2023 Fantasy Football Week 12 Target Report Preview: George Kittle's Thanksgiving Feast

Happy Thanksgiving to the #FAmily out there reading! Now that we’re into the nitty-gritty weeks here, Target Report is going to take a bigger shift now towards player-focused takes to help you out better with starts, sits, and who you can trust in your lineups going forward into the fantasy football playoffs.

Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no air yards, receiving yards, receptions, or touchdowns without first earning a target. And to earn a target, you need to be deemed “open” by the quarterback. It’s one big trickle-down effect. There’s a reason the biggest and most consistent target-earners are near the top of fantasy football ADP: They can be relied on by not just their team’s offense to earn targets and produce on those targets, but that also trickles down to the fantasy managers drafting those pass-catchers and starting them in their lineups each week.

In this season’s Fantasy Football Target Report, we’ll take a weekly team-by-team look into these target earners and separate the wheat from the chaff. To properly lead into what we’ll be looking at this season, we’ll have to establish a baseline of the most important things we’re looking at with targets and other receiving metrics that paint the full picture for who we should be rostering, who we should be adding, and who we can drop. Combing the box score stats doesn’t paint a clear picture of the players we should target, roster, and start. Fantasy football rankings can only paint so much of the picture as well.

Everything we’ll be talking about here and this season in the Fantasy Football Target Report will be some of the best statistics and metrics that correlate with fantasy football production. Think of targets as a page in a coloring book, just the outline yet to be colored. Coloring on that page adds context and flavor to that page. That’s what we’ll be doing with targets — adding more context than just some target totals and saying, “go add this player,” which doesn’t help anybody.

This season, we're adding a video component, so if you want to get some of the juiciest nuggets of the target report in video form, check out the Target Report Bulletpoints for the upcoming Week 12!

Bye Weeks:

• Week 5: CLE, LAC, SEA, TB
• Week 6: GB, PIT
• Week 7: CAR, CIN, DAL, HOU, NYJ, TEN
• Week 9: DEN, DET, JAX, SF
• Week 10: KC, LAR, MIA, PHI
• Week 11: ATL, IND, NE, NO
• Week 13: BAL, BUF, CHI, LV, MIN, NYG
• Week 14: ARI, WAS

NOTE:

Any player not listed for a particular team is not somebody who’s rostered in most fantasy formats. The listing at the end (QB1, RB2, etc.) is how they should be viewed rest of season, not for the next week.)

All statistics below are listed in the following format:

• QB as:
  • (20-of-30, 212 yds., 1/1; 4-100-2) 
  • Pass Completions - Pass Att. - Pass Yds., TD/Int; Rush Att - Rush Yds. - TD
• RB as:
  • (18-75-1; 10-4-100-2) 
  • Rush Att. - Rush Yds. - TD; Targets - Receptions - Rec. Yds. - TD
• WR/TE as:
  • (10-4-100-2)
  • Targets - Receptions - Rec. Yds. - TD

NFL Target Report

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals shut out the Houston Texans in the second half, but it didn’t matter because the Texans still scored enough points to keep it manageable and come away 21-17.

Kyler Murray missed a bunch of key throws and their fourth-quarter drives all ended on fourth down which stings but Murray was still QB6 on the week. 

Week 11 Arizona Cardinals Fantasy Takeaways:

• Kyler Murray (20-of-30, 214 yds., 1-1;  7-51-1)
  • Has put up two top-13 performances in each game. Looks excellent and primed for a nice fantasy playoffs push. A healthy Kyler should boost the fantasy floors of his weapons, namely Brown and McBride while providing some cover for Conner. Low-end QB1 with overall QB1 upside
• James Conner (14-62; 3-2-1)
  • Solid enough to plug in as a low-end RB2 with RB1 in most weeks. Not getting the receiving upside despite 15 carries per game since his return. RB2
• Marquise Brown (5-2-18; 1-(-6)
  • After seeing nine targets per game in his first six games, Brown has only seen just over six with no games over 50 receiving yards. Low-end WR3
• Michael Wilson (Missed Week 11 - Shoulder)
  • Wilson missed Week 11 with a shoulder injury but if active, Wilson will run a bunch of routes as an outside receiver. He can’t be relied upon as anything more than a desperation flex if he played in Week 12. WR5/bench
• Rondale Moore (1-1-48-1; 2-6)
  • Only catch was a 48-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Still gets a couple rushing attempts per game, but production is spotty at best. Hard to trust in lineups. WR5
• Greg Dortch (8-6-76)
  • Led the team in receptions and targets in Week 11 and played his highest routes per dropback this season by far (82%). Harder to count on if Michael Wilson is back but if not, he gets into the sneaky flex consideration by compiling shorter-area targets (5.6-yard aDOT in Week 12). A fun Dortch stat: Dortch averages 13.5 fantasy points per game when he gets 60% of the routes per dropback. Something to ponder if any receivers miss time. WR3/WR4 fringe if Wilson doesn’t play in Week 12.
• Trey McBride (7-5-43)
  • Stud tight end. Ride this wave to the end of the season. Must-start TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Atlanta Falcons

