The 2023 fantasy football season is flying by as Week 11 of the NFL season is here. Using matchup information, sportsbook data, and player and statistical analysis, I’ve decided on my top 24 running backs for this week. Along with my top 24 fantasy football rankings, I’ll give you my must-start running back for Week 11 of the fantasy football season.

Teams on Bye: Colts, Falcons, Patriots, and Saints

Week 11 – Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings (PPR)

Tier 1

1. Christian McCaffrey vs. TB

Tier 2

2. Austin Ekeler @ GB

3. Travis Etienne vs. TEN

4. Breece Hall @ BUF

5. D’Andre Swift @ KC

6. David Montgomery vs. CHI

7. Jahmyr Gibbs vs. CHI

8. Josh Jacobs @ MIA

9. Raheem Mostert vs. LV

10. De’Von Achane vs. LV

Tier 3

11. Tony Pollard @ CAR

12. Saquon Barkley @ WAS

13. Kenneth Walker @ LAR

14. Aaron Jones vs. LAC

15. Derrick Henry @ JAX

16. Javonte Williams vs. MIN

Tier 4

17. Rachaad White @ SF

18. Joe Mixon @ BAL

19. Brian Robinson vs. NYG

20. James Conner @ HOU

21. Isiah Pacheco vs. PHI

Tier 5

22. Devin Singletary vs. ARI

23. Gus Edwards vs. CIN

24. Jaylen Warren @ CLE

Running Back – Start Of The Week

Gus Edwards vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The rule for my start of the week is to go beyond the obvious and pick a running back outside the top 24 FantasyPros consensus rankings. Going up against the Cincinnati Bengals, Gus Edwards is my start of the week. 

Before we dive into why Edwards is my start of the week, I’d like to say two things. One, I was very close to having Keaton Mitchell here, and two, I’ve never been a fan of Edwards. Edwards is very touchdown-dependent, but when he keeps scoring over and over, you have to buy in eventually.

A friend of mine asked me if he should start Edwards, and the more I dove into his matchup, the more appealing it looks. Edwards is in a three-man committee, but he saw 28 snaps compared to Justice Hill and Mitchell with 13 and 12. It’s also very important to note that Edwards saw every snap on the goal line.

The bottom line is that the Ravens have a great offense, and Edwards is capitalizing on his red zone role. On top of that, Edwards has averaged over four YPC in seven out of the 10 games he’s played in. Even though Edwards only has eight targets on the year, he can overcome this with touchdowns and efficiency.

The Ravens have a great offense and are currently 3.5-point favorites versus the Bengals this week. Assuming this game script holds true, the Ravens will try to slow the game down by using Edwards. It’s also worth mentioning that the Bengals have allowed the third most fantasy points to running backs, 29.73 PPG.

Now look, I understand Edwards may not be the most exciting player. However, Edwards has been fantastic as of late and has a great matchup on Thursday night.

Wide Receivers

---