Fighting Chance Roundtable: Week 11

The fantasy playoffs are fast approaching and getting those wins is more crucial each week. I have said this all year, but how is it this late in the season already? More than ever, the NFL and fantasy football has been a week to week league this year, which makes these questions and roster decisions critical. As we have all year, we have you covered with some of the best so please follow Brian Drake (@drakefantasy), Jen Smith (@theonlyjensmith), Joe Gallina (@joegallina) and me (@fightingchance). You can also find us on Bluesky @fcfantasy.bsky.social!

Will Caleb Williams figure it out with the change of coaching?

Brian: No. While the talent in Chicago is undeniable, the offense is broken. If they continue to allow Williams to drop back and hold the ball longer than three seconds while his receivers run insanely deep routes, it's over. They need to shorten up the routes and get the ball out of Williams' hands quickly. I'm leaving Williams on the waiver wire and outside of D.J. Moore in deep leagues, I'm out on all the Bears pass catchers.

Joe: He obviously has enough underlying talent to turn things around but with his offensive line in shambles due to injuries and a tough upcoming schedule it won’t be easy. Williams has been sacked 15 times over the last two games. If he has time to throw the ball we’ll see a big improvement in his stats, but probably not enough to make him startable in one QB fantasy football leagues. 

Ryan: He had a stretch earlier this season where he looked like the goods, so hopefully he can get it turned around with a new direction. Hell, he had nine touchdown passes in four weeks before the team’s bye and now he sucks? I just can’t buy it. He has a couple of solid running backs, three more than adequate receivers and a reasonable enough tight end. I’m not sure when he gets it going but I can’t believe that Williams is just going to suck for the rest of the year.

How are you feeling about Tyreek Hill after the torn wrist ligament news?

Brian: This injury supposedly happened in Week 1. Somehow, 10 weeks later, it's an issue? I think we're just seeing a player who's 30 years old and losing a step. Couple that with defenses figuring out the Mike McDaniel system, and Hill will be in for a long season. The good thing about the eccentric WR is his ability to break the slate on a single play. If I were a team in first place and could buy Hill on the cheap, I'd consider it.

Ryan: There is no denying that this is impacting him as he hasn’t really been a factor in a game in a while. Hell, he has one game of more than five targets since the team’s bye. He only has two touchdowns all season (of course the one last week beat me in a fucking fantasy matchup!). You have to continue to play him as long as Tua is healthy because he can take literally any reception to the end zone, but I think the days of hoping that he is an elite fantasy receiver are long behind us.

Can Mike Williams be a fantasy factor in Pittsburgh?

Jen: How do I answer this and not be a homer? lol. The Steelers are known for developing talented wide receivers and valuing veteran leadership in the receiver room. Williams' main issue was never talent -- it's his health. At 30 years young, Mike Williams now has a shot to help the Steelers stretch the field as well as be a great red zone threat. No offense to Calvin Austin, who stepped up big time some pivotal moments this season (including last week on the game winning drive), but I would much rather have a 6'3", 230 lbs receiver going up for contested catches downfield and in the end zone. I love this addition and we are sure to see increased involvement this week, after Williams played only 12% of snaps in his debut. I think he's definitely worth an add, if you factor in his health and understand the baked in risk. The opportunity is there. 

Brian: I don't buy it. He scored in Week 10 on his only target. The pass volume won't be high enough to support multiple passing options. If I owned Big Mike, I'd be selling high off the big play

Ryan: I do believe that he can, although my expectations are tempered. Russell Wilson clearly has this offense running fairly well, but they still aren’t going to put up 30 points a game. The good news for Williams, is that after George Pickens, there isn’t a lot of competition for targets on this team since they refuse to use Freiermuth the way they should. Despite just the one catch last week, he did show what he could bring to the offense, and let’s be honest he hadn’t been on the team a long time. With another week or two of practice in the offense, I do believe that Williams should at least be on fantasy rosters, and perhaps in some flex spots if you have some injuries and/or byes looking at you and then we pray he stays healthy.

Joe: No. Aaron Rodgers shouldn’t have used him as a scapegoat but Williams hasn’t been fantasy viable since 2021 and that one TD he scored last week was just that, one TD. He’s been awful at separating from defenders this season and while we might see some spurts of explosiveness from him from time to time he’s no longer a fantasy receiver that you can trust on a weekly basis.

Are you adding Marquez Valdes-Scantling after his big week?

Brian: I am. Listen, he only saw three targets, but he's the only game in town. We know Derek Carr likes to take shots downfield, and with his offensive line rounding into health, I like MVS to be the top target. Who else are they going to throw to?

Joe: With the injuries to New Orleans Saints WRs I’m interested. However, even though he played 55% of the Saints’ offensive snaps in Week 10 he was only targeted three times. I think he’s worth adding in deeper leagues but I wouldn’t exhaust a large amount of my FAAB in doing so. 

