Every Thursday during the 2022 NFL season, Matt Bowen will break down players' fantasy football value through the lens of a former NFL safety. And he'll mix it up, too. The matchups to play (or avoid), scheme trends, tape study and more.
With a slate of games to study on the Week 11 NFL schedule, let's go to the tape and find the best matchups for your fantasy lineups. I'm looking at two wide receivers to upgrade here. A volume ball carrier, too. And we'll also discuss the players to downgrade, plus two rookie backs to monitor based on their usage and offensive deployment.
So, let's get into, starting with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who gets the Cardinals pressure defense this week.
Upgrades for Week 11
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers wide receiver has now posted four straight games of double-digit PPR points, with at least six receptions and over 80 yards receiving per game. I like Aiyuk here in the Week 11 Monday night game versus Arizona (in Mexico City) because of the pressure we will see from the Cards' defense. This season, Arizona has logged a blitz rate of 37.3%, the third highest in the league. Tell quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to get the ball out. Quicks, unders, screens. That creates more high-percentage volume for Aiyuk, plus catch and run targets to attack open grass. He'll be a high-end Flex play for me this week.