Fantasy Football Week 11 Stock Report: Tetairoa McMillan on the ascent while Saquon Barkley continues free-fall
With all but one Week 11 game in the books (Monday Night Football), we've learned a little bit more than we knew last week. Or, in some cases, thought we knew. Players impressed, players disappointed and there is fantasy football fallout to unpack.
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Once again, I've compiled the full weekly fantasy stock report below. These are the most notable risers and fallers coming out of Week 11. Invest accordingly!
š Stock Up at RB
Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks
First, a disclaimer: Zach Charbonnet still played 43% of the snaps and touched the ball 13 times on Sunday. However, he finished with just 47 yards from scrimmage and (for once) no touchdown. Meanwhile, Kenneth Walker III took his 16 carries for 67 rushing yards and a TD and had three catches for 44 receiving yards. He looked so much better in this game that my friend who never watches football and is playing in his first fantasy league texted to ask, āWhy donāt the Seahawks play Walker more?ā Weāve all been asking the same question for months (or years) ⦠but itās possible Seattle is starting to take notice. Walkerās 18.6 fantasy points are even more impressive considering the Rams are the toughest matchup for RBs. You can start Walker with confidence next week against Tennessee.
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Commanders
The end of the Jacory Croskey-Merritt era in fantasy was weeks ago, but the end of the era in Washington was Sunday in Madrid. Last week, the Commanders attempted to make Rodriguez the starter and lead back, but he suffered a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the second half. This week, they did so again, and he led the backfield with 15 carries for 79 yards while playing 45.3% of the snaps (āBillā played just 26.6%). While Jeremy McNichols still has his role, and Crosket-Merritt is still involved, itās clear Washington hopes to move to Rodriguez as the primary, early-down thumper, and short-yardage option. Hopefully Jayden Daniels returns and this offense improves ā as that would be a huge boon for Rodriguezās particular style ā but either way, the sleeper running back is now a starter for fantasy (and JCM should be dropped).
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants
Itās been a bit up-and-down for this Giants backfield since Cam Skatteboās injury, but Tyrone Tracy Jr. followed up a 14-carry, 71-yard performance last week against Chicago with a 19-carry, 88-yard performance against the stingy Packers defense on Sunday. He also added four catches for 51 yards, which cannot be overlooked on a team that figures to trail most games down the stretch and has a couple tough matchups on the horizon. Itās worth noting that Devin Singletary still saw significant work in this game (17 touches) and vultured two touchdowns, but Tracy was the better back overall. Heās still just a fringe starter these next two weeks against Detroit and New England, but if you need a flex play in a pinch, this game might give you a boost in confidence.
š Stock Up at WR
Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers
Bryce Young played his best and most productive game of NFL football on Sunday against the Falcons, and Tetairoa McMillan was the primary beneficiary (and one of the major causes). The rookie receiver broke out with eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets, marking only the second game heās scored a TD this season (he also scored two in Week 6). McMillan has been seeing the targets, but theyāve been iffy at best from a struggling Young, so this performance against a tough pass defense was extremely encouraging. Rookies get better as the year goes on. Itās well documented. McMillan may have reached a spike on his upward trajectory, and could be a solid WR2 rest of season.
Christian Watson, Packers
While Christian Watson has remained remarkably consistent in his targets (four or five), catches (two to four) and yards (around 50) through his first four weeks back from injury, he finally caught a touchdown on Sunday ⦠and then he caught another one. With Tucker Kraft out for the season and no one else in Green Bay stepping up (looking at you Matthew Golden), Watson might be the de facto WR1 for Jordan Love. At the least, he is the clear deep threat and arguably the best option in the red zone (though Romeo Doubs also tends to thrive there). Watson isnāt a must-start by any means, but he should be added in all leagues and can be played in good matchups. There are several of those lined up on his remaining schedule.
š Stock Up Elsewhere
Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals
In one of the more baffling storylines of the year, Jacoby Brissett remained excellent for a fifth straight week for Arizona, capping the run with an NFL-record 47 completions against the 49ers on Sunday. The Cardinals starting QB has now logged 250+ yards, two passing touchdowns and at least 19 fantasy points in all five of his games this season. He threw for 452 and two this weekend without Marvin Harrison Jr. (Trey McBride and Michael Wilson stepped up). Somehow, Brissett has become a bona fide fantasy QB1 and should be streamed for at least three of the next six weeks ā his matchups with the Rams, Texans and Falcons might be tougher, but he hasnāt shriveled in tough tests so far.
Trey McBride, Cardinals
Speaking of McBride. It might seem odd to put the No. 1 tight end in a āStock Upā column ⦠how much higher can he really go? Well, let me put it this way: since Brissett took over in Arizona, McBride has averaged 20.26 fantasy points per game, making him not just the TE1, but also 12th in points per game at any position, fifth among non-QBs and second among receivers behind only Drake London, over that span. Heās turned into a legitimate league-winner ⦠and he gets the Bengals in Week 17. If your trade deadline hasnāt passed and you can somehow swing a deal for McBride, there may not be a more valuable player in fantasy down the stretch.
