The Ringer Fantasy Football Show – Week 11 Preview
Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly (DK), Craig Horlbeck
Overview
This episode dives deep into the key matchups, fantasy advice, and major storylines heading into NFL Week 11. The hosts dissect high-profile games like Seahawks-Rams and Lions-Eagles, explore fantasy-relevant trends and injuries, and provide their signature blend of advanced football analysis and playful banter. Their focus is to help fantasy managers navigate tricky start/sit decisions and recognize crucial emerging trends in both real and fantasy football.
Main Discussion Themes
NFC Power Shifts & "Game of the Year": Seahawks at Rams
- Focus: The hosts are captivated by the showdown between two of the NFC's most innovative teams, debating the tactical chess match between Sean McVay and Mike Macdonald.
- DK (05:01): “This is the number one versus number two team in DVOA. It’s the DVOA Bowl, Part One. Two really, really good teams.”
- Heavy Personnel Misdirection: Both teams deploy multiple tight ends, bluffing the run and exploiting defensive mismatches—a trend setting the tone for the NFL’s offensive evolution.
- Heifetz (07:32): "Coaching staffs around the NFL will watch this game as much as any game that's been played all year... Both these teams are full of shit... It's the Walter White, 'don't bullshit a bullshitter.'"
- Defensive Innovation: The Seahawks' defense excels with lighter formations, thanks to versatile players like Devon Witherspoon, enabling them to stop the run from nickel packages.
- "Illusion of Complexity": Both offenses rely on confusing defenses with formations and motions—a magic show that’s now meta across the NFL.
Will Teams Hide Playoff Strategies?
- Craig (15:50): “How much do you believe in a team not wanting to show their hand too much in this matchup just in case they meet up again in the playoffs?”
- Mixed response: The stakes (division title, home field) might force both teams to play sincerely rather than saving wrinkles for January.
The Ugly (But Effective) Eagles & Angry A.J. Brown
- Lions at Eagles = NFC Title Game We Missed: The hosts are extremely hyped.
- A.J. Brown Melodrama:
- A.J.’s discontent aired during a gaming livestream:
- Brown (19:22, paraphrasing): "If you got me on fantasy, get rid of me, man."
- In-game, he jokes: "This is the only way I get stats now." (19:36)
- He later clarifies: "It's not just about my situation. I want to win, too... We can't just keep slapping a band-aid over the defense doing their job and getting us out of trouble." (19:58)
- A.J.’s discontent aired during a gaming livestream:
- Eagles' Offensive Woes:
- Lacking creativity; O-line injuries and a return to the Sirianni offense have made the attack stale and predictable ("No creativity, and it doesn't take a genius to see it." — Craig 23:10).
- Staggering stats: 31st in third-down conversions, a 41% three-and-out rate in the last five weeks (21:01)
- Naked and Afraid Analogy: DK likens the Eagles to "the fat guy on Naked and Afraid"—playing not to lose rather than to win (25:26).
Early Game Laughs & Fantasy Bits
Dolphins vs. Commanders in Madrid, Spain
- Quirky Fact: Marcus Mariota and Tua Tagovailoa, starting QBs, went to the same high school in Honolulu.
- Game Perspective: Hosts bemoan lack of fantasy-relevant names; only a handful of startable players (28:01–28:09).
Bills vs. Bucs
- QB Trash-Talk: Baker Mayfield jokes about Josh Allen's small hands; Allen fires back about Baker's double-glove golf habit (31:49).
- Baker & Bucs Woes: Bucs RB Bucky Irving unlikely to play; Sean Tucker is a sneaky start against soft Bills run defense (33:37–34:05).
Vikings vs. Bears: QB Meltdown Watch
- J.J. McCarthy Stats: Historically bad in most categories, with a particularly low off-target rate and high sack rate (35:26).
- Caleb Williams Improvement: Dramatic drop in sack rate, but accuracy woes persist. Body language is better due to team success (37:52).
- DK (38:03): "He just has fewer moments where I'm like, he looks defeated, like, he looks like he's given up."
Bengals vs. Steelers: The Flacco Factory
- Burrow Returns? Joe Burrow is eyeing an early comeback, but the team is cautious.
- Burrow's Healing Crystals: Heifetz highlights Burrow’s Instagram post covered in crystals, querying if this is performance art or real (44:42).
