This is a good time to remember everything we're thankful for as Fantasy managers heading into Week 13. And hopefully all of you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends. For Fantasy purposes, I'm thankful for players like Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey and Michael Thomas. I'm thankful the bye weeks are over.
I'm thankful we haven't dealt with too many serious injuries this season. I'm thankful for bad pass defenses like the Dolphins, Cardinals, Raiders, Bengals and Buccaneers and bad run defenses like the Chiefs, Lions, Jaguars, Packers and Panthers.
I could go on and on, and in a few weeks we'll thank all the players who lead us to a Fantasy title this year. The playoffs start in most leagues in Week 14, so hopefully you're ready to win this week and advance.
Unfortunately, many of you will be eliminated from your Fantasy leagues this week, but I wanted to thank you for sticking with us all season, even if it didn't work out as you hoped. We appreciate your dedication in reading our columns, watching our videos and listening to our podcasts.
You make our job great, and hopefully we've entertained you along the way. So if this is the end for your Fantasy season, thank you for your time. And if you didn't make it to the Fantasy playoffs this year, we'll do our best to help you get there in 2020.
For those of you still alive, here are the usual suggestions to help you win in Week 13. Good luck.
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Start of the Week
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Imagine saying in Week 2, when we found out that Sam Darnold would be out for an extended period of time with mono, that he would be a must-start quarterback in Week 13 with the Fantasy playoffs on the line. Well, here we are.
Darnold has been exceptional of late, scoring at least 23 Fantasy points in three games in a row against the Giants, Redskins and Raiders. He's scored at least 31 points in his past two outings, and he's feasting on a favorable schedule.
That should continue this week against the Bengals, who have allowed seven of the past eight quarterbacks to score at least 21 Fantasy points. For the season, Cincinnati allows an average of 23.4 Fantasy points a game to opposing quarterbacks.
I'm hoping that Andy Dalton's return for the Bengals will make this game a shootout, which would be fun, and I expect Darnold to thrive if that happens. He's continuing to improve as a quarterback, and he's utilizing all his weapons in Jamison Crowder, Le'Veon Bell, Ryan Griffin, Robby Anderson and Demaryius Thomas.
It took some time for Darnold to come around after being out three games with mono. He surprised us with 23 Fantasy points against Dallas in Week 6 before some meltdowns against New England and Jacksonville.
But he's cooking now, and you should buy into him as a starting Fantasy quarterback against the Bengals. This is a big week with the Fantasy playoffs on the horizon, and Darnold is ready to deliver once again in a big way.
I'm starting Darnold over: Deshaun Watson (vs. NE), Matt Ryan (vs. NO), Baker Mayfield (at PIT), Tom Brady (at HOU) and Dak Prescott (vs. BUF)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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Fantasy and reality don't always mix when it comes to Winston. You would likely avoid a quarterback who has eight interceptions in his past three games, along with a turnover in six games in a row. But he's also passed for at least 300 yards in six games in a row, and he has multiple touchdowns in four of those games. He's also run for at least 38 yards in three of his past five outings, and he's worth trusting this week against the Jaguars. Three of the past five quarterbacks against Jacksonville have scored at least 20 Fantasy points, and I expect Winston to once again be a quality starter this week – even if it looks ugly.
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It appears that Wentz will have his receiving corps and offensive line intact with Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks all back for Week 13. That's perfect timing with a matchup against the Dolphins. Wentz has not been a good Fantasy quarterback this season, and he comes into Week 13 having scored fewer than 16 Fantasy points in five games in a row. But he should finish the season strong, starting this week against Miami. The Dolphins allow an average of 25.7 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks for the season, and Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield scored a combined 68 Fantasy points against Miami in the past two games.
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Murray has been an exceptional Fantasy quarterback of late, and he should stay hot this week against the Rams. He's scored at least 26 Fantasy points in three games in a row, including two games against a great San Francisco defense. He's run for at least 34 yards in each game over that span, and the Rams just got done chasing Lamar Jackson all over the field in Week 12. It's not an easy matchup on paper for Murray, but I'll still trust him this week. I was skeptical of him playing well against the 49ers, but that won't happen again.