BYE WEEK

Week 11 Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Takeaways:

• Desmond Ridder
  • Reinstalled as Falcons starting quarterback, Ridder doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence after already losing the job once. QB2/low-end streamer
• Bijan Robinson
  • A victim of the system in Atlanta, Bijan hasn’t had the runout we want. Based on where we drafted him, we have to start him and hope for some nut outcomes. It’s never fun relying on the Falcons offense to do what they should, however. High-end RB2 with overall RB1 upside
• Tyler Allgeier
  • Gets a bit more run than expected in Atlanta based on the fact that it’s Arthur Smith leading the way, but you can usually expect a handful of carries and the possibility of a touchdown. That’s good enough to be a “break glass in cast of emergency” flex option most weeks. Mid-range RB3/middling flex with a lower floor than typical
• Drake London
  • We know London has the talent to beat the Atlanta system, but the quarterback play of Ridder and Taylor Heinicke hasn’t really helped him get over that hump of “amazing talent, but if he can put it together…”. Before Week 10, London had at least 50 receiving yards or a touchdown in all but two games, so let’s get back to that in Week 12 vs. New Orleans, okay? Low-end WR3/high-end flex
• Kyle Pitts
  • Pitts has seen five targets in each of his last four games, but the name value leads us to always want to start him. That always leads us to the evergreen “Maybe this is the week for Kyle Pitts?” High-end TE2/high-end streamer
• Jonnu Smith
  • Followed up a 5-100-1 line in Week 9 with one catch for one yard in Week 10 before their Week 11 bye. We have to wonder if this will be a squeaky wheel game for Jonnu Smith because Arthur Smith cannot contain himself. High-end TE2/high-end streamer

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Baltimore Ravens

Obviously, the big news of the week revolves around the Mark Andrews injury and the discussion about hip-drop tackles. Australian Rugby Leagues have moved to outlaw the tackle to save some of the injuries to their players and that seems like there’s going to be much more discussion from the competition committee and around the league this offseason. 

Week 11 Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Takeaways:

• Lamar Jackson (16-of-26, 264 yds., 2/0; 9-54)
  • The Mark Andrews injury knocks the upside slightly, but is still an elite fantasy quarterback. High-end QB1
• Gus Edwards (12-62-2; 2-2-8)
  • Goal-line work is his and he also led the Ravens in snaps at the running back position. His role is pretty secure, but Mitchell does loom a bit. Mid-range RB2 for now.
• Keaton Mitchell (8-33; 1-1-8)
  • Trending up and gaining a foothold on work at the expense of Justice Hill. Saw 37% of snaps in a near-split with Edwards. RB3 with RB2 upside if he gains work at the expense of Edwards too.
• Justice Hill (1-1; 1-1-6)
  • Losing most of his role and snaps to the much more dynamic Mitchell, so he’s dangerously close to being droppable. RB5/bench/droppable in shallow leagues
• Zay Flowers (4-3-43)
  • The Flowers steam from the beginning of the season has definitely tapered off a bit, but he still remains usable in fantasy. Flowers hasn’t had a top-15 weekly finish since Week 6, but he could see a bump with Andrews on the shelf. Mid-to-high-end WR3
• Odell Beckham. (7-4-116)
  • Quietly, Beckham has three straight top-36 finishes in PPR and now could benefit a bit more without Andrews in tow for the Ravens. An interesting option that still could be out there in free agency. Low-end WR3 
• Rashod Bateman (2-1-10-1)
  • Could see a target bump without Andrews in the lineup, but he’s still behind multiple targets despite catching his first touchdown of the season. WR5/bench
• Isaiah Likely (2-0-0)
  • Will likely see 75-85% of routes in this offense at tight end following the Andrews injury. He’s been the one “tight end handcuff” in fantasy football, so he could be a league-winner down the stretch if you’ve been scraping the bottom of the barrel at the position for whatever reason. Low-end TE1 with room for upside

Add ‘Em: Isaiah Likely

Dump ‘Em: Mark Andrews (out for season - ankle)

Buffalo Bills

Week 11 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Takeaways:

• Josh Allen (20-of-32, 275 yds., 3/1; 5-15)
  • Stud. QB1
• James Cook (17-73; 4-3-29-1)
  • Cook has treaded water all year with his role in the Buffalo offense. He’s been fine, but not game breaking. Does that have to do with involving Latavius Murray a bunch? He gets the Eagles, which will be tough sledding, but even his lock on the receiving role isn’t secure with Ty Johnson working his way into the rotation in Week 11. Low-to-mid-range RB2; volatile asset
• Latavius Murray (10-35)
  • Murray has a small standalone role right now but his real value is in the contingency if an injury strikes Cook. Contingent low-end RB3 play (for now) for if something happens to James Cook. 
• Stefon Diggs (8-4-27)
  • Stud, despite the quiet Week 11. WR1
• Gabe Davis (0-0-0)
  • Two catchless weeks in his last three games; that’s just who Gabe Davis is. He’s boom-or-bust and we have to accept it. High-end WR4/volatile mid-range flex
• Khalil Shakir (4-3-115-1)
  • With three double-digit fantasy weeks, Shakir is becoming borderline usable in fantasy with this consolidation of ancillary routes in Buffalo. Where it was spread out to multiple targets, it’s not all centered on Shakir as he’s ran routes on at least 70% of dropbacks four weeks in a row. Low-end WR4/mid-range flex 
• Dalton Kincaid (7-6-46)
  • Since Dawson Knox has been out of the lineup, Kincaid has been a top-10 tight end in fantasy each week. Let the good times roll. Top-5 fantasy TE for right now while Knox is out

