Pick up these players now or perish in the fantasy football crucible: Week 11

We have officially reached the point of the season where attrition makes random running backs relevant. Saquon is down for the season, signed-off-the-streets Devonta Freeman is hurt, and Gallman is the next man up. Over the past three weeks, Gallman has been the overall RB5 in PPR scoring. He’s seen his snap share in those three weeks go from 49 percent, to 57 percent, to 59 percent . Most of your league mates might be looking elsewhere because the Giants are on bye this week, but Gallman could be a high-end RB2 for the rest of the season.

That is an inexplicably low rostership percentage. Maybe few people are taking a chance on the Patriots’ WR1 because of their fear of Cam Newton, but Jakobi Meyers has been balling lately. Do you like analytics?

That is an elite target share. Or, if that’s not your thing, how about just good ol’ fashion fantasy points? In that same stretch, he’s recorded 10.2, 13.8, 28.9, and 15.9 fantasy points. He’s the WR10 over the last four weeks, ahead of some big names like Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown, and Allen Robinson.

Roster. This. Man. Now.

In the wasteland that is the decimated running back position, there rose forth a potential savior this Sunday. Allow me to introduce you briefly to this 5-foot-11 undrafted free agent: In his junior year at University of Washington, he posted 1,020 rushing yards (5.4 YPC) and 11 TDs. He tacked on 16 receptions for good measure. He was signed by the 49ers after going undrafted, then cut during camp. Miami promptly signed him and put him on the practice squad.

Miles Gaskin is hurt and out for at least two more weeks, Matt Breida has a nagging hamstring, the Dolphins cut Jordan Howard … who else is going to see the ball? Like ABBA, Ahmed is standing in front of you singing “take a chance on me,” and I’ll be his backup singer. He posted 16.0 fantasy points last week on your league’s waiver wire, and he’s worth the add a potential stretch-run hero.

I know, I know, another Giants player, which is weird because they aren’t objectively good, but hear me out. Since coming back from injury, Shepard has six or more targets and six or more receptions in four straight games. Teammate Darius Slayton seems to be all the hotness in New York, and rightfully so – he tends to have bigger boom games. But, for whatever reason, the talented possession receiver is going overlooked. Shepard is averaging 12.0 fantasy points per game compared to Slayton’s 11.2. So you tell me, who’s the real WR1 for the Giants? He’s a solid WR2/Flex option for the rest of the year.

It feels so entirely beyond gross to make this recommendation, but I’m going to do it anyways. Listen, I can’t in good conscience ignore a running back seeing such a ridiculous workload in the passing game, even if he’s been a career mediocrity. Passing work is the master key to unlock PPR success, and he’s getting it. He is the second most targeted RB in the NFL this season. Period. He has 29 - TWENTY NINE – targets in the last two weeks. If you’re in standard scoring, then ignore this segment. If you’re in PPR though, you need to add him; he’s the RB41 since Week 3 in standard, but the RB17 in PPR in the same span. I know it feels gross, but take an antacid and pull the trigger.