Kate Magdziuk shares her Week 11 running back rankings for standard scoring leagues and highlights several streaming options.
When taking a look at the potential bye-week absences for your prospective fantasy rosters during the draft, you may have thought Week 11 would be a breeze to navigate. However, fantasy managers will navigate setting their lineups without the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running backs in play, which means a number of every-week starters (James Conner, Rachaad White, Chuba Hubbard) and several newly viable RB plays (Tyrone Tracy Jr., Trey Benson).
To help you navigate these shaky waters in what is, for most, a must-win week as you seek to clinch a spot in your league’s fantasy football playoffs, here’s a look at several sleepers to consider, plus the top-65 Week 11 RB rankings for standard-scoring fantasy leagues.
Week 11 RB flex of the week: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns vs. NO
Fantasy managers might be on the brink of losing confidence in Nick Chubb after three consecutive games of disappointing returns, failing to clear 55+ scrimmage yards in any of those outings yet this season. This week could give him a little wiggle room, however, especially coming off of a Week 10 bye that earned him a little rest after a solid workload in the three previous games returning from a torn ACL. The Cleveland Browns are set to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 11, who rank second in the league with 12 total rushing touchdowns given up to opposing RBs this season and seventh in the league with 1,133 rushing yards. Unfortunately, the Browns have struggled in terms of their run blocking this year, but if there’s a spot for this veteran to bounce back, it’s here.
Week 11 RB deep sleepers
Audric Estimé, Denver Broncos (vs. ATL)
When Sean Payton speaks, we should all take notice. Ahead of Week 10, he noted that he’d like to get fifth-round rookie RB Audric Estimé some more work. He certainly did deliver, handing the rook 14 rush attempts to lead the running backs room by a mile, as Jaleel McLaughlin handled just two carries and supposed starter Javonte Williams handled just one lone rush. Though Estime averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt, his dominance in terms of the workload is significant, especially coming off that promise from his head coach.
Estimé is a bruising power back at 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, having ranked in the 96th percentile for RBs in rushing grade, 88th percentile in missed forced tackle rate and 90th percentile in yards after contact per attempt over his final two seasons at Notre Dame. The Falcons have ranked bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this year in standard-scoring formats, but the potential for a 14+ outing earns Estimé a spot on the sleepers list in Week 11.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL)
The Pittsburgh Steelers emerged from their Week 9 bye with Jaylen Warren another week removed from a knee injury suffered in Week 3. In that outing, he handled the second-highest single-game carry total of his career with 14 rush attempts for 66 rushing yards against the Washington Commanders, reeling in each of his two targets for another 29 yards on the ground.
This week, the Steelers will host the Baltimore Ravens for their first divisional matchup of the season — a team that has been quite stingy to opposing runners … though they have given plenty of receiving yards to opposing RBs, an area where Warren has specialized when healthy. The Ravens have allowed the third-most receiving yards to opposing RBs this this season and another three receiving touchdowns to the position, despite their strengths against the run.
Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. CIN)
In the midst of a resurgence from J.K. Dobbins, making his way back from an Achilles rupture that ended his 2023 season with the Baltimore Ravens, Gus Edwards has largely fallen to the wayside, especially given an injury that’s sidelined him since their Week 5 bye. However, in his return from the ankle injury, he handled 10 carries to Dobbins’ 15, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He played just 25% of snaps in his Week 10 return despite that high carry total, which leaves plenty of room for growth in the week to come. The Bengals are tied for the seventh-lowest stuffed run rate at 14.5% while tied for the fifth-highest EPA per rush attempt (0.02), which could be an intriguing spot for Edwards if the Chargers defense is able to slow a red-hot Bengals offense down.