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Carolina Panthers

This game carried one of the largest spreads of the entire slate in favor of the Cowboys and from that perspective, the game did not disappoint. From a “knowing what you can expect from the Panthers” perspective, this game hit every mark as the Cowboys crushed the Panthers 33-10.

The Panthers need some adults in the room for the sake of Bryce Young, who has to be losing confidence getting a no-win situation with his weapons and not just that, but by not being C.J. Stroud, who is lifting up his weapons in Houston. The hope with a top draft pick is that Young can lift teammates out of a bad situation and make them better. That hasn’t been the case, but head coach Frank Reich might not get the chance at an encore in Year 2.

Week 11 Carolina Panthers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Bryce Young (16-of-29, 123 yds., 1/1; 2-3)
  • Young has been so bad that there’s already talk of removing Frank Reich as head coach after one season. I honestly don’t think Young will be this bad moving forward, and in a stable, modern NFL offense with adults in the room, Young could be pretty solid. But that’s not what you want from your #1 overall pick, you want what Stroud is doing. That’s the nut outcome. Young right now is volatile, hard to trust, and is learning on the job. A bad combo. QB2/low-end streamer
• Chuba Hubbard (10-57; 2-2-8)
  • Hubbard only leads slightly in this backfield, but it’s a complete split right now with Hubbard seeing slightly more routes and snaps, for now. It’s a bad team with a bad offense and bad playcalling. You can’t hope for much with this offense besides starting one of Hubbard or Sanders and hoping they trip and fall into the end zone. High-end RB3 with some RB2 upside
• Miles Sanders (11-50; 1-1-2)
  • The Panthers have finally met in the middle, with Sanders getting back up to 46% snaps and making this backfield a full-blown committee. Still, it’s a terrible offensive environment and not one conducive to fantasy football success. As the Panthers run out the clock on 2023, you’re just hoping whoever you start from this backfield scores. High-end RB3 with some RB2 upside
• Adam Thielen (11-8-74)
  • The only consistent thing that works in this offense and that distinction is dubious at best, Thielen has carved out a role as the plodder tight end/safety value in a slot wide receiver’s body. We can’t say it hasn’t worked, as Thielen has compiled his way to almost 100 targets and 76 receptions on the season. He’ll keep going and we’ll keep eating our vegetables. Mid-range WR2 with downside if the Panthers offense craters further

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Chicago Bears

The Bears rode the return of Justin Fields as far as he could take them and while Fields had an awesome game, he couldn’t play defense as Jared Goff orchestrated two drives late to score the go-ahead touchdown to send the Lions home a winner 31-26. They were incredibly run heavy with a -12.7% pass rate over expected with their 46 rush attempts. Almost one-third of those were Fields designed runs (14), so maybe the Bears were itching to get Fields back? I mean I would be to after the multi-game “Tyson Bagent era”.

Week 11 Chicago Bears Fantasy Takeaways:

• Justin Fields (16-of-23, 169 yds., 1/0; 18-104)
  • 104 yards rushing? Fields is certainly back and as we know with rushing quarterbacks, it doesn’t matter if they are good or not throwing the ball because the rushing component provides some of the best floor-raising for fantasy quarterbacks. Top-8 fantasy quarterback
• Khalil Herbert (16-35; 3-2-6)
  • Returned to 43% of snaps and the clear advantage with 16 carries. Was that only because of Foreman leaving with an ankle injury? That remains to be seen, but he’s at the head of the table right now. Low-end RB2 with some upside
• D’Onta Foreman (6-14-1)
  • Left Week 11 due to an ankle injury. RB3 with some contingent upside 
• Roschon Johnson (6-30)
  • Contingent option for both Herbert and Foreman, but has a modest standalone role (33% snaps in Week 11). RB3 with some contingent upside 
• DJ Moore (9-7-96-1)
  • The clear top target in Chicago and his upside grows with his floor with Justin Fields back. There are still going to be some volatile weeks, but Moore has weathered this story with Tyson Bagent and should have some more solid weeks ahead. Mid-range WR2
• Cole Kmet (4-3-20)
  • Is the clear second target in Chicago as he’s vaulted over Darnell Mooney, Kmet was the only other pass-catcher two more than two targets outside of DJ Moore. Low-end TE/high-end TE2

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cincinnati Bengals

With Mark Andrews out on the other sideline, the Bengals had to take care of their own massive injury, namely Joe Burrow, who will miss the remainder of the season with a wrist injury. In steps Jake Browning, and it’s clear this offensive will take several notches down in terms of their pass-catchers.

