Fantasy Football Week 11 RB rankings: Sleepers, bye week replacements, and more

Modified Nov 17, 2023 02:39 GMT

Washington Commanders v Atlanta Falcons — Fantasy Football Week 11 RB rankings

Running backs have always been among the most important fantasy football players, as they can often make or break an entire lineup. Most players in this position are capable of massive production in the most favorable matchups but also carry bust potential in most weeks when facing a challenging situation.

The polarizing nature of the running back position requires managers to have a solid strategy in play to maximize their fantasy scores. With few exceptions, managers should avoid blindly starting any running backs but rather seek out available options in the most favorable situations.

Determining which running backs to target in fantasy football each week is based on a large number of variables. Some of these factors include recent individual performances, direct weekly matchups, expected offensive roles, injury situations to relevant players and potential game scripts, among many others.

This process can often be complicated, but utilizing the Start/Sit Optimizer can make it much easier. This valuable tool analyzes every possible factor for any player in a given week to generate fantasy projections and lineup suggestions.

Bye weeks will also play an important role when setting lineups each week as it determines the player pool that will be available. In Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season, four teams will be off, so their players will be unavailable in fantasy football lineups.

The New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons are all on their bye weeks. This means many lineup staples, such as Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, and Rhamondre Stevenson, will need to be replaced.

The following list of Week 11 sleepers, as well as the complete running back rankings, can help managers make these necessary lineup replacements. It can also be used when finalizing any fantasy football lineup decisions for RBs.

Fantasy Football Week 11 RB sleepers

#1. Javonte Williams

Javonte Williams was eased back into a full workload during the 2023 NFL season after undergoing knee surgery last year. In recent weeks, his restrictions appear to have been completely lifted as he has dominated the backfield touches. He has totaled a massive 55 touches across his past two games, finishing among the top ten running backs in both weeks.

Up next for Williams is a relatively challenging matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, who rank inside the top ten in limiting fantasy points to opposing running backs. While this may cause some managers to avoid using him in lineups, the Denver Broncos' recent hot streak and his newly-dependable workload make him a fantasy football sleeper with a huge upside this week.

#2. Jerome Ford

Jerome Ford has been one of the most consistent fantasy football running backs this season since taking over as the starter for the Cleveland Browns. He has ranked among the top 20 running backs in six of his nine games this year, including three top-ten finishes.

Ford continues to be the leading back for the Browns despite sharing some of the workload with Kareem Hunt. In fact, Ford set a new career-high last week with 107 rushing yards, so he could still be on the rise. He has an excellent opportunity to turn in a strong performance in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a bottom-ten defense in limiting fantasy production to running backs.

#3. Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson has clearly been the featured running back for the Washington Commanders this season, receiving double-digit touches in every game so far. This has resulted in him ranking among the top 25 players in his position in all but one game this season. He also has two RB1 finishes this year, demonstrating his elite upside.

One of those RB1 finishes came last week, so Robinson enters Week 11 in excellent form. He also has an ideal matchup against the reeling New York Giants with a struggling defense in recent weeks. They currently allow the ninth-most fantasy points per game to running backs, and with the Commanders being heavy favorites in this contest, the game script suggests that Robinson could have a busy day.

#4. Devin Singletary

Devin Singletary is coming off a career-best performance last week, finishing as the overall RB3 in PPR leagues. He set a career-high with 161 total yards in an expanded role with Dameon Pierce out with an injury. Pierce is likely to be unavailable again this week, but even if he is, Singletary likely earned himself additional carries going forward.

This is great news for his fantasy football value in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals. They have been one of the weakest overall defenses during the 2023 season so far and have particularly struggled with fantasy running backs. They enter this week, allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to the position. Singletary is one of the best sleeper picks for Week 11 fantasy lineups.

#5. Ty Chandler

Ty Chandler received his first opportunity at an expanded workload last week for the Minnesota Vikings when Alexander Mattison was knocked out of their game early with a concussion. He responded by turning in an RB23 finish in standard-scoring leagues, totaling 15 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown. He did so despite being the featured back for less than a full game.

Mattison has yet to return to practice after suffering his concussion, putting his Week 1 availability in serious jeopardy. If he is unable to go, Chandler will likely be the first start of his career and it comes in the most favorable situation possible for fantasy football running backs. The Denver Broncos are allowing the most fantasy points per game to the position by a wide margin, making Chandler an ideal fill-in option for many lineups this week.

Managers looking to acquire any of these Week 11 targets should consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.