4 Daily Fantasy Football Players to Avoid in Week 11
As you're filling out your DFS lineups, it's always tempting to simply target the biggest superstars. However, player salaries don't always align with their expected production in a given matchup.
In this preview, I'll highlight a few players who might ordinarily be on your radar but are probably best to avoid this week. These aren't going to be players you absolutely must avoid due to injuries or playing-time demotions but rather players who are in a bad spot due to a matchup or a salary that has risen too high to justify rostering.
Let's take a look at four players who may not live up to expectations this week. All references to betting totals and spreads are from the NCAAF odds. All stats are from Pro Football Reference, unless otherwise noted.
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
FanDuel Salary: $7,300
DraftKings Salary: $6,100
Ryan Tannehill has been elite when kept clean in the pocket, but his numbers drop off considerably under pressure. That's likely to be an issue against a Baltimore Ravens defense that is blitzing at the fourth-highest rate (23 percent) and generating pressure on 42 percent of opponents' dropbacks, according to Sports Info Solutions.
| Comp Pct | Yds/Att | |
|---|---|---|
| No Pressure | 69.7% | 8.4 |
| Under Pressure | 52.5% | 5.5 |
Additionally, Baltimore may be able to slow down Tennessee's play-action passing game, which has accounted for 35 percent of Tannehill's pass attempts and 46 percent of his yardage. The Ravens' defense is allowing just 5.8 yards per attempt off play action, the second-best rate in the league.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
FanDuel Salary: $8,000
DraftKings Salary: $6,500
Since the Dallas Cowboys' offense is sputtering in Dak Prescott's absence, Ezekiel Elliott's fantasy value has become considerably more touchdown-dependent. Unfortunately for Elliott, scores may be tough to come by in this game against the Minnesota Vikings.
While Minnesota's defense has struggled at times this year, it has often stepped up in the red zone. The Vikings' opponents are scoring touchdowns on just 53 percent of their trips to the red zone, the fourth-lowest rate in the league. Additionally, Minnesota has allowed a touchdown on just 18 percent of opponents rushing attempts inside the 10-yard line, tied with the Arizona Cardinals for the lowest rate in the league.
Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
FanDuel Salary: $7,700
DraftKings Salary: $6,900
The Cleveland Browns' defense hasn't been great this year, but it has done a decent job shutting down opposing running backs. The Browns are allowing 18.8 FanDuel points per game to running backs, the ninth-lowest rate in the league.
This might be a particularly tough matchup for Miles Sanders based on the Browns' success against 11 personnel, which the Philadelphia Eagles use on 62 percent of their run plays, according to Sports Info Solutions. When facing 11 personnel, Cleveland has surrendered just 4.2 yards per attempt, the fifth-best rate in the NFL.
Sanders' consistent usage probably makes him a cash game option, but it looks like the Browns' defense will give him a limited ceiling, making him a risky tournament play.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
FanDuel Salary: $5,700
DraftKings Salary: $5,600
Jerry Jeudy is a fantasy star on the rise, but it's probably best to avoid him in this matchup with the Miami Dolphins' defense. Over his last three games, Jeudy has seen 32 targets and averaging 17.3 yards per reception, building his reputation as a legit big-play threat in the Denver Broncos' offense. However, he'll likely find himself battling Xavien Howard for much of this game. According to Sports Info Solutions, Howard is allowing just 4.9 fantasy points per 30 snaps in coverage.
Additionally, Drew Lock -- or Lock's replacement if he's unable to go due to a rib injury -- may struggle to find Jeudy down the field against Miami's pass-rush. Miami is blitzing at the second-highest rate in the league (24.5 percent). Meanwhile, Lock is completing 42.5 percent of his passes for 5.2 yards per attempt against the blitz, both league worsts.
This looks like a rough matchup, so it's probably best to steer clear of Jeudy, and maybe everyone else on the Broncos' offense, as well.
Ryan McCrystal is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ryan McCrystal also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username cfbfilmroom. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