Week 11 Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jake Browning (8-of-14, 68 yds., 1/0; 4-40)
  • Browning showed some rushing upside, but right now even with the full complement of weapons, he’s a low-end streaming QB option. Low-end QB2/streamer
• Joe Mixon (16-69; 5-5-31-1)
  • Mixon has a stranglehold on the carries and workload from a rushing standpoint, so his role is secure, but the change to Browning under center impacts his upside. Low-end RB2
• Ja'Marr Chase (7-2-12-1)
  • Obviously, Chase is one of the best receivers in the league, but the situation with Browning in at quarterback drops him into the high-end WR2 discussion. You still have to start him, but the upside is capped and the efficiency will undoubtedly take a hit. High-end WR2
• Tee Higgins
  • Did not play in Week 11 (hamstring) Low-end WR2/high-end WR3 when healthy
• Tyler Boyd (8-2-9)
  • Boyd is out on most routes as is the case with the top-3 wide receivers when healthy. With Browning now the quarterback for the Bengals, you could potentially see a bit of an uptick in Boyd’s targets in the short area. Low-end WR3/middling flex

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: Joe Burrow (out for season - wrist)

Cleveland Browns

This game had one of the lowest over/under totals I’ve seen in a long while (33 points) and boy did it live up to that and then some. Without Deshaun Watson, the Browns turned to Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) and it was predictably ugly in the passing game. DTR had 42 pass attempts for just 165 yards, which equates to a whopping 3.4-yard aDOT. A lot of dump offs, specifically to David Njoku, who was targeted 15 times in Week 11.

Week 11 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Takeaways:

• Dorian Thompson-Robinson (24-of-43, 165 yds., 0/1; 3-20)
  • Brings a slight rushing floor, but never threatened Pittsburgh with anything deep, so not somebody we’re targeting in fantasy. Even a lot of the bench quarterbacks are better than DTR right now. Low-end QB2/streamer 
• Jerome Ford (12-31-1; 5-2-8)
  • Splitting the workload almost evenly with Hunt, but Ford gets a lot of the green-zone touches, including the majority of receiving work. Ford still feels pretty safe with less than 10 fantasy points in only two games this season. Solid reverse contingent value too, where if something happened to Hunt, Ford would be a 65-70% snap player (49% in Week 11). Low-end RB2
• Kareem Hunt (12-36; 3-3-1)
  • Hunt has worked his way into a solid chunk of the workload, but it’s less than compared to Ford without any of the goal-line stuff or receiving work. Still, Hunt is at least usable in a pinch in fantasy leagues and still carries a bunch of contingent value should something happen to Ford. High-end RB3/solid contingent value
• Amari Cooper (8-4-34)
  • Cooper was having a solid fantasy season, but the inefficient targets now coming from DTR will hamper his value moving forward. He becomes a much more volatile fantasy asset for the rest of 2023. Mid-range WR3
• Elijah Moore (7-6-60)
  • Moore has been up and down no matter who the quarterback has been this season, but posted one of his better games with DTR at quarterback. Perhaps his shorter average depth of target could help him moving forward to earn some volume? Still a tough proposition. Mid-range WR4/low-end flex
• David Njoku (15-7-56)
  • Njoku’s 15 targets in Week 11 seemed to show that he’s going to be DTR’s new best friend and security blanket in the passing game. DTR was also pretty inefficient, so there’s a chance Njoku could have 2 targets in Week 12. Either way, he’s at least a fringe starter with a speculative bump up now thanks to the new signal-caller. TE1/TE2 borderline

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Dallas Cowboys

The recent theme for the Cowboys has been continuing to pass over expected in blowout wins and that continued in Week 11 as Dallas had a +3.7% pass rate over expected and 41 total pass attempts between Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. They didn’t have to do a lot of heavy lifting here with an inferior opponent, letting a defensive touchdown cap off their 33-10 win.

Week 11 Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Takeaways:

• Dak Prescott (25-of-38, 189 yds., 2/0; 2-6)
  • With how the Cowboys’ offense is operating right now with positive PROE, Prescott as to be in consideration amongst the elite fantasy quarterbacks every single week. He’s a must-start going forward. Top-6 fantasy QB
• Tony Pollard (12-61-1; 5-4-19)
  • It’s been tough watching Mike McCarthy call run plays that have Pollard running into the center all game, but Pollard FINALLY hit the end zone for the first time since Week 1. Pollard has been stuck in the same 12 carries for 55 yards-purgatory in blowout scripts for the past month like Phil Connors waking up in Groundhog Day, but with some decent matchups coming up, hopefully Pollard can right the ship after a disappointing first 10 weeks of his fantasy season. High-end RB2
• Rico Dowdle (8-23; 2-2-(-3))
  • Elite contingent back in this offense that’s been getting some run in blowout scripts. He’s a bench hold. RB4/contingent hold
• CeeDee Lamb (9-6-38-1)
  • Stud. Must-start WR1 every week.
• Brandin Cooks (4-3-42)
  • After a monster week in Week 10, he had a muted Week 11, but playing alongside Lamb has made Cooks look better than he has been. Still, you’ve got to start him knowing how explosive this offense is. Low-end WR3/high-end flex
• Jake Ferguson (5-3-32)
  • After three-straight weeks of getting into the end zone, Ferguson watched Luke Schoonmaker get into the end zone in Week 11. Still, with the solid target upside as our generation’s new Dalton Schultz, Ferguson should be started in the majority of fantasy leagues. Low-end TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Denver Broncos

