Welcome to the Monday edition of the Daily Dose newsletter, our “Fantasy Fallout” day. In this article, you will get a quick rundown of the relevant things we learned from the week’s games from Thursday through Sunday. 

We won’t talk about every single player and we usually won’t spend time on studs who go nuts (no one needs to be told to start CeeDee Lamb right now!), but rather, the idea is to update you on usage trends, injuries, and other relevant things to help your decisions with your teams.

Bengals at Ravens

• Ja’Marr Chase exploded for 264 yards and 3 TDs on 17 targets. Through 10 games, the opposing WR1 has averaged 24 PPR fantasy points against BAL and it continues to be a spot to exploit. 
• Chase Brown saw 24 opportunities and amassed 94 total yards and a TD in a 35-34 loss to the Ravens. With Zack Moss on IR, Brown is a trade target even with the acquisition of Khalil Herbert from the Bears. 
• Tee Higgins missed his third straight game, which led to more opportunities for both Mike Gesicki (nine targets) and Tanner Hudson (seven targets). Gesicki is viable any week Higgins misses.
• Recently acquired Diontae Johnson saw two targets in his second game with the Ravens, while only playing 8% of the offensive snaps. He’s likely unplayable until he learns the playbook.
• Ravens WR Tylan Wallace produced a complete outlier game of 115 yards and a TD, however this is not a stat line to chase as he has only recorded a reception in two of 10 BAL games this season. 

Giants at Panthers

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening).

Week 11 teams on bye: Buccaneers, Cardinals, Giants, Panthers

Waivers disclaimer: We’re heading into the home stretch of fantasy leagues. I’m continuing to make FAAB suggestions based on a percentage of budget and relative to the recommendations throughout the previous columns this season. That being said, there are less and less high-priority recommendations (one this week, one total over the two previous waiver columns) as the fantasy regular season winds down. If you’re sitting on the top waiver priority or the biggest pile of FAAB you should be adjusting to your specific league and situation.

QB Pickups

Bo Nix, DEN, Week 11 vs ATL

• Nix is likely somewhere around the 10th-highest scoring fantasy QB in your league so far this year. Since his worst career game, a brutal 60-passing-yard performance Week 4 at the Jets, he has nine passing TDs against only two interceptions over his past six games. He’s also added a useful 180-2 rushing line and caught a TD over that stretch.
• Low-priority add. Nix has a couple of nice matchups coming up (vs ATL, at LV) and has shown the ability to score fantasy points through the air or with his legs. He does still have his Week 14 bye coming up.
• 10% or less of FAAB.

Justin Herbert, LAC, Week 11 vs CIN

Standings after Week 10:

• Chiefs 9-0
• Chargers 6-3
• Broncos 5-5 (Week 14 bye)
• Raiders 2-7

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

General Notes :: 

• Patrick Mahomes has morphed into more of a game manager at this point in his career and with this team. He continues to make the plays the Chiefs need him to make when they need to be made, but he is not the gunslinger we were introduced to when he entered the league.
• Travis Kelce is becoming a dominant force in fantasy football on pure volume, with 40 targets over his last three games.
• DeAndre Hopkins is the clear top WR on this team and is playing in a role similar to what Rashee Rice held to start the year when he was one of the top WRs in the league.
• WR Xavier Worthy has been extremely disappointing after an exciting opening week. 
• Kareem Hunt is leading the backfield, but he appears to be wearing down a bit. Isiah Pacheco is expected to return from his broken fibula by the end of November and could provide a boost for the fantasy playoffs.

Offensive Outlook :: 

The Chiefs have been winning games and are on top of the NFL with an unblemished record in large part thanks to their elite defense. Their offense flashed some potential in a Week 9 win over the Bucs, but they had another pedestrian outing against the Broncos in Week 10. The Bucs have been struggling defensively, while Denver is one of the tougher defenses in the league, so it is hard to say if the Chiefs’ offense really found something or just picked on a weak opponent. Over nine games, the Chiefs have scored 30 points only once while not allowing an opponent to score more than 25 all season. This is not a team that is creating fruitful offensive environments and that doesn’t seem likely to change over the second half of the season.

Looking Ahead :: 

Kansas City’s focus is winning games, not lighting up the scoreboard. As such, the two opponent types that seem to be a red flag for Chiefs offensive players for fantasy football are non-competitive teams and teams with very good defenses, but less-than-aggressive offenses. The Chiefs have two games left against poor opponents in the Panthers and Raiders as well as three games against very good defenses of the Chargers, Browns, and Steelers – with two of those games coming in the fantasy playoffs. Week 11 against Buffalo and Week 16 against the Texans are the only remaining games on the Chiefs’ schedule where I would expect them to potentially be pushed by the opposing offense in a competitive game environment.

