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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

Ex-No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell fired, accused of theft

Sat Jun 29 11:55am ET
Field Level Media

JaMarcus Russell, the first pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, has been fired from his volunteer high school assistant coaching job and accused in a lawsuit of stealing donations meant for the school, according to multiple reports.

The firing apparently came several months ago but was just confirmed by school officials in Mobile County, Ala.

"JaMarcus Russell was relieved of his volunteer coaching duties at Williamson High School during the fall of last year," Mobile County Public Schools said in a statement tod WKRG Sports on Friday.

The former Oakland Raiders quarterback also is facing a lawsuit accusing him of taking a $74,000 check intended as a donation to the school -- his alma mater -- and keeping the money for himself.

According to reports, local business owner Chris Knowles said Russell approached him to help fund new weight room equipment for the school's football team. Knowles alleged Russell deposited the money into a credit union, immediately withdrawing $55,000 for himself.

Russell, 38, has now been ordered to stay away from the campus.

"Earlier this week, it was reiterated to Mr. Russell that he is not permitted to be around the football program or on school campus," the school district said in a statement to WKRG, after Russell reportedly showed up to a school football team event.

Russell played three seasons at LSU, where he threw for 6,625 yards and 52 touchdowns before signing a six-year deal with the Raiders worth close to $68 million.

However, Russell flopped in the NFL and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. He appeared in 31 games (25 starts) over three seasons, finishing with a 52.1 percent completion rate, 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His record was 7-18.

After he was released before the 2010 season, Russell and the Raiders spent the next several years in disputes over the contract, with the Raiders trying to recoup some of their losses. Ultimately the Raiders paid Russell $3 million in a 2013 settlement, making a total of approximately $40 million for Russell's three years of service.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 11

Player Notes
Ladd McConkey Nov 18 1:20am ET
Ladd McConkey

Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey had a big game in a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. McConkey ended up leading the team in targets, catches, and yards, making six catches on nine targets for 123 yards. The rookie ended up missing a few plays after being forced to leave with a shoulder injury, but he was back on the field soon after. He made some huge catches at the end of the fourth quarter that helped lead the Chargers to score a game winning touchdown with just 18 seconds left in the game. McConkey has clearly gotten comfortable with quarterback Justin Herbert and is often the first read over the middle of the field. He should continue as a solid and reliable WR3 option most weeks.

From RotoBaller

Jakobi Meyers Nov 18 1:20am ET
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers caught just four passes on six targets for 28 yards and rushed for an additional 28 yards, netting him 8.8 PPR points in fantasy football on the week as his team fell to the Miami Dolphins 19-34. It was a quieter day than usual for Meyers, and he had less than half the target volume of teammate tight end Brock Bowers. Meyers is the clear WR1 of this team, but he was handled effectively by Dolphins quarterback Jalen Ramsey and his fellow defensive backs. Things won't get any easier in Week 11, when Las Vegas has a date with the Denver Broncos -- cornerback Patrick Surtain II is elite and is licking his chops at a chance to lock down Meyers. He's a risky start next week, as are all WRs that face the Broncos.

From RotoBaller

Ameer Abdullah Nov 18 1:20am ET
Ameer Abdullah

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah rushed just one time for one yard and caught three passes for sixteen yards, but one of those receptions went for a touchdown in his team's Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Teammate Alexander Mattison (ankle) was pulled from the game with an ankle injury, allowing Abdullah to earn some playing time. He capitalized by finding the end zone. It's not known whether Mattison will play in Week 11, but even if he doesn't, Abdullah may have to compete with Zamir White (quad). If neither can play, it's probably not worth starting him anyway, as he will fact a stiff Denver Broncos defense that just held Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson to 63 total yards and 2.9 yards per carry.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Nov 18 1:10am ET
J.K. Dobbins

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins scored two touchdowns in a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Dobbins ran the ball 11 times, gaining 56 yards and scoring on the ground twice. He was only targeted once in the passing game and made the grab for a three-yard gain. Dobbins ran well in this one despite a usually strong Bengals run defense. His first touchdown was on a one-yard goal line plunge in the second quarter, and his second was a game-clincher in the fourth quarter that came on a 29-yard rush with 18 seconds left. Dobbins was once again in charge of this backfield despite only tallying 11 carries, as all other Chargers running backs combined for eight total carries. Dobbins will again be on the RB2 radar next week on Monday Night Football against the Ravens.