Week 11 Denver Broncos Fantasy Takeaways:

• Russell Wilson (27-of-35, 259 yds., 1/0; 2-1)
  • Wilson has been much better this season thanks to the perk of not having Nathaniel Hackett as head coach, but he’s just been a middling fantasy quarterback, with no 20+ point weeks since Week 4. Floor play. Mid-range QB2/okay streamer
• Javonte Williams (11-37; 2-2-16)
  • Williams was seeing a consolidated role for the last two weeks with Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin in the distance, but objects in the side mirror and closer than they appear. Perine took 35% of the routes and 36% of the snaps to be a thorn in the side of Williams’ workload and because of that, only saw 13 touches vs. Minnesota in Week 11. If this is reverting back to a muddy split, we must adjust. Shaky mid-range RB2 but still clear ahead of his backfield mates
• Courtland Sutton (5-4-66-1)
  • Sutton has touchdowns in five straight weeks which has buoyed his fantasy value greatly, because if it wasn’t for that, we’d likely not be starting him. Still, he’s been one of the only things that’s worked in the Denver passing game. Low-end WR3
• Jerry Jeudy (7-5-58)
  • Has seen between 5-7 targets in every week but Week 10 and has exactly zero finished better than WR30 in any week this season. He is what he is right now: a PPR floor play with not much upside. Low-end WR3/floor play

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Detroit Lions

The Lions (Jared Goff) struggled a bit in the passing game, but still held off the Chicago Justin Fields 31-26. Goff threw three interceptions but clutched up with two touchdown drives to put the Lions over the top when they needed drives. That’s what good teams do.

Week 11 Detroit Lions Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jared Goff (23-of-35, 236 yds., 2/3; 2-3)
  • Despite a blip on the radar with three interceptions, Goff still is a top-12 QB in fantasy. Low-end QB1
• Jahmyr Gibbs (8-36-1; 6-6-59)
  • Gibbs and Montgomery alternated drives with Gibbs seeing more of the receiving component than Montgomery. Still, Gibbs saw the more valuable workload and should be valued slightly ahead of Montgomery going forward. High-end RB2 with weekly RB1 upside
• David Montgomery (12-76-1; 2-2-22)
  • Splitting the workload in Detroit, Montgomery sees more early down work, but even if Gibbs is seeing the receiving work, Monty is still incredibly valuable in this excellent offense with touchdown equity. High-end RB2 with weekly RB1 upside
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (11-8-77-1)
  • Stud. Must-start. WR1
• Jameson Williams (3-2-44-1)
  • Williams is a fantasy stash right now on benches, and we know the Lions can move the ball better than most offenses. Making a bet on 2022’s #12 overall pick in Williams, with his routes and production trending upwards, seems like a good bet to make. High-end WR4 with plenty of room to move up if he can supplant Josh Reynolds.
• Sam LaPorta (5-3-18)
  • A rare down game for LaPorta, but he’s still a locked-in tight end option. Top-6 fantasy TE

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Green Bay Packers

While they got a big win at home against the Chargers, the offense spreads the ball around to so many targets instead of the consolidated targets we see in offenses like the Eagles, Dolphins, Seahawks, etc.

Saying the Packers’ offense has been up and down may be an understatement. It's been a long season for the Packers and their fantasy options, with disappointing fantasy seasons from players like Christian Watson (4-2-21-1), Aaron Jones (4-14; 2-1-3), and Jordan Love not consistently bringing the young weapons together to the degree they had hoped this season.

Jayden Reed looks like the best fantasy option on a team that lacks consistency right now across all positions on a Packers team that suffered some potential injury with Jones. Reed’s shortening average depth of target over the last three weeks with a 4.3 and 5-yard aDOT could portend target earning upside as it’s looking like the Packers are ramping him up and may have found out they can’t keep him off the field right now. Using Reed on designed runs also reinforces this, given the 32-yard rushing touchdown he scored in Week 11 against the Chargers. With the injuries to the running backs, using Reed as an option in the run game provides another avenue for upside. With matchups against the Giants, Buccaneers, and Panthers coming up, the fantasy playoff stretch could be fruitful for Reed to where he’s looking like a difference-making flex option going forward. 

With Jones leaving early on, AJ Dillon (14-29; 4-4-32) goes into Thanksgiving as questionable (both as a fantasy asset and his injury designation).