Fantasy football: Week 11 standard RB rankings
| # | Player (team) | Matchup | ECR | vs. ECR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saquon Barkley (PHI) | vs. WAS | 2 | +1 |
| 2 | Christian McCaffrey (SF) | vs. SEA | 1 | -1 |
| 3 | Derrick Henry (BAL) | at PIT | 5 | +2 |
| 4 | Bijan Robinson (ATL) | at DEN | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Joe Mixon (HOU) | at DAL | 3 | -2 |
| 6 | De’Von Achane (MIA) | vs. LV | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Kyren Williams (LAR) | at NE | 7 | 0 |
| 8 | Alvin Kamara (NO) | vs. CLE | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) | vs. JAC | 9 | 0 |
| 10 | Jonathan Taylor (IND) | at NYJ | 11 | +1 |
| 11 | Breece Hall (NYJ) | vs. IND | 10 | -1 |
| 12 | Kenneth Walker III (SEA) | at SF | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | James Cook (BUF) | vs. KC | 17 | +4 |
| 14 | Kareem Hunt (KC) | at BUF | 13 | -1 |
| 15 | Josh Jacobs (GB) | at CHI | 14 | -1 |
| 16 | Chase Brown (CIN) | at LAC | 15 | -1 |
| 17 | David Montgomery (DET) | vs. JAC | 16 | -1 |
| 18 | D’Andre Swift (CHI) | vs. GB | 18 | 0 |
| 19 | Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) | vs. LAR | 21 | +2 |
| 20 | Aaron Jones (MIN) | at TEN | 19 | -1 |
| 21 | J.K. Dobbins (LAC) | vs. CIN | 20 | -1 |
| 22 | Najee Harris (PIT) | vs. BAL | 24 | +2 |
| 23 | Tony Pollard (TEN) | vs. MIN | 23 | 0 |
| 24 | Nick Chubb (CLE) | at NO | 22 | -2 |
| 25 | Travis Etienne Jr. (JAC) | at DET | 25 | 0 |
| 26 | Rico Dowdle (DAL) | vs. HOU | 27 | +1 |
| 27 | Audric Estime (DEN) | vs. ATL | 29 | +2 |
| 28 | Austin Ekeler (WAS) | at PHI | 28 | 0 |
| 29 | Alexander Mattison (LV) | at MIA | 30 | +1 |
| 30 | Raheem Mostert (MIA) | vs. LV | 32 | +2 |
| 31 | Jaylen Warren (PIT) | vs. BAL | 31 | 0 |
| 32 | Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS) | at PHI | 26 | -6 |
| 33 | Javonte Williams (DEN) | vs. ATL | 35 | +2 |
| 34 | Tank Bigsby (JAC) | at DET | 34 | 0 |
| 35 | Tyler Allgeier (ATL) | at DEN | 33 | -2 |
| 36 | Cam Akers (MIN) | at TEN | 38 | +2 |
| 37 | Ray Davis (BUF) | vs. KC | 40 | +3 |
| 38 | Justice Hill (BAL) | at PIT | 36 | -2 |
| 39 | Gus Edwards (LAC) | vs. CIN | 39 | 0 |
| 40 | Tyjae Spears (TEN) | vs. MIN | 37 | -3 |
| 41 | Roschon Johnson (CHI) | vs. GB | 43 | +2 |
| 42 | Braelon Allen (NYJ) | vs. IND | 41 | -1 |
| 43 | Zach Charbonnet (SEA) | at SF | 42 | -1 |
| 44 | Jaleel McLaughlin (DEN) | vs. ATL | 45 | +1 |
| 45 | Jaylen Wright (MIA) | vs. LV | 44 | -1 |
| 46 | Jordan Mason (SF) | vs. SEA | 46 | 0 |
| 47 | Samaje Perine (KC) | at BUF | 49 | +2 |
| 48 | Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) | vs. WAS | 47 | -1 |
| 49 | Antonio Gibson (NE) | vs. LAR | 50 | +1 |
| 50 | Jeremy McNichols (WAS) | at PHI | 54 | +4 |
| 51 | Dare Ogunbowale (HOU) | at DAL | 53 | +2 |
| 52 | Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) | vs. HOU | 51 | -1 |
| 53 | Emanuel Wilson (GB) | at CHI | 48 | -5 |
| 54 | Khalil Herbert (CIN) | at LAC | 56 | +2 |
| 55 | Ty Johnson (BUF) | vs. KC | 58 | +3 |
| 56 | Jordan Mims (NO) | vs. CLE | 55 | -1 |
| 57 | Zamir White (LV) | at MIA | 52 | -5 |
| 58 | Blake Corum (LAR) | at NE | 57 | -1 |
| 59 | Trey Sermon (IND) | at NYJ | 59 | 0 |
| 60 | D’Ernest Johnson (JAC) | at DET | 61 | +1 |
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.
