NFL Barometer: Reed All About It

Week 11 was a particularly eventful one for quarterbacks, as the Bucs made yet another change and the Redskins endured a season-ending injury at the position. A splashy debut by a rookie signal-caller was yet another development, and a couple of receiver injuries opened up opportunities as well. With plenty to examine as the fantasy postseason draws ever closer, let's jump right in.

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Quarterback

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers: The Bucs' quarterback carousel spun back to Winston in Week 11 against the Giants, and he's already been named the starter for Week 12. Winston did provide a second-half spark against New York with three long touchdown drives, and he'll immediately get a crack at a 49ers defense that's only recorded a pair of picks on the season.

Eli Manning, Giants: Speaking of the Giants, it's hard to ignore what Manning did against Tampa's league-worst pass defense last Sunday, as well as the solid efforts he's turned in over the last month overall. Manning suffered just one incompletion Sunday on 18 attempts, and he now owns a 7:2 TD:INT over the last four games. That span also includes a pair of 300-yard tallies. With the top pass-catching quartet of Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley all at full health, Manning has a chance to continue his strong play down the stretch.

Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Jackson finally got his first NFL starting opportunity in Week 11, and although the results were mixed from a passing standpoint, the rookie unsurprisingly was the best runner on the field against the Bengals. Jackson ripped off 117 yards on a whopping 27 attempts, and it's not inconceivable that he could flash similarly elevated rushing volume moving forward. Moreover, his final passing line – 13 of 19 for 150 yards and one interception – wasn't necessarily poor by any stretch, but Jackson is clearly still in need of refinement as a passer. With Joe Flacco (hip) looking doubtful for a Week 12 matchup against the Raiders, Jackson could certainly thrive in perhaps the most favorable matchup possible.

Colt McCoy, Redskins: McCoy may not offer much of a fantasy ceiling, but he's now Washington's starting quarterback in the wake of Alex Smith's catastrophic leg injury in Week 11. McCoy does bring plenty of experience and can make plays with his legs as well, and he's been serviceable as a multi-game starter in the past. Most recently, he threw for 1,057 yards and posted five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) in five 2014 games for Washington, and he also threw for 2,733 yards and generated a 14:11 TD:INT in 13 games for the Browns back in 2011. Expectations should be tempered, but McCoy is certainly an option for Smith owners and any others desperate for QB help during the fantasy stretch run.

Running Back

Peyton Barber, Buccaneers: The Bucs offense has been a veritable roller coaster all season, but Barber has actually been one of its most consistent pieces. Game script has often derailed Barber's overall chances of putting together solid lines, but following a season-best 18-106-1 performance in Week 11 against the Giants, Barber now has 61 rushing yards or more in three of his past four games. He's yet to top 20 carries on the season due to the frequently unfavorable game situations the Bucs defense often puts the offense in, but Barber can clearly provide solid production when given the chance. Moreover, he has no competition for the lead-back role, something only a handful of backs around the league can claim at the moment.

Gus Edwards, Ravens: Whether Edwards' Week 11 production and role are the real deal will be determined in coming games, but for the time being, he's certainly a hot commodity. After logging just five combined carries over the prior three games, Edwards exploded for 115 yards and a touchdown over 17 carries, outdoing anything starter Alex Collins has done this season by a wide margin. The performance would seemingly earn Edwards ample playing time in a highly favorable Week 12 matchup against the Raiders at minimum, and with the significant rushing threat that Lamar Jackson poses, Edwards should benefit from opposing defenses' preoccupation with the quarterback's running upside.

Wide Receiver

Tre'Quan Smith, Saints: Smith exploded for a 10-157-1 line in Sunday's dismantling of the Eagles, and he should continue enjoying a prominent role in the offense moving forward. Smith had been playing the No. 2 role recently, but with Brandon Marshall's arrival and Ted Ginn's expected return from a knee injury in early December, Smith should have a chance to fill the third receiver role he's much better suited for at this early stage of his career. Blessed with elite speed and solid size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds), Smith could be a major factor down the stretch.

