Week 11 DFS Cheapskate Plays is here to spotlight a few budget-friendly players who can help you stretch your salary cap without sinking your lineup.
We’re not chasing the “studs”. If I don’t mention the slate’s most expensive QB, it’s not because I think he’s a bad play; it’s because you don’t need me to tell you they will score the most points. The real purpose here is to dig for value, the affordable (cheap) options that make it possible to fit those high-priced studs into your build.
Of course, these picks come with more risk, and they don’t have the same floor as the proven stars. But when they hit, the payoff is huge. DFS is ultimately a game of points per dollar: a $4K player scoring 20 points (5x value) actually outperforms an $8K player scoring 24 points (only 3x). That’s why we hunt for these gems. They give you a better return on investment, even if they whiff more often.
Player prices are referenced from DraftKings, but the concept applies across all major DFS platforms.
Week 11 Cheapskate Quarterback
http://gty.im/2245386917
Davis Mills $4,500, HOU at Titans
Mills rolls into Week 11 with the kind of momentum fantasy managers can actually hang their hat on. His most recent start was extremely “competent”, as he ripped off 312 total yards and three touchdowns while dragging Houston back from a 19-point deficit. And now, he’s stepping into a matchup he already understands well, preparing for another start with full first-team reps in an offense that’s been forced to lean on him.
Across three starts and one mid-game entry vs. the Titans, Mills has thrown for 759 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. The signature performance came on January 9, 2022, when he torched Tennessee for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns, one of the best outings of his young career and a reminder that this matchup has historically unlocked his ceiling.
Mills just beat that by 11 yards last week and has momentum from his comeback victory. Could Mills be the next in the line of late-blooming quarterbacks? I’m betting on it (this week).
Week 11 Cheapskate Running Backs
http://gty.im/2245489260
Woody Marks $5,400, HOU at Titans
Marks remains the most mercurial fantasy option in Houston’s offense, and Week 11 sets up as one of his best spots of the season. The Texans have already shown what Marks can do when game flow tilts his way: in the earlier meeting with Tennessee this year, he ripped the Titans for 17 carries, 69 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, plus 4 catches for 50 yards and another score, one of the most well-rounded performances of his rookie campaign.
That game alone was enough to send half the fantasy community sprinting to the waiver wire like they discovered fire for the first time. Suddenly, “everyone” was a Woody Marks truther…funny how that works. Jump on now if you want, just know some of us were here early (this time).
Emari Demercado $4,500, ARI vs 49ers
Demercado has quietly built one of the most efficient rushing profiles in football. Week 11 sets up as a moment where that efficiency might finally collide with meaningful volume. He’s averaging an outrageous 9.0 yards per carry this season. Even last year, he posted 9.3 yards per carry, proving this isn’t a random two-game blip but part of a larger pattern of explosive production.
The path to volume is finally clearing. Trey Benson is still working his way back from injury, unable to practice fully and trending closer to a game-time decision than a reliable workload contributor. Meanwhile, Bam Knight hasn’t made enough progress in his recovery to be considered a realistic Week 11 option, leaving the Cardinals with a thinner rotation than they anticipated. That combination doesn’t just open the door for Demercado, it kicks it off the hinges. With Arizona needing playmakers and his backfield competition sidelined or limited, Demercado is positioned for his heaviest touch count of the season. If he even comes close to maintaining his outrageous per-carry efficiency with expanded volume, he could swing fantasy matchups in Week 11.
Week 11 Cheapskate Wide Receivers
Jayden Higgins $3,500, HOU at Titans
Are you noticing a theme? Last week, Higgins hauled in five catches on seven targets for 42 yards and a touchdown, setting a new season high in receptions. Although he still doesn’t have a fully locked-in role, his recent surge, paired with the fact that both Davis Mills and Woody Marks are already being discussed for their fantasy relevance this week, creates spillover value that Higgins can tap into. Plus, he’s dirt cheap, and it’s hard to find 2x targets at any price.
If Mills delivers another efficient passing day, as we discussed with his upside, Higgins could very well be a direct beneficiary. Fantasy managers looking for a flex option with upside would do well to keep his number dialed in. I happen to know that with the Texans stack, you can get Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, AND Ja’Marr Chase as your starting wideouts.
