Fantasy football advice, Week 11: Who to start/sit for New England Patriots vs. San Francisco 49ers

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 Patriots square off against the 49ers, several notable players who garner fantasy consideration need to be accounted for.

Hoo boy. Is any fantasy owner laboring over starting Tom Brady, LeGarrette Blount, Julian Edelman or Martellus Bennett for Week 11? Probably not. Which means they aren’t reading this post. Which means I’m just writing in an echo chamber. Which means I can probably say anything I want. Except I can’t. Damn libel laws.

Anyway, if you’re still reading this, start all four of the aforementioned. Bennett easily becomes a top-five option with Rob Gronkowski sidelined, and Blount has the best matchup possible against a 49ers defense that ought to fall behind early, and is surrendering an average of 180 yards on the ground each game.

There could be enough fantasy value to trickle down to even the Patriots’ complementary players on offense, and fantasy owners who are in bye-week binds couldn’t be faulted for taking a chance on Chris Hogan or James White on Sunday. Either would make a fine upside flex play against the 49ers’ woeful defense, but a low output remains possible.

With Hogan back in action, Danny Amendola and Malcolm Mitchell can remain on waivers in all fantasy leagues.

It’s hard to imagine, but since taking over as a starter in Week 6, Colin Kaepernick has averaged more fantasy points per game from that moment than Ben Roethlisberger, Derek Carr, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford. In a game script that could have the 49ers airing out early and often against a middling Patriots defense, Kaepernick makes for an intriguing under-the-radar streaming option.

The game script that could favor Kaepernick would be one that hurts Carlos Hyde, who has been the 49ers’ most viable fantasy option at this point in the season. Hyde may not garner his usual volume if the 49ers are playing catchup, and fantasy owners have to be aware of his downside for Week 11. Hyde can be considered a volatile flex option.

Though Kaepernick has used his legs to rack up fantasy points in recent weeks, his receiving options are hard to trust. With Torrey Smith ailing, and even with Jeremy Kerley resurfacing in Week 10 with a touchdown pass, neither are considered attractive fantasy options. DuJuan Harris and Vance McDonald can also join their teammates on fantasy benches.