- Week 11 Positional Matchups | Cheatsheet to Spot the Best Players
- IDP Fantasy START/SIT Advice: Week 11 of THE BLINDSIDE
Welcome to your Week 11 IDP Start/Sit recommendations! As we head into the crucial stretch of the fantasy season, every lineup decision can impact how the remainder of your season plays out. We provide all the IDP data to identify the right defensive players to start or sit. Let’s dive into this week’s matchups, highlighting which IDP studs should be in your lineup and which might be better left on the bench.
Our writers answer all start/sit questions on Discord before the games exclusively for the #Nerdherd. The advanced metrics used in this article are courtesy of Fantasy Points Data Suite, use code NERDS for 25% off your own data suite subscription or All-in bundle.
WEEK 11 IDP START/sit
Defensive Line (DL) | IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Carl Granderson | DL | New Orleans Saints
Carl Granderson has been a consistent fantasy producer this season. The Saints EDGE rusher is the DL45 in fantasy points per game. He’s been consistent as a tackler all season, averaging 3.4 tackles per game. The Wyoming product has just 3.5 sacks this season but is on pace for his third consecutive season with at least 50 tackles.
Carl Granderson and the New Orleans defensive line have a great matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, who allow a league-worst 4.8 sacks per game. The Cleveland offense has been abysmal all season, and this should be an excellent opportunity for Granderson to add to his sack total for the season. My fellow IDP Nerd Brad Custer (@MonCalFF) mentioned Granderson in his Positional Matchups article this week.
Linebacker (LB) | IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Terrel Bernard | LB | Buffalo Bills
This week, we turn to a big-time player in a potential preview of the AFC Championship game this postseason. The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Buffalo Bills, which headlines the Week 11 slate. Terrel Bernard has been red-hot since returning from an early-season injury. The Buffalo linebacker has finished with double-digit fantasy points in 5 straight games. He has been the LB32 since Week 5 when he returned to the lineup.
Terrel Bernard is coming off a remarkable season in 2023, where he finished as LB6 in FPPG. The Buffalo LB has picked up where he left off this season, finishing with at least 10 fantasy points in every game he’s started this season, outside of a Week 2 matchup in which he left the game due to injury. Bernard should have a big week against the Kansas City Chiefs; he recorded 8 tackles against them in his last game.
Defensive Back (DB) | IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Coby Bryant | DB | Seattle Seahawks
You will never be able to accuse me of not staying on brand. Coby Bryant was a featured defensive back Waiver Wire add in Week 9. The former University of Cincinnati DB was inserted into the starting lineup after an injury to Rayshawn Jenkins.
The Seattle DB has been excellent since taking over as a starter, and as I mentioned before, he has a solid chance to keep the job for the remainder of the season. Since Week 7, Coby Bryant has been DB11 in FPPG, scoring double-digit fantasy points in every game he’s started. The San Francisco 49ers are the most favorable matchup through 10 weeks to opposing safeties, allowing 17 tackles per game to the position.
Defensive Tackle (DT) | IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Davon Hamilton | DT | Jacksonville Jaguars
Davon Hamilton and the Jacksonville defense have a tall task ahead of them in Week 11: to stop the Detroit Lions’ rushing attack. Hamilton has been a strong tackler on the inside over the last month of the season. He has recorded 4 or more tackles in 4 straight games—his 23 tackles over that span account for 71.87% of his total for the season. The Detroit Lions are 1 of 5 teams allowing 19 tackles per game or more to the defensive line position this season.
Streaming Options | Week 11 IDP START/sit
This week’s streaming options include Buffalo’s Ed Oliver, due for a breakout game. The Kansas City Chiefs have allowed the 5th-most tackles per game to the DL position this season. The Bills defensive tackle did record a 0.5 sack against Patrick Mahomes in their last meeting. Denver Broncos DT John Franklin-Myers should also be worth starting in Week 11. He has 3 sacks in his previous 4 games and has recorded 10 fantasy points or more in each contest.
Cornerback (CB) | IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Keisean Nixon | CB | Green Bay Packers
IDP fantasy managers can fire up Keisean Nixon this week. The Packers cornerback has been exceptional this season with 42 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Nixon has been rotating between outside CB and slot CB this season, which has helped his tackle numbers. He averaged 5.5 tackles per game against the Chicago Bears last season. The Green Bay CB has finished with double-digit fantasy points in 66.67% of his games this season.
The Week 11 IDP Start/Sit streaming options at CB are top waiver add Ugo Amadi for the New Orleans Saints, who recorded 9 tackles in his first start of the season. New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones is also an intriguing play this week. Savvy IDP fantasy managers could take advantage of Jones being the team’s primary punt returner. The Patriots CB has also recorded 12 tackles over his last 3 games.
