Week 13 of the NFL season is right around the corner, and fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to optimize their lineups. Deciding on who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially when a player like Alshon Jeffery comes back from injury. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start em’, sit em’ matchups of the week to put together the best possible lineup.
Week 13 Running Back Start/Sits
Week 13 Quarterback Start/Sits
Alshon Jeffery, Courtland Sutton Highlight Fantasy Football Week 13 Wide Receiver Start Sits
Start: Alshon Jeffery or Nelson Agholor
Jordan Matthews had the highest snap count of any Eagles wide receiver in Week 12, yet Philadelphia released him just a few days ago. This implies that one of Alshon Jeffery or Nelson Agholor should return to the field for Week 13’s showdown against the Miami Dolphins. Both players haven’t played up to their typical standards, but that’s not for lack of volume. Based on target share, air yards, and expected usage, Jeffery should be a top-24 receiver most weeks, and Agholor should see the majority of that volume if Jeffery cannot play.
The Miami Dolphins are one of the worst passing defenses in the league, so whichever Eagles receiver ends up playing should bounce back in this favorable matchup. If both guys play, you should start Jeffery but keep Agholor on the bench. However, if only one plays, make that receiver your start of the week.
Sit: Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton is a highly talented receiver, but it’s hard to trust the wide receiver with Denver’s uncertainty at quarterback. Brandon Allen was a disaster in Week 12, as he connected with Sutton on only one of his eight targets. Allen isn’t a good quarterback, and the Broncos could turn things over to second-round rookie Drew Lock before long. Lock looked terrible in the preseason and might not be able to get Sutton the ball on a reliable basis. When factoring in that Sutton is also battling an ankle injury, you’re probably best leaving him on your bench.
Start: Christian Kirk
Christian Kirk had a rough Week 11 against a formidable San Francisco 49ers defense, but should bounce back against the Los Angeles Rams. Kyler Murray is getting better on a weekly basis as Arizona’s offense becomes more and more dangerous. Kirk is at the forefront of this passing attack and should see a high volume of targets against a beatable secondary. Jalen Ramsey hasn’t played anywhere close to his usual elite level since joining the Rams, so don’t worry about that matchup. Kirk has WR1 upside, a safe floor, and is an easy start for the week.
Sit: Kenny Golladay
Whether it’s Jeff Driskel or David Blough, you’re better off leaving Kenny Golladay on the bench this week. Golladay simply hasn’t been great for fantasy since Matthew Stafford went down, and his targets have steadily decreased over the past three weeks. Marvin Jones appears to be Driskel’s favorite target, leaving Golladay with an unreliable target share from a bad quarterback. The Chicago Bears still have one of the best secondaries in the league, so there’s a good chance head coach Matt Patricia tries to protect his quarterback by running the crap out of the ball. Golladay has a bad matchup in a low-scoring game with subpar quarterbacks throwing him the ball – he’s an easy bench this week.
Start: Tyler Boyd
Andy Dalton is back on the field, which means Tyler Boyd is back in play for fantasy. Say what you will about Dalton’s ability as a starter, but he’s a clear upgrade on Ryan Finley. Dalton, at the very least, possesses the ability to consistently get the ball in the hands of his best playmaker. With A.J. Green presumably sidelined for another week, that means Boyd is going to see the vast majority of the targets. The Bengals face off against a bad New York Jets secondary and should be trailing for the majority of the game. Game script says the Bengals should throw the ball early and often, and Boyd should get open against New York’s defensive backs.
Sit: Any Pittsburgh Receiver
Poor Juju Smith-Schuster. The former third-round pick never had a chance to prove that he can succeed without Antonio Brown. Mason Rudolph is gone, but there isn’t too much of a reason to believe Devlin Hodges is going to be any better. Both players are among the worst starters in the league and probably won’t have the skills required to consistently get the ball to any wide receiver. Juju is battling a knee injury, but you should bench him even if he plays.
If Juju cannot go, some may be tempted to start James Washington. Don’t do it. Washington had a strong stat line against the Cincinnati Bengals, but all of his success came on a 79-yard touchdown pass. These types of plays are inherently unsustainable, and there’s no possible way to expect Washington to do that again, especially against an ok Cleveland Browns defense.
Auto-Starts (Better Than Alshon Jeffery)
Michael Thomas, Julian Edelman, Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, Keenan Allen, Mike Evans, D.J. Moore, Allen Robinson, Tyreek Hill
Week 13 Running Back Start/Sits
Week 13 Quarterback Start/Sits
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