Week 11 fantasy tips: WRs

The following teams are on bye; the Colts, Saints, Steelers and Texans. That means you lose the services of QBs Drew Bees and Big Ben Roethlisberger; RBs Darren Sproles, Rashard Mendenhall, Arian Foster and Ben Tate; WRs Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, Marques Colston, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown; and TEs Jimmy Graham, Heath Miller and Owen Daniels. Plan accordingly as you will have some studs out this week.

As the Bills' offense has begun to falter, so has the fantasy value of its playmakers in the receiving game, especially Stevie Johnson, who injured his shoulder in Sunday's loss to the Cowboys. He's a game-day check-status for this weekend's game against Miami. Ryan Fitzpatrick's lack of arm strength won't bode well in the Buffalo winters, which would hamper the deep ball to Johnson, too. Teams also realize the Bills don't have many weapons outside Johnson and have taken him out. He's become a matchup play, and you should consider moving him after his next big game. He's still a worthy start, especially if he can play this Sunday against Miami, as he makes a high-end No. 2 if he is as close to 100 percent as possible.

Patriots WR Wes Welker is still on a record pace, despite posting only one game with more than 46 receiving yards in the last four games (a 9-136 game against the Giants); don't worry about him. Especially going forward, considering the weak defenses the Patriots face. Welker remains Tom Brady's favorite target and he doesn't have to go up against Jets CB Darrelle Revis anymore. Welker is still a No. 1 WR in all leagues. Remember, his three down games were against three of the league's top defenses — Steelers, Cowboys and Jets — making now the time to buy low.

Lee Evans (ankle) is back at practice with the Ravens. Asked about Evans' return on Thursday, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron told reporters: "It's really going to be predicated on how he practices. He probably needs a week or two of good practice. I think that will help, because some of our other guys are playing really well, and we have some other options until he comes back. We'll see how the practices go. If he is practicing at a level that (head coach) John [Harbaugh] feels and we feel he can help us win the game, then I am sure he will be active. That may take a week or two." The big question is what role Evans will have when he returns. Rookie Torrey Smith will have a role in the offense even if Evans comes back and starts, and he'll see a good number of targets, too. Deciding their fantasy value will take a game or two after Evans returns. For this week, Smith makes a No. 3 or flex play while Evans is a bench play.

With four TDs in the past six games and fresh off his first 100-yard receiving effort of his young career, Titans WR Damian Williams is quickly ascending. He has been Matt Hasselbeck's preferred target in recent weeks and is developing a strong rapport with the veteran signalcaller as the season progresses. Williams does not have elite speed or athleticism, but he is deceptively fast and has some agility in the open field. Tennessee heads to Atlanta this week to battle the Falcons, who, over the past four weeks, against opposing fantasy wide receivers are ranked No. 12. Showing some chinks in the secondary. Williams could be ready to build on the best performance of his career with another stellar outing in Hot 'Lanta. Further, WR Nate Washington and TE Jared Cook, despite not appearing on Wednesday's injury report, are both banged up, which means Williams could get some extra targets. Washington and Williams make No. 3 wideouts this week, with Williams having all the upside.

Talk about boom or bust. In Week Nine, Vincent Jackson was one of the Chargers' top-scoring fantasy wideouts, registering 7-144-3 against the Packers. Just five days later, in the Week 10 opener last Thursday night, he had just 1-22-0 against the Raiders. It's hard to tell which Jackson will show up weekly, but his matchup this week, against a physical Bears defense in cold conditions, doesn't bode well for his fantasy owners, in spite of a favorable matchup. Despite his No. 1 fantasy ranking, temper expectations if the weather and winds play a factor.

There's been a rotating cast of top receivers for the Raiders this season, but it looks like rookie Denarius Moore could emerge as that guy down the stretch. After an outstanding training camp, the fifth-round pick was quiet early in the season. However, the last few weeks he has come on, highlighted by a 5-123-2 effort against the Chargers in Week 10. Moore seems to be the receiver whom new QB Carson Palmer looks to first in the Oakland attack. He makes a low-end No. 1 this week.

