7 Deep Fantasy Football Sleepers for Week 11
Rod Smith, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Yahoo! Ownership: 20%
Week 10 provided clarity to the Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott-less backfield. Alfred Morris led the team with 11 carries, handling the early-down work. However, with the 'Boys in passing mode, as they were trailing most of the game, Rod Smith was on the field for the bulk of the plays, seeing action for 38 snaps, compared to 22 for Morris. Smith also finished as the only tailback with a target -- he collected 6 of them versus the Atlanta Falcons -- cementing the notion of the former Ohio State Buckeye as the passing-down back.
With their roles seemingly defined, the matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11 shapes out to be a favorable one for Smith. The Eagles are stout against the run -- allowing an NFL-best 66.4 yards per game -- but opposing backs have made 6.4 receptions per game, the fourth-most in the league. With Dallas expected to be trailing (3.5-point home underdogs), Smith is the better bet in the Cowboys' backfield this Sunday and makes for a nice spot start in PPR leagues.