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Tannehill has been a Fantasy star since replacing Marcus Mariota as the starter in Tennessee in Week 7. He's scored at least 22 Fantasy points in his five starts, including a season-high 36 points in Week 12 against Jacksonville. He's rushed for at least 37 yards in three games in a row, including three rushing touchdowns over that span. And he's worth trusting as a starter going into his Week 13 matchup at the Colts, who have allowed at least 21 Fantasy points in consecutive games against Nick Foles and Deshaun Watson.
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I'm trusting Allen this week despite the tough matchup with the Cowboys on the road. He's scored at least two touchdowns in seven games in a row, and he has at least 20 Fantasy points in six of his past seven outings, including three in a row. His rushing ability has helped with 56 rushing yards in his past two games against Miami and Denver, and Dallas has allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points coming into Week 13.
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Sleepers
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Foles was bad last week at Tennessee and has not thrown the ball well in his two starts since coming back from a broken collarbone in Week 1. He did have 21 Fantasy points against the Colts, but he scored just 14 points against the Titans. Both of those games were on the road, so we'll see how he does coming back home, and the hope is he takes advantage of this matchup against Tampa Bay. While the Buccaneers did hold the Falcons quarterbacks to 15 Fantasy points in Week 12, they still allow 26.6 points per game to the position for the year.
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With the Bengals hoping to get at least one win this season, Dalton is back to replace Ryan Finley as the starter in Week 13 against the Jets. Prior to the Finley experiment, Dalton was a decent Fantasy quarterback, scoring at least 20 points in three of his past four games. This is a good matchup to trust Dalton since the Jets have allowed four of the past five quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points.
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Goff has been a terrible Fantasy quarterback of late, and he limps into Week 13 with a combined 11 Fantasy points in his past three outings combined against Pittsburgh, Chicago and Baltimore. It's hard to trust him in any leagues, but this is a good matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed nine of 11 quarterbacks this year to score at least 20 Fantasy points, including four in a row. In his past four meetings against Arizona, Goff is averaging 19.0 Fantasy points per game, so hopefully he's in that range again this week.
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Sit 'Em
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Mayfield has been fantastic of late, and he took advantage of a great matchup against Miami last week with a season-high 29 Fantasy points. He also had 25 Fantasy points against the Steelers in Week 11, but I expect him to struggle at Pittsburgh in the rematch. Mayfield has been a bad Fantasy quarterback on the road this season, averaging just 12.4 Fantasy points a game in five outings. He also had 17 Fantasy points in his lone trip to Pittsburgh as a rookie in 2018. The Steelers should be fired up at home after the melee at the end of the first meeting with the Browns in Week 11, and the Browns offense could be in trouble this week, especially Mayfield.
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Garoppolo has become a good Fantasy quarterback of late, scoring at least 22 points in three of his past four games. It helps when his weapons are healthy, and he had George Kittle, Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel on the field together in Week 12 against Green Bay when he had 253 passing yards and two touchdowns. But I'm worried about Garoppolo this week on the road against Baltimore. It's an early start for a West Coast team, and the Ravens defense has been nasty all season, holding eight quarterbacks in a row to fewer than 18 Fantasy points, including Mayfield, Brady, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. Garoppolo is a risky starter even in two-quarterback leagues.
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In five trips to Kansas City in his career, Carr is averaging 186 passing yards with three touchdowns, five interceptions and two fumbles. He's now without a key weapon in Hunter Renfrow (ribs/lung), and Carr was a major letdown in Week 12 at the Jets with just four Fantasy points before getting benched when the score was out of hand. The last time we saw the Chiefs in Week 11 the defense had four interceptions against Philip Rivers, and it could force Carr into some bad plays this week as well.
