Fantasy football advice, Week 11: Who to start/sit for Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants

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 Bears square off against the Giants, several notable players who garner fantasy consideration need to be accounted for.

Alshon Jeffery is out, and Jay Cutler showed that his performance against a declining but capable Vikings defense may have been a fluke. It would be to the surprise of no one if the Bears wanted to take to the ground on Sunday with Jordan Howard leading the way. Howard has back-to-back 100-yard efforts and remains in the RB2 conversation. The fact that Howard managed 100 rushing yards in a game where his team lost by 26 is nothing short of remarkable.

When the Bears do take to the air, Zach Miller will likely have enough of a role to keep him on the TE1 radar even amid an anemic passing game.

Cameron Meredith and Eddie Royal sit atop the receiver depth chart with Jeffery out of action, but neither are inspiring flex plays against a capable Giants secondary. With Cutler lacking any elite options in the passing game, this matchup does not present a favorable one for him. Cutler can remain on benches in all formats.

Though the Bears’ defense had been over-performing, the wheels fell off in Week 10 to the Buccaneers. They should provide a matchup that has Odell Beckham, Jr.’s fantasy owners salivating, although they usually are regardless of whom he lines up against. Beckham is a top-five option, and Eli Manning garners back-end QB1 appeal in a game script that ought to favor plenty of scoring for the home team.

If the Bears can reaffirm their top-10 standing on defense, fantasy wealth may not be there for the likes of Sterling Shepard, Rashad Jennings and Will Tye. With Victor Cruz returning, Shepard’s volume may not be there for fantasy owners to get excited about. Though Jennings managed a season-high 87 rushing yards in Week 10, Paul Perkins cutting into his role doesn’t bode well for his fantasy prospects. The Giants currently rank 31st in the NFL in rushing, and though Paul Perkins has intriguing upside down the stretch of the season, he and Jennings remain bench fodder for the time being.