Just like that, we already have 12 weeks of NFL football in the books. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 13 DraftKings plays.
READ MORE: Week 13 Stream Team | Week 13 Starts and Sits
Week 13 DraftKings Plays
Week 12 Recap
It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do, and that also goes for fantasy football. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s not only good for the readers to know, but it also helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.
🚨RECAP THREAD🚨
For full transparency each week I'll recap my #DraftKings plays to see if they hit the 2.5x we generally shoot for each week in cash builds!#FantasyFootball#NFL#NFLTwitter #DFS@BlazedRTs@MyFantasyLeague
https://t.co/w8aAYX3N1c— ✴️Rob Norton✴️ (@norton0723) November 28, 2022
Looking back at Week 12, it was the best week yet for recommendations. This week 72% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the quarterback group led the way at an 80% success rate. Meanwhile, the tight end group brought up the rear at a 60% success rate. Personally, it was another profitable week. We’ll look to get it going even better with the picks and get more profits in the Week 13 DraftKings plays.
- Week 12 – $213 → $313 ($100 PROFIT)
- Year Total – $2,774 → $2,933 ($154 PROFIT)
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow (CIN) – $6,900 v KC
It’s been a great season for Joe Burrow this year as he’s averaging 24.2 DraftKings points per game. Only Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts have averaged more per game this year. Burrow has done that in spite of dealing with some injuries as well. The most notable has been the loss of Ja’Marr Chase for the past month. Luckily for Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, Chase looks like he should return this week. It’s still to be seen how effective and healthy he is but his return is a huge boost for both Burrow and the Bengals. This week is a great matchup, as well, as the Kansas City Chiefs allow the ninth-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks. They also have one of the best offenses in the NFL so Burrow should be dropping back to pass even more than usual in this one. The combined total is the highest on the entire weekend 52.5 points and the Bengals have a healthy 25-point implied team total as well.
Game with 400+ passing yards, 3+ passing TDs & 0 INTs in the last 2 seasons
Joe Burrow 3
Rest of NFL 3 pic.twitter.com/ygKata7Lol— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 2, 2022
Trevor Lawrence (JAX) – $5,900 @ DET
Don’t look now but Trevor Lawrence is coming on strong as of late. Over his last six games, he’s averaging 20.5 DraftKings points per game. That puts him as the QB9 over that span. Lawrence has scored at least 20 DraftKings points in four of those six games as well. Last week he posted his best game of the season as he threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ upset win over the Baltimore Ravens. This week he gets a juicy matchup against the Detroit Lions so he should have a great chance to continue playing well. The Lions have allowed the most DraftKings points to quarterbacks so far this season. They are a good offense as well so Lawrence should need to drop back to pass plenty in this one. This game has the second-highest combined total on the slate at 51.5 points. The Jaguars have one of the highest implied totals at 25.5 points. This game is also being played in a dome. Add it all up and Lawrence is far too cheap making him one of the best Week 13 DraftKings plays.
Others to Consider: Derek Carr (LV) – $5,600 v LAC, Jared Goff (DET) – $5,300 v JAX, Deshaun Watson (CLE) – $6,500 @ HOU
Running Backs
Josh Jacobs (LV) – $7,900 v LAC
Josh Jacobs just put up 303 yards of total offense last week. That is not a typo, he actually racked up more yards by himself than some entire teams did. Jacobs is enjoying an incredible career year during his contract year. His 51.3 DraftKings points he just put up were a career-best. It is the fourth time this season he’s scored more than 33 DraftKings points in a single game and the sixth time he’s scored at least 22 DraftKings points. Jacobs is averaging 23.4 DraftKings points per game in 2022. Only Austin Ekeler averages more DraftKings points per game among running backs. Jacobs now leads all running backs in both rushing yards and total yards. Not too shabby for a guy that most people (myself included) were fading heading into the year. This week he gets a juicy matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have allowed the fourth-most DraftKings points to running backs this year. This game has the third-highest combined total at 49.5 points and the Las Vegas Raiders have a healthy 25.75-point implied team total as one-point home favorites. Jacobs sure looks like one of the very best Week 13 DraftKings plays once again.
Josh Jacobs is HIM 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/66tMCe9LzW
— PFF (@PFF) November 28, 2022
David Montgomery (CHI) – $6,200 v GB
David Montgomery was trending downwards until Khalil Herbert was placed on the IR. Since that point, Montgomery has resumed a workhorse role which has been fruitful for fantasy purposes. Over the past two weeks, he has seen 31 carries and eight targets and turned those into 234 total yards. Montgomery has scored 14.3 and 21.1 DraftKings points in those two outings. This week he gets a nice matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have allowed the seventh-most DraftKings points to running backs so far this season. They are much weaker on the ground than through the air and that plays to the Chicago Bears‘ strength anyways. The Bears love to run the ball whether it’s with Montgomery or quarterback Justin Fields. Unless some more value opens up later in the week, Montgomery looks like one of the cheapest running backs with a workhorse role on the slate and that’s something to take advantage of, especially in a good matchup.