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Brissett has scored fewer than 17 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and he's been at 25 pass attempts or less in each of his past four outings. T.Y. Hilton (calf) is banged up, and Eric Ebron (ankle) just went on injured reserve. The Colts are running the ball as much as they can, and it's doubtful that will change this week against the Titans, who only allow 18.3 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Now, Brissett did have 21 Fantasy points against Tennessee in Week 2 when he passed for 146 yards and three touchdowns, but I don't expect Brissett to have that kind of success again this week.
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Bust Alert
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It's unlikely you're going to bench Watson this week, which is understandable since he's a star. But even stars have bad games in tough matchups, and Watson was just held to three Fantasy points in Week 11 at Baltimore. The Patriots have allowed one quarterback to score more than 13 Fantasy points this season, which was Lamar Jackson in Week 9, but he's playing at an MVP level. Maybe Watson has a similar performance, but he scored just 13 Fantasy points against the Patriots in 2018. I'm expecting Watson to be held to fewer than 20 Fantasy points this week against New England.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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This could be a monster week for Jones, and I considered him as the Start of the Week. The Jaguars have been miserable against the run in the past three games, and Jones has the chance to go off. Carlos Hyde, Marlon Mack, Jonathan Williams and Derrick Henry have each rushed for more than 100 yards against Jacksonville in the past three games, and the Jaguars have allowed five rushing touchdowns over that span. Jones has scored at least 15 PPR points in three of his past five games, and he should stay hot again this week.
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The last time Ekeler faced Denver he went off as a receiver with 15 catches for 86 yards on 16 targets. It would be great to see that again, especially in PPR, and Ekeler has scored at least 11 PPR points in four of his past five games coming into Week 13. He's also scored at least 11 PPR points in three of his past four meetings with Denver. And the Broncos have allowed three running backs to score at least six PPR points with just their receiving totals alone in their past four games, including Nyheim Hines, Nick Chubb and Dalvin Cook. Ekeler is a must-start running back in PPR and a solid flex option at worst in non-PPR leagues.
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Marlon Mack (hand) is out again for the Colts, which should give Williams another opportunity to lead this backfield. He was great stepping in for Mack when he got hurt in Week 11 against Jacksonville with 13 carries for 116 yards, as well as one catch for 31 yards. And then he was a star in Week 12 at Houston with 26 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, along with three catches for 17 yards in the game Mack missed. Williams will split time with Hines, who should be considered a sleeper in PPR, but Williams is once again looking at a heavy workload. The Colts have at least 21 carries from their running backs in seven games in a row, with one running back getting at least 18 carries in six games over that span. The Titans have also allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in three games in a row.
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We'll see if Jordan Howard (shoulder) is able to return in Week 13 after being out for the past two games. If Howard is out, then start Sanders with full confidence against the Dolphins. Sanders had a quality outing in Week 12 against Seattle with 12 carries for 53 yards, along with three catches for 23 yards on five targets. He did that with right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion) out, and right guard Brandon Brooks left the game due to a bout with anxiety. Both are expected to return this week, and the matchup is great. The Dolphins have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in eight of 11 games this year, including last week when Chubb and Kareem Hunt both scored against Miami. Jay Ajayi is also worth using as a sleeper in deeper leagues in a potential revenge game against his former team.
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It would be nice to see Singletary find the end zone and catch the ball a little more, but he's been an excellent runner for Buffalo over the past month. He has at least 15 carries in three of his past four games, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in two games over that span. He's run for at least 75 yards in consecutive games against Miami and Denver, but he hasn't scored in his past three outings, along with just two catches for 12 yards combined against the Dolphins and Broncos. I'm still starting him with confidence against the Cowboys, who have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 85 total yards in four games in a row. Also, three running backs have had at least 139 total yards against the Cowboys this season in Dallas, although those guys were Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones and Dalvin Cook. Hopefully, Singletary can join that group on Thanksgiving.
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The Lions could be a mess Thursday with David Blough starting for the injured Jeff Driskel (hamstring), and if the Bears don't dominate time of possession they should be embarrassed. That should lead to plenty of work for Montgomery in a favorable matchup since the Lions allow the second-most Fantasy points to opposing running backs and are No. 2 in touchdowns allowed to the position with 17. Montgomery had 17 carries for 60 yards in Week 10 against Detroit, but the Lions were actually competitive in that 20-13 Bears victory. This game should be lopsided, and I expect Montgomery to have one of his better performances of the year. Tarik Cohen is also worth using as a sleeper this week, with his value clearly better in PPR.
