Fantasy football advice, Week 11: Who to start/sit for Green Bay Packers vs. Washington

The playoff push gets more intense in Week 11, and fantasy owners have less and less room for error as the season goes on. More than ever, sleepers and busts need to be accounted for over the course of every game to avoid making a season-dooming mistake. When the Packers square off against Washington, several notable players who garner fantasy consideration need to be accounted for.

For all of the (valid) concerns about the Packers’ offense, Aaron Rodgers still has 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions over nine games, and provides fantasy owners with enough production to keep them afloat from week to week. He faces a middling Washington pass defense on Sunday night, but the absence of a running game has allowed Rodgers to propel several receivers into fantasy relevance, and in some cases, elite tiers. Jordy Nelson accounted for 18 targets in Week 10, and though he may draw Josh Norman in coverage, he will still likely receive the volume necessary to put him at fringe WR1/WR2 status. Randall Cobb and Davante Adams also deserve flex consideration until the running game gets going, if it ever does.

Though James Starks had success against Washington when the two teams met in the playoffs, fantasy owners cannot bank on the Green Bay backfield. Ty Montgomery’s usage is in the toilet, and Christine Michael is not yet ready to play a role after being acquired earlier in the week. The backfield is a situation to avoid on all accounts, even against Washington’s mediocre run defense.

Kirk Cousins has at least 296 yards in 6-of-9 games in 2016 and multiple touchdowns in six of his last seven contests. He is firmly on the QB1 radar against a Packers defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the NFL. Jordan Reed remains in TE1 consideration even after being slowed by a Vikings defense that schemed to eliminate him from the game plan.

If the volatile DeSean Jackson is back in action, the fantasy values of Jamison Crowder, Pierre Garcon and Vernon Davis take a hit. With Cousins spreading the ball around, fantasy owners should only approach these receivers if they are in a bye-week bind. There’s upside to be had against a vulnerable Packers pass defense, but fantasy owners have to be well aware of a downside as well. As for Jackson, he is expected to be a game-time decision, and with Washington having the late game on Sunday, he isn’t worth the risk for fantasy owners.

In the run game, new starter Robert Kelley has impressed in his expanded role, but will once again have a tall task at hand against a defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game. Kelley tallied 96 yards against a formidable Vikings defense in Week 10 and is a back-end RB2 for Sunday night.

Chris Thompson and Matt Jones can remain out of fantasy lineups. Jones was a healthy scratch in Week 10.