Week 11 Bye Week Strategy Guide: Replacement Options For Jonathan Taylor and More

Six fantasy football bye weeks are in the books, with only four more to navigate. Note that no teams are on bye in Week 13, leaving the next two weeks plus Week 14 as the remaining bye weeks to plan for.

This week, only two teams take a break, and they are not the most fantasy-relevant: the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. But four more teams are on bye next week, so let's take a look at the fantasy football bye week schedule for Week 11 and beyond with an eye on waiver wire fill-ins, trade targets and other options for both redraft and Guillotine Leagues™.

All roster rates denoted are from Yahoo leagues.

Fantasy Football Bye Week Schedule | Weeks 11-12

Here are the top fantasy players scheduled for byes in Weeks 11-12, with their FantasyLife rest-of-season positional rank listed.

Bye Week	Team	Players
Week 11	Indianapolis Colts	Jonathan Taylor (RB1), Michael Pittman (WR28), Alec Pierce (WR31), Josh Downs (WR43), Tyler Warren (TE3), Daniel Jones (QB14)
	New Orleans Saints	Alvin Kamara (RB34), Chris Olave (WR21), Juwan Johnson (TE13)
Week 12	Denver Broncos	J.K. Dobbins (RB27), RJ Harvey (RB25), Courtland Sutton (WR27), Troy Franklin (WR37), Bo Nix (QB13)
	Los Angeles Chargers	Kimani Vidal (RB23), Ladd McConkey (WR14), Quentin Johnston (WR33), Keenan Allen (WR53), Oronde Gadsden (TE11), Justin Herbert (QB9)
	Miami Dolphins	De'Von Achane (RB5), Jaylen Waddle (WR12), Malik Washington (WR58), Tua Tagovailoa (QB23)
	Washington Commanders	Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB33), Deebo Samuel (WR30), Terry McLaurin (WR50), Zach Ertz (TE22), Jayden Daniels (QB22), Marcus Mariota (QB30)

MORE: Full NFL Bye Week Schedule

Quarterback Bye Week Strategy For Weeks 11 and 12

Only one top-10 fantasy QB is off this week (Daniel Jones, QB9), but fantasy managers will want to start thinking about Week 12 replacements for Justin Herbert, Bo Nix and Tua Tagovailoa.

Week 11 QB byes: Daniel Jones, Tyler Shough

Week 12 QB byes: Bo Nix, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, Marcus Mariota

Aaron Rodgers (40%) is an ideal fill-in over the next two weeks with a home game against the Bengals and a visit to Chicago on tap. Rodgers torched Cincinnati to the tune of four touchdown passes and a QB7 finish in Week 7. The Bengals are allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing QBs, and the Bears aren't much better, coming in sixth. Rodgers expectedly struggled against the Chargers' third-best defense against fantasy QBs last week, but two get-right spots are up next.

Tua Tagovailoa (20%) and Marcus Mariota (16%) face off in Spain on Sunday morning before both hitting byes in Week 12. Washington has allowed 2.1 passing TDs per game (fourth-worst) and Miami 1.7 (tied for ninth-worst). Tua tossed two touchdown passes in an impressive beatdown of Buffalo last week. Mariota has filled in admirably for Jayden Daniels, earning PFF's fifth-best passing grade on the season among QBs with 100 dropbacks. He threw two TDs last week as well and has averaged 27.5 rushing yards per game in his four starts this season.

Desperation plays: Geno Smith's (15%) only good performances this year have come against bottom-six defenses against fantasy QBs, and he gets the pleasure of the Cowboys' league-worst defense against the position in Week 11. … Jacoby Brissett (26%) has looked just fine in taking over for the struggling/"injured" Kyler Murray this year, throwing two touchdowns in four straight games along with a rushing TD. The Cardinals host the 49ers this week before a great home matchup with the Jaguars in Week 12.

Running Back Bye Week Strategy For Weeks 11 and 12

With the fantasy playoffs fast approaching, it's running back handcuff season. We'll touch on a few tempting matchups for lesser-rostered RBs below, but it's time to start 'cuffing your stars for the playoffs.

