It was another hot week for FLEX Finder in Week 10 — Cade Otton and Juwan Johnson made both tight end recommendations hit, Tez Johnson scored twice, Jerry Jeudy rode the clock back to 2024, the running backs gave you the production you’d hope for if not the touchdowns — well, except Ray Davis, who I only recommended on the idea that James Cook wouldn’t play, so hopefully you avoided that one. We’re on a heater, let’s try to keep stacking winning columns, as the coachspeak would say.
Once again, my rules for this weekly article:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — you’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS Slate — I just figured this was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
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▶ Running Backs
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WAS — $5,000
Wow, never thought we’d see our old friend “Bill” again after he sewed up the backfield role. Egregious times hit in Week 10 as “Bill” managed just 24 snaps in a three-man split with Chris Rodriguez Jr. ($4,400, also a worthy play despite the shoulder injury) and Jeremy McNichols.
I think it’s safe to say that the Dolphins have turned it on to some extent — even losing 28-6 to the Ravens, they were outgaining Baltimore for most of the game — and that this isn’t the easy smash spot it felt like after they fell to 1-6 against the Browns. But the seasonal numbers for this run defense are atrocious and the only way the Commanders are going to win this game is with big plays on the ground. That has “Bill” all over it.
Tyjae Spears, TEN — $4,900
What is the point of Tony Pollard remaining a Titan? They’re 1-8, they fired the head coach, and I don’t think there’s a realistic path for them to be more than a scrappy team in 2026. Both Pollard and Spears could have been helped out by moving Pollard to a team like the Chiefs. Instead, the Titans retain a committee.
If the Titans are able to do anything against the Texans this week, my guess is that it will be on the ground and through the running backs on short passes. Houston’s aggressive defense is good to throw screens on, and RJ Harvey burned a Texans linebacker a few weeks ago on a go ball. Spears is the right kind of back for this situation, and if the Titans wind up in a huge trailing game script — I know, it’s Davis Mills, it’s hard to put a huge deal of faith in the idea — they’ll probably rest Pollard. I like when the script can work out for us a few different ways. (I do think the Titans can actually win this game, but I’d be surprised if it was a blowout without some truly Wild Stuff happening.)
Emari Demercado, ARI — $4,500
With Zonovan Knight banged up, I think there’s a chance we see a different backfield split from Resident Geniuses Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing, who can’t recall anything that happened in their lives when asked about such details. The thing is, Demercado has been the best back they’ve had since the bye — seven touches for 119 yards last week, and 15 for 78 in Week 10.
I don’t come to the Arizona backfield lightly, but the 49ers defense is well-coached from the safety of the injured reserve list. Marvin Harrison won’t play. I think we could see the Cardinals coaches quickly realize that the only other non-Trey McBride player they have with some juice is Demercado.
Tyler Badie, DEN — $4,200
OK, this is a bit of a hunch play. But follow me. You know that JK Dobbins (foot) is likely to miss this game at the very least — injured reserve is apparently a possibility for him. This has led many to say that this is RJ Harvey‘s party. But if Harvey were really going to see featured back status, wouldn’t he have at least made an in-road towards it at some point this season? He has been completely stuck.
Denver’s playing the Chiefs without Pat Surtain (we think), a situation that could lead them to actually trail in the game. Badie has comfortably worked as the third-down back for most of the year. Is it possible that he just plays 50 percent of the snaps while Denver trails? I think it might be. And Sean Payton has never been the kind of head coach who marries a lead back. He drafted Reggie Bush second overall and happily platooned him with Deuce McAllister. I think there’s a world where Badie activates here.
Josh Allen, De’Von Achane, Ja’Marr Chase, and Trey McBride highlight positional rankings for Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season.
▶ Wide receivers
Christian Watson, GB — $4,400
He still almost beat my 50-yard measuring stick last week despite admitting that he should have caught another downfield pass. The competition remains as weak as ever. And this week, you get to use him against the Giants’ woeful defense coming off a Brian Daboll firing. I’m sorry, sorry to keep telling you that it is officially Watson Szn. Really, it’s Matt LaFleur‘s fault. But we do not hold the elites accountable for their actions, and so I have no choice but to continue to say “Christian Watson is the best player in this offense and someday this dolt will figure that out.”
