With fantasy football so popular, we decided to start our own Outsports team comprised of players who are LGBT supportive.
With no openly gay players in the league, the idea is to form a fantasy team from players who have shown their support for LGBT issues in interviews with us and other media.
Keep in mind that all of the players on our roster have expressed support of LGBT equality. Players benched are not against LGBT equality, but simply the players we do not feel you should start on your fantasy team this week.
The team had another successful week despite benching multiple touchdowns in DeMarco Murray and Marquise Goodwin. The team scored 111.82 points this week, which ranked second in the Outsports fantasy league. Here’s to another successful week!
Week 11 start/sits
Quarterback
Start: Russell Wilson vs. Falcons (Monday)
With no other available starters, Wilson is our default answer this week at quarterback. We aren’t complaining though. He should be well-rested given the 10 days between this game against Atlanta and his last, a win against the Arizona Cardinals. He’s also thrown for multiple touchdowns in his last four games. Hopefully Wilson continues his stellar season.
Running back
Start: Jordan Howard vs. Lions, DeMarco Murray vs. Steelers (Thursday)
Despite a rough showing against the Packers, Howard is still our main guy and has the most potential to go off in any given week. This week, he faces a Lions team that gave up over 200 rushing yards last week to the Cleveland Browns. I like Howard’s chances to destroy Detroit’s run defense on Sunday.
Murray is coming off of a two touchdown game, so it’s hard to bench him now. Even with him splitting carries with Derrick Henry in Tennessee’s backfield, he’s making it very hard to bench him with his solid performances week after week. A short week is worrisome, but I like him over the struggling Doug Martin as our RB2.
Sit: Doug Martin vs. Dolphins, Giovani Bernard vs. Broncos, Mike Tolbert vs. Chargers
Martin could be a big factor this week against Miami, a team coming off a short week and with a mediocre run defense. However, he is not consistent enough to warrant a start, not even in the flex spot.
Bernard is seeing the opportunity for more touches with Jeremy Hill injured, but he has not done enough to convince me he is worth a fantasy start.
Tolbert is the backup of LeSean McCoy, and given their offensive performance last week against the Saints, starting any Bills outside of McCoy is suspect.
Wide receiver
Start: DeAndre Hopkins vs. Cardinals, Robert Woods vs. Vikings
Hopkins is still continuing to put up Pro Bowl numbers despite having some of the worst quarterback play in the league. He continues to be a must-start and be the only thing with a fantasy pulse on the Texans.
Woods has had an incredible last two weeks and with Hilton out on a bye, this is the perfect week to insert him in the starting lineup. Woods is the WR1 on one of the top three offenses in the league. He is warranting not just must-add but must-start territory. If Woods is available in your league, pick him up and start him. He has a tough matchup against Minnesota, but I like his chances to produce again this week.
We are thin at wide receiver this week with Marquise Goodwin and T.Y. Hilton on byes, but Hopkins and Woods is a receiving corps I am pleased with.
Here are the teams on bye for the week: Panthers, Colts, Jets, 49ers
Sit: Eric Decker vs. Steelers, Kenny Stills vs. Buccaneers
With Corey Davis back for the Titans, Decker’s fantasy stock is plummeting. Davis is a speedy receiver that the Titans drafted to be Marcus Mariota’s top target. They want him to blossom into that while Decker is there to be the supportive vet. It hurts his fantasy value significantly.
Stills is not a terrible play but the Dolphins offense is completely unpredictable and the team has two starters better than Stills, so he plays backup and contributes to the depth of the squad.
Tight end/flex
Start: Rob Gronkowski vs. Raiders, Travis Kelce vs. Giants
Gronk continues to be one of the best at his position in the game and continues to be a must-start in fantasy. The Raiders also are a good matchup despite coming off of a bye. His fantasy teammate Travis Kelce scored a touchdown against them on Thursday Night Football just a few weeks ago.
Kelce comes back rejuvenated off of a bye against one of the worst teams in the league in the New York Giants. A touchdown for Kelce would be expected, and two would not be surprising.
Sit: Coby Fleener vs. Redskins, Delanie Walker vs. Steelers (Thursday), Martellus Bennett vs. Raiders
Despite scoring 47 points as an offense last week, Fleener had zero yards for the Saints. Maybe he’ll show some fantasy relevancy at some point in the year, but for now, he belongs on the bench.
Walker has some injuries and is questionable for Thursday’s game against Pittsburgh, so do not put all your eggs in Walker’s basket. However, he is a decent play, but not over Kelce and Gronkowski.
Bennett was a Packer when I wrote last week’s report, but this week, he’s a Patriot. That increases his fantasy value tenfold. He’s a handcuff for Gronkowski and he’s someone worth picking up if available on waivers. If Gronk goes down, he’s the next guy up.
Defense
Start: Baltimore Ravens vs. Packers
Normally this would be a crazy start, but Terrell Suggs and the Ravens head to Green Bay and they will not see Aaron Rodgers, nor will they see their best running back Aaron Jones (knee) and will likely not see their second-best running back Ty Montgomery (ribs). The Packers will be outmatched and that helps the Ravens’ cause tremendously.
Kicker
Start: Matt Prater vs. Bears
Prater has had eight points or more in his last four games and the Bears bring an interesting matchup. Chicago is an underrated red zone defense, which will lead to field goals as opposed to touchdowns. Prater will be the one cleaning those points up.
Sit: Brandon McManus vs. Bengals
McManus is not a viable fantasy option if the Broncos continue to display poor quarterback play and offense. It won’t lead to points and it is not worth the start.
LGBT focus
Titans RB DeMarco Murray, who had two touchdowns against the Bengals.
Read more on these players’ LGBT views:
- 14 NFL Pro Bowlers say they would welcome a gay teammate (from 2017)
- NFL players react to Michael Sam coming out (from 2014)
- 62 active NFL players who have made statements in support of gays (from 2013)
- Carson Palmer, 12 Indianapolis Colts Would Embrace Openly Gay Teammate (from 2013)
Jeremy Brener is a student at the University of Central Florida who writes for Outsports. He can be reached via email ([email protected]) and followed on Twitter.