With Week 11 set to get underway on Thursday night, fantasy football owners are checking the injury statuses of two starting running backs (Gus Edwards and Ezekiel Elliott) who have been out with lower-body injuries and could be game-time decisions on Sunday. If Edwards or Elliott are sidelined for another week, owners could pivot to their backups and have to make some interesting start ’em, sit ’em decisions at the RB spot, where high-quality backups are tough to come by.
Below, we’ll give you the latest news on these RBs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 11 fantasy landscape. For updates on banged-up QBs Kyler Murray and Matthew Stafford, click here; for news on injured WRs Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jerry Jeudy, and Marquise Brown, click here; for the latest on hurting TEs David Njoku, Mark Andrews, and Cole Kmet, go here.
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WEEK 11 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start ’em, sit ’em
Gus Edwards update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Edwards (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Baltimore’s Week 11 game against the Panthers, according to Fox Baltimore’s Rocco DiSangro. He practiced as a limited participant on Friday, according to Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink.
Edwards also participated in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The Gus Bus had missed Baltimore’s Week 9 tilt against the Saints, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Edwards “will be back the next game — that’s the plan.”
With the veteran running back at practice, owners should be prepared to start Edwards as their RB2 against the Panthers on Sunday. The last time we saw the 27-year-old running back, he posted 65 yards on 11 carries against the Buccaneers. If his hamstring doesn’t give him any issues, Edwards should surpass those numbers against the Panthers’ defense that allows the fifth-most fantasy points per game to RBs this season. Kenyan Drake would be next in line for carries if Edwards has a setback in practice.
WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Ezekiel Elliott injury update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, ever the Elliott hype-man, told 105.3 The Fan that he expects Zeke to play in Week 11 against the Vikings, and added “we’re a better team when we’ve got him and got him available,” according to Jon Machota of the Athletic.
Elliott had told reporters on Thursday that he expects to return on Sunday against the Vikings barring any setbacks, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder.
Elliott (knee) went through a walkthrough practice on Wednesday after missing the Cowboys’ past two games, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that if Elliott is physically healthy, he will play on Sunday against the Vikings, per Pelissero.
WEEK 11 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Jones had previously talked up the potential of Elliott playing last week against Green Bay, but it was not meant to be. Without Elliott on the field, the Cowboys’ ground attack has not skipped a beat, as Tony Pollard has turned in back-to-back 100-yard performances against the Bears (131) and Packers (115). If Elliott misses his third-straight game, owners will turn back to Pollard, who has a tough matchup against the Vikings on Sunday. Minnesota’s defense only allows the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to RBs this season but allowed Bills running back Devin Singletary to score two touchdowns. Pollard will be a must-start no matter what, while Elliott is merely a flex who’s better suited for standard leagues compared to PPR.
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