Week 11 Green Bay Packers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jordan Love (27-of-40, 322 yds., 2/0; 3-0)
  • Took advantage of a good Chargers matchup, but is very matchup-dependent. The Lions are actually a pretty good matchup for him and with no Aaron Jones, Love should be a borderline starter this week. Streamer/QB2
• Aaron Jones (4-14; 2-1-3)
  • Jones left in Week 11 (MCL sprain) and is unlikely to play in Week 12. RB2
• AJ Dillon (14-29; 4-4-32)
  • Efficient with Jones, not at all without him, Dillon will be without him. Tough start at least for this week but overall is a weak contingent play. RB3 (RB2 as the starter in Week 12)
• Christian Watson (4-2-21-1)
  • Major disappointment in terms of season-long production but finally got into the end zone in Week 12. Still running the most routes of any Green Bay pass-catcher, but spotty metrics (1.20 YPRR) show lack of connection with Love. Low-end WR3
• Romeo Doubs (6-5-53-1)
  • Doubs has the unsustainable touchdown pace (38 receptions, 7 touchdowns) working for him, but his target earning is spotty at best. Really, it’s the lack of strength of the offense holding all of these weapons back. High-end WR4/low-end flex
• Jayden Reed (6-4-46; 3-46-1)
  • Reed saw a season-low 45% routes against the Rams in Week 9. Since then, Reed’s routes per dropback have risen from 45% to 56%, to his second-highest percentage in Week 11: 77%. He’s also scored a touchdown and has at least 83 yards from scrimmage in his last two games and three of his last four as well. Trending up and looking like best all-around fantasy option for the Packers right now. Low-end WR3 with upside
• Tucker Kraft (2-2-32)
  • Will get start with Luke Musgrave (kidney) out on Thanksgiving, but really a DFS play and not a fantasy one unless you’re absolutely desperate for a tight end. TE3/desperate streaming option

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: Luke Musgrave (placed on IR - lacerated kidney; unlikely to matter in fantasy playoffs when he does return)

Houston Texans

The Texans put up 21 points at the half and… well, stayed right there. It was enough to hold on against the Cardinals, but this game showed that C.J. Stroud was indeed human as he threw three interceptions. Two of them were pretty bad ones in the second half, but he did enough to keep the pressure on the Cardinals and hold the ball.

Stroud is the clear winner of Offensive Rookie of the Year unless something absolutely insane happens over the next seven weeks and his season might just be one of the best rookie quarterback season we’ve ever seen. For fantasy, he was still a top-10 quarterback on the week, so we can’t complain TOO much.

Week 11 Houston Texans Fantasy Takeaways:

• C.J. Stroud (27-of-37, 336 yds., 2/3; 1-(-1))
  • After the Allen/Hurts/Mahomes/Jackson tier of fantasy quarterback, it’s hard to find a QB I’d rather start than Stroud. He’s awesome and is a must-start. Top-6 fantasy QB
• Devin Singletary (22-112-1; 2-2-6)
  • 52 carries, 272 yards, 2 touchdowns in his last two games combined. 80% snaps in his last two. Ride the wave. Mid-range RB2
• Dameon Pierce (Missed Week 11- ankle)
  • Likely isn’t getting the full workload back from Singletary, who has been pretty solid in his stead. Best case seems like 40% of the split with Singletary, but with contingent upside should something happen to Singletary. Mid-range RB3 upon return
• Tank Dell (10-8-149-1)
  • Stud who has been the best rookie wide receiver in fantasy; yes, over Puka Nacua. Must-start high-end WR2
• Nico Collins (11-7-65)
  • Collins has been the de facto WR on the Texans, but being a WR2 on this team fits him better for his skill set. For fantasy, he flip flops between the second and third target when he’s healthy, with obviously huge upside. Especially when Stroud is dealing, as he’s known to do. If Collins is healthy, you’re starting him. High-end WR3
• Noah Brown (Missed Week 11 - knee)
  • We still haven’t gotten a full game with Brown, Dell, Collins, and Woods together, but Brown is competing with Woods to not be the odd man out. He was on a tear a few weeks ago, but has ceded a bit of that work back to Woods. More of a DFS play, but could be used as a flex in a pinch given the strength of the offense. WR4/very deep flex
• Robert Woods (8-5-44)
  • Woods earns targets, but he’s a bit player here and not as much a featured target earner or first-look option for Stroud. Eight targets seems like an outlier in most weeks with the hierarchy firmly establish now in Houston. WR4/very deep flex
• Dalton Schultz (3-2-32-1)
  • Schultz is pretty fine for what he is as a tight end you can bank on running 80% of routes and finding the end zone in an explosive offense. He’s never going to be the focal point, but more of the guy people forget about when you have Stroud, Dell, and Collins in tow. Low-end TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Indianapolis Colts

BYE WEEK

Week 11 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Takeaways:

• Gardner Minshew
  • Minshew has been solid in his relief of Anthony Richardson, but he’s nothing more than a QB streamer in a good matchup in fantasy. Mid-range QB2/okay streamer
• Jonathan Taylor
  • Has the running back workload locked down. RB1
• Zack Moss
  • Clear contingent play right now in case something happens to Taylor. RB4/contingent play
• Michael Pittman
  • A solid, safe, consistent WR2 with bankable targets and a nice weekly floor. Can’t beat it at his draft-day price. Mid-range WR2
• Josh Downs
  • A solid, productive slot-only option who plays above his skis consistently. He played through a knee injury in Germany in Week 10, but he should be healthy now to be a solid flex option for fantasy managers down the stretch. Low-end WR3/good flex option with upside

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville was carried by Trevor Lawrence here in Week 11, as he threw for two touchdowns, got Calvin Ridley involved, and then shook off the knee injury that put him on the injury report ti rush for two more touchdowns. They beat down a vastly inferior opponent in the Titans, who had no answers for the offensive barrage the Jaguars threw at them, even in an off game for Travis Etienne.