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Sleepers
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I'll give Guice another chance as a flex option this week against the Panthers, who have allowed a running back to score in 10 of 11 games this year. For the season, Carolina has allowed the most touchdowns to running backs with 19. Guice continues to split carries with Adrian Peterson, but hopefully Guice is the one falling into the end zone for Washington this week.
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We'll see how the Cardinals split touches with Drake, Chase Edmonds and David Johnson now that Edmonds is back from his three-game absence with a hamstring injury. I still expect Drake to get the majority of work, and he's scored at least 13 PPR points in two of three games with the Cardinals after being traded from the Dolphins prior to Week 9. The Rams have allowed a running back to score in three of their past four games.
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Williams continues to be a solid flex option or low-end PPR starter almost on a weekly basis, and hopefully that continues this week. He's scored at least 12 PPR points in five of his past six games, and he has at least six catches in two of his past three outings. Aaron Jones is still the best Fantasy running back for the Packers, but Williams is no slouch, especially in PPR. Jones and Williams should both do well against the Giants this week since New York allows the eighth-most rushing yards to running backs this season.
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Since joining the Browns in Week 10 following his eight-game suspension, Hunt has scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row. He scored his first touchdown in 2019 last week against Miami, and he has two games with at least six catches. One of those was against Pittsburgh in Week 11 when he had six catches for 46 yards on eight targets, along with six carries for 12 yards. Hunt is a flex option at best in non-PPR leagues but a low-end starter in PPR.
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James Conner (shoulder) is out again for the Steelers, which should put Snell in a committee with Jaylen Samuels and Kerrith Whyte. Snell should be the lead rusher after his performance in Week 12 against Cincinnati with 21 carries for 98 yards, along with one catch for 5 yards on one target. Whyte will also get some work after he had six carries for 43 yards, with Samuels working on passing downs. I'd use Snell as a flex option this week against the Browns, and I expect the Steelers to lean on their ground game a lot in this matchup.
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Damien Williams (ribs) could be out, which would make McCoy and Darrel Williams potential options in all leagues as at least flex plays. Damien Williams missed two games earlier this season and left Week 11, and in those three games we've seen McCoy and Darrel Williams do well. For McCoy, he had 38 combined PPR points in the two games Damien Williams missed in Week 3 against Baltimore and Week 4 at Detroit. And McCoy had 14 PPR points against the Chargers after Williams left. As for Darrel Williams, he had 33 combined PPR points against the Ravens and Lions, and then he had 11 PPR points against the Chargers. Keep an eye on Damien Williams' status heading into Week 13 against Oakland, but McCoy and Darrel Williams could be great if given bigger roles.
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Sit 'Em
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The past four games have been tough for Coleman, who is averaging just 9.0 PPR points over that span. He's been held to 40 rushing yards or less in each outing, and he's only scored one touchdown. He also has been at 12 carries or less in five games in a row, as the 49ers continue to chop up the touches among Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Matt Breida, who could return this week from a two-game absence with an ankle injury. This is also a tough matchup against the Ravens on the road, and Baltimore just held Todd Gurley to 18 total yards and no scores in Week 12. Coleman is a flex option at best this week.
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Scarbrough has done a nice job the past two games as the lead running back for the Lions, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ran well against the Bears this week. But he has to score to help your Fantasy team, and you could suffer if he doesn't find the end zone, especially in PPR. He has no catches in the past two games on just one target, and I'm worried about Detroit's offense with Matthew Stafford (back) out and Jeff Driskel (hamstring) banged up. Scarbrough can be considered a flex in non-PPR leagues, but I would avoid him in PPR.