Jen: Yes, who else is there to catch the ball for New Orleans? Fantasy football is all about opportunity and volume and MVS took over a basically empty receiver room for the Saints. Owners should not expect 100+ yards and 2 TDs every week, but he will be a main target in what I see as softer upcoming match-ups, at least the next three games. The Browns are up first, then bye week, then the Rams, and finally the Giants. So, if you are trying to make a push for fantasy playoffs and need a flex to help you limp through byes, MVS is a prime candidate. I know it doesn't feel good to ever rely on Derek Carr, but...here we are. 

Ryan: I mean I am holding my nose, but I am doing it in some leagues and here is why. They don’t really have a real tight end that does much, their top two receivers are out and even Bub Means is on IR. There just aren’t a lot of options for Derek Carr to throw to. MVS has always been a boom or bust kind of guy and he even was that last week because he didn’t have many catches. But Shaheed isn’t coming back and I don’t think that Olave will either, so in the short term, which is what we need sometimes in fantasy, Valdes-Scantling could be something he never is…..consistent.

Has the league figured out Sam Darnold?

Brian: The more Darnold plays, the more defenses are on his game. In 82 plays on Sunday, Darnold couldn't muster a touchdown. That's pathetic. He does have a great coach and very good weapons (including the league's best receiver). He'll be hot and cold. I'd play him only in plus-streaming matchups.

Jen: Figured out that he wants to target Justin Jefferson every throw and will try to force it? Yes. But, figured him out in a way that is going to stop that offense? No, I don't think so. Every single one of his interceptions last week was a target for Jefferson, with one being tipped, one being forced into tight end zone coverage, and another slightly under-thrown to the end zone. What I saw more of, as the game progressed, is Darnold finding Addison, Hock, and Jones and scrambling successfully when needed. The next couple of games are tougher match-ups and I predict them leaning on the run game if Aaron Jones is able to play (rib injury). If not and they are left with Cam Akers, I think it will be harder sledding for Darnold. Either way, after watching the games back, I could see being frustrated but not worried. He will continue to force the ball to one of the best receivers in the NFL and most times, Jefferson will catch it. Sometimes, he won't. You're starting Sam Darnold....what did you think this would look like? I would expect at least one interception per game, as he is slinging it, and doesn't seem deterred one bit from continuing to do so. But, he's got a decent enough floor and a ceiling attached to Justin Jefferson. Proceed with caution, but not dread. 

Ryan: I am not ready to say that yet. Sure, he’s had five interceptions in the last two weeks, but the guy has been playing like an MVP candidate all season long and as much as I thought Darnold would be serviceable this year, I didn’t expect what he was doing. He still has a solid running game, two amazing receivers and just got T.J. Hockenson back. These weapons are too good for him to continue to struggle like this. It is a long season and even the best have a few bad weeks during the season. I might sit Darnold if you have a good second quarterback this week, but I don’t think he is just going to suck for the rest of the year.

Is Audric Estime a guy that can be trusted down the stretch?

Jen: What do you mean, you don't just trust coach speak automatically? haha. Me neither. I actually thought Javonte Williams had looked great this season, but it looks like the Broncos want to see what they have in their rookie, Estime. Javonte Williams is up for free agency after this season, so at 5-5, Denver is opting to give Estime more touches and see what he can do. I would think this will be touch and go, at least until we see one more game where Estime outsnaps and out touches Williams. If you look at their upcoming schedule and their schedule during fantasy playoffs, it is going to be tough to trust Estime as a starter on your fantasy squad. But opportunity is king in fantasy for RBs, so if he gets the vast majority of touches, his floor would be enough to help owners at least during bye weeks. If he and Williams start splitting the backfield more evenly (this did not happen last week, as Williams received three total touches), then I would not feel good trusting Estime down the stretch. I need to see one more game and then I'll be more optimistic. 

Joe: With the volatility surrounding the fantasy football RB position I’ll always be looking to add a player like Estime who appears to be the lead back on his team. As for starting him every week, it depends on the matchup. The Broncos have fallen in and out of love with Javonte Williams in the past so I would hold on to him at least until we see multiple weeks in which Estime is the Broncos’ RB1. 

Brian: Trusted? No. Rostered with intrigue? Absolutely. Any back getting touches is viable for fantasy. Remember, Denver has a Week 14 bye (the final week of the fantasy regular season). He's 100% worth the add. His next three weeks are matchups against the Falcons, Raiders, and Browns.

Ryan: I will say I added him in more than a few leagues. Was it with great confidence? It was not. However, Sean Payton did say that he deserved more work in the offense (not sure what he did for that but still) and then he went out and led the backfield in touches by a wide margin. He wasn’t overly efficient, but the game was also against a tough Chiefs defense and the game was very low scoring. My only concern is that he wasn’t targeted in the passing game at all, but hopefully with time he can carve some of that out also. I am not in love with Estime, but it is Week 11 in a season filled with impactful injuries, he is probably the best you are going to get on the waiver wire at this point.