Week 11 RB byes: Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara

Week 12 RB byes: De'Von Achane, J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Kimani Vidal, Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Emari Demercado (40%) might be the last man standing for Arizona in Week 11 when the Cardinals host the 49ers. Bam Knight left the team's Week 10 loss with an injury, leaving the surprisingly explosive Demercado to rack up garbage time fantasy points. Over the last two weeks, the third-year back has turned 18 carries into 143 yards (7.9 YPC) with four catches mixed in. Trey Benson is on the mend, but the Arizona backfield might belong to Demercado for a week or two.

Kenneth Gainwell (32%) hasn't been a fantasy factor since filling up the box score in Week 4 with starter Jaylen Warren out. The veteran presents an intriguing handcuff over the next few weeks as the Steelers navigate a very fantasy-friendly stretch (vs. CIN, @CHI, vs. BUF, @BAL, vs. MIA). Up first is the Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed the most fantasy points against the position by far. Cincinnati has allowed 33.5 fantasy points per game to opposing running back rooms, over 6.5 points higher than the next-worst team.

Tyler Allgeier (40%) continues to be a massive hindrance to Bijan Robinson's true upside, having dominated work inside the five all season long. After punching in two scores in Week 10, Allgeier is up to six rushing TDs on the season and has posted double-digit fantasy points in four of nine games so far. With a home game against the Carolina Panthers on tap, fantasy's highest-upside handcuff continues to function as a flex-worthy option.

Blake Corum (14%) is Tyler Allgeier-lite, having handled double-digit carries in three straight. Corum has steadily siphoned work from starter Kyren Williams in recent weeks, taking 42% of the team's rushing attempts over the past three games, including 29% inside the five. Corum hasn't been the touchdown vulture that Allgeier has been, but he's clearly the next man up for one of fantasy's most lucrative RB roles should anything happen to Williams.

Sean Tucker (14%) has been eating into Rachaad White's workload over the past two weeks, turning 21 carries into 95 yards and a score. White has maintained the passing work, which lowers the ceiling on Tucker's role unless he takes over significantly more of the ground game. With Bucky Irving still MIA, this is a backfield to monitor ahead of a friendly matchup with the Bills in Week 11. Buffalo has allowed at least one RB rushing touchdown in every game but one this season.

More RB handcuffs: Brian Robinson (26%), Kenneth Gainwell (32%), Isaiah Davis (7%), Keaton Mitchell (1%), Dylan Sampson (11%), Ray Davis (9%), Emanuel Wilson (7%), Bhayshul Tuten (30%), Tank Bigsby (23%), Samaje Perine (5%), Will Shipley (2%)

Wide Receiver Bye Week Strategy For Weeks 11 and 12

It's getting late in the season to find true wide receiver breakouts, but several talented WRs are carving out more work in quality offenses or ahead of solid matchups.

Week 11 WR byes: Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Chris Olave

Week 12 WR byes: Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen, Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin

Tez Johnson (39%) broke out with two touchdowns on four catches in Week 10, finishing with 20.2 PPR points and a WR10 finish. That's four touchdowns in Johnson's last four contests, going back to the game Mike Evans left with a season-ending injury. Tez is relying on the TDs to support his WR21 standing over the last five weeks, but the Tampa Bay offense can clearly support multiple wide receivers, as Emeka Egbuka bested Johnson's Week 10 finish with a WR3 showing of his own.

Tre Tucker (45%) owns the best fantasy performance at the wide receiver position this season, but has done little since that 8-145-3 explosion in Week 3. As noted in the Geno Smith blurb above, the Raiders have shown some heart against weaker opponents thus far, and Tucker's usable performances have come in such matchups. That would be the case in Week 11 when Las Vegas hosts the Dallas Cowboys, who have allowed a league-worst 1.8 touchdowns per game to opposing WRs. In Week 12, the Raiders visit the Browns, who have allowed 1.3 TDs per game to receivers, tied for fourth-most. There will be opportunities for big plays in the coming weeks.

