A huge 11-game Monday morning Draftstars slate greets us for Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season, and with multiple high-total matchups, divisional grudge games, and elite fantasy environments across both windows, this is a perfect week to dive into Draftstars, NFL DFS, and fantasy betting. The early window features seven games, headlined by the Bills hosting the Buccaneers in a matchup where both teams desperately need a win to stabilise their playoff push. Four divisional games in that early block create volatility and opportunity — something DFS players can exploit.
The late window is even better for stacking and game-theory leverage. The NFC West dominates once again, with Seahawks–Rams and 49ers–Cardinals both strong fantasy spots, while the other late games — Ravens–Browns and Chiefs–Broncos — add layers of competitive divisional tension. This is a slate loaded with pace-up games, concentrated offenses, and clear bring-back options — a DFS dream.
With $20,000 guaranteed on Draftstars and $2,000 to first, lineup differentiation and smart roster construction will be crucial. Below, we break down every position and build a roadmap to anchoring, stacking, and leveraging your way up the leaderboards.
NFL 2025-26 Daily Fantasy Tips: Week 11 Monday
Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert — $17,080
Herbert draws a dream matchup against a Jaguars defence that has completely collapsed over the past month. Jacksonville has been torched by opposing QBs in their last 3 games, including 292 yards to Davis Mills last week, 284 to Geno Smith in week 9, and 5 touchdown passes to Matthew Stafford in week 7. Their pass rush ranks bottom-five in pressure rate, and their secondary has been shredded in both man and zone coverage.
Herbert’s chemistry with Ladd McConkey has exploded since Week 6, and the addition of Orande Gadsden II as a mismatch TE/slot option further expands the ceiling. The only concern is a Chargers blowout limiting second-half volume — but if the Jaguars can keep this in the 24–20 range, Herbert has 35+ DS point upside.
Joe Flacco — $13,610
Flacco has been one of 2025’s most surprising mid-season stories, lifting Cincinnati into relevance with efficient, vertical football. Since taking over, he’s averaging:
- 39.8 attempts per game
- 284 passing yards per game
- 11 total TDs in four starts
- Top-10 EPA per dropback
He now gets a familiar opponent in the Steelers — a defence he torched earlier this season for 342 yards and 3 TDs. Pittsburgh sits bottom-eight in yards per attempt allowed, and their pass rush has been inconsistent without T.J. Watt at full health.
At $13.6K, Flacco is a salary-saving QB with a real ceiling and strong stacking partners.
QB Strategy
This slate is filled with pocket passers in high-total spots, making stacking essential. Herbert is the clear top ceiling play, but he will also draw heavy ownership.
Optimal roster builds:
- Herbert + McConkey + Gadsden (premium bolt stack with massive ceiling)
- Flacco + Higgins (cost-controlled stack with a concentrated target tree)
- Avoid low-total games (Ravens–Browns, Chiefs–Broncos) for primary stacks; only use one-off pieces.
If you are playing one lineup, Herbert is the preferred anchor. In 3–20 max builds, mixing Herbert and Flacco gives a balanced exposure profile.
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey — $19,770
McCaffrey is the undisputed RB1 on the slate with Jonathan Taylor not playing. CMC leads all RBs in:
- Targets (62)
- Receptions (90)
- Receiving yards (692)
- Red-zone touches (41)
Arizona’s run defence has improved slightly, but they still allow 4.5 yards per carry, and CMC’s passing-game role makes him matchup-proof. With the 49ers projected for 27+ points, McCaffrey has the highest raw projection of any player in Week 11.
Jaylen Warren — $13,450
This is the nut matchup. The Bengals have allowed:
- 5.1 yards per carry (31st in NFL)
- The most RB receiving yards in the league
- 7 RB touchdowns in their last four games
Warren already torched them for 158 total yards on 20 touches in Week 7. The only thing missing that day was a touchdown. His role continues to expand — and he is the clear bell cow option at the Steelers — and his explosiveness makes him a slate-breaking mid-range RB.
Chase Brown — $13,070
Brown has finally seized the Cincinnati backfield, recording DS scores of 15.0, 25.5, and 19.2 over the past three games. He now faces a Steelers defence ranking:
- 25th in rushing success rate allowed
- 28th in yards per carry allowed
- 30th in explosive run rate allowed
Brown’s 5.3 YPC and growing passing-game involvement make him an excellent leverage pivot off Warren in the same game environment.
RB Strategy
Running back chalk is exceptionally strong this week. CMC, Warren, and Brown are all elite plays. Therefore, roster construction dictates:
- Play at least one mid-range RB (Warren or Brown) in most builds.
- CMC can be faded only in large-field GPPs due to price + ownership.
- Game-stack correlation is optional at RB this week — all three backs project well independent of game environment.