Christian Watson $4,400, GB at Giants
Watson is the second Packers wide receiver to grace the 2025 cheapskates list. He’s the kind of player who makes you wonder what destiny would have cooked up if his hamstrings weren’t made of wishes and spider silk. Despite that, he may actually be the healthiest receiver on the roster, as his partners in crime have shoulder, calf, chest, and foot injuries, respectively.
Watson is trending healthier (LP due to maintenance), his target share is stable, and he’s facing Jameis Winston, meaning we’ve entered the rare NFL environment where crab legs and chaos are fully on the menu. If Jameis turns this game into the carnival it usually becomes when he’s involved, Watson stands to feast on the kind of high-octane script that lets his freak-athlete skill set shine.
Jalen Nailor $3,500, MIN vs Bears
Breakout Alert! Nailor suddenly looks like the kind of deep-sleeper you want in your DFS lineups for Week 11 against the Chicago Bears. Last week, he posted five catches on six targets for 124 yards and a touchdown, a career-high performance that came with a 62-yard catch that made you do a double-take. His career mark? He’s converted roughly nine touchdowns on 59 career receptions, which gives him a touchdown-per-catch rate in the wildly efficient 15 percent range.
The only caveat: his overall volume remains tiny. He’s recorded only 9 catches this season and is still buried behind the top wideouts in the rotation. Last season was very streaky, including kicking off the season with a touchdown in the first three games before falling off. But young players do this thing called “improve”, and I’ll throw a few bucks on ascending talent.
Week 11 Cheapskate Tight End
http://gty.im/2241523536
Pat Freirmuth $3,200, PIT vs Bengals
Freiermuth enters Week 11 as one of the strongest DFS plays on the slate, and the matchup against Cincinnati only amplifies the appeal. He erupted against the Bengals in Week 7, five catches on six targets for 111 yards and three touchdowns, and here we go again. Few tight ends in football have shown that kind of ceiling this season, and Freiermuth has flashed similar upside before, including two TE1 overall finishes when the Steelers lean into him as a featured option.
Now here’s where the fantasy gods smile: the Bengals are yielding 15.4 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, the worst mark in the NFL this season. They’ve also surrendered crazy big plays to the position, and Freiermuth’s 68-yard score was no anomaly. Lock him in. Captain him. Ride or die with Freiermuth this week because when Madden-style TE mismatches meet real-life scoring, you don’t just hope for a touchdown; you expect one.
Week 11 Cheapskate Defense
Los Angeles Chargers $2,800, LAC at Jaguars
The Los Angeles Chargers DST offers a mix of appealing upside and real risk heading into Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On the positive side, Jacksonville’s offense has been inconsistent and prone to protection issues, giving the Chargers opportunities to generate sacks, force hurried throws, and create turnovers. Recent weeks have shown the Jaguars surrendering multiple sacks when they fall behind, and if the Chargers control tempo as slight favorites, the matchup could tilt toward pass-heavy situations where defensive splash plays become more likely. Los Angeles also has enough individual playmakers to capitalize when opponents make mistakes, making this a legitimately viable streaming option.
However, the downside is equally clear. The Chargers’ DST sits in the middle of the fantasy pack, ranking around the low-to-mid teens in points per game, which reflects their tendency to miss on ceiling outcomes even in favorable matchups. Jacksonville can also mute defensive scoring by leaning on its ground game and playing for shorter, controlled drives that reduce opportunities for turnovers or negative plays. If the Jaguars dictate the pace with a run-heavy script or avoid long-yardage situations, the Chargers’ DST becomes more of a low-variance, moderate-floor play rather than a true difference-maker. The question becomes, how do you feel about the promised prince, Trevor Lawrence, and his less promising 10:7 touchdown-to-INT ratio?
For help filling out the rest of your lineup, check out the FSAN Rankings Page.
Check out Dan Mader and Chase Thornton‘s Week 11 Sit & Start & DFS Cocktail Hour video on the FSAN YouTube Channel on this week’s Operation Domination.