- Fantasy Angle: Steelers TEs are very playable; Bengals allow 30% of targets to TEs (45:56).
Jamis Winston Takes the Stage: Packers at Giants
- Dysfunctional Giants: Dable gone, Kafka interim HC, Jameis finally elevated to starter after Dart's injury.
- Jameis Effect: Expect big, chaotic fantasy lines (54:04, 54:18).
- Packers Receiving Mess: Hosts advise, again, to avoid Pack WRs due to unpredictable usage (55:41).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On NFC Playoff Implications:
- DK (02:39): "It’s like a preview of the playoffs… It will tell us a lot about these teams."
- On Deception & Modern NFL Offense:
- Heifetz (10:08): "Sean McVay did that in a bunch of ways. Mike Macdonald has been called the Sean McVay of defense for a lot of reasons."
- On Philadelphia’s Approach:
- DK (25:00): "They're fat before the season. They're starving themselves. We're just not going to turn the ball over…The Eagles are the fat guy on Naked and Afraid."
- On Joe Burrow’s Crystals:
- Heifetz (44:42): "Do you see all his crystals? He has all his crystals he put on Instagram that he's using to heal his foot."
- Craig (47:55): "It’s also up here. You know? It’s in your head."
- On Petersen’s Betrayal:
- Heifetz (56:02): "The Giants have mismanaged their roster in a really bizarre niche way…They really do manage in a way that they don't want people to realize they made a mistake."
- On Travis Hunter’s Trade:
- Heifetz (75:13): "They paid as if he definitely will play both spots very well…It was a huge mistake."
Quick Fantasy Start/Sit Takes (Segment Timestamps)
| Player / Topic | Advice / Insight | Timestamp | |-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | SEA at LAR: Heavy Personnel | Watch for schematic chess match, both offenses exploit defensive mismatches. | 07:32-13:05 | | A.J. Brown (PHI) | Production/usage frustration, but offense issues not just about him. | 19:22-21:07 | | Buffalo RBs/Bucs RBs | Rashad White a viable play versus Bills; Bucky Irving likely out, Tucker playable. | 33:37-34:05 | | Caleb Williams & J.J. McCarthy| Caleb rising, but both QBs still risky starts. | 35:26-38:03 | | Steelers TEs | Bengals give up highest % of targets to TEs—play Friarmuth & Jonnu if desperate. | 45:56 | | Giants WRs (Jameis Starting) | Big volume possible for Wan'Dale & Theo Johnson. Giants WRs in play. | 54:04-54:18 | | Green Bay WRs/Denver WRs | Both remain fantasy minefields; avoid unless desperate. | 55:41 | | Tank Dell/Nico Collins (HOU) | Nico's value might even rise with Davis Mills at QB. | 61:07 | | Ted McMillan (CAR, WR) | Rises as a next-year breakout candidate, already 9th in NFL in target rate as rookie| 63:15-64:04 | | RG Harvey (DEN, RB) | Strong start if Dobbins is out, but Payton’s RB usage is volatile. | 69:00-70:47 |
High Stakes, Bold Picks, and Bets (84:00+)
- Hosts’ Favorite Bets:
- Lions + points vs. Eagles: “They can lose and we could still win just... very easy.”
- Ravens -7.5 vs Browns: “Lamar vs Dylan Gabriel and it's 7.5, that's fine.”
- Falcons -3 vs Panthers: “I like the Falcons in this game.”
- Bengals +5.5 vs Steelers: “Are the Steelers going to win by a lot?”
- Texans -6.5 vs Titans: “Betting against the Titans is usually the right idea.”
Offbeat & Fun
- Antarctic appendectomy policies—DK brings trivia about Antarctica’s surgery rules (81:06–82:53).
- Multiple music tangents lead to a side discussion on the band “Foreigner” and “The Band.”
- “Should Mac Jones fetch a 3rd rounder?” debated for next season (78:38+).
Final Thoughts
This episode offers:
- Unrivaled schematic analysis (especially Seahawks-Rams)
- Candid, actionable fantasy tips
- Personal, often hilarious analogies
- Breadth—covering NFL narratives, fantasy, and even life in Antarctica
Whether you’re seeking start/sit help, craving deep-dive football talk, or just want to laugh, it’s a must-listen for diehard fantasy players and football fans alike.
For feedback, roster questions, or to enlighten the hosts about Antarctic surgery policies, email ringerfantasyfootball@gmail.com.