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Hyde and Scarbrough are similar running backs in that they likely need a touchdown to have a big game. Hyde comes into Week 13 without a catch in his past five games and just three targets over that span. For the season, He has five catches for 22 yards, and he's scored eight PPR points or less in three of his past five games. The Patriots have allowed one running back to score this season, which was Gus Edwards in Week 9, so Hyde could be in trouble this week. I would only consider him as a flex at best in non-PPR leagues.
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You made the right move to add Penny off the waiver wire after his performance in Week 12 at Philadelphia with 14 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown, especially with Chris Carson fumbling for the seventh time this season. But Carson should remain the lead back for the Seahawks, and I don't expect Penny to get enough work to make him a trustworthy Fantasy option this week, barring something unforeseen. Keep in mind that prior to Week 12, Penny had six carries for 14 yards and his own fumble in his previous two games. The Vikings also are a tough matchup this week and are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. I'm still starting Carson as a No. 2 running back in all formats, but Penny is just someone to stash on your bench until something permanent changes in this backfield.
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It was great to see Murray score against the Panthers in Week 12, but he only had seven carries in that game, which is concerning. And he's not expected to see a heavy workload as long as Alvin Kamara's healthy. In nine games with Kamara on the field, Murray is averaging just 7.4 touches per game, and he's scored fewer than five PPR points in six of those outings, including Week 10 against Atlanta when he had three PPR points. The Saints should dominate this game, which could be good for Murray if his touches go up, but that just hasn't been the case when Kamara is playing. I'd only use Murray as a flex option this week.
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Bust Alert
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I'm hesitant to call Mixon a sit candidate because he's fired up having Andy Dalton back under center, but he's just a flex play this week for me, which is why he falls into this category. The Jets run defense has been tough of late, and Mixon could struggle in this matchup. The Jets haven't allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 7, and in two of the past three games they limited Saquon Barkley (29 total yards) and Josh Jacobs (36 total yards) to minimal production. Mixon should do better than that, and he's scored at least 16 PPR points in three of his past four games. But I consider him a borderline starter at best in all leagues, and I wouldn't be surprised if he struggled in this matchup.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
Parker just continues to pile up stats week in and week out, and it's been fun to watch despite the Dolphins piling up losses. He's scored at least 11 PPR points in eight games in a row, and he really should be a must-start Fantasy option in every league by now. Parker has either 90 receiving yards or a touchdown in three of his past four games, and the Eagles are among the league leaders with 14 touchdowns allowed to receivers for the season.
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I love the setup for Boyd this week with Andy Dalton back under center for the Bengals in this matchup against the Jets. Boyd scored at least 12 PPR points in five of the first eight games with Dalton, and he should be back on that level again this week. He actually had a solid outing in Week 12 against Pittsburgh with Ryan Finley, catching five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, and he should build off that performance in Week 13. The Jets have allowed 10 touchdowns to receivers in their past five games.
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Kupp has been a disaster of late with a combined 17 PPR points in his past three games against Pittsburgh, Chicago and Baltimore. It was encouraging to see him get 10 targets against the Ravens, but he managed just six catches for 35 yards in Week 12. This week, I expect Kupp to have a breakout performance, and he has at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row against the Cardinals. Robert Woods is also worth trusting this week as a low-end starter in PPR, although I would be cautious with Brandin Cooks. There have been 16 receivers with at least six targets against the Cardinals this year, and 15 of them have scored at least 11 PPR points. Kupp has at least six targets in nine games this year, and Woods has at least six targets in seven outings. Cooks has only had six targets in a game four times.
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I expected Brown to struggle in Week 12 against Denver, and for the most part he did. It was his first game with fewer than 50 receiving yards all year on a season-low four targets, although he did have a diving 34-yard touchdown on a beautiful throw from Josh Allen. He's now scored at least 11 PPR points in nine of 11 games this year, and he has three touchdowns in his past two games. This is a tough matchup against the Cowboys, who haven't allowed a touchdown to a receiver at home, although that's a misleading stat since they played the Giants with Eli Manning and without Golden Tate, the Dolphins and the Packers without Davante Adams. Dallas did shut out the Eagles and Stefon Diggs (Adam Thielen was out in that game), but I'm confident in Brown this week. I also like Cole Beasley in the revenge game, and Beasley just had a big performance in Week 12 against Denver with six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown on nine targets.