Kayshon Boutte (36%) is another big-play threat relying on touchdowns, though the Patriots' third-year receiver missed Week 10 with a hamstring injury. If he's cleared to play, a visit to the New York Jets is less than daunting with Sauce Gardner out of the picture, and the Patriots visit the pathetic Bengals defense in Week 12. If Boutte doesn't return, Mack Hollins (2%) is a name to watch. The journeyman leads the Patriots with a 24% target share over the past three weeks, posting WR15 and WR20 finishes along the way.

Christian Watson (32%) and the vast majority of his teammates disappointed on Monday night, but better matchups are ahead for a Green Bay passing offense whose pass-catching options are dwindling. Already down Tucker Kraft and Matthew Golden, the Packers lost leading receiver Romeo Doubs to a chest injury in the third quarter of MNF. Watson has seen four targets in all three games since he returned from an ACL repair, and that figure should rise in next week's roadie against a New York Giants defense allowing the sixth-highest fantasy boost (+3.6 points) to wide receivers. The Packers have four more matchups against bottom-10 defenses against WRs down the stretch.

Texans rookie Jayden Higgins (15%) continues to earn looks, posting two top-26 PPR finishes over his last three weeks. Higgins scored in each of those contests and was otherwise efficient, catching nine of 15 targets. Of course, he also posted a 1-4-0 line between the two games. A matchup with the last-place Titans is on tap in Week 11.

Desperation plays: Calvin Austin (13%) and Roman Wilson (1%) aren't the most insane dice-rolls this week at home against Cincinnati, who have held their own against WR1s thanks to the emergence of cornerback D.J. Turner. It's the rest of the defense that continues to operate like a fantasy slot machine. … Cedric Tillman (10%) probably needs a touchdown catch to help fantasy managers, but the Baltimore Ravens have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

Tight End Bye Week Strategy For Weeks 11 and 12

Most of the high-end fantasy TEs have had their byes, but Tyler Warren managers will need to find a one-week fill-in. It's not a bad time to find a spot on your bench for young, upside tight ends as injury insurance.

Week 11 TE byes: Tyler Warren, Juwan Johnson

Week 12 TE byes: Oronde Gadsden, Evan Engram, Darren Waller (IR)

Colston Loveland (46%) continues to look the part of a legitimate weapon in real life, even if the Bears offense remains frustrating for fantasy purposes. The rookie's route rate fell back to 56% after marks of 78% and 75% over the last two weeks, with Cole Kmet out. Loveland has been efficient when on the field, catching 13 of 16 targets over the last three weeks for 211 yards and two TDs (TE7). The Bears visit the Vikings this week before hosting the Steelers in Week 12, a top-five TE matchup.

Cade Otton (50%) has reemerged as a fantasy starter thanks to Tampa Bay's long list of pass-catching injuries. Down Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for most of the season, Otton has carved out a 24% target share over the last four weeks, only narrowly trailing Emeka Egbuka's 26%. Otton is the TE11 over this span without a single touchdown. The Bills are a tough matchup in Week 11, but there's a solid target floor here in a quality offense.

Theo Johnson (49%) continues to produce, coming in at TE7 last week thanks to a season-high seven catches for 75 yards. Johnson's five touchdown catches over the previous six games had propped up his fantasy profile, but the rookie has earned six or more targets in four of his last six games. Over the past month, Johnson has a 22% target share, second only to Wan'Dale Robinson on the team. Johnson is the TE10 since Week 4 with 11.2 PPR points per game, and the usage is heading upward.

Steelers vs. Bengals: Recall that in Week 7 three Steelers TEs scored touchdowns against the Bengals, accounting for the TE3 (Pat Freiermuth, 15%), TE15 (Jonnu Smith, 17%) and TE18 (Darnell Washington, 0%). Cincinnati has allowed 1.3 touchdowns per game to the position, 0.5 more than the second-worst defense. … On the other side, Noah Fant (3%) isn't a wild desperation play against a Steelers defense allowing the fourth-most PPR points per game to the position. Fant has scored in two of three.

Looking ahead: Juwan Johnson (47%) takes a seat this week, but the veteran has ascended to the No. 2 pass-catching role in New Orleans after the departure of Rashid Shaheed. Johnson has caught seven of eight passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Tyler Shough's two starts.