Week 11 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Takeaways:

• Trevor Lawrence (24-of-32, 262 yds., 2/0; 5-17-2)
  • Lawrence has been disappointing this season as the Jaguars really haven’t taken that step to being the elite AFC team many hoped, but 32.2 fantasy-point effort was good enough for QB1 in Week 11. He’s more matchup-dependent than he should be, but he’s got a solid stretch of games heading into the fantasy playoffs that should give him some startable weeks. Borderline QB1/QB2; matchup-dependent
• Travis Etienne (14-52; 3-3-7)
  • Is seeing his lowest snap percentages in the last two weeks (61% and 66%) as he’s been managed more with D’Ernest Johnson and Tank Bigsby. Etienne is still in a quality role, but it’s worth monitoring. Low-end RB1
• Calvin Ridley (9-7-103-1)
  • Led the Jaguars with a 30% target share and his 31.1 fantasy points led the way for receivers in Week 11. These are the boom weeks. We’ve seen the bust weeks throughout this season. Before we feel comfortable putting him in as a must-start option, let’s string some games together. Volatile WR3 with WR1 upside 
• Christian Kirk (6-3-48)
  • The more consistent option in Jacksonville, Kirk has a quiet week, but his role is pretty secure and the one receiver role in Jacksonville you can bank on week to week. High-end WR3
• Evan Engram (6-4-29)
  • You can bank on Engram getting 6-10 targets each week, but his worst two fantasy performances of the season have come in the last two weeks since the bye. Still, the regression to the mean that’s coming for Engram places him firmly in TE1 territory. Mid-range TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Kansas City Chiefs

Week 11 Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Takeaways:

• Patrick Mahomes (24-of-43, 177 yds., 2/1; 6-38)
  • Despite his weapons being up and down, we know what Mahomes can turn this ragtag bunch of weapons into on a weekly basis. QB1
• Isiah Pacheco (14-89; 1-1-2)
  • Solid, no-frills starting fantasy running back with a lock on early-down work and chipping in with the receiving work too, although not as much lately (one targets in past two games). Mid-range RB2
• Jerick McKinnon (1-7; 3-2-8)
  • Low-end flex but goes through bouts of effectiveness as the spell for Pacheco. Carries some contingent value if injury strikes the Chiefs’ backfield. RB4
• Rashee Rice (5-4-42)
  • Before Week 11, Rice had strung together five straight 10+ fantasy point games. Still the most consistent of the wide receiver options for the Chiefs and hoping Rice can get over the 60% routes hump he’s been stuck at the entire season. Low-end WR3 with upside if Rice can run more routes
• Travis Kelce (9-7-44-1)
  • Stud. Dating Taylor Swift. Winning at life. Overall TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Las Vegas Raiders

The plucky Raiders made it a game with the vaunted Miami Dolphins offense, but the offense under Aidan O’Connell simply just isn’t good enough to fully hang with these elite offenses. The Raiders really are just trying to run out the clock on the 2023 season to see what their quarterback options are for 2024, as well as examine the trade market for Davante Adams.

Week 11 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Takeaways:

• Aidan O’Connell (24-of-41, 271 yds., 1/3; 1-3)
  • He’s not startable right now, unless you’re in a Superflex or desperate for a quarterback option following the injury to Joe Burrow or something. QB2/weak streamer
• Josh Jacobs (14-39; 1-1-12)
  • Stranglehold on the running back workload. Took every running back carry in Week 11. Mid-range RB1
• Davante Adams (13-7-82-1)
  • If the modus operandi for Aidan O’Connell is to “throw the ball in Adams’ general direction most of the time”, then that’s a pretty good sign. Adams has 13 targets in his last two games with some questionable efficiency. That said, we’ll take it because O’Connell clearly knows who the breadwinner is here. Low-end WR1
• Jakobi Meyers (5-4-49)
  • Has gone from a stable role over the first seven weeks of 2023 to a shaky foundation with just 13 targets in his last four games. Meyers is a tough start right now, but you may not have a lot of choices right now. High-end WR4/low-end flex
• Michael Mayer (5-4-46)
  • Mayer has seen solid utilization paired with a diminishing role for Austin Hooper (season-low 23% routes) but nothing outstanding for fantasy managers. With O’Connell running the show, Mayer is still a distant third or fourth target. Still, Mayer has a ton of upside and at the tight end position, that means he’s a hold. TE2/solid streamer

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers “Charger’d” and lost yet another game they should have won and are who they are: a fun fantasy team if you have their top options but a maddening one to actually root for. WIthout players like Joshua Palmer, Gerald Everett, and Jalen Guyton, the Chargers were in peak “target Keenan Allen a bajillion times” mode as he led the way with 16 targets.