Marcell Ateman, Raiders: Ateman could be set for an increased role moving forward as a result of Brandon LaFell's season-ending Achilles injury. The rookie figures to be the No. 3 receiver at minimum for the next several games, and he could potentially start the Week 12 tilt against the Ravens if Jordy Nelson (quadriceps) can't return for that game. Ateman put up a solid 4-50 line in extended action against the Cardinals in Week 11, offering some reason for optimism regarding his potential future production.

Bruce Ellington, Lions: Ellington also has a chance at an expanded role down the stretch with Marvin Jones suffering from a knee injury of unknown severity. The veteran posted a solid 6-52 line over 33 snaps in his Lions debut in Week 11, and with Jones unlikely to be ready for the Thanksgiving showdown against the Bears, Ellington looks set for a second consecutive start. Moreover, Ellington looks set for a No. 3 receiver role at a minimum in December even if Jones manages to return.

Tight End

Jordan Reed, Redskins: Reed finished with a season-best 7-71-1 line in Week 11, showing some impressive chemistry with new quarterback Colt McCoy in the process. That should serve Reed well going forward, considering McCoy is slated to remain under center for the duration of the season. Reed had already been enjoying a fairly productive season (37-391-1 line prior to Week 11), but he'd been used in less of a downfield role than years past. Smith's conservative tendencies likely contributed to that, but with more of a gunslinger in McCoy now at the controls, Reed's production could see a nice uptick.

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Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers: Winston enters and in turn, Fitzpatrick gets the heave-ho from the starting lineup for the second time this season. The veteran is unlikely to get another crack at the starting job barring injury to Winston, as coach Dirk Koetter is likely to go down swinging with the 2015 first overall pick at the helm. After a red-hot start to the season, FitzMagic was progressively exposed as heavy on parlor tricks, considering he generated an 0:5 TD:INT over the last two games.

Running Back

Alex Collins, Ravens: Collins' pedestrian production coupled with Edwards' success in Week 11 has the former trending in the wrong direction for the moment. Collins has shown a nose for the end zone, but he's yet to top 68 rushing yards in any game and been only modestly involved through the air. His three lost fumbles haven't exactly endeared him to the coaching staff or fantasy owners either, and with a seemingly more dynamic alternative in Edwards, Collins may be limited to more of a short-yardage role down the stretch.

Devontae Booker, Broncos: Royce Freeman returned in Week 11 from a two-game absence due to an ankle injury, which relegated Booker back down to a minimal role. The pass-catching back only played 11 snaps out of a possible 56 and didn't log any rushing touches after having received a combined 12 over the two games the rookie missed. As long as Freeman and starter Phillip Lindsay are healthy, Booker could potentially revert to a level of usage that afforded him a scant four carries in Weeks 4-7, and his volatile workload in the passing game work isn't enough to lend him much fantasy utility.

Wide Receiver

DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers: The 2018 season began with plenty of talk of feeding Jackson downfield more frequently than in his 2017 debut campaign with the Bucs. While that seemed to hold true early in the season, Jackson has become more of an afterthought as the season has unfolded. Jackson hasn't topped 100 yards since Week 4 and has just one reception of more than 40 yards since that contest as well. He's also posted between 25 and 38 receiving yards in three of his last five games, and he's seen just five red-zone targets all season. Jackson also has a sub-60 percent catch rate for the second consecutive season, as he's had trouble building consistent chemistry with either Jameis Winston or Ryan Fitzpatrick of late.

Tight End

Trey Burton, Bears: Even as Mitchell Trubisky has flourished in multiple games recently, Burton hasn't really gotten in on the fun over the last month. The athletic tight end has a pedestrian 10-95-1 line over the last four contests on a modest 12 targets, a stretch that's come following his season-best 9-126-1 line in Week 7 against the Patriots. With Allen Robinson back at full health and rookie receiver Anthony Miller becoming a bigger part of the offense, Burton is currently playing a far smaller role than is ideal for fantasy purposes.