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Crowder's three-game scoring streak came to an end in Week 12 against Oakland when he had only two catches for 18 yards on four targets. This was after he scored at least 18 PPR points in three games in a row, and I expect him to start a new streak this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati has allowed eight receivers to score at least 11 PPR points in the past five games, with four touchdowns over that span. Robby Anderson is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week as well since he's scored in each of his past two games, but Crowder should once again lead this receiving corps against the Bengals.
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Sleepers
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I like Shepard and Darius Slayton this week with Golden Tate (concussion) and Evan Engram (foot) likely out. Shepard returned from a five-game absence with a concussion in Week 12 at Chicago with five catches for 15 yards on nine targets, and he has nine targets in four games in a row. Slayton has scored at least 10 PPR points in three of his past four games, and he has 21 targets in his past two outings. The Packers have also allowed six receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in their past four games.
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Kirk has only scored in one game this season, which was against Tampa Bay in Week 10, but he's scored at least 10 PPR points in six of eight games this season. He has 19 targets in his past two games, and he's worth trusting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in non-PPR leagues and a low-end starter in PPR. The Rams have allowed eight receivers to score at least 11 PPR points in their past four games.
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Westbrook just had eight catches for 69 yards on nine targets in Week 12 at Tennessee, and he should continue to be heavily involved from Nick Foles. He has a great matchup in Week 13 against Tampa Bay since the Buccaneers have allowed eight receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in their past four games. Chris Conley is also worth a look in deeper leagues, and he has 17 targets in his past two games. D.J. Chark is obviously a must-start receiver for the Jaguars this week.
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Since Ryan Tannehill has taken over as the starter for the Titans, Brown has three games with at least 12 PPR points, including two touchdowns over that span. He should continue to be the leading receiver in Tennessee, and he's worth trusting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week against the Colts. It would be great if he had more targets (he only has 26 in his past five outings), but his big-play ability is worth buying into, especially with how well Tannehill has done.
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Miller has scored at least 11 PPR points in consecutive games against the Rams and Giants, with 20 targets and 12 catches over that span, and now Taylor Gabriel is out with a concussion in Week 13. Miller should see a bump in targets, and this is a good matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving. In their past five games, the Lions have allowed 63 catches for 895 yards and five touchdowns to opposing receivers.
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Sit 'Em
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There's a strong case to be made about sitting DeAndre Hopkins this week as well. He has a bad history against Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore. According to The Athletic, Hopkins has only six catches for 85 yards and no touchdowns on nine targets in two meetings against Gilmore with the Patriots since 2017. But I'm leaving Hopkins in most of my lineups, although he's just a No. 2 Fantasy receiver this week. As for Fuller, I'm trying to avoid him this week. The Patriots have only allowed one receiving touchdown to a receiver this year (Golden Tate in Week 6), and this is the best secondary in the NFL. Fuller is a low-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best in most leagues.
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Since his outstanding game in Week 9 at Arizona when he had 24 PPR points, Sanders has struggled with inconsistent production while playing through a rib injury. He's combined for just 12 PPR points in his past three games against Seattle, Arizona again and Green Bay, and I'm concerned about trusting him this week on the road. Deebo Samuel is also a risky option since the Ravens have allowed just one touchdown to an opposing receiver in the past four games. Sanders is still dealing with his rib injury, and he's only worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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I'm hoping Hilton is fine by Friday, but he's still dealing with the calf injury that kept him out for three weeks prior to Week 12. He returned against the Texans but was on a pitch count, playing in just 25 of Indianapolis' 67 offensive snaps. And he finished with only three catches for 18 yards on six targets. He could be limited again based on his inability to practice in full, which makes him a risky starter even if active. He's also averaging just 54.0 receiving yards for the year, so he will likely need to score to help your Fantasy roster this week.