Darius Slayton, NYG — $4,300
Just kidding, he’s actually $4,800 this week, so I can’t. But if I could…
Michael Wilson, ARI — $3,800
With Marvin Harrison Jr. set to miss this week with appendicitis, this is merely a Void Beckons play. Wilson had seven targets in Week 10 and four in Week 9. He’s the clear No. 3 target on the team and should step into a bigger role than usual against a 49ers defense that, again, loses one significant player to injured reserve every week.
Luther Burden, CHI — $3,700
With D.J. Moore (shoulder) missing practice today with a new injury rather than just his normal hip/groin/they’ll clear me on Friday bit, I think Burden is a much better fit for that role in the Bears offense than he is at replacing Olamide Zaccheaus. He had a 3/51 line against the Giants last week in a season-high 48.5 percent of the snaps. The Vikings defense is not the Giants defense, but I think the Bears are better prepared for them than they were earlier in the season and believe we could see an unlikely shootout here between the maligned J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams. The Bears defense certainly invites those, anyway.
Burden feels like a real bet to seize a role this week, someone who I’d actually want to roster in most leagues right now.
Mack Hollins, NE — $3,900
Well, well, well, what do we have here? In the absence of Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), who will again miss Week 11 with the injury, Hollins popped up a 6/106 line against the Buccaneers.
When you see a betting line like Patriots -12.5, I will admit that it seems intuitive to expect more running. And I think there’s a world where that happens. But the Jets have mostly operated as a pass game funnel despite playing run-heavy teams. Heck, they found 32 Dillon Gabriel passes and 38 dropbacks somehow. And the Patriots are missing their preferred back again with Rhamondre Stevenson out. I think they’ll throw plenty on the Jets — as all teams should given how poor they’ve defended it this year. Hollins should not be expected to get 10 targets again, but I think 5-7 targets with Drake Maye is worth a lot in fantasy football land against the Jets defense.
Jayden Higgins, HOU — $3,500
I’ve been waiting to make this recommendation for a few weeks now, but I wanted to let the Denver thud happen and I couldn’t trust Davis Mills to carry Higgins yet since I figured he’d forcefeed Nico Collins.
Over the past three weeks, even with a one-target thud worked in, Higgins has been targeted 16 times and seen over 50 percent of the snaps in all but one game, including 57.3 percent last week. Fellow outside receiver Xavier Hutchinson has seen his snap totals fall to season lows, including 53.3 percent last week, and wasn’t targeted at all last week. The shift could be here, and even if it isn’t, all Hutchinson was providing was touchdowns.
Now we have a Tennessee Titans DB corps that includes: Darrell Baker Jr., 2025 sixth-rounder Marcus Harris, 2025 third-rounder Kevin Winston, Amani Hooker, and waiver claim Jalyn Armour-Davis. I think Hooker’s had some good years. The rest of this group is awfully suspect. And if the Titans continue to stop the run better with T’Vondre Sweat active, the Texans might be about the passing game here. I don’t know that I’d be happy FLEXing Higgins in a 12-team league, but he makes an interesting 14-team league FLEX and is a nice DFS punt at this price.
Follow the latest injury news for fantasy football lineups in Week 11.
▶ Tight ends
Zach Ertz, WAS — $3,800
The Commanders were led in receiving last week by — earmuffs, Titans fans — Treylon Burks. Yes, that really happened. But Ertz and Deebo Samuel had the target lead, and Ertz feels like one of two players that the coaching staff actually trusts right now. The Dolphins, per Establish The Run’s DVP page, allow 5.1 percent more production than average to tight ends — fourth-most in the NFL.
Pat Freiermuth, PIT — $3,200
This will be a one-time thing given how wild and fluctuating the Pittsburgh tight end brigade is, but the Bengals are the worst team in the NFL against tight ends. They allowed the three Steelers tight ends to pile up 17 targets on them in Week 7, including 5/111/2 from Freiermuth. The Bengals always bring out the most extreme point-scoring scenarios in their opponents this year, and especially at this price, I like the squeeze for another Friermuth legacy game.
May the FLEX be forever in your favor.