Do yourself a favor and check out the Positional Matchups with IDP matchups to focus on by staff writer Brad Custer (@MonCalFF):
Week 11 IDP start/SIT
Defensive Line (DL) | IDP Fantasy Sit Candidates
Matt Judon | DL | Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons’ off-season acquisition of Matt Judon has been one of the season’s biggest disappointments. This player has recorded at least 6 sacks in 6 of his previous 8 seasons. The Atlanta Falcons have ranked dead last all season in pressures and sacks.
The Atlanta EDGE rusher has failed to record a sack in 8 straight games and has an unfavorable matchup against the Denver Broncos, who allow the 5th-fewest sacks per game this season. IDP fantasy managers should only start Matt Judon in their lineups once we have a reason to believe he can produce at the high level we have seen in the past.
Linebacker (LB) | IDP Fantasy Sit Candidates
De’Vondre Campbell | LB | San Francisco 49ers
The veteran linebacker has been productive lately, with back-to-back games of 10 fantasy points or more for the second time this season. De’Vondre Campbell has seen his tackle numbers decrease over the past 4 seasons, and he is more of a matchup-dependent LB at this point of his career from a fantasy football perspective.
This season, the Seattle Seahawks allow the fewest tackles per game (12.2) to the linebacker position. IDP managers have no reason to sit All-Pro LB Fred Warner, but his counterpart is different. According to Fantasy Pros, Campbell played his lowest defensive snap share (70%) in the team’s last matchup against the Seahawks. We can find a more productive linebacker for the Week 11 slate.
Defensive Back (DB) | IDP Fantasy Sit Candidates
Vonn Bell | DB | Cincinnati Bengals
Lou Anarumo and the Cincinnati defense have ended the Vonn Bell experiment. The former Ohio State DB has had some terrific fantasy seasons over the years, but his play has declined drastically midway through his 9th NFL season.
Vonn Bell has failed to record a double-digit fantasy point performance in six straight games. The most alarming fact is that he has seen a 50/50 split with second-year DB Jordan Battle over the past two games. It’s only a matter of time before Battle takes this role over full-time; IDP managers should get out ahead of this while they can. We appreciate the IDPs that have been solid for our fantasy teams over the years, but we also need to know when to let go. For Vonn Bell, it’s time.
Six Pack of Facts | Week 11 IDP Start/Sit
- Jack Gibbens has become a rising star at LB. He has 29 tackles and 0.5 sacks in his last 8 quarters.
- Dante Fowler was free on IDP waiver wires to start the season. He currently ranks 3rd in the NFL in sacks with 9.
- Zaire Franklin (105) and Budda Baker (100) are the first triple-digit tacklers of the season.
- Jamien Sherwood is an IDP stud! He is LB3 in FPPG despite not seeing a 90% defensive snap share until Week 3.
- Aidan Hutchinson’s 8 sacks through 5 games still rank 3rd in the NFL. He hasn’t played since Week 6.
- IDP fantasy managers have been rewarded by last season’s rookie EDGE rushers. Will Anderson, Will McDonald, and Tuli Tuipulotu have combined for 21 sacks through the first 10 Weeks.
Roster Management | Week 11 IDP Start/Sit
Tip of the Week
This week’s tip is a lesson in patience as a non-contending IDP fantasy manager. As the season winds down and the trade deadline approaches, contending teams are primed to look for highly productive IDPs. I want you to consider how you value your defensive players and be sure not to sell your best players for mid-level rookie picks.
It’s effortless to find the allure of a 3rd round rookie pick as an opportunity to add more offensive talent. However, if you’re playing in the balanced IDP scoring format, you can be giving away a position that gives you an advantage in the hope you land a high-upside offensive player. Remember, it’s easy to be a non-competitive team and field a stacked IDP roster, just like the NFL; sometimes, you’re just a quarterback away from being in the playoff picture the following season.
Final Thoughts
As always, it’s been a pleasure, IDP Nerds! Remember, it’s all about maximizing matchups and keeping an eye on rising stars who can impact this week and in the long term. I hope all the data helps you make those crucial lineup decisions as we take the next step toward the fantasy playoffs. Please don’t hesitate to contact me on Twitter (X) @Glosser13. I look forward to being available for any Week 11 IDP Start/Sit advice (or other) you may need. Good luck, and may your IDP squads bring home another victory!
Incase you missed it, check out our first IDP Only Rookie Mock Draft that was released this week:
