The FedEx Air & Ground fantasy preview is back!
In case it slipped your mind, NFL football fans have the opportunity to vote on top performers at the running back and quarterback position following every regular week of action.
The candidates at quarterback last week were Jared Goff, Case Keenum and C.J. Beathard. At running back, Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara and Carlos Hyde were all featured following big games. You can check out the Week 10 winners here and return to cast your vote every week.
Now, without further ado, let's dive into some players who could have huge games in Week 11, both through the air and on the ground.
Air Analysis:
Drew Brees at Redskins
Following a dominant road win in Week 10, Drew Brees and his Saints return home to the comfortable confines of the Superdome, where Brees is historically more productive. This season has been a bit different in that aspect as New Orleans has become more of a run-first offense, which has limited Brees' fantasy upside. But this week's matchup against Washington presents an opportunity for Brees to put up a solid stat line for fantasy owners. Despite his limited fantasy production, Brees leads the NFL with a 71.7 passer rating and owns a 13:4 TD:INT ratio. The Saints should take advantage of the Redskins pass defense that has allowed three top-six fantasy finishes to opposing quarterbacks in three of their last four contests. Carson Wentz was the QB1 in Week 7, Russell Wilson finished as the QB6 in Week 9 and Case Keenum posted a QB5 performance last week. The only outlier was in Week 8 against the Cowboys when Dak Prescott failed to throw a touchdown pass, instead loading up Ezekiel Elliott with touches in a bad-weather game.
Ryan Fitzpatrick at Dolphins
Slated to start his second game for Tampa Bay in Week 11, Ryan Fitzpatrick makes for a solid value play in DFS or streaming candidate at quarterback if your fantasy team is in need of a boost at the position. You might be skeptical of Fitzpatrick considering he only score 10.38 fantasy points against the Jets last week. But his top receiver, Mike Evans, was out serving a one-game suspension and will be back on the field against the Dolphins which upgrades Fitzpatrick's outlook. Miami has had trouble limiting opposing quarterbacks lately, as the unit has allowed a QB6 game to Josh McCown in Week 7, and just last week surrendered a 35-point game (QB1) to Cam Newton. Over the last month, Miami has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game (21.77) to the position. Given the level of talent around him and the soft defensive matchup, Fitzpatrick could post top-10 numbers in Week 11.
Ground Analysis:
Jay Ajayi at Cowboys
Just a few days after he joined the Eagles via trade, Jay Ajayi led the team in rushing with 77 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against a previously stout Denver Broncos defense. And that was only eight carries worth of production. Heading into Week 11, Ajayi has had a bye week off to learn the playbook and for the coaching staff to integrate him into their offensive game plan. Nothing but positive buzz has been reported regarding the team's confidence in their new backfield acquisition. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said, "there's probably not a play on there I wouldn't feel comfortable putting his number on," while head coach Doug Pederson hinted that Ajayi's role is set to increase against the Cowboys this week. With the Eagles already ranking as one of the most productive rushing teams in the NFL, (136 rush yards per game, 31 rush attempts per game), Dallas faces a tough challenge with linebacker Sean Lee slated to be sidelined with an injury. As Fantasy Live host James Koh recently noted, the Cowboys run defense with Lee starting this season allows 80.3 rush yards per game compared to the 153.3 with Lee out of the lineup. That's a huge discrepancy and a major boon for Ajayi's outlook on Sunday. When you add up all of these factors, it's clear that the Eagles' new offensive weapon is set to go off for fantasy owners in Week 11.
Doug Martin vs Dolphins
Doug Martin has not played well lately, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry over his last four games. But despite his ineffectiveness, he still owns a 72.5 percent share of the Buccaneers' rush attempts during that four-game span, averaging 16.5 carries per game. The volume is there. And that bodes well for his outlook on Sunday against Miami. The Dolphins have not been able to stop running backs all season, allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game (19.46) to the position this year. And more recently, the unit has been even worse against the run, allowing the fourth-most points (24.78) to running backs over the last month. That includes five total touchdowns allowed to backs in their last two games (30.95 FPPG). Even the Panthers' third-string running back, Cameron Artis-Payne, punched one in against Miami last Monday night. Martin is set up nicely for a bounce-back in Week 11.
A fantasy preview you can count on. Just like FedEx Ground -- fast and affordable shipping you can count on.
-- Follow Matt on:
Instagram @mattfranchise. (Tune in to his IG Live sessions every Sunday morning.)
Twitter @MattFranchise. (You may @ me. I may or may not block you.)
Facebook Matt Franciscovich NFL. (Need them likes, yo.)
