Week 11: Pickups of the Week
QB Sam Bradford, STL
MyFantasyLeague availability: 39%Bradford faces some tough competition in the coming weeks, but he showed on Sunday he is up to the task. His 104.1 passer rating is the highest of any 49ers opponent this season*. He looked very sharp and can probably credit much of his success to the healthy return of Danny Amendola. The two form one of the best QB-WR tandems in the league and should produce more solid fantasy outings down the home stretch. Bradford is a safer option for those owers who are looking to replace bye-weekers and concussed pivots.
*Not including Tim Tebow, who scored a 104.2 rating based on a single pass he threw and completed for nine yards back in Week 4.
QB Nick Foles, PHI
MyFantasyLeague availability: 72%Healthy quarterbacks look to be in short supply this week, making this an ideal time to take a flier on a guy like Foles. Foles is in line to start for the injured Michael Vick on Sunday in a game with potentially huge repercussions for the Eagles. Vick's concussion doesn't just put his Week 11 availability in question, it also jeopardizes his soft hold on the starting job through the end of the season and beyond. His turnover-prone play coupled with Philadelphia's miserable record means Foles is essentially auditioning for the full-time gig. A solid performance by Foles against Washington -- one of the weakest teams in the league against the pass -- could push Vick to the bench for good.
Injury Status: Injured ReserveQB Colin Kaepernick, SF
MyFantasyLeague availability: 27%With Alex Smith joining the long list of concussed or otherwise injured quarterbacks, owners need to consider adding Colin Kaepernick. The happy-footed backup racked up 66 rushing yards and a touchdown in just over half a game. And though his strong passing stats don't tell the whole story, Kaepernick was effective as a dual-threat and brings an intriguing dimension to the 49ers offense. Smith hasn't been ruled out of Week 11 yet, but deep and two-QB leaguers should factor Kaepernick into their contingency plans.
RB Christopher Ivory, NYJ
MyFantasyLeague availability: 62%Ivory was playing mean on Sunday. In a crowded backfield he has a lot to prove, and knows that he must make the most of opportunities while Darren Sproles is out of the lineup. Ivory's rugged rushing style has now netted him touchdowns in consecutive games. With Sproles expected to be out again, the bruising youngster should factor heavily in the Saints' plans for their juicy Week 11 matchup with Oakland. The Raiders looked just awful last week against Baltimore and have now given up 97 points in the past two weeks alone. The high-scoring Saints offense could bust things wide open this Sunday. If they get up early, look for Ivory to carry a significant workload.
RB Marcel Reece, OAK
MyFantasyLeague availability: 31%It turns out Oakland's coaching staff doesn't trust tailback Taiwan Jones to hold onto the football, so they once again turned to fullback Marcel Reece on Sunday. Reece's production makes it tough to believe he's a 255lb blocker and not a usual feature back. Not only did he haul in seven passes, he also carried the ball 13 times against the Ravens. As long as Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson remain out of the lineup, it looks like Reece will be a focal point for this offense. He's in line for a busy day: this week's matchup with New Orleans is shaping up to be a wild west shootout with neither team having shown much in the way of defense this season.
