The Week 11 matchup between Washington and the Carolina Panthers is shaping up to be quite the mismatch on paper. We've got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.
Washington
Running back Matt Jones went off on the New Orleans Saints last week. He totaled 187 yards in the game and also posted a touchdown. That touchdown was on a 78-yard reception, which certainly padded his stats -- Jones only ran for 56 yards on 11 carries. That's certainly a healthy yards-per-carry average, but he doesn't get enough touches to be considered an effective fantasy option week to week. He'll likely get most of his points out of the passing game this week against a tough Panthers run defense that can also defend a vertical passing game down the field. Going underneath may be the most frequent option Washington chooses to use this week, which always bodes well for running backs.
Perhaps tight end Jordan Reed will be able to break free and help carry Washington as well. Teammate DeSean Jackson is struggling since returning from injury and will likely be covered by the Panthers' Josh Norman, which means Reed could be free over the middle. He only caught three passes for 29 yards last week, but two of those catches went for touchdowns. Reed has now scored six times on the season and he's the most reliable pass catcher the team has from a fantasy standpoint.
Carolina Panthers
Now that the Green Bay Packers all of a sudden find themselves on shaky ground, the Carolina Panthers remain the only undefeated team in the NFC. A large part of the team's success is thanks to quarterback Cam Newton. He didn't need to do much against the Tennessee Titans last week to seal another victory. Newton finished with 217 passing yards, 23 rushing yards and two touchdowns, one of which came via the run. Since he can indeed scramble and has been proving it for years, Newton's passing yardage totals might not get you many bonus points. This year, he's proven that he can be well-rounded, which means he offers consistency as long as he's not turning the ball over.
Newton and the Panthers defense should be able to pounce all over Washington this Sunday. That doesn't mean the quarterback won't need help, however. Tight end Greg Olsen will have to do his part. Despite the fact he only finished with 80 yards and didn't score a touchdown last week, Olsen was spectacularly dependable in the team's win over the Titans. He caught all eight passes thrown to him in the game. Although Washington is fairly good at keeping tight ends from putting up fantasy points, Olsen is a reliable target that is usually good for some sort of significant contribution week to week.
* * *
SB Nation presents: Cam Newton taunts the Titans with his dabbing