Fantasy Playoffs ::

• Week 15 — at Browns
  • Run Defense DVOA — 15th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 23rd
• Week 16 — vs Texans
  • Run Defense DVOA — 2nd
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 4th
• Week 17 — at Steelers
  • Run Defense DVOA — 9th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 10th

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Standings after Week 10 ::

• Bills 8-2 (Week 12 bye)
• Dolphins 3-6
• Jets 3-7 (Week 12 bye)
• Patriots 3-7 (Week 14 bye)

BUFFALO BILLS

General Notes :: 

• Josh Allen is once again a top contender for NFL MVP, but his fantasy production is down a bit this season. His rushing ability keeps him relevant with a nice floor and ceiling, but the Bills are more run-heavy this season than years past, which has shown in Allen’s box scores.
• James Cook has been very good this season, but two other RBs are in the mix with rookie Ray Davis looking great whenever he’s on the field and Ty Johnson getting situational and passing down work.
• The Bills continue to battle injuries among their key receiving options, as WR Keon Coleman, WR Amari Cooper, and TE Dalton Kincaid are all dealing with something right now.
• Tight end Dawson Knox will be a great weekly option for any games that Kincaid misses, as he would then be playing nearly every snap for one of the top offenses in the league.

Offensive Outlook :: 

The Bills’ offense is relatively spread out in terms of usage and production, but they are humming from a real-life perspective. Buffalo has an 8-2 record and has scored 30+ points in seven of 10 games. Their pass rate is down from past years and they are rotating and using multiple players at all of the skill positions. No one has emerged as a clear “alpha” among the Bills, which is a bit of a gift and a curse as they don’t have someone they know they can go to in big moments but they are also hard for opponents to prepare for as Allen can simply look for the open man rather than having to feel the pressure to force it in a certain direction. When healthy, we should expect the Bills three-WR set to consist of Cooper, Coleman, and Shakir with Kincaid as the primary TE. Cooper, Coleman, and Kincaid are dealing with injuries and could be held out of Week 11 to let them avoid making their injuries worse prior to the natural week of rest and rehab during their Week 12 bye.

Looking Ahead :: 

The Bills’ defense has beat up on the weaker opponents they have faced and has only allowed more than 20 points three times this season. That is notable because two of those instances were against the only top-10 DVOA offenses they have faced this season, and the third instance was against the Dolphins at full strength. This is important because the Bills face the Chiefs this week prior to their Week 12 bye, then face three very good offenses in the 49ers, Rams, and Lions in Weeks 13 through 15. Buffalo could (should?) have a nice run of fruitful game environments coming up. In Weeks 16 and 17, the Bills face the Patriots and Jets, who will both likely be just playing out the string at that point. I am particularly bullish on rookie Davis, who is talented and would have a huge role in great matchups and/or game environments if Cook were ever to miss time.

Fantasy Playoffs ::

• Week 15 — at Lions
  • Run Defense DVOA — 7th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 3rd
• Week 16 — vs Patriots
  • Run Defense DVOA — 26th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 30th
• Week 17 — vs Jets (2nd matchup)
  • Run Defense DVOA — 27th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 17th

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Standings after Week 10:

• Steelers 7-2
• Ravens 7-3 (Week 14 bye)
• Bengals 4-6 (Week 12 bye)
• Browns 2-7

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

General Notes :: 

• Russell Wilson has shown the ability to connect on deep balls and has opened up the Steelers’ passing offense in recent weeks.
• Jaylen Warren had his best game of the season in Week 10, coming off the Steelers bye. He and Najee Harris worked in a full-blown timeshare for the first time this season after Warren battled injuries early in the year.
• George Pickens is the clear “alpha” in the Steelers’ passing game and ranks eighth in the NFL in target share this year. He could have some massive games down the stretch.
• The Steelers acquired WR Mike Williams at the trade deadline and he caught the game-winning TD against the Commanders in his debut, despite playing only eight snaps. He should quickly ascend to the WR2 role for Pittsburgh, with Calvin Austin likely to work as the WR3 and play in the slot.
• Pat Freiermuth’s role appears to be shrinking, as he has not had more than three targets in a game since Week 4 and his snap rate has gone down each of the past four weeks.

Offensive Outlook :: 

The Steelers’ offense started the year with Justin Fields at quarterback and had some decent outings but struggled to open up the passing game. Despite a 4-2 record, Mike Tomlin made the switch to Wilson in Week 7 and Pittsburgh has gone on a three game winning streak since then. Wilson has been solid, posting a 6-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and averaging 8.7 yards per pass attempt (his career-best season is 8.3 YPA). Wilson has made Pickens a consistent threat and has made the Steelers a more “on schedule” offense that works in a traditional fashion rather than relying on the legs of Fields. Harris has led the Steelers’ backfield so far, but Warren should be involved as long as he can stay healthy. Steelers ancillary receivers and tight ends have not done much to date, but that could change if they are pulled into higher-scoring game environments during the second half of the season.

