Fantasy football’s biggest Week 13 questions answered by The Athletic’s NFL team writers (2024)

ATLANTA FALCONS

Brandon Marianne Lee:The team’s record doesn’t really show it, but the fantasy scoring by the Falcons has been great all season. But this week they face a tough Ravens defense. You always start Julio Jones, but would you bench any of the other usual fantasy go-tos?

Jason Butt (@JasonHButt), The Athletic Atlanta:I don’t think any of the Falcons players are must-bench players this week. That said, if you have other options or better matchups, feel free to go that route. Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith will likely find it tough to run the ball. But they, Coleman especially, could hit some plays as a receiver and rack up some PPR points. Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu might find themselves in tougher days due to Baltimore’s secondary, but the risk could pay off if either finds the end zone. And Austin Hooper has been a reliable safety net who could see a ton of targets, despite the balanced defense the Ravens employ. I wouldn’t necessarily shy away from the Falcons this week. But if you like a comparable player who has a better matchup, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to play it safe.

(Jason Butt author page)

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Gus Edwards came back and practiced on a limited basis on Thursday. So did Alex Collins. Any thoughts on how the workload would be divided if they both play on Sunday at Atlanta in a great matchup?

Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec), The Athletic Baltimore:At this point, it seems that Gus Edwards, as long as he’s healthy enough to go, will continue to get the majority of the carries, like he has the previous two weeks. As we’ve discussed, the Ravens feel like they’ve found a nice formula with Edwards getting downhill and Lamar Jackson challenging defenses on the flanks with his speed. They’ll stay with it until it stops working. Collins is a bit of a question mark now. Not only has he been banged up, but he seems to have fallen a bit out of favor with the offensive coaches. I’m not ready to bury him yet, but with Edwards thriving and the Ravens looking to get Ty Montgomery more involved, Collins is hardly a sure bet to get double-digit carries.

(Jeff Zrebiec author page)

BUFFALO BILLS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Josh Allen only posted a 42 percent completion percentage last week, but he threw a touchdown and ran in a touchdown. The team seemed to have a spark, but it’s still hard to nail down his favorite target. Who do you like as a pass catcher heading into Week 13?

Matthew Fairburn (@MatthewFairburn), The Athletic Buffalo:Josh Allen’s favorite target was himself last week. He was looking for opportunities to tuck it and run and picked up 99 yards in the process. Trying to figure out which receiver to play while Allen is in the lineup isn’t easy. He’s going to take some deep shots to Robert Foster, but that makes the undrafted rookie a bit of a boom or bust option. Zay Jones had been the steadiest of the receivers, but he was a non-factor against the Jaguars. One thing seems clear: Kelvin Benjamin is being phased out of this offense. His snaps counts have declined considerably in recent weeks.

(Matthew Fairburn author page)

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Brandon Marianne Lee:What are we to make of Curtis Samuel, from a fantasy perspective? And should our assessment change if Devin Funchess returns to the lineup?

Joseph Person (@josephperson), The Athletic Carolina:Curtis Samuel has been incredibly productive, despite limited touches. The Panthers got a lot of big plays last week from Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore without Devin Funchess in the lineup. It will be interesting to see how the ball is distributed if Funchess returns this week. He’s listed as questionable with a back injury, but coach (Ron) Rivera believes Funchess will play.

(Joseph Person author page)

CHICAGO BEARS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Is Matt Nagy going to turn to Jordan Howard ever again? Howard did very little last week during Chase Daniel’s first game as a starter. This week it looks like a nice matchup for the run, but is Howard too out of favor for matchups to matter?

Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain), The Athletic Chicago:The day I say to bench Jordan Howard and move on is the day he’ll finally have 100 yards and two touchdowns, right? Once again, this is a game ripe for Howard to break out, from the weather (rain) to the opponent (a Giants team that gives up 4.5 yards per carry) to the QB situation (likely Chase Daniel starting again). Here’s the problem for fantasy players — it’s clear that if Matt Nagy doesn’t see the run game working, he won’t force it. He even referenced fantasy football as a reason folks are getting worked up over the lack of a Bears rushing attack (though he does frequently acknowledge it needs to improve). So yes, it makes sense for Howard to be heavily involved, but that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. Now that we’re at Game 12, it’s clear he’s not a fit for what the offense needs out of the run game. I can Cold Takes Exposed myself for writing before the season that Howard should be even *better* in this offense because of the lack of 8-man boxes he’ll face. Whoops! Tarik Cohen is the more reliable RB in fantasy for this team, but Howard is still getting a good chunk of snaps. He’ll have his opportunities, but it’s difficult to expect a lot out of them.

