Starts and Sits: Week 13
Week 13 is here, so we need to know who to start and who to sit. Our start/sit article is not going to discuss the apparent players who should always be played. We aim to help you with the players that you might be on the fence about heading into the weekend. Good luck this week and don’t overthink it.
Here are the Starts/Sits for Week 13:
Quarterback
Starts
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Detroit Lions
Lawrence and the Jags looked great last week when they were able to sneak out a win against the Baltimore Ravens. This week’s matchup against the Lions should prove to be even better for the Jags offense. The Lions defense is in the bottom 5 and has been allowing a ton of points to opposing offenses throughout the year. Lawrence is finally looking like he is a reliable fantasy option. He is a low-end QB1 with an upside this week against the Lions.
Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. New Orleans Saints
Brady has been a decently reliable option with a safe floor this season. He doesn’t offer a massive ceiling but sometimes all we need is a good 16+ points from our QBs to win our matchups. Brady will offer a safe floor this week against a banged-up Saints defense and should offer enough upside to be a starting-worthy asset in week 13. He is a high-end QB2 with an upside this week.
Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders Vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Carr hasn’t scored less than 17 points over the last 4 weeks and has been an extremely reliable option at the QB position as of late. He should continue offering the same floor and upside this week in a divisional matchup against the Chargers. Carr has enough weapons surrounding him to succeed and to continue to put up starting worthy numbers. Carr is a high-end QB2 this week.
Sits
Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings Vs. New York Jets
Cousins looked great last week but I am not as high on him going into week 13. Although the Vikings have a top-tier offense, the Jets have a top-tier defense to balance them out. I would expect that the Jets defense will give Cousins plenty of pressure and will cause the Vikings to utilize the run game to move the ball. Cousins offers a safe floor but his ceiling will ultimately be capped this week. He is a mid-tier QB2 with a low ceiling against the Jets this week.
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants Vs. Washington Commanders
Jones has been more of a boom/bust type of QB this year, with more of it being on the bust side unfortunately this season. This matchup may not look bad on paper but in reality, the Commanders defense has been progressively improving. They should be able to give Jones and the Giants offensive line a hard time and thus will limit his upside this week. I would expect that the Giants run game will be used heavily in this week’s matchup and Jones will not offer the same kind of ceiling as he would in an easier matchup. Jones is nothing more than a risky low-end QB2 this week.
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans Vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Tannehill has shown flashes of the streaming option that we used to know in seasons past this season, but it has not been consistent. This week’s matchup against the Eagles does not offer much upside either as the Eagles defense is good at pressuring the QB and has two elite-level defense backs. If the Titans are to have any chance in this matchup, I would expect them to lead heavily on Derrick Henry and the run game. In a better matchup, Tannehill can be seen as a streaming option but that is not the case this week. Tannehill is a low-end QB2 with limited upside.
Running Back
Starts
Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, Miami Dolphins Vs. San Francisco 49ers
Raheem Mostert will be back this week but I don’t think it really matters as we have seen Wilson succeed with or without him. Now we could definitely say that this is a revenge game for multiple people on the Miami Dolphins, and that includes Wilson as well. So if you wanted an extra reason to put him in your lineup, there you go. Wilson has been a great asset since joining the Dolphins and that shouldn’t stop anytime soon. He is a low-end RB2 with an upside this week.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Kansas City Chiefs just added Melvin Gordon to their roster, but that doesn’t scare me from starting Pacheco this week. Pachecho doesn’t have the same upside as a clear-cut RB1 because the Chiefs are using a committee, that doesn’t mean that he can’t put up fantasy points though. Pacheco is easily the best running back on the roster from a running standpoint, and he should continue to get the bulk of the carries this week against the Bengals. Pacheco is a low-end RB2 with an upside in week 13.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders Vs. New York Giants
After looking like the second-best running back on the team, Robinson has shown out in two of his last three matchups. This week’s matchup against the Giants can certainly into another solid fantasy day for the rookie running back. Although the Giants defense has improved a good amount this year, they can still be exploited by the running back position. Robinson should receive enough work to be a viable option this week. He is a high-end flex with an upside in week 13.
Sits
D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
What can I say about Swift that you don’t already know? He is not the running back that you want on the Lions offense. That is not because he is not the most talented running back on the team, but more because the Lions are not playing for anything. There is no real point in risking another major injury for Swift. Swift will continue to get used here and there, but he can not be looked at as a starting option whatsoever. He is a low-end flex with a low floor and ceiling this week.
Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens Vs. Denver Broncos
The Ravens backfield has been a conundrum this year but they always have been one with Lamar Jackson behind center. The issue this week is that the Ravens face an adamant Broncos defense. Not only will Edwards receive a limited workload, but he is also extremely limited due to his matchup. If you have a player with a higher ceiling, I would recommend playing them this week. Edwards is a low-end flex with a low upside this week.
Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams Vs. Seattle Seahawks
Similar to Swift, Akers has been a complete disappointment. Now he wasn’t necessarily being drafted as high as Swift, but there was the thought that this could be his year. We have all seen that it was not to be. The Rams offense as a whole is in a terrible place and I don’t think there is one running back on the team that I would be excited to start. Akers is nothing more than a desperation flex play/bye-week fill-in this week.
Wide Receiver
Starts
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers Vs. Chicago Bears
To say that Watson has been on fire lately would be an understatement. He has had at least 1 TD and 48 yards in each of his last three matchups. That should continue this week in a good matchup against the Bears. He is clearly shaping up to be the WR1 for the Packers and should continue to receive a healthy target share no matter who the QB is. If you are looking for a high-ceiling play, Watson is exactly who you would want to start. Watson is a low-end WR2 with a massive upside in week 13.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Atlanta Falcons
Pickens has been limited all year because of the state of the Steelers offense, but I expect things to turn around this week against the Falcons. The Falcons defense is one of the worst defenses against the wide receiver position, so I like Pickens chances of succeeding this week. Pickens is turning into the Steelers WR1 right before our eyes and it is easy to see that he is the most talented WR on the team. Similar to Watson, Pickens is a high-ceiling play this week. Pickens is a high-end flex with a decently safe floor and a great ceiling against the Falcons this week.
Zay Jones, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Detroit Lions
Jones has been a decent flex play in most matchups this season, and we finally saw his ceiling this past week against the Baltimore Ravens. If I had to bet on which Jones we get this week, I would bet on him performing closer to the one we saw last week. The matchup against the Lions is as good as it gets for opposing WRs. Also, both the Jaguars and Lions defenses can be beaten by opposing offenses quite often. So the chances that this matchup could be a high-scoring situation are decently high. Zay is a high-end flex with a great ceiling this week in Detroit.
Sits
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The state of the Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers has been iffy all year. Outside of Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes’ targets are spread around throughout the rest of the offensive weapons with no other target being consistent. That fact combined with JuJu’s injury/ limited snap count has me not wanting to rely on him this week. I would prefer to start a player that we know will have a safer floor and a higher ceiling in week 13. JuJu is a risky flex play this week.
Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans, WR, Vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Burks has been really good lately but I expect his good luck to hit a bit of a snag this week against the Eagles. If there is one position that is strong for the Eagles defense, it is their defensive backs. Slay and Bradbury should give Burks plenty of trouble on Sunday. Burks floor may be safe but his ceiling is capped this week. He is a flex play with a low ceiling in week 13.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland Browns Vs. Houston Texans
Before last week DPJ had been one of the more consistent flex options at the WR position. Outside of a bad week, he is also having a change at the QB position and has a bad matchup. Those two combined have me wanting to bench Jones this week. I am personally benching him until we see him with Watson behind center. He offers a very low floor and not much better of a ceiling against the Texans this week.
Tight Ends
Starts
Foster Moreau, TE, Las Vegas Raiders Vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Raiders team as a whole has been playing much better as of late and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t continue this week against the Chargers. As you can tell I am very pro Raider this week. I like most of the players involved due to their overall upside in what should be a high-scoring matchup. Moreau figures to be one of those players that have had success this week. The Raiders will continue to utilize Foster this week with Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller still out with injuries. If you need a reliable option with TD upside, you should feel confident in starting Moreau this week. He is a low-end TE1 with an upside.
Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets Vs. Minnesota Vikings
Conklin is not going to win you your matchup, but not many tight ends will. I like Conklin going forward as the Jets should finally have some stability at the QB position. Conklin should receive enough targets/ yardage to be a streamable asset in fantasy this week. Conklin is a high-end TE2 with an upside.
Sits
Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Broncos Vs. Baltimore Ravens
I really thought Dulcich was going to be a TE1 going forward and I was really wrong. After a hot start to his career, things just haven’t been going anywhere as well lately. He isn’t receiving enough targets to be a star table asset. I don’t even have faith in him that he will get any red-zone opportunities either. Dulcich is a low-end TE2 until we see him get more steady usage/ production.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams Vs. Seattle Seahawks
Two weeks ago Higbee looked like the top target on the team, now he’s still the top option but that offers very little upside. The Rams are now without Kupp, Robinson, and Stafford. Their season is as good as done and I have no hopes for any player on their entire offense from a fantasy perspective. Higbee is nothing more than a low-end TE2 going forward.