Fantasy Football Week 11 WR Rankings and Picks feat. Nico Collins, George Pickens, and more
By Michael Chasco
The wide receiver position has been the most challenging for fantasy football managers this season. Even the most experienced players have been tested weekly with injuries to their star fantasy wideouts, but this week, we finally get a massive star just in time for a critical fantasy week.
We dive into the best matchups in Week 11 and rank every fantasy-relevant wideout into three categories: WR1s, WR2s, and WR3s for all your tough lineup decisions for season-long and DFS action.
Fantasy Football WR Rankings for Week 11
Fantasy Football Best WR Matchups for Week 11
1] Nico Collins vs Dallas Cowboys
He's back. And just in time for the final stretch before the fantasy playoffs. It's not quite the season's end game yet, but these next couple of weeks can make or break your championship aspirations. Collins missed the previous five weeks with a hamstring injury and is trending to make his return Sunday night against a struggling Dallas pass defense. The biggest question would be how the Texans plan to use the All-Pro wideout in his first game back. We plan on Collins receiving his workload and should have one of the best matchups on the slate in Week 11.
The Dallas secondary has allowed six receiving touchdowns in its last four games, and it got burned for 109 receiving yards by A.J. Brown and the low-volume offense in Philadelphia in Week 10. The Cowboys are last in yards per route run (7.7), third-worst in yards per reception (12.6), and the third-friendliest matchup to wideouts with a 56.96 EPA this season. Collins should see rookie fifth-round pick Caelen Carson, who leads the league in yards per route covered allowed at 2.54 this season. Collins will come into this matchup tied with Brown as the league leader in routes per route run at 3.50. This will be one of the best mismatches in Week 11. We should start Collins confidently this week despite it being his first game back.
2] George Pickens vs. Baltimore Ravens
Since quarterback Russell Wilson was inserted into the starting lineup in Week 7, George Pickens has been the primary benefactor in fantasy leagues. The third-year pro has led the Steelers with the most targets (21), most receptions (14), 276 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in the games Wilson had started. Fantasy managers have enjoyed two top-five finishes in half-PPR leagues during that span and will get the best matchup to wideouts in fantasy football in Week 11.
The Baltimore defense is built to stop the run in the AFC North. But pass defense has been a different story this season. The Ravens have allowed the most receiving yards (3,146), the most receiving touchdowns (22), and the most passing yards per game (314.6). This season, Baltimore has repeatedly been burned by explosive plays, allowing the most completions of 20-plus yards (23) while allowing the most receptions per game (26.1) and the fourth most yards per target (7.3). We'll continue to target this Ravens secondary as long as it keeps giving up tons of fantasy points to receivers.
3] Cedric Tillman vs. New Orleans Saints
We targeted this New Orleans Saints secondary against the Falcons last week as it was amid a seven-game losing streak and just traded away its best cornerback, Marshon Lattimore, to Washington. But somehow, the Saints overcame the odds and won a miraculous victory in front of their home fans. It's a new week, and we're returning to well in Week 11 and attacking this banged-up unit against Cleveland. With Lattimore out of the picture, the Saints are hoping it can get rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry back from a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 8. If he's unable to suit up, it could be down to Alontae Taylor, Ugo Amadi, and Shemar Jean-Charles.
With Jameis Winston and Cedric Tillman inserted in the starting lineup, they have been an underrated duo in fantasy football. Winston took over in Week 7 for an injured Deshaun Watson and Tillman, the primary benefactors to the Amari Cooper trade that week. Tillman has averaged 21.5 fantasy points per game with Winston since his promotion and led the team in targets (32), receiving yards (255), and three passing touchdowns during that span. Somehow, Tillman was still under 70% owned by ESPN and Yahoo! Sports leagues, as mentioned earlier this week in the waiver wire column. That will change as Tillman could swing fantasy matchups if he's flexed into lineups in Week 11.