Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Preview: Waiver adds, deep stashes, starts, sits, and more

Isiah Pacheco has had his practice window opened to return from Injured Reserve. If you're a Pacheco Fantasy manager, that sounds like music to your ears. If you've been starting Kareem Hunt, it sounds quite different. I think people should be very careful with both backs once Pacheco is officially active.

Let's start with a Week 11 discussion. For now, we are not expecting Pacheco to return to play in Week 11, which makes Kareem Hunt close to a must-start RB2. He has five straight games with at least 20 touches, and he's scored a touchdown or reached 100 total yards in all five. Since Week 5, he's been the number five running back in Fantasy Football, averaging 18 PPR Fantasy points per game. The Bills have allowed the fourth-most Fantasy points points per game to opposing running backs. As long as we're right about Pacheco not being ready yet, you should start Hunt.

Longterm, things are much messier. Pacheco is returning from a broken leg and Hunt has done everything the Chiefs have asked of them. When Pacheco is back I would expect a full-blown committee with both Pacheco and Hunt ranking as flexes. I think Pacheco will be better in the Fantasy Football playoffs, but he may be still ramping up at that point.

In the trade market, whether they're a buy or a sell determines on cost. I expect that someone in your league may look at Pacheco as an RB1 for the playoffs. If they do, I would be selling him. I may also try to buy Hunt as a short-term starter, the Chiefs have the Panthers and Raiders in the next two weeks and they don't have to active Pacheco to the game-day roster until after those games.

In other words, I'm not sure Pacheco managers should be as excited about this news as they are, and I'm not sure the Hunt managers should be so despondent.

You can find my projections for every position over at Sportsline.

Now, let's get to the rest of the Week 11 RB Preview:

Week 11 RB Preview

The following players are not being projected to play in Week 11 at this time. Here's what it means:

• 22.3 -- Since Week 5 Bijan Robinson is averaging 22.3 FPPG, tops amongst running backs.
• 68.9% -- Kareem Hunt has handled 68.9% of the Chiefs rush attempts since Week 5.
• 54% -- Tony Pollard played 54% of the Titans offensive snaps in Tyjae Spears' first game back. This looks like a committee again.
• 42 -- De'Von Achane has 42 receptions in nine games. Alvin Kamara is the only running back with more.
• 19 -- Christian McCaffrey saw 19 touches in his 2024 debut. He's an RB1 again.
• 35.4% -- Kenneth Walker leads all running backs with a 35.4% tackle avoid rate.
• 17.7 -- Austin Ekeler has averaged 17.7 PPR FPPG over the past two weeks without Brian Robinson. He's a start if Robinson misses another week.
• 1 -- Javonte Williams had just one carry in Week 10 as Audric Estime took over early downs.

My full set of Week 11 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You'll find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 11. Projected stats for all starting running backs are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.