The Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens hook up for a Week 11 encounter that is for early positioning for the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Here are some recommended fantasy football sits and starts from the battle between the leaders of the AFC North and AFC South.
Starts
Texans QB Deshaun Watson — The hopes for Houston depend on how well Watson can move the football. Though the Ravens defense has a formidable back end with safety Earl Thomas, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, Watson can outlast the initial pass rush to find the open man. The Ravens don’t really have one to speak of, and this also allows Watson to make plays with his feet.
Texans RB Carlos Hyde —Baltimore’s defense gives up 4.3 rushing yards per game, which is in the middle of the pack compared to the rest of the league. Nonetheless, it is enough that Hyde, who has a 4.7 yards per carry on the season, ought to be able to find some running lanes. The 29-year-old has tallied three games with at least 80 yards rushing in his last four contests.
Ravens RB Mark Ingram — By the same token, the Houston defense gives up 4.1 yards per carry, which is around average in terms of league rankings. Ingram only has 619 rushing yards on the year, which are 13th-most and actually behind his quarterback, Lamar Jackson, for the most on the Ravens. However, Ingram’s eight rushing touchdowns are tied with Derrick Henry for the fourth-most in the NFL.
sits
Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins — Sunday isn’t going to be one of those games where Hopkins takes over and has the fantasy points that make him one of the most sought after receivers every draft. Hopkins will have one of those games where he’s producing “dirty yards” with a low yards per target. The two-time All-Pro will assuredly make plays to help Houston win the game, just not enough to help anyone win their fantasy matchups.
Ravens TE Mark Andrews — The Texans defend tight ends pretty well with just 366 receiving yards surrendered, the fifth-fewest in the NFL, and two touchdowns to tight ends given up, also the fifth-fewest in the league. The combination of safeties Tashaun Gipson, who will be back in the lineup, and Justin Reid make it a tough proposition.
Texans defense/special teams — Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is such a playmaker that he will find ways to beat the unit either through the air or with his legs. The pass rush still has a lot to prove with J.J. Watt out of lineup for the rest of the year. Much like at the beginning of a season when defenses start to develop their identity, it is the same for the Watt-less Texans defense. Best to let them develop their identity without Watt over the next couple of games rather than keep buying in.