Laurent Robinson is playing well right now for the Cowboys. Yes, he is a product of a high-flying passing game and the fact defenses focus on stopping TE Jason Witten and WR Dez Bryant first, and Robinson's opportunities have increased because Miles Austin is on the shelf. Before we forget, Robinson was a former third-round pick whose career to this point has been derailed by injuries. He's talented, which he has shown in previous stops in Atlanta and St. Louis, and the Cowboys are getting the most they can from him. Robinson deserves weekly fantasy consideration given what he has done so far, and this week he's a No. 1 fantasy receiver.

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson has apologized for being late to a special-teams meeting before the Week 10 loss to the Cardinals. The Eagles are in a tight spot; they clearly need him to help them get back on track offensively, but teammates and coaches are said to be turned off by Jackson's act, which extends beyond this one incident. The guess is that Jackson's numbers down the stretch will pale in comparison to what fantasy owners' draft expectations were, as well as what Jeremy Maclin owners are experiencing. He's a matchup play the rest of the way unless the team begins to go to him consistently. This week he makes a high-end No. 2 against a Giants team that has given up its share of big plays. 

Keep an eye on Falcons WR Julio Jones' status this weekend. He did not practice Wednesday because of a hamstring injury, and Harry Douglas could be Atlanta's No. 2 WR vs. the Titans on Sunday. Douglas saw increased playing time in Week 10 vs. the Saints, with Jones exiting the game because of the injury, and he made eight catches for 133 yards. Douglas, a deep threat, is worth considering as a No. 3 WR or flex option if Jones doesn't play Sunday, but keep him on the bench if Jones' hamstring improves to the extent that he's active.

It hasn't taken long for Brandon Lloyd to become the Rams' receiving bell cow. For reasons that Lloyd personally spelled out in a phone interview with Pro Football Weekly yesterday, Lloyd couldn't be more in love with the offensive scheme coordinated by Josh McDaniels. Lloyd was hugely productive in Denver under McDaniels, and he's off to a great start in St. Louis. The way Lloyd explains it, he needs everything spelled out for him in black and white, and McDaniels couldn't be more succinct. "It's either this way or that way, with nothing in between with Josh," Lloyd told PFW. "There is a lot of pressure to know and understand all the reads, but when you and the QB are on the same page, it can be a beautiful thing." McDaniels also said Rams QB Sam Bradford could be "something fierce" if he can get 3-4 years in McDaniels' system. That's a big "if," considering the hot seat that has developed for head coach Steve Spagnuolo and his staff. Lloyd also thinks the return of the equally experienced Mark Clayton bodes well for the Rams' offense. "Josh's offense is based on trust, and Sam and Mark already have an innate trust in one another." Bottom-lining it, a potent 1-2 receiving punch featuring Lloyd and Clayton could be in the offing for the fantasy stretch drive. Lloyd is a must-start, but Clayton remains a watch-list player. For an in-depth look at Lloyd, check out this Way We Hear It item by Dan Arkush.

After a limited practice Wednesday, the likelihood has increased that Seahawks WRs Sidney Rice and rookie Doug Baldwin will recover enough from concussion symptoms to play against the Rams. There are better bets to be productive in St. Louis than those two — in order; Ben Obomanu, Golden Tate and Mike Williams. Keep an eye on Tate, who came up big with a late reception in the upset of the Ravens last week and could see more playing time. Team sources tell us Tate's effort last Sunday was a major confidence builder, with the consensus being that he has big-play potential, as long as he has a grasp of the playbook. The last two games the Seahawks have ratcheted up their ground game featuring Marshawn Lynch but have suddenly lost the entire right side of their offensive line — season-ending injuries to ORG James Moffitt and ORT James Carpenter. The passing game could become a bigger factor, especially against a Rams secondary that lost starting CB Al Harris for the season last week. It won't be shocking if Tarvaris Jackson tries to exploit the Rams' corners this Sunday. Obomanu and Rice make No. 3 or flex-play receivers this week, Baldwin is only an injury fill-in and Tate and Mike Williams bench plays.

Don't forget, the following reports can help you with your WDIS questions:

- Pro Football Weekly rankings
- Matchups to exploit or avoid 
- Fantasy Ticker

Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/11/17/week-11-fantasy-tips-wrs-3

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