(Kevin Fishbain author page)

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Brandon Marianne Lee:What are the fantasy ramifications of a Jeff Driskel led Bengals?

Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH), The Athletic Cincinnati:A lot of backup quarterbacks tend to rely heavily on checkdowns to tight ends when they’re not able to get through all of their progressions, and we saw that last week when Driskel took over early in the second half as C.J. Uzomah registered a career-high 13 targets. But with A.J. Green returning to action this week, I would expect Driskel to lean heavily on him, just as A.J. McCarron did when he took over for Andy Dalton in the final four games in 2015.

(Jay Morrison author page)

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Brandon Marianne Lee:It felt like David Njoku fell out of favor for a little bit there. But last week he roared back with a vengeance. Can we trust him to get reliable volume in a great matchup this week? And what about rest of season?

Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson), The Athletic Cleveland:I think you can trust him to get the volume. The Browns’ pass offense is humming, and Baker Mayfield gets the ball out quickly. I’m still not sure you can call Njoku reliable because he’s never caught the ball consistently, but the volume should continue to be there.

(Zac Jackson author page)

DENVER BRONCOS

Brandon Marianne Lee:The Bengals defense allows a ton of fantasy points to almost every fantasy position. We know who you must play, but is this a week when you can stream Case Keenum, Matt LaCosse, or any other sleepers you would recommend?

Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala), The Athletic Denver:Matt LaCosse would probably be the biggest “sleeper” to watch since he’s been bumped to a starter in the wake of injuries to Jeff Heuerman and Jake Butt. Another to watch is Courtland Sutton, the Broncos outside rookie receiver. His targets have been minimal in his three starts, but they could turn to him more, especially if they decide to air it out against the 31st-ranked passing defense.

(Nicki Jhabvala author page)

HOUSTON TEXANS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Which of these players will score the most fantasy points against the Browns: Demaryius Thomas or Keke Coutee? And is Lamar Miller going to be dominant again? Another 100-plus yards?

Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss), The Athletic Houston:I’d go with Demaryius Thomas over Keke Coutee. Whenever Coutee is playing, he has a good chance to record a lot of receptions, but he’s dealing with another hamstring injury, so Thomas is the safe bet. As for Lamar Miller, who knows? He’s rebounded nicely from the worst season of his career, but I think a 100-yard game from Miller will always seem like a pleasant surprise, rather than the expectation. But regardless, he stands a good chance having a solid performance against the Browns, who have one of the worst defenses in the NFL and will face a Texans offense that was humming in all facets in Houston’s Monday night win over Tennessee.

(Aaron Reiss author page)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Brandon Marianne Lee:What’s going on with Marlon Mack? Is he still in concussion protocol? If he doesn’t go, who would you start in his stead?

Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen), The Athletic Indiana:So, Marlon Mack has practiced the past two days and signs are good that he’s going to play. As of Friday afternoon, he still needed to gain clearance from the independent neurologist, but the Colts are pretty hopeful. If Mack doesn’t play, the Colts have three additional running backs on their roster. I would think Jordan Wilkins would take on a lot of the early-down carries, with Nyheim Hines playing a key role on passing downs.

(Stephen Holder author page)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Brandon Marianne Lee:What do you think a Cody Kessler (minus Leonard Fournette) offense will look like this week when it faces the Colts? Are there any under the radar guys we should know about?

Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper), The Athletic Jacksonville:It will look very, very ugly. I would stay away from any Jaguars offensive players this week.

(Daniel Popper author page)

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Brandon Marianne Lee:The Saints lost on Thursday Night Football. The Rams control their own destiny. Todd Gurley hurt his ankle in Week 11 before the bye week. He’s not on the injury report, but are you thinking the team might start preserving him soon? Fewer touches or an all-out rest?

Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore), The Athletic Los Angeles:Not until they secure home field advantage. They really want to nail that sucker down and make sure the road to the NFC championship goes through Los Angeles.

(Vincent Bonsignore author page)

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Kenyan Drake scored two touchdowns last week and seems the safe play once again against Buffalo. But what about wide receiver Kenny Stills? He said this week he’s frustrated with his lack of touches. Or what about quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is one game back from his shoulder injury?