Others to Consider: Austin Ekeler (LAC) – $8,500 @ LV, Kenneth Walker III (SEA) – $7,000 @ LAR, Travis Etienne (JAX) – $6,400 @ DET, Joe Mixon (CIN) – $7,100 v KC, Zonovan Knight (NYJ) – $4,600 @ MIN
Wide Receivers
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) – $7,100 v JAX
The “Sun God” keeps on shining in 2022. When healthy this year, Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a target monster and PPR fantasy darling. Over the last five games since returning from injury he has at least eight targets in every game. His 34.4% target per route run rate is the best in the NFL among all wide receivers. St. Brown averages 17.8 DraftKings points per game this season which places him as WR10. That includes the games he left early or was unhealthy so that goes to show how truly dominant his other games have been. This week against the Jaguars should be no different. The Jaguars are not a defense to fear at all. As previously mentioned, this game environment is juicy. It’s being played in a dome and has one of the highest combined totals at 51.5 points. The Lions also have one of the highest implied team totals on the slate at 26.25 points. All of this makes St. Brown one of the safest Week 13 DraftKings plays.
the last time Amon-Ra St Brown FINISHED a game with less than 8 Targets was…
Week 12 of his ROOKIE SEASON 🤯
must be due to both Swift and Hockenson being out 😉
— DynastyIM (@dynasty_im) December 2, 2022
Garrett Wilson (NYJ) – $5,300 @ MIN
It was so nice we’ll do it twice. Garrett Wilson’s salary jumped up $1,000 this week and he still looks like one of the best Week 13 DraftKings plays this week. Thankfully he got away from the abyss that is Zach Wilson. With Mike White at the helm last week, Wilson was able to put up 26.4 DraftKings points. On the season he is averaging 12.9 DraftKings points per game but that number would be much higher if Zach Wilson hadn’t started so many games. Garrett Wilson’s target per route run rate jumps from 20% to 30% without Zach Wilson. His yards per route run jumps from 1.64 to 2.27 without Wilson. Those numbers without Zach Wilson are on the same level as guys like Tee Higgins, Travis Kelce, A.J. Brown, and Cooper Kupp. That’s truly elite company. This matchup against the Minnesota Vikings is a great one. The Vikings have allowed the seventh-most DraftKings points to wide receivers this year. This game is also being played in a dome and the New York Jets should need to drop back to pass to keep up with this Vikings offense.
Others to Consider: Nico Collins (HOU) – $4,200 v CLE, Zay Jones (JAX) – $4,900 @ DET, Tee Higgins (CIN) – $7,200 v KC, Christian Kirk (JAX) – $6,300 @ DET, Keenan Allen (LAC) – $6,500 @ LV, Davante Adams (LV) – $8,700 v LAC
Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth (PIT) – $4,300 @ ATL
Pat Freiermuth hasn’t been anything spectacular by any means but at a position as dire as tight end, he’s been more than serviceable. On the season he is averaging 10.5 DraftKings points per game. Only seven tight ends average more DraftKings points per game than Freiermuth this year. He ranks top-five among all tight ends in targets (71), target share (20.4%), target rate (26.6%), air yards (643), receptions (47), and receiving yards (521). Freiermuth has seen at least seven targets in four of his last five games since Chase Claypool was traded away. This week he gets a great matchup against a shaky Atlanta Falcons defense. They’ve allowed the 11th-most DraftKings points to tight ends this year. This game is also being played in a dome which should give a boost to both passing offenses as well.
Pat Freiermuth this season:
⚫️ highest graded offensive Steeler (75.4)
🟡 Steelers’ leading receiver (482 yards)📈📈📈 pic.twitter.com/mM83L6IxU4
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) November 26, 2022
Foster Moreau (LV) – $3,600 v LAC
Foster Moreau has been solid more often than not in the absence of Darren Waller. Although he’s only scored double-digit DraftKings points just twice in the past six games, he has seen at least five targets in four of those six games. That is good target volume for such a cheap option at tight end. This week Moreau gets a nice matchup and game environment against the Chargers. The Chargers have allowed the ninth-most DraftKings points to tight ends this season. As previously mentioned, this game has one of the best combined totals at 49.5 points. The Raiders are also slight favorites with a 25.25-point implied team total. As mentioned before as well, this game is being played in a dome which should only boost the outlook. All of this combined with Moreau’s low salary make him one of the better Week 13 DraftKings plays, especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint.
Others to Consider: Travis Kelce (KC) – $7,900 @ CIN, Hayden Hurst (CIN) – $3,500 v KC, Tyler Conklin (NYJ) – $3,100 @ MIN
Defense/Special Teams
In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I aim to target the heavily favored teams, who usually play with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often which can help lead to extra sacks and turnovers and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.
My Tentative Cash Game Lineup
- QB – Jalen Hurts
- RB – Zonovan Knight
- RB – Travis Etienne
- WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown
- WR – Garrett Wilson
- WR – Nico Collins
- TE – Pat Freiermuth
- Flex – Josh Jacobs
- DST – Tennessee Titans
Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 13 DraftKings plays and to see the best picks for Week 14. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!
