Fantasy football advice, Week 11: who to start/sit for New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers

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A Thursday night matchup that boasts a pair of losing teams shouldn’t come as a surprise to football fans, but fantasy owners have plenty to watch as the playoffs draw closer. With an over/under of 52, there is expected to be plenty of scoring between two capable offenses that get to square off against struggling defenses. Let’s take a closer look at the fantasy implications for each team:

Drew Brees managed 303 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against the formidable Broncos in Week 10, and even against a Panthers’ defense that is trending upward, Brees is a must-start in all formats. With his fantasy prowess, he propels Mike Thomas, Willie Snead and Brandin Cooks to starting consideration as well. Snead is back on the flex radar after finding the end zone for the first time since Week 2, but can be considered the most volatile of the three receivers.

Tim Hightower and Mark Ingram continue to split duties, and against the brick wall known as the Panthers’ run defense, there probably isn’t room for both to thrive. They can be considered boom-or-bust flex options, with Hightower having the higher floor and Ingram the higher ceiling. Ingram out-touched Hightower in Week 10, but Hightower had more carries in the previous two weeks. Head coach Sean Payton’s “hot-hand” approach will make this a risky backfield to insert into lineups for Week 11 and beyond.

Coby Fleener, Josh Hill and Travaris Cadet can remain on benches in all formats.

The Saints’ bottom-ranked pass defense provides a dream matchup for the trio of Cam Newton, Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen, who need to be started in all formats. Benjamin remains a risky option for fantasy owners, but his upside is too great to ignore, especially with top cornerback Delvin Breaux likely out of action for Thursday night. The Saints are allowing a league-worst 293 passing yards per game, and there ought to be plenty of fantasy wealth to spread around the Panthers’ offense. Jonathan Stewart can also be deployed as an RB2 against a defense that has surrendered 12 rushing touchdowns in 2016.

Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn and Philly Brown can remain on benches and waivers for Week 11 and beyond.