Looking Ahead :: 

In what is a bit of a scheduling anomaly, the Steelers have played nine games but have yet to face a divisional opponent. With eight games remaining on the schedule, the only two non-divisional games they have left are against the Eagles and the Chiefs during the fantasy playoffs. While the AFC North has a reputation as a division with strong defenses, that is not the case this season. Cleveland’s defense is not nearly as strong as it was in 2023, the Bengals defense is 27th in the league in DVOA, and the Ravens have turned into a pass-funnel defense that is giving up the most passing yards per game in the NFL. Considering those dynamics and the fact that the Eagles and Chiefs are such strong teams, there is a good chance that Pittsburgh is pulled into some high-scoring environments during the second half of the season.

Fantasy Playoffs ::

• Week 15 — at Eagles
  • Run Defense DVOA — 11th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 7th
• Week 16 — at Ravens (second matchup)
  • Run Defense DVOA — 4th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 25th
• Week 17 — vs Chiefs
  • Run Defense DVOA — 3rd
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 9th

BALTIMORE RAVENS

General Notes :: 

Standings after Week 10:

• Texans 6-4 (Week 14 bye)
• Colts 4-6 (Week 14 bye)
• Titans 2-7
• Jaguars 2-8 (Week 12 bye)

HOUSTON TEXANS

General Notes :: 

• C.J. Stroud has been solid but not spectacular this season. His production stalled a bit once Nico Collins went out of the lineup.
• Joe Mixon is the RB2 on the season and dominates the running back work. The Texans have three games left against high-end run defenses and three left against poor run defenses.
• Collins will return to the lineup on Monday night and was arguably the best WR in the league prior to hurting his hamstring.
• Tank Dell should benefit from the return of Collins as the offensive environment improves and he gets less defensive attention.
• Stefon Diggs was starting to fit in nicely for the Texans when he suffered a torn ACL. Third-year WR and one-time second-round draft pick John Metchie is starting to emerge as that third WR for Houston and could have some nice games down the stretch.
• Dalton Schultz plays a lot but has not had a great statistical season. He will probably have at least one big game before the season is over.

Offensive Outlook :: 

Houston’s offense has been solid this season but has not met expectations, as through 10 weeks the Texans have played only one game with both of their main offensive weapons – Joe Mixon and Nico Collins. Mixon left Week 2 with an ankle injury and was out through Week 5, while Collins suffered a bad hamstring injury during Week 5 and is finally returning this week against Dallas. They rank 23rd in offensive DVOA but have a 6-4 record and commanding lead in their division. If they can stay healthy down the stretch, we could see this offense return to near-elite status in the second half of 2024. 

Looking Ahead :: 

The Texans still have their Week 14 bye ahead of them and have a couple of high-profile matchups with the Chiefs and Ravens during the fantasy playoffs. Their defense has been great this season, ranking second in defensive DVOA, which has kept their game environments from getting out of hand so far this season. They have a couple of soft games coming up on the schedule against the bottom-tier defenses of the Cowboys and Jaguars, as well as showdowns with the high-powered offenses of Miami, KC, and Baltimore during the playoffs that could all open up this offense.

Fantasy Playoffs ::

• Week 15 — vs Dolphins
  • Run Defense DVOA — 25th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 16th
• Week 16 — at Chiefs
  • Run Defense DVOA — 3rd
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 9th
• Week 17 — vs Ravens
  • Run Defense DVOA — 4th
  • Pass Defense DVOA — 25th

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

General Notes :: 

The weekend is here and it’s time to get our lineups set before Sunday’s full slate of games. Each week, the Saturday edition of the Daily Dose will feature my rankings for all players who have yet to play a game this week. Obviously this will not include the Thursday games, but feel free to hit me up in Discord if you have some tough decisions around guys who play on Thursday. 

Most of the leagues I play in are full-PPR, 12-team leagues and these rankings are designed for those settings – you may need to make some slight adjustments based on your own league settings.

QB :: 

1. Josh Allen
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Brock Purdy
4. C.J. Stroud
5. Joe Burrow
6. Patrick Mahomes
7. Tua Tagovailoa
8. Russell Wilson
9. Jordan Love
10. Bo Nix
11. Geno Smith
12. Matthew Stafford
13. Jared Goff
14. Justin Herbert
15. Drake Maye
16. Jameis Winston
17. Sam Darnold
18. Anthony Richardson
19. Aaron Rodgers
20. Kirk Cousins
21. Caleb Williams
22. Derek Carr
23. Gardner Minshew
24. Will Levis
25. Cooper Rush
26. Mac Jones

RB ::