Differentiation comes from:
- Flexing a WR instead of an RB
- Avoiding double-chalk RB combos in single-entry
Wide Receivers
Ladd McConkey — $13,180
McConkey has become the Chargers’ WR1 and one of the most efficient receivers in football. Over his last five games:
- 27% target share
- 10.1 ADOT
- Yards per route run near 2.4 (top-15 in NFL)
- 83.6 receiving yards per game
With Jacksonville’s slot corner Jourdan Lewis out, the Jags are forced to rely on inexperienced backups. Herbert–McConkey is one of the strongest stacks of the slate.
Emeka Egbuka — $12,080
Egbuka is the current Rookie of the Year favourite, and the Bills–Bucs game offers sneaky shootout potential. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin still sidelined, Egbuka owns:
- 31% target share
- 44% air-yard share
- Four 100-yard games in his last five
Buffalo’s secondary has been beaten deep repeatedly this season, allowing the sixth-most explosive pass plays. Egbuka is severely underpriced for a WR1 with 10+ target upside.
Tee Higgins — $11,920
Since Flacco took over, Higgins has been the WR5 in fantasy points per game and leads Cincinnati in:
- Target share (28%)
- Air yards (37%)
- Red-zone targets (8)
He posted 6–96–1 for 21.6 DS points against the Steelers in Week 7, and with Pittsburgh set to bracket Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins should once again benefit from softer coverage.
WR Strategy
Wide receiver is where slate-winning leverage exists.
Key principles:
- Prioritise WRs in strong QB stacks (Herbert/McConkey, Flacco/Higgins).
- Use WR in the flex — WRs have higher volatility and ceiling.
- Avoid low-volume passing offenses (Baltimore, Denver, Cleveland).
Cheap WR punts are thin this week, meaning mid-range WR builds will be popular. Consider adding a high-priced contrarian WR as a pivot from CMC-heavy builds.
Tight Ends
Orande Gadsden II — $10,310
The rookie TE has had an inconsistent year, but the matchup is about as good as it gets. Jacksonville ranks bottom-five in:
- TE catch rate allowed
- TE yards per target
- Explosive plays to tight ends
Gadsden’s hybrid role (slot WR + TE) stacks perfectly with Herbert–McConkey, giving you access to the full Chargers passing funnel.
Pat Freiermuth — $5,840
Freiermuth erupted for 111 yards and two TDs against the Bengals earlier in the season, and while replicating that is unlikely, his usage has quietly increased:
- 19 targets in his past three games
- Red-zone involvement returning
- Running routes on 70% of dropbacks
At $5.8K, he is the best salary-saving tight end on the slate.
TE Strategy
Tight end is extremely binary this week:
- Pay up for Gadsden in Herbert stacks
- Pay down for Freiermuth in value-constrained builds
Avoid middling salary TEs — they project poorly relative to both ceiling and price.
Defence / Special Teams
Atlanta Falcons — $6,550
Carolina has the lowest implied team total on the slate (~17 points) and continues to struggle with pass protection and offensive rhythm. The Saints provided the blueprint last week: load the box, force Bryce Young to throw deep, and wait for mistakes.
Atlanta’s defence ranks top-10 in EPA/play, top-5 in pressure rate, and they could easily generate 4+ sacks with turnover upside.
Cleveland Browns — $4,470
This is a game environment play. AFC North divisional battles are often slugfests, and the Ravens’ offense has been inconsistent on the road. Cleveland has allowed just 13.8 points per game at home, and their defensive line ranks top three in pressure rate.
They are a risky play, but at this price, the ceiling is real if Baltimore stalls or if Jackson commits turnovers
D/ST Strategy
Défense is wildly variant, but:
- Prioritise pressure and turnover potential over matchup
- Fade expensive defences in high-total games
- Falcons are the safest play; Browns are elite leverage
Slate Strategy & Roster Construction
This slate rewards aggressive stacking and smart pivots.
Core Principles:
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Prioritise ceiling at QB + WR
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Use WR in the flex
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Late window WRs provide slate-breaking potential.
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Don’t play CMC + Warren + Brown together unless MME.
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Include bring-backs in high-total games
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Example:
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Herbert–McConkey–Gadsden + Jags bring-back (Ridley/Etienne).
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Avoid RB chalk combinations in single-entry
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Correlate lineups
Final Thoughts
Week 11 offers one of the most dynamic DFS slates of the season, with elite stacking environments and several mid-range RBs who will shape roster construction. Herbert and McConkey headline the slate’s top passing stack, while Warren and Brown provide value and leverage from the same game environment. Wide receiver depth is strong, tight end is polarised, and the Falcons project as the safest defence.
Build with correlation, lean into ceiling outcomes, and use the late window for strategic swaps. Good luck in the $20K — see you at the top of the leaderboard.
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