Chris Perkins (@chrisperk), The Athletic Miami:Drake (408 yards rushing, four touchdowns; 298 receiving yards, three touchdowns) is the best play once again. There are two things to know about this week’s matchup: Miami averages 24 points per game at home; and in five home games, Miami has 14 touchdowns, but only four are red zone touchdowns. Both of these point to Drake because of his versatility and big-play ability. Miami, which averages 20.5 points per game for the season, scores better at home, and Miami scores on big plays at home. Solid production for Stills (20 receptions, 332 yards, four touchdowns) and Tannehill (10 touchdowns, five interceptions, 97.2 passer rating) could rely on pass protection, which is a shaky proposition. The lack of red zone touchdowns means running back Frank Gore (595 yards rushing, no touchdowns; 90 yards receiving, one touchdown) isn’t a strong play. And remember this, if Drake’s banged-up shoulder allows him to return kickoffs (he did early in last week’s game at Indianapolis), that’s a bonus.

(Chris Perkins author page)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Bill Belichick likes to take away your best weapon. In this case, that’s probably both Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Who do you think will step up if Belichick can shut down those two receivers?

Chad Graff (@ChadGraff), The Athletic Minnesota:Mike Zimmer openly predicted this week thatBill Belichick will try to do just that. If that’s the case, it could be a big day for two Vikings players who are coming off decent performances — tight end Kyle Rudolph and running back Dalvin Cook. Both haven’t had the seasons they hoped for, but are playing well of late and should have plenty of opportunities Sunday. Rudolph saw seven targets last week, his most since Week 2, and turned them into seven receptions for 63 yards. Cook, meanwhile, found the end zone last Sunday for the first time this season and compiled 86 total yards. It could be an even bigger day for both against the Patriots.

(Chad Graff author page)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Brandon Marianne Lee:How will Rex Burkhead’s return impact the backfield touches (if at all)?

Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe), The Athletic Boston:For James White, the Patriots scaled back his workload later last season as a matter of preservation, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Burkhead eats into White’s snaps for similar reasons. And because Burkhead is still more reliable than Sony Michel in the passing game, Burkhead will definitely impact Michel because Burkhead presents an offense with a more balanced look. Either way, because of the Vikings defense, this might be a good trial-and-error week if you’ve got Michel in terms of sitting back and monitoring from a safe distance. I’d consider sitting Michel against the Vikings if you’ve got a decent alternative to play just so you don’t wind up screaming at the TV every time Burkhead takes a handoff.

(Jeff Howe author page)

NEW YORK GIANTS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Why has Sterling Shepard’s usage decreased to this degree? Is Saquon Barkley the preferred target when Odell Beckham isn’t open?

Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21), The Athletic New York:That’s a good question and one that’s hard to explain. I don’t think it has much to do with Barkley, at least as a receiving option, because he has been heavily involved in the passing game all season. If anything, the commitment to the run game in recent games could be responsible for Shepard’s dip in targets. But Shepard is still playing nearly every snap so it’s not as if his role has been reduced in the offense. It might just be an anomaly, although this matchup with the Bears doesn’t figure to produce a bounce-back game for Shepard.

(Dan Duggan author page)

NEW YORK JETS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Is Quincy Enunwa back to being the guy if healthy? Do you think he’s back to 100 percent?

Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes), The Athletic New York: I’m not sure if Quincy Enunwa is back to being “the guy.” He had his best game in quite some time against the Patriots, but his four catches came on his only four targets. In comparison, Jermaine Kearse was targeted 12 times. I’d wait one more week before considering him in any starting lineup — I currently have him on my bench, and I need a win this week to make the playoffs. Hah!

(Connor Hughes author page)

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Marcell Ateman saw an unbelievable 10 targets last week at Baltimore, but he only caughtthree passes for 16 yards. Did he blow his chance? Or do you think that target share will continue to look like that moving forward?

Vic Tafur (@VicTafur), The Athletic Oakland:The Raiders will throw the ball a lot, as they will be trailing the Chiefs, possibly by a large margin. Ateman will get more targets this week, but Martavis Bryant should be back next week. Though he is not exactly an impact player.

(Vic Tafur author page)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Brandon Marianne Lee:The Golden Tate experiment seems flawed. Where is the traction? Is there better chemistry in practice? When will they give the volume back to Alshon Jeffery (if ever)?

Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf), The Athletic Philadelphia:It’s definitely flawed. The Eagles seem to be force-feeding Tate the ball in an effort to make their acquisition of him look worth it, but they would probably be better off playing more 12 personnel and leaning more on Alshon Jeffery, who has slowed down since a quick start to the year. Jeffery hasn’t topped 50 yards receiving in any of his past four games after doing so in three of his first four, and he hasn’t scored over that time either. There were always going to be growing pains in incorporatingTate into the offense, and I don’t think he’s worth a starting spot. I do think Jeffery’s usage will correct itself sooner than later.

(Bo Wulf author page)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Brandon Marianne Lee:How is Vance McDonald’s hip? Will Jesse James out-snap and out-produce McDonald again in Week 13?

Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly), The Athletic Pittsburgh:Vance McDonald is fine. He missed a practice earlier in the week But he is seemingly fine. One thing about Jesse James is that he’s always counted out but he always seems to step up. He leads the team in yards per catch and will still get his 20 to 25 snaps per game. But McDonald’s is the clear number one tight end and seemingly close to 100% healthy

(Mark Kaboly author page)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Can you rank the 49ers wide receivers from most to least likely to produce for fantasy? This week at Seattle and rest of season?

Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows), The Athletic San Francisco:

Yeesh. My fantasy advice: Stay away from 49ers receivers. But… Marquise Goodwin; Pierre Garcon;Dante Pettis;Kendrick Bourne; Richie James; Trent Taylor

(Matt Barrows author page)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Russell Wilson is coming on strong down the stretch like he always does. If feels like Tyler Lockett and Chris Carson will remain the main fantasy producers on this team. With a nice dose of Doug Baldwin. But are there any sleepers on this team that you think will finish strong? Also, if someone wants to handcuff Carson, is the right choice Mike Davis or Rashaad Penny?

Michael Shawn-Dugar (@MikeDugar), The Athletic Seattle:Receiver David Moore, if he’s available, is an interesting flex option going forward. He doesn’t grab a bunch of targets but he’s good for a big play and can find the end zone in Seattle’s offense. When it comes to running backs, I’d roll with Mike Davis over Rashaad Penny since Davis gets steady third-down work. That makes him somewhat valuable in a deep PPR league.

(Michael Shawn-Dugar author page)

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Tell us about DeSean Jackson’s thumb injury. Regardless, is Adam Humphries the guy we should target for fantasy production anyway?

Greg Auman (@gregauman), The Athletic Tampa Bay:DeSean Jackson had a rough week last week, with just 19 yards on eight targets in otherwise strong day for the Bucs’ passing game. He has worn a brace on his injured left hand this week in practice, but is attempting to play through the injury. Jackson hasn’t had good numbers since the first two weeks of the season, with just one touchdown in his last nine games. Adam Humphries has been the prime beneficiary in the last month, with four touchdowns in the past four games. Two of those came against the same Carolina defense he’ll face at home on Sunday. Can Humphries keep up his unlikely hot streak? He’s an unrestricted free agent this spring, and a strong finish to his 2018 only helps his value on the open market. Either he or Chris Godwin isn’t a bad pickup if you need help at receiver. The Bucs have crazy balance in their passing game, with six players having between four and five touchdown receptions.

(Greg Auman author page)

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Brandon Marianne Lee:Who do you think will emerge as Colt McCoy’s favorite target?

Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL), The Athletic DC:Assuming he stays healthy, tight end Jordan Reed will likely be McCoy’s go to guy. Reed is one of the few remaining targets from when McCoy last had an opportunity to start in 2014 and the two proved to have a solid understanding. Reed had a nine catch, 123-yard game against the Colts with McCoy throwing him the ball. We’ve already seen McCoy look heavily to Reed these past few games. Reed had three catches in three quarters before Alex Smith suffered his injury, but finished the game with seven catches (a joint season high for him), including a touchdown on McCoy’s first throw. He followed that up with his most productive game of the season in terms of yards, with six catches for 75 yards against Dallas, displaying great awareness in finding space when plays broke down and McCoy was forced to scramble. If Reed suffers another injury, rookie Trey Quinn could be another solid option for McCoy. Quinn is an excellent route runner and has made a number of key catches in critical moments, with McCoy seemingly trusting him on important third downs and Quinn repaying him with conversions.

(Mark Bullock author page)

(Top photo:Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)