NFL Week 11 Preview: Commanders, Dolphins, Fantasy Insights

2025 NFL Week 11 Preview: Washington Commanders vs. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins woke up last week—and woke up violently. Miami finally looked like the team many expected to see all year as their offense exploded in a get-right performance. Washington, meanwhile, remains one of the most difficult fantasy situations in the league, with almost no trustworthy weekly starters.

This matchup has the widest fantasy gap of any game on the Week 11 board, and the betting lines reflect that.

Let’s get into it.

Miami’s Offense: Fully Awake and Fully Dangerous Again

Miami just reminded everyone how terrifying they can be when the machine is rolling.

Welcome Back, Tua

Tua Tagovailoa delivered the clean, efficient, high-volume passing performance the Dolphins desperately needed. He looked poised, accurate, and comfortable—maybe for the first time since September.

Jaylen Waddle’s Re-Emergence

We talked last week about Waddle being a major second-half breakout candidate. It took all of one Sunday to prove that prediction right. His burst, usage, and target share all look like vintage Waddle.

De’Von Achane: Electric

Achane was sensational again. Every touch feels like it could go the distance, and Washington’s defense is exactly the type that gets gashed by speed backs.

Fantasy Verdict: Start Them All

Tua → Locked-in QB1
Waddle → WR1 upside rest of season
Achane → RB1 in any format
Tyreek Hill → Mandatory auto-start (no explanation needed)

There are no Miami fade spots this week. Not even one.

Washington’s Offense: Fantasy Panic Mode

Everybody who pounded the table for Jacory Croskey-Merritt on draft day is very quiet right now. The “I’m So Smart” crowd has vanished from timelines. And they should—Barrett has become unplayable.

Who Can You Actually Start?

Surprisingly, the answer might be just one name:

Zach Ertz

Ertz is legitimately a TE1 this week, especially with:

Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills) is out
Cade Otton (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in a brutal matchup versus Buffalo
The tight end landscape is completely collapsing behind Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) and George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers).

Ertz is seeing volume, and in this offense, volume is king.

Marcus Mariota (Superflex Only)

If you absolutely must, Mariota can be rolled out in superflex. He runs enough to keep his floor from bottoming out.

Deebo Samuel? Maybe.

Samuel is playable as a fringe WR3/4 with flex usage. Washington’s passing offense is so low-volume that predicting target distribution is almost impossible.

Everyone Else? Avoid.

There is no safe weekly starter on this roster aside from Ertz. Washington is stuck in fantasy purgatory, and that won’t change until their QB situation stabilizes.

Game Environment: Total Mismatch

Miami’s speed vs. Washington’s slow, clunky offense is a stylistic nightmare for the Commanders.

Washington cannot:

Play from behind
Protect the quarterback
Match explosive plays
Sustain long drives

Miami can do all of those things at an elite level. This could get sideways early.

This is one of the largest blowout-risk games on the Week 11 slate.

Betting Angle

Miami will be heavily favored, and deservedly so.

Side

Lean: Dolphins – the points

Washington cannot keep pace offensively. Miami’s passing game should dictate terms from the opening drive.

Total

Miami might do most of the scoring on their own. Washington scoring more than 17 points feels generous.

Lean: Over if low 40s, Under if high 40s

(Books will likely open mid-range due to Washington’s lack of offensive punch.)

Props to Target

Jaylen Waddle Over Receiving Yards → His usage spiked dramatically; books may lag behind.
De’Von Achane Anytime TD → Washington struggles with perimeter speed.
Tua Over Passing TDs → Dolphins should live in the red zone.
Zach Ertz Over Receptions → Washington has no choice but to feed him in the intermediate game.
Washington Team Total Under → A very playable angle.

Final Thoughts

Miami has found its rhythm again, and the Commanders simply do not have the horses to keep up. From a fantasy standpoint, Dolphins players might decide matchups on their own. Washington players might sink yours.

You can read all about what’s going on in the National Football League at SportsGrid.com.