 yards on three targets. While the Falcons correctly funneled more work to Bijan Robinson, who received 27 touches in the win, Pitts was an afterthought in a passing game that was basically the Drake London show with a side of Darnell Mooney.
It is also fair to question whether a potential quarterback change could hurt Pitts as he has never had a great rapport with Kirk Cousins, who took over late in Week 11 after starter Michael Penix departed with a knee injury. The thin nature of the position may inspire some patience with Pitts, but his new outlook is not favorable for fantasy purposes.
RB Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
As we have talked about before with Vidal, he is not the kind of set-it-and-forget-it RB2 that you can count on. With no pass catching skills to speak of, Vidal is entirely at the mercy of game script, which explains why he offered a big nothing burger in the Chargers' blowout loss in Jacksonville on Sunday.
A ferocious Jaguars' defensive front overwhelmed an injury-depleted Chargers' offensive line, leaving little room for Vidal to work as he got just 13 yards on five carries. Making matters worse is the fact that Los Angeles mixed in Amar Johnson and Trayveon Williams, who combined for five more carries, which looks like a sign that the Chargers know they need a spark in the running game.
That spark could come in the form of rookie Omarion Hampton, who could return from injured reserve after Los Angeles' Week 11 bye. Vidal could still receive some goal line work upon Hampton's return, but the most likely scenario is that his fantasy relevance is over.
RB Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Fantasy truthers have been begging for the Texans to make Marks their primary running back and had to suffer through a half season of him sharing work with whatever is left of Nick Chubb. The balance of power in the backfield has been shifting Marks' way of late and he was the man against Tennessee on Sunday, but his performance left plenty to be desired.
The Texans handed Marks 18 carries on Sunday and he rewarded them with 44 yards, with a 12-yard carry being the highlight of his day. Seeing Marks average 2.4 yards a carry against one of the worst teams in the NFL is not ideal for his long-term fantasy prospects, particularly since Chubb is still around as a platoon option if Houston feels that pairing the two backs is the best fit for their offense.
A short-week matchup against a Bills' team that was gashed for 202 yards on the ground could be a get-right spot for Marks, but if Davis Mills is still under center Buffalo will likely sell out to stop the run as Mills is not nearly as much of a passing threat as Baker Mayfield was. Set modest expectations for Marks going forward, especially if Houston decides to re-integrate Chubb to try and get the best out of both runners.