From RotoBaller

Amari Cooper Nov 18 1:10am ET
Amari Cooper

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (wrist) caught two passes for 55 yards in the team's 30-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Cooper returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a wrist injury. Unfortunately, he didn't see a lot of opportunities. Josh Allen only targeted Cooper three times. Fortunately, there were no setbacks to his injury and he'll have extra time to further recover as Buffalo takes their bye week. The veteran will be a WR3 when the Bills host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13.

From RotoBaller

Gardner Minshew II Nov 18 1:10am ET
Gardner Minshew II

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II completed 30 of his 43 pass attempts for 282 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in his Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also carried the ball two times for seven yards. He was once again outmatched by the opposing quarterback, and wasn't able to lift his team to a victory, in what is becoming a common theme for the team. He actually started the game by leading drives of 61 and 66 yards, but both ended with field goals. His TDs twice brought the Raiders within five points of the opposition, but the offense fizzled, and he threw a pick to effectively seal the deal on his next drive. He's likely to be the starter again next week, but will be a risky option in fantasy -- Las Vegas will face the tough Denver Broncos defense, which just handled the Atlanta Falcons with ease.

From RotoBaller

Gus Edwards Nov 18 1:10am ET
Gus Edwards

Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards tallied just six carries in a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Edwards ran it the six times for a total of 27 yards with a long run of nine yards. He was not targeted in the passing game. Edwards settled in behind starter J.K. Dobbins in a role that he'll likely fill for the rest of the season as long as everyone remains healthy. Edwards does not have much standalone value, but he could be an immediate fantasy starter if Dobbins were ever forced to miss any time.

From RotoBaller

Khalil Shakir Nov 18 1:00am ET
Khalil Shakir

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught eight of 12 targets for 70 yards in the team's 30-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The slot receiver led the Bills in targets, receptions, and yards. However, he did not find the endzone. Buffalo's lone passing touchdown went in Curtis Samuel's direction. Shakir hasn't scored since Week 3. Still, he's been Allen's go-to receiver this season and will be in the WR2/3 range when Buffalo returns from their bye week.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Mims Nov 18 1:00am ET
Marvin Mims

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. stayed involved in the offense in Sunday's 38-6 blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 after receiving a season-high seven touches in last week's loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Mims caught both of his targets for 49 yards and his first touchdown of the year while also carrying the ball three times for a pickup of four yards. The 22-year-old, who also contributes on special teams in the return game, has given the surging Broncos offense a different dynamic the last two weeks, but his involvement hasn't been enough to really turn the heads of fantasy managers. That will especially be the case whenever Josh Reynolds (finger) returns from Injured Reserve. With quarterback Bo Nix spreading the ball around to a receiving corps that is suddenly ripe with options, Mims will continue to struggle to find weekly fantasy relevance.

From RotoBaller

Curtis Samuel Nov 18 1:00am ET
Curtis Samuel

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel caught five of six targets for 58 yards and a touchdown in the team's 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Those were season-best marks in catches and yards. It was also his first touchdown of the 2024 campaign and the only touchdown pass for Buffalo in Week 11. Samuel took advantage of Keon Coleman's (wrist) absence by operating as Josh Allen's primary outside receiver. The Bills will take their bye in Week 12. Coleman could be back when the Bills return to action which would move Samuel back down the depth chart.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Nov 18 1:00am ET
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had an up and down game in a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Herbert was excellent in the first half before struggling in most of the second half but then turning it on for a game-winning drive at the end. In total, Herbert completed 17 of the 36 passes he attempted for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He did not throw an interception, but took two sacks and lost a fumble. On the ground, he added 65 yards on five carries, leading the team in rushing yards. The Chargers ended up with an important win, and will play again in eight days for Week 12's edition of Monday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Dawson Knox Nov 18 1:00am ET
Dawson Knox

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox caught four passes for 40 yards in the team's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Knox started and operated as Buffalo's top tight end with Dalton Kincaid (knee) inactive. That resulted in a season-high mark for receptions and targets (six). His stat line provided a respectable fantasy score for managers who streamed the position. Buffalo will take their bye week in Week 12. When they return to action, Kincaid may be healthy enough to play. Knox can be dropped in most leagues.

From RotoBaller

Josh Allen Nov 18 12:50am ET
Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 27 of 40 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown in the team's 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He ran for 55 rushing yards and another touchdown. He also threw one interception. Allen was trending toward a poor fantasy performance entering the fourth quarter. He connected with Curtis Samuel on a 12-yard score at the beginning of the frame. Allen's touchdown rush came from 26 yards out with just over two minutes remaining to seal the victory. The Bills take a 9-2 record into their bye week.