š Stock Down at RB
Saquon Barkley, Eagles
Saquon Barkley has made this section of this column before, but itās time we revisited his continued descent into mediocrity. Yes, I said it. With just 90 total yards and no touchdowns on a whopping 27 opportunities on Sunday night, Barkley logged his fourth game with fewer than 12 fantasy points over his last five contests. Even with a 31.4-point game in Week 8, Barkley has averaged just 12.98 points per game since Week 6, and heās only topped 17 once (in that Week 6 game against the Giants). Barkley is the RB13 on the season (in PPG), and he has some nice matchups left on the schedule, but he simply isnāt hitting the big plays or scoring often enough to warrant legitimate RB1 trust week-to-week.
David Montgomery, Lions
For just the second time this season, David Montgomery saw single-digit opportunities on Sunday night, and he finished with just 37 yards and 4.2 fantasy points as a result. He hasnāt scored more than 10 points since Week 5 against the Bengals (the softest matchup in fantasy) and heās only hit 70+ rushing yards once this year (back in Week 3). Since Week 6, some backs averaging more fantasy PPG than Montgomery include Isiah Pacheco, Kenneth Gainwell, Zach Charbonnet and Tyler Allgeier. Monty canāt be dropped, simply due to the upside heād have in case of a Jahmyr Gibbs injury, but he also canāt be played with confidence at this point ā perhaps outside of next weekās game against the hapless Giants.
š Stock Down at WR
Ricky Pearsall, 49ers
The long-awaited return of Brock Purdy and Ricky Pearsall went great for the former (and for George Kittle) but horribly for the latter. Purdy threw three touchdown passes, but none of them went to Pearsall, who caught just one of three targets on the day ⦠for zero receiving yards. Ideally, we can chalk this up to rust after Pearsall had missed six weeks of game action, and hope for improvement down the stretch. But until we see that improvement, weāll likely need to leave the wideout on the bench ā goose eggs do not belong in our fantasy lineups.
Xavier Worthy, Chiefs
If youāre one of the culprits rostering Xavier Worthy in 89% of Yahoo leagues ⦠stop it. In Sundayās loss to Denver, Worthy did exactly what heās done for five straight weeks now (even before Rashee Riceās return) and caught three balls for 25 yards. He has not recorded double-digit fantasy points since Week 5 (against a then-abysmal Ravens secondary), and that remains his only such game of the season. Heās often seeing 5-7 targets, which makes him deceptively āintriguingā for fantasy, but Patrick Mahomes has been unable to connect with him downfield with any consistency, and heās become a middling WR5 as a result. Move on to someone with upside (like Christian Watson, Troy Franklin or Alec Pierce).
Quentin Johnston, Chargers
Quentin Johnston has done his very best to remain relevant in fantasy after his hot September cooled into a spotty rest of the calendar. He caught a touchdown in Weeks 7 and 9, and he saw 10 targets last week against Pittsburgh. But he hasnāt hit 60 yards in a game since Week 4 and heās posted multiple bagels ⦠including this Sunday against Jacksonville, where he caught none of his three targets in an embarrassment of a game for Los Angeles. Since Week 5, Johnston is the WR70 in points per game, behind such stars as Mack Hollins, Andrei Iosivas and Jalen Nailor. You canāt start Johnston, and while you arguably can drop him, his best fit right now is probably your bench.
š Stock Down Elsewhere
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Thereās no need to panic ā yet ā but Lamar Jackson just scored 6.72 fantasy points on Sunday against the Browns, and he only had 16.64 against the Vikings last week. Since returning from injury, heās averaged an extremely discouraging 20 rushing yards per game and has thrown for just 191 passing yards per game. While he threw four TDs against Miami in Week 9, heās thrown just one over the last two weeks. All of this would be quite concerning ⦠but Jacksonās upcoming schedule counters the concerns with sweet, sweet matchups. The Ravens get the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Bengals again over the next month. Lamar should get back to normal against those defenses, but keep a wary eye out ā if he doesnāt, we may need to consider streaming alternatives.
Justin Herbert, Chargers
Yeesh. A week after scoring just 14.7 fantasy points with 220 yards and one TD, Justin Herbert logged the worst game of his career on Sunday. He completed 10 of 18 passes for just 81 yards and an interception against a typically soft Jaguars defense. It was so bad, he was eventually sent to rest on the bench in a game the Chargers lost 35-6 (Trey Lance was not any better as the backup). Herbert had been on a tear in Weeks 7-9 before this two-game dip, and he has his bye this coming week, so hopefully Los Angeles can right the ship heading into December. But with a patchwork offensive line, there may be more bad days left for Herbert in 2025.