-
matt bowen
At various points during fantasy Football Due to the end of the season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking news, you may need reinforcements for your fantasy lineups. Every Friday during the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer some late-week pickup options to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Because of this, this column will mostly focus on players featured in less than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
Let’s enter Week 11 at the quarterback position, starting with a volume thrower who has put up big numbers over the past month, along with two signal-callers who provide rushing upside. There are also some pass-catching running backs, and a tight end seeing steady volume. As always, we’ll finish with the defense, and this unit will get a solid matchup on Monday night.
quarterback
Joe Flacco, cincinnati bengals (39.3% rostered; on Steelers)
I’ll be a deep-league play against Flacco pittsburgh steelersIn the Week 7 meeting with the Steelers, Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns and scored 25,98 points, In that game, Mike Tomlin’s team had no answer (or matchup), jammer chase (16 receptions, 161 yards, one touchdown). Flacco has at least 24 points in each of his last three games, and he has averaged more than 43 pass attempts per game with the Bengals. He can perform well when his team is chasing points towards the end of the game.
marcus mariota, Washington Commanders (14.7% roasted; in dolphin)
Mariota had 18.72 points in Week 10 detroit lionsThrowing for two scores and adding 22 yards rushing on five carries. We know Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will likely install Mariota on designed carries, with the call sheet likely to feature more spread elements to create production in the pass game. Let’s take a matchup against a Miami defense that ranks in the bottom 10 vs. opposing quarterbacks (19.5 ppg).
JJ McCarthy, minnesota vikings (48.5% roasted; vs beers)
McCarthy’s lack of throwing efficiency in his last two starts (50.7% completion rate, three interceptions) causes some pause here. But the booming totals give McCarthy a boost, and he gets a positive matchup vs. Chicago BearsMcCarthy, who scored 22,22 points in the Week 1 win over Chicago, has at least five carries in each of his last two games, one of which was a touchdown run, Additionally, this Bears defense had some problems defending designed QB run concepts, jackson dart In week 10. Plus, McCarthy will have perimeter matchups to take advantage of Justin Jefferson Against Chicago’s secondary.
wide receiver
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals (8.7% roasted; vs. 49ers)
with Marvin Harrison Jr.Down (appendectomy), Wilson moves into the No, 1 wide receiver role for the Cardinals, Wilson has enough speed to reach the top, but it is the route characteristics that allow him to operate at intermediate levels, He has averaged 6,1 goals per game this season and that number should increase with Harrison out,
fast johnson, tampa bay buccaneers (35.4% rostered; on bills)
with chris godwin jrStill out (fibula), Johnson is a viable option with scoring upside, He had a career-best 20,2 points in the Week 10 loss, new England PatriotsCatching four of five targets for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson has scored at least one touchdown in three of his last four games. He is a deep-ball glider who can also get loose after being caught. Let’s add him to the lineup vs. Buffalo.
Christian Watson, green Bay Packers (26.7% roasted; at Giants)
A vertical stretch option for quarterbacks jordan loveWatson has averaged 23.5 yards per catch over his last three games, with four targets in each. The volume is low here, so you’re playing deep-ball throws in reverse. Watson is a up-or-down flyer against 1 in Week 11 New York Giants A defense that has allowed the seventh-most points to wide receivers this season.
run behind
Devin SingletaryNew York Giants (33.0% roasted; vs. Packers)
Tyrone Tracy Jr.He paced the Giants’ backfield (14 carries, 71 yards) in the Week 10 loss to the Bears, but Singletary produced 73 total yards on 11 touches, Singletary did most of his work as a receiver, catching three passes for 53 yards, Yes, there is some uncertainty with the Giants this week as interim head coach Mike Kafka takes over jameis winston Gets the start at quarterback for the injured Dart (concussion). However, Singletary’s pass-game usage is interesting enough to land him in a deeper league lineup.
tiejay spears, tennessee titans (37.3% roasted; vs. Texas)
i don’t like this matchup vs houston texans Defense, but I’ll take the expected volume for Spears, as well as the receiving numbers, in the backfield split. tony pollardSpears has at least three receptions in each of his last four games, with seven or more carries in his last two games, You can work with that, as the running back options in Week 11 are quite limited,
tight end
Dalton SchultzHouston Texans (47.2% rostered; at Titans)
Schultz is reported to have a shoulder injury and has not practiced this week, so let’s keep an eye on things here. However, if he is good to go heading into the Week 11 game against the Titans, Schultz has TE1 upside. Schultz averaged 18.3 points in Week 10 win jacksonville jaguars with Davis Mills at quarterback, and had at least 13 points and six receptions in three of his last four games. There is just too much volume and production to miss.
D/ST
dallas cowboys (28.5% roasted; at Raiders)
In two of the last three games the Cowboys’ defense has allowed 13 or more points with four or more sacks. So, let’s take the matchup in Week 11 vs. the A’s las vegas raiders An offense that turns the ball over, while averaging just 15.4 ppg (29th in the league). Remember, quarterback geno smith Has thrown at least one interception in seven of nine games. There’s also an opportunity for the Cowboys to capitalize on the takeaway.
