Byes are back but light with only Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold out for Week 13. Injuries to Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo and Matthew Stafford will make things a bit tighter for some Fantasy managers.
Jamey Eisenberg has his Start and Sit calls for QB here. His Waiver Wire column also can direct you to the best options who may be available in your leagues. And don't forget to check out Heath Cummings' quarterback preview for more help with matchup notes, Week 13 numbers to know and more.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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Smith comes into Week 13 with a streak of four games in a row with at least 22 Fantasy points, and he should be facing a depleted Rams defense in this matchup. Aaron Donald is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, and it would be surprising if he played in this meaningless game for Los Angeles. In the Rams past two games against Andy Dalton and Patrick Mahomes, those quarterbacks have combined for 580 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception for an average of 23.5 Fantasy points. Smith is a solid top-10 Fantasy quarterback this week.
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Prescott's three-game streak of scoring at least 24 Fantasy points came to an end in Week 12 against the Giants when he scored just 18 points. He did have at least 261 passing yards and two touchdowns for the third game in a row, but unfortunately he added two interceptions. The Colts also ended a streak in Week 12 of allowing a quarterback to score at least 21 Fantasy points, which happened in each of their previous two games against Derek Carr and Jalen Hurts. I expect Prescott to get back on track in this matchup, and he's worth using as a top-10 quarterback in all leagues.
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Watson hasn't played football in a meaningful game since Week 17 of the 2020 campaign, and he struggled in the preseason with the Browns. He's also facing a Texans defense that is No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, mostly because teams just run on them. The Browns could easily do that here with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but I would be surprised if Watson doesn't have some big-play chances in his first game against his former team. He's worth using as a low-end starter in Week 13.
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The Chargers and Raiders game has an implied total of 50.5 according to the Caesars Sportsbook, which should mean plenty of points. I expect Carr to hold up his end of the deal after he's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in four games in a row, including the past two against Denver and Seattle on the road with at least 24 points. He has three games in a row against the Chargers with two passing touchdowns, and the Chargers have allowed 61 Fantasy points in the past two games against Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray. Carr has top-10 upside in this potential shootout with Justin Herbert.
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Rodgers is expected to start at the Bears despite dealing with a rib injury, and hopefully he continues his usual domination against Chicago. In his past five meetings with the Bears, Rodgers is averaging 244.2 passing yards per game with 17 total touchdowns and no interceptions. In his past two games at Chicago, Rodgers has scored 33 Fantasy points and 26 points, and hopefully he can be in that range again. The Bears just lost standout safety Eddie Jackson (foot), and three of the past five quarterbacks against Chicago have scored at least 29 Fantasy points. As long as Rodgers is fine on Sunday you should start him with confidence in all formats.
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Sleepers
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This won't be an easy matchup for Garoppolo, who is dealing with a minor knee injury he sustained in Week 12 against New Orleans. The Dolphins have only allowed one quarterback to score more than 19 Fantasy points in their past five games, which was Justin Fields in Week 9, but the other four quarterbacks over that span were Kenny Pickett, Jared Goff, Jacoby Brissett and Kyle Allen. I like Garoppolo better than all of those guys except Fields, and the 49ers have a lot of weapons to throw at Miami, which should be a problem. Garoppolo has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in five of his past seven games, and he should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues for this home matchup.
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I hope White's performance in Week 12 against the Bears wasn't a fluke because we saw what happened to him last year. In 2021, White started in Week 8 against Cincinnati and scored 32 Fantasy points. He combined for just 11 Fantasy points in his next two starts, although he left one of those games with an injury. After scoring 30 Fantasy points against Chicago last week, White now gets Minnesota on the road, and the Vikings have allowed three quarterbacks in a row to score at least 21 Fantasy points, including Mac Jones with 27 points last week. White is a must-start option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, and I would use him in deeper one-quarterback leagues also given the matchup.
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Goff likes playing at home, and he should do well this week against the Jaguars, who have allowed three quarterbacks in a row to score at least 22 Fantasy points. Goff just had 21 Fantasy points in Week 12 against Buffalo and has now scored at least 18 Fantasy points in five of six home games this season. There's the potential of a shootout in Detroit against the Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence, and I expect Goff to perform like a low-end No. 1 quarterback in all leagues. It also should be fun to see what Goff and the Lions do with rookie Jameson Williams now that he's expected to make his NFL debut in Week 13.
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Sit 'Em
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Brady comes into Week 13 having scored at least 20 Fantasy points in consecutive games for just the second time all year. He also has consecutive games with multiple touchdown passes, and he's only done that in three games all season. Brady is facing the Saints this week, and this matchup has been tough on him. He scored 11 Fantasy points at New Orleans in Week 2, and he is averaging just 237.4 passing yards per game in his past five outings with the Saints, along with eight total touchdowns, six interceptions and three fumbles. New Orleans has not allowed a quarterback to score more than 19 Fantasy points in six games in a row, including matchups with Kyler Murray, Derek Carr, Lamar Jackson and Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady is a low-end starter in most leagues in this prime-time matchup.
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Jones was held to 16 Fantasy points in Week 12 at Dallas, but prior to that he had scored at least 21 points in three of his past four outings. I'm expecting another down performance this week against the Commanders, who allow an average of just 18.2 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The Giants will likely try to run the ball and lean on Saquon Barkley with the expected return of right tackle Evan Neal (knee) and center Jon Feliciano (neck). Jones is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 13.
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Tannehill should have scored at least 17 Fantasy points last week against Cincinnati, but he lost six points when Derrick Henry fumbled on what should have been a touchdown pass. Instead, Tannehill finished with just 11 Fantasy points, which snapped a two-game streak of him scoring 23 points. I'm not expecting him to bounce back this week against the Eagles, who have yet to allow a quarterback to score more than 18 Fantasy points this season. And Philadelphia has more interceptions (15) than passing touchdowns (12) this year. Tannehill is only worth using in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Wilson is not worth using in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. That's how bad it is for him this season. He heads into Week 13 with his own teammates upset at him, and Wilson should struggle against the Ravens, who have allowed just one quarterback to score more than 19 Fantasy points since Week 4. Wilson was once again awful against the Panthers in Week 12 with nine Fantasy points and has now scored 15 points or less in six games in a row.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Cousins was awesome in Week 12 against New England with 27 Fantasy points, which snapped a two-game streak of him scoring 17 points or less. He did it in a prime-time game against a good New England defense, and hopefully he can have similar success against the Jets this week. But I'm skeptical of Cousins being that productive again. The Jets allow an average of just 14.1 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and only Josh Allen in Week 9, Joe Burrow in Week 3 and Lamar Jackson in Week 1 have scored more than 17 Fantasy points against this defense. Cousins is a low-end No. 1 quarterback at best in Week 13.
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