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Brown had a solid Fantasy performance in Week 12 at the Rams with five catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets. The seven targets were the most he's had since Week 4, and he's now scored in two of his past three games. But he's also been under 50 receiving yards in six of his past seven outings, and he's facing a tough secondary against the 49ers. While San Francisco has allowed nine touchdowns to receivers this season, only D.K. Metcalf and Andy Isabella have gone over 50 receiving yards against this defense in the past seven games. Brown could have minimal production if he fails to score, so treat him as a boom-or-bust No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in all leagues.
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Golladay has struggled without Matthew Stafford (back), and now Jeff Driskel (hamstring) is hurt, which could leave David Blough as Detroit's starter in Week 13. It could be tough for Golladay and Marvin Jones this week. In his past three games without Stafford, Golladay has only eight catches for 152 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets. Now, the touchdown did come against the Bears in Week 10, but he only had three catches for 57 yards in that meeting. Chicago has only allowed five touchdowns to opposing receivers this year, which is third in the NFL behind New England and Buffalo. With the tough matchup and potential for bad quarterback play, I'd be nervous about starting Golladay in most leagues.
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Bust Alert
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There are several prominent receivers who could go in this category this week, including Hopkins, Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper given their tough matchups. All remain worth starting as low-end No. 2 receivers, including Beckham, but I'm concerned about his matchup with the Steelers. I expected Beckham to play well in Week 12 against Miami, and he didn't disappoint with six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. But that was just his second touchdown of the season and first since Week 2. He struggled against the Steelers in Week 11 with four catches for 60 yards on 10 targets, and this game could be ugly for the Browns going into Pittsburgh. I'm still starting Jarvis Landry with confidence since he's been consistent with at least 11 PPR points in five games in a row, including five touchdowns over that span. But Beckham could have another sub-par game this week on the road.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
Start 'Em
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We'll stick with the theme of backing the Jets this week, and Griffin has the chance to be a top-five tight end against Cincinnati. He's been a solid Fantasy tight end for the last five games, scoring at least 10 PPR points in four of those outings, including four touchdowns. The Bengals have allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in their past four games, including three guys scoring at least 11 PPR points over that span.
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Doyle gets a big boost in value with Eric Ebron (ankle) now out for the season, and he should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end this week against the Titans. Ebron averaged 4.7 targets per game, including 21 targets in his past three outings, and now Doyle will hopefully get most of that work (he was averaging 3.8 targets per game for the season). This week, Doyle faces a Titans defense that has allowed two tight ends to score at least 15 PPR points in the past five games, and Ebron scored against Tennessee when these teams met in Week 2.
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Rudolph is only worth starting this week if Adam Thielen (hamstring) remains out, and Thielen suffered an apparent setback in practice this week. Thielen has been battling this hamstring injury since Week 7, and over that five-game span, Rudolph has scored at least 11 PPR points four times, including five touchdowns. Keep an eye on Thielen's health, and Rudolph could be a must-start tight end if Thielen is out in Week 13 against Seattle. The Seahawks have allowed two touchdowns to tight ends in the past four games.
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Sleepers
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If Gerald Everett (knee) is out this week then fire up Higbee as a tremendous streaming option against the Cardinals. No team allows more Fantasy points to opposing tight ends than Arizona, and it's not close. The Cardinals have allowed a tight end to score in all but two games this season, and they have given up 12 touchdowns to the position.
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If Evan Engram (foot) and Rhett Ellison (concussion) remain out this week then Smith is worth using as a streaming option against the Packers, who have struggled with tight ends all season. Without those guys last week, Smith had five catches for 17 yards and a touchdown on six targets at Chicago. In their past five games, the Packers have allowed five touchdowns to tight ends.
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Goedert lost a fumble in Week 12 against Seattle, which knocked him down to eight PPR points, otherwise he would have scored at least 10 PPR points in four of his past five games coming into Week 13. He could lose some targets with Alshon Jeffery (ankle) and Nelson Agholor (knee) likely back against the Dolphins, but I would still trust him as a streaming option at Miami. The Dolphins have allowed two touchdowns to tight ends in their past two games.