Week 11 Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Justin Herbert (21-of-36, 260 yds., 2/0; 8-73)
  • Herbert was QB3 in Week 11, but mostly because of his 73 rushing yards that boosted his floor. Herbert has seemed spotty but still is QB3 on the season and is a must-start option each week. Top-5 fantasy QB
• Austin Ekeler (10-64; 3-2-6)
  • One of the jokes made around social media was how slow Ekeler looked on his longest rush of the day for 37 yards. While it’s certainly evident his injuries have sapped some of his explosiveness in the interim, he’s still getting a big workload with elite receiving upside, so he’s a must-start as always. RB1
• Keenan Allen (16-10-116-1)
  • Stud. Must-start every week. Top-5 fantasy WR
• Joshua Palmer (On IR - knee)
  • Eligible to return in Week 13 and a fantasy stash on benches. When active, he’s a solid WR3 with target-earning upside that should be a near-universal start. WR3 when healthy
• Quentin Johnson (6-2-21)
  • A huge drop marred his Week 11, as he could have really made some inroads towards earning some trust in this offense if he had made that catch in a crucial situation. He’s the WR2 in this offense as long as Guyton and Palmer aren’t active, but that doesn’t mean much for fantasy. WR5/bench stash. Drop in shallower leagues

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Rams

Week 11 Los Angeles Rams Fantasy Takeaways:

• Matthew Stafford (17-of-31, 190 yds., 1/0; 2-1)
  • Stafford is a floor play, but the floor is just okay as Stafford has exactly zero games above 17 fantasy points this season and only one game with more than one touchdown pass. Without Kupp, Stafford is an even more volatile fantasy proposition. Mid-range QB2/low-end streamer
• Kyren Williams
  • Slated to return in Week 12 vs. Arizona and there’s no bigger sign of confidence than outright releasing the player who was starting in your absence days before Williams makes his return. Should be a full go in fantasy lineups. High-end RB2 with receiving upside that pushes him into RB1 territory more often than not
• Cooper Kupp (1-1-11; left in Week 11 - ankle)
  • Kupp left Week 11 with a low-ankle sprain and it remains to be seen if he’ll play in Week 12. Of course, if he is playing, he’s a must-start option. WR1 when healthy
• Puka Nacua (7-5-70-1)
  • Nacua has cooled off after his blistering start of 2023, but he’s still been pretty solid in fantasy after hitting a lull for a stretch a couple of weeks ago. Nacua’s upside trends higher if Cooper Kupp is unable to go, but lock Nacua in for 7+ targets and a ton of work in a plus matchup against the Cardinals. Mid-range WR2 with huge PPR upside
• Tutu Atwell (3-1-17)
  • Since Kupp’s return to the lineup and Van Jefferson’s release, Atwell has seen a major downshift in his workload, but that could tick up in the interim if Kupp misses Week 12 or beyond. WR5 with Kupp healthy, low-end WR3/mid-range flex if Kupp is out

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Miami Dolphins

I don’t think a lot of people saw Miami being held to just 20 points at home and coming off of a bye, but that’s the topsy-turvy NFL for you. The Raiders are a plucky bunch under interim head coach Antonio Pierce and held one of the highest-scoring offenses at home (almost 44 points per game) to just 20.

With De’Von Achane playing just three snaps in Week 11 before leaving the game and Salvon Ahmed hitting season-ending IR, Jeff Wilson may come back into our collective consciousness as a bench stash and the second back in the Miami offense behind Raheem Mostert.

Week 11 Miami Dolphins Fantasy Takeaways: 

• Tua Tagovailoa (28-of-39, 325 yds., 2/1; 2-6)
  • Tua drops down to a low-end QB1 in tough matchups like with the Jets in Week 12. Must-start QB1 based on strength of offense
• Raheem Mostert (22-86; 2-1-7)
  • With the injury to Achane, the Dolphins just fed Mostert a ton of volume and he was pretty solid. High-end RB2
• De’Von Achane (1-1; 1-1-4; left Week 11 - knee)
  • Left the game (after three snaps) with a re-aggravation of his knee injury and head coach Mike McDaniel opted to play it safe with his budding young star. Obviously, he’s a hold right now on benches, but as soon as he gets a clean bill of health, he’s a solid high-end RB2 with overall RB1 upside every time he takes the field.
• Tyreek Hill (11-10-146-1)
  • Stud. Best fantasy wide receiver right now. THE WR1
• Jaylen Waddle (8-4-55)
  • Waddle has been solid, but it’s pretty clear that there’s a delta between Hill and Waddle to where it used to be the WR1A and WR1B conversation. That was the thesis behind Waddle being drafted in the middle of the second round. The upside for Waddle hasn’t been there like it was last year, but you’re still starting him based on the the strength of this offense and it’s not like Waddle ISN’T producing. Low-end WR2

Add ‘Em: Jeff Wilson (next man up in the backfield with Achane’s knee reaggravation and Ahmed hitting season-ending IR)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Minnesota Vikings