Fantasy football QB rankings: C.J. Stroud among Week 11 must-starts

MIAMI, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Rookie C.J. Stroud is among my four must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 11.

If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops article. My Week 11 rankings for running backs, wide receivers and tight ends are also available.,

Patrick Mahomes leads my Top 20 quarterback rankings, which are listed below. Tua Tagovailoa, C.J. Stroud, Sam Howell and Jalen Hurts are my other Top 5 options.

Players from the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints should either be benched or dropped, as those teams have Week 11 byes. Quarterbacks from Thursday's Cincinnati Bengals-Baltimore Ravens game were removed from my rankings.

Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (L) throws while under pressure from the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI

C.J. Stroud

Stroud, a rookie already in the NFL MVP conversation, is my No. 3 fantasy football quarterback for Week 11. The Houston Texans passer owns a 15-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also completed 61.6% of his throws for 2,262 yards through his first nine NFL appearances.

Stroud's 291.8 passing yards per game are the most in the NFL. He also totaled at least two touchdowns in six of nine games.

This week, I expect Stroud to again find the end zone multiple times when the Texans host the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks so far this season. Look for Stroud to stay hot in this matchup, throwing for more than 300 yards and two scores. He is an elite QB1 going forward.

Quarterback Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders will battle the New York Giants on Sunday in Landover, Md. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI

Sam Howell

Howell has been under constant pressure from pass rushes this season, resulting in a league-high 47 sacks through 10 games. The Commanders remain one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the league, with Howell leading the NFL in attempts, completions and yards.

This week, the Commanders will host the New York Giants. The Giants allowed more than 250 passing yards per game to quarterbacks through 10 weeks. They also just surrendered 404 yards and five total scores to Dak Prescott in Week 10.

Howell, who threw for 249 yards in Week 7 against the Giants, logged more than 300 passing yards in each of his last three starts. He should easily reach that total again Sunday in Landover, Md. Look for the Commanders quarterback to also find the end zone multiple times for the third time in four weeks.

He is my No. 4 option.

Quarterback Kyler Murray (C) and the Arizona Cardinals will face the Houston Texans on Sunday in Houston. File Photo by Michael Goulding/UPI

Kyler Murray

Murray returned from an injury hiatus in Week 10 and threw for 249 yards, while adding another 33 yards and a score on the ground. The dynamic Cardinals playmaker will face the Texans in Week 11.

The Texans allowed the ninth-most passing yards to running backs through 10 weeks. They also allowed multiple touchdown passes in each of their last two games.

Look for Murray, my No. 8 play, to throw for close to 300 yards and run for another 50. I also expect him to score through the air and on the ground. He can be plugged in as a low-end QB1.

Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs continues to provide great value for fantasy football teams at a crucial point in the season. The NFL journeyman, who entered this season with two career starts, has completed 67.2% of his throws for 426 yards and accounted for five touchdowns since joining the Minnesota Vikings in an October trade.

Dobbs threw for a career-high 268 yards in Week 10. He accounted for multiple touchdowns in each of his last three appearances.

I expect his stellar run to continue in Week 11, when the Vikings battle the Denver Broncos. The Broncos allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks so far this season. Dobbs is a near lock for at least 250 passing yards. He could finish the week inside the Top 5 if he accounts for more than two scores.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws the football during a game against the Houston Texans on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI

Week 11 fantasy football quarterback rankings

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. PHI

2. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins vs. LV

3. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans vs. ARI

4. Sam Howell, Washington Commanders vs. NYG

5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles at KC

6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys at CAR

7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. CHI

8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at HOU

9. Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals at DEN

10. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. NYJ

11. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers at GB

12. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. TB

13. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos vs. MIN

14. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TEN

15. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears at DET

16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA

17. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers vs. LAC

18. Aidan O'Connell, Las Vegas Raiders at MIA

19. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SF

20. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks at LAR