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Sit 'Em
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Fant has at least 10 PPR points in two of his past three games, but he struggled in Week 12 at Buffalo with three catches for 14 yards on five targets. He could have another tough matchup this week against the Chargers if standout safety Derwin James (foot) is back as expected. Fant is only worth a look in deep PPR leagues this week.
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McDonald was a huge letdown in Week 12 at Cincinnati with one catch for 1 yard on one target. He struggled against the Browns in Week 11 with three catches for 33 yards on seven targets, and he's only scored a touchdown in two games this season. McDonald just isn't trustworthy enough to start in most leagues, even though the Browns have allowed a tight end to score in two of their past four games.
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The Patriots have allowed a tight end to score in three of their past four games, and Fells has been a touchdown or bust player this year. The problem is he's scored just once in his past three games, but he's also combined for just 12 PPR points over that span despite finding the end zone. He has only one catch in each of his past three outings, and I would expect him to struggle once again Sunday night against the Patriots.
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Bust Alert
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Witten has now gone nine games in a row without a touchdown going into Week 13. He's also scored eight PPR points or less in four of his past five games. This is a tough matchup for him against the Bills, who allow the second-fewest Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, including just one touchdown allowed to the position. Jonnu Smith in Week 5 is the lone tight end with more than 50 receiving yards against Buffalo this year.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
Start 'Em
Eagles (at MIA)
The Dolphins allow the most Fantasy points to opposing DSTs for the season, so this is a good spot for the Eagles. And their defense has been playing better of late. In their past four games, they've held Buffalo, Chicago, New England and Seattle to 17 points or less, with 14 sacks, one interception and three fumbles over that span. In their past two games, the Dolphins have allowed two interceptions and 11 sacks, and Miami averages just 14.8 points per game for the season.
Sleepers
- Panthers (vs. WAS): Washington has been held to fewer than 20 points in every game since Week 2, and the Redskins have allowed at least three sacks in five games in a row. Washington also has three interceptions in the past four games, as well as two fumbles over that span.
- Chargers (at DEN): We're waiting to find out if Brandon Allen or Drew Lock will start for the Broncos, but I like the Chargers DST this week no matter who is under center in Denver. Derwin James (foot) is expected back for the Chargers, and the Broncos have allowed 21 sacks in their past five games.
- Jets (at CIN): In the past four games, the Jets have 17 sacks, two DST touchdowns, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The Jets held Washington and Oakland to combined 20 points the past two games, and they should be able to harass Andy Dalton this week. Cincinnati only has two games this season with more than 20 points, and the Bengals have allowed nine sacks in the past two outings against the Raiders and Steelers.
Sit 'Em
49ers (at BAL)
The 49ers defense is awesome, but this is a tough matchup against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. In their past six games, Baltimore has one interception and three fumbles, and Jackson has been sacked just seven times over that span. The Ravens average 35.1 points per game and have scored at least 41 points in three games in a row.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Start 'Em
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The Giants have allowed multiple field goals in three games in a row, and I expect the Packers offense to show up this week, even on the road. Crosby has gone five games in a row without making multiple field goals, but I'm trusting Crosby again this week against the Giants.
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Sleepers
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Elliott only has one game since Week 6 with multiple field goals, but I expect him to play well this week at Miami. The Dolphins have allowed six kickers in a row to make multiple field goals.
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The Rams haven't allowed a kicker to make multiple field goals in five games in a row, but I would still trust Gonzalez in this matchup at home. He's made multiple field goals in six of his past seven games.
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Badgley has made multiple field goals in two of the three games he's been able to play this year. Four opposing kickers in Denver have made at least three field goals this year.
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Sit 'Em
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Only two kickers have made multiple field goals against New England this season, which was Austin Seibert in Week 8 and Brett Maher last week. Five times this season a kicker has not made any field goals against the Patriots. Fairbairn has been good this year and comes into Week 13 with multiple field goals in four of his past five games, but I expect the Houston offense to struggle against New England in this matchup.
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