From RotoBaller

Drake London Nov 18 12:50am ET
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London led his team in receiving yards, but it didn't amount to much in a 38-6 blowout loss to the Broncos on Sunday. The 23-year-old caught three of seven targets for 61 scoreless yards. After scoring in six of the Falcons' first nine games, the former first-round draft pick has been held out of the end zone in two consecutive weeks. Even so, Sunday marked the ninth time in 11 games that the USC product drew at least six targets, so he's maintained a strong role in this offense. When the team comes out of the bye in Week 13, another challenge could await against the Chargers, although they haven't been as stingy in allowing fantasy points to receivers in recent weeks as they had been earlier in the year. London is likely a back-end WR1 in that matchup.

From RotoBaller

Audric Estime Nov 18 12:50am ET
Audric Estime

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime was a hot waiver-wire pickup heading into Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons after leading Denver's backfield in the Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Estime took a back seat to Javonte Williams in the 38-6 win over the Falcons, carrying the ball six times for only 16 yards and catching all three of his targets for nine yards. Williams finished with 13 touches for 87 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The 21-year-old fifth-rounder from Notre Dame saw most of his work in the second half with the game already in hand. While Estime did not serve as the lead back on Sunday, he'll most likely work in tandem with Williams as at least the RB2 for the Broncos ahead of Jaleel McLaughlin moving forward. That will give him some low-end RB3/flex appeal in Week 12 versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Nov 18 12:50am ET
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed nine times for 20 yards and caught five passes for seven yards in the team's 30-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. As anticipated, Cook struggled to find running room against an outstanding Kansas City run defense. He countered his low efficiency with two short rushing touchdowns, one in the first quarter and one in the second. In the end, Cook nearly reached a 20-point day in PPR formats. Cook and the Bills have a bye in Week 12.

From RotoBaller

Mike Gesicki Nov 18 12:40am ET
Mike Gesicki

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki was unable to catch either of his two targets during Sunday's Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Gesicki has been streaky this season. Sometimes, he occupies a significant target share and delivers low-end TE1 value. Other times, he takes a backseat in the passing attack and is avoidable in all leagues. This week was classified as the latter; Gesicki was held without a catch for the first time since Week 6, snapping an impressive three-game stretch over which he had caught 16 passes for 203 yards and a pair of scores. The 29-year-old will likely rank as a fringe top-24 fantasy tight end when the Bengals return to action on the other side of their Week 12 bye.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Nov 18 12:40am ET
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton had another highly productive day in the 38-6 blowout win over the visiting Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 on Sunday, setting team-highs in receptions (seven), targets (eight) and receiving yards (78). With Denver's offense improving greatly under the leadership of rookie quarterback Bo Nix after a slow start in 2024, Sutton has slowly risen up the receiver ranks in fantasy. The 29-year-old didn't have a single target in Week 7 against the Saints, but since then, he has 28 receptions for 370 yards and one touchdown on 38 targets. Sutton has only caught three TD passes in 11 games after going for a career-high 10 TDs in 2023, but because of the heavy volume as Nix's favorite aerial weapon, he is ascending to weekly WR2 territory. He'll have a great chance to continue his run in Week 12 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Evan McPherson Nov 18 12:40am ET
Evan McPherson

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson went 3-for-3 on extra points but just 2-for-4 on field goals during Sunday's Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Both of his misses occurred in the fourth quarter and would have given Cincinnati an important lead. Instead, he missed the uprights wide left both times, preserving a tie that would eventually be broken by the Chargers in the final minute. McPherson's made field goals came from 26 and 27 yards out while he missed from 48 and 51 yards. The 25-year-old has ranked outside the top 15 fantasy kickers for most of this season and should continue to be avoided in most leagues when the Bengals return from their Week 12 bye.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Nov 18 12:40am ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall couldn't get anything going in a Week 11 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The first-rounder was targeted twice but failed to bring in either pass. It's a bummer for anyone hoping Pearsall could build on his 15.3 half-PPR performance in Week 10, but shouldn't be a surprise. San Francisco's offense was never expected to support three receivers and Jauan Jennings strengthened his claim to the No. 2 -- or even No. 1 -- spot with a second-consecutive 11-target game. Pearsall is a decent stash in case Jennings runs into more injury trouble, but can't be trusted with a fantasy starting slot save for deep-league managers fishing for a touchdown. Pearsall will look to get back onto the stat sheet in Week 12 when he finds himself at Lambeau Field for a showdown with the Packers.

From RotoBaller