Karabell's first look at Week 11: What to do with OBJ and JuJu

Fantasy managers were so full of optimism this summer for Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Beckham ended up on the Cleveland Browns after a trade from the New York Giants, most people believing the quarterback upgrade was so enticing. Smith-Schuster ended up as presumably the top Pittsburgh Steelers option after Antonio Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders. Things should have been great for these fellows, which is why fantasy managers made them the Nos. 6 and 7 wide receivers in ESPN average live drafts -- second-round choices with upside.

Neither will enter Week 11 among the top 25 wide receivers in fantasy this season, either in overall scoring at the position or on a per-game basis, and fantasy managers are, to say the least, frustrated.

The Browns and Steelers prepare to meet for the first time this season on Thursday night, and these top wide receivers are underperforming based on any reasonable expectations. Beckham, who caught five passes for 57 yards in Sunday's surprise win over the Buffalo Bills, boasts one top-10 finish at his position this season, and he scored his lone touchdown in Week 2. Smith-Schuster's team also won on Sunday, topping the Los Angeles Rams, but he contributed little with three catches for 44 yards. Smith-Schuster boasts three touchdowns but a pace for fewer than 70 catches this season, after hauling in 111 last season.

First things first: ADP means nothing as soon as your draft ends, so fantasy investors who continue to blindly activate these receivers when they might roster better options should think again. Then again, these receivers are worth counting on, still, even as their quarterbacks are clearly not. Oh yeah, quarterback play certainly matters, and it has made these fellows look somewhat invisible, but what can fantasy managers do about it? Unfortunately, not much. There are two weeks before the ESPN trade deadline, and while neither wide receiver's situation appears to be improving anytime soon, that hardly means one should move on.

Beckham remains the better option, for his quarterback is more experienced and won a Heisman Trophy. Baker Mayfield is hardly playing well, but with wide receivers, all it takes is a big play or two per game, and the quarterback interceptions do not appear on their individual ledgers. Beckham is no longer even the top Browns wide receiver in fantasy, though one cannot tell from the weekly rankings. Jarvis Landry passed him on Sunday. Perhaps it is time for this gap to lessen, though the way the Steelers embarrassed the Rams' passing game, this seems like a bad week to expect much. Beckham remains worthy of WR2 attention, but if you wanted to play the likes of DJ Moore or Emmanuel Sanders instead, it is tough to argue.

Pittsburgh's situation is, of course, different, since Ben Roethlisberger was supposed to quarterback, but an elbow injury ended his season in early September. Mason Rudolph has yet to score 17 fantasy points in any game, though his team has won four consecutive contests. Smith-Schuster finished among the top 10 wide receivers in fantasy last season, with Brown attracting attention, but few would have bet on a repeat sans Roethlisberger. It turns out things are worse than expected. Regardless, with five games this season of 75 or more receiving yards -- Beckham has done this in three games -- Smith-Schuster remains worthy of the roster spot, and flex activation most weeks, but trading for him expecting draft day value is likely a mistake. Here are more fantasy themes to watch heading into Week 11:

Quarterbacks on the mend

Fantasy managers relying on Detroit Lions starting quarterback Matthew Stafford got some rough, unexpected news as the durable veteran, who had last missed a game in 2010, received a diagnosis of multiple fractures in his back, with official word of him being inactive delayed until Sunday morning. Jeff Driskel stepped in and performed well for those desperate for statistical aid -- he entered Sunday night as the No. 10 QB scorer, similar to what Stafford had been producing compared to others -- and we await further word for Week 11, as Stafford could return. Those rostering Kenny Golladay generally left the star wide receiver active Sunday, and should do so again in Week 11 at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

As for other quarterbacks on the mend, the Jacksonville Jaguars-Indianapolis Colts game features some signal-calling intrigue. The Jaguars get Nick Foles back from a broken collarbone suffered in Week 1. There is a strong running game in place with Leonard Fournette and several intriguing wide receivers looking for accuracy that rookie Gardner Minshew II did not provide in Week 9. Who will oppose him? The Colts lost at home to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and backup Brian Hoyer really struggled, so look for starter Jacoby Brissett to be pushed to return from an MCL injury. Brissett remains underrated in fantasy, a borderline QB1 before hurting his left knee in Week 9.

Washington's future

Fantasy managers sure had high hopes for Washington Redskins running back Derrius Guice, both for the 2018 season and the current one, and it is hardly too late for the LSU product to emerge as a reliable option. Guice was a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, but he tore the ACL in his left knee during the preseason, pushing his awaited debut to Week 1 of this season. Then Guice hurt his right knee in the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Guice came off injured reserve before the team's Week 10 bye and figures to be active this Sunday against the New York Jets, but it remains problematic whether the dysfunctional franchise intends to give him a reasonable chance to shine.

Regardless, a potentially relevant running back remains available in more than 60% of ESPN standard leagues. Sure, ageless starter Adrian Peterson has topped 100 total yards in three of the past four games, and averages 4.3 yards per tote, but he is 12 years older than Guice and unlikely to be a part of the team's future. Washington already starts the Ohio State rookie connection of quarterback Dwayne Haskins and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. It would make sense for Guice to get a legitimate chance for touches. It might not happen in Week 11, but plan ahead because it should happen at some point.

Mexico City matchup

Lastly, in the final game of the weekend on Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers meet up in Estadio Azteca on ESPN. Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes returned Sunday, and while his team fell to Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans, Mahomes performed expertly and tossed touchdown passes to Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman, while throwing for 446 yards. Damien Williams handled most of the running back duties with LeSean McCoy inactive due to a coaching decision, not a health one. Figure on more clarity from the Chiefs this week, but McCoy's presence certainly affects how fantasy managers view Williams.

The Chargers also employ a running back tandem, but fantasy managers feel a bit better currently about this one, as Melvin Gordon comes off consecutive games with at least 20 PPR points, while Austin Ekeler continues to matter in the passing game and warrants flex attention. Gordon sees more touches and thus, after a slow start to his delayed season, is the better option, even in PPR formats, but do not forget Ekeler. After all, the Chiefs, despite the Mahomes heroics, still permitted 35 points to a Titans team that entered Week 10 averaging 18.7 points per contest.