TGIF fantasy followers and welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike Hubbard Jr here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out. For all things fantasy football, follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) and Instagram (@fantasyhubbard). You can tweet me or message me on either social media with any questions you might have regarding the fantasy football season.
It’s week 13 and no matter how your team is doing, I hope you’re enjoying the fantasy experience and continue to fight hard for wins. Stay informed and play smart.
Week 13 began last night with a TNF game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys escaped with a win by a score of 27-17. The story in this game is how impressive Taysom Hill was rushing for over 100 yards, but also how he struggled immensely throwing 4 INTs. Pollard had over 70 rushing yards and a score on 7 carries while Zeke struggled to get 45 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Dallas’ defense balled out, especially in the 4th quarter. The Cowboys go to Washington with some momentum next week while the Saints try to snap a 5-game losing streak on the road against the Jets.
Week 13 BYEs go to the Green Bay Packers, the Carolina Panthers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Tennessee Titans. Remember to check your lineups and manage accordingly. The matchup I look forward to watching the most this Sunday is the Chargers/Bengals game. Ekeler vs Mixon, Herbert vs Burrow, and Allen vs Chase. I’m leaning toward Cinci, but we’ll see.
I’m here every Friday with start and sit suggestions that can impact your team each week. My decisions as always include obvious and not so obvious picks. I would also like to clarify that my sit suggestions are based on the assumption you have or can add a player that has a better chance at success. Good luck this week and continue to check out my weekly articles.
START OF THE WEEK
Elijah Mitchell – Eli Mitchell has been on a tear this season when healthy. He has 4 games with at least 100 yards rushing and in all 4 of them he has scored as well. He has been efficient, and the 49ers have recently been a run heavy offense. Mitchell has 29 carries in each of his last 2 games played and could easily do it again when he travels to Seattle on Sunday. The Seahawks defense is very kind to opposing RBs this season making Mitchell even more tempting. I have him as a top 10 RB play this week in fantasy.
Eagles @ Jets
Start – Jalen Hurts – Hurts had one of his worst fantasy performances of the season in week 13 against the Giants. Hurts did get 77 rushing yards but only 129 passing yards, which usually isn’t a problem, but he threw a season high 3 INTS without scoring any TDs. Hurts is nursing an ankle injury but assured everyone that he will be playing this Sunday against the Jets. This matchup favors Hurts especially on the ground. He will want to shake off his last performance and get his guys in the end zone. The Jets defense is one of the worst against the run so I wouldn’t be surprised if Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, or whoever else gets red zone rushing opportunities vultures a couple scores but hopefully Jalen tosses 1 or runs in 1 or more. Hurts has at least 7 rushing attempts in every game this season including double digit carries in 5 of his last 7 games. This is a great chance at a great bounce back game, and I don’t expect Hurts to waste it.
Sit – Elijah Moore – Elijah Moore has emerged on the scene in fantasy football ever the last 4 weeks. He has scored 4 TDs in his last 4 games and is averaging over 78 receiving yards per game in that time frame. The problem here is the matchup and his QB. The Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson has not looked good this season and has not thrown a passing TD since week 4 (has missed 5 games). Moore did have 4 receptions for 46 yards in week 12 with Wilson, but this week he gets Philly. Depending on if Corey Davis plays this Sunday, 1 of the 2 of them will most likely be shadowed by Darius Slay who is having an elite year defending. If you are an Elijah Moore owner, you probably are hoping for Davis to play just so he has the chance of Slays coverage giving Elijah more freedom. All in all, I don’t like the chances of any Jets WR this week.
Buccaneers @ Falcons
Start – Leonard Fournette – Fournette had quite the week 12 finding the end zone 4 times. Could have been 5 if Ronald Jones hadn’t cultured a rushing TD. Fournette is a consistent part of the Bucs offense and has 2 TD upside every week. Brady can get the ball down field and Fournette has shown how he can bulldoze his way to 6 points. Tampa gets the Falcons this weekend. Brady could be in for a huge day, but so could Fournette. My only worry is that the Buccaneers go up big resulting in more touches for Jones rather than Fournette. All Bucs are in play in this game but I’m favoring big games for Brady and Fournette. Start your studs.
Sit – Matt Ryan – Matty Ice seems to have embraced his nickname as he has been ice cold (in a bad way) recently. Despite beating the Jaguars in week 12, Ryan has thrown 1 TD compared to 5 INTs in his last 3 games while not eclipsing 200 passing yards in any of them. Ryan hit 300 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, and 3 INTs back in week 2 when he faced the Bucs for the first time this season, but he was playing better football then and the Bucs should be even more prepared for Ryan this time. Cordarrelle Patterson is the only Falcon I have any confidence in this week.
Cardinals @ Bears
Start – James Connor – Connor is a beast. All he does is score. No Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, or Chase Edmonds? No problem. Connor has scored a rushing TD in every game since week 7, has 4 multi-TD games this season, and has only 2 games where he didn’t get at least 10 carries. In fact, Connor has now scored 13 total TDs after not scoring in the 1st 2 games of the season. Connor and the Cardinals should roll over the Bears on Sunday, especially if Kyle Murray is healthy and playing again. Chase Edmonds could return in week 14 so this could be the last Cardinals game where Connor gets the vast majority of the Cardinals RBs workload.
Sit – Christian Kirk – Kirk finished week 11 off with 2 receptions for 25 receiving yards before the Cardinals week 12 BYE. Arizona is hopeful that Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins both play Sunday which is good and bad for Kirk. Good that he will have Murray tossing it around after looking like an MVP candidate through the first 8 weeks, but also bad that DeAndre Hopkins could steal targets from him. The matchup with Chicago isn’t bad for Kirk, but I expect a lot of opportunities for Connor, Hopkins, and even Ertz.
Chargers @ Bengals
Start – Keenan Allen – Death, taxes, and Keenan Allen production. Allen had 7 receptions for 85 receiving yards on 10 targets in week 12 which made it 5 consecutive games with double digit targets and 8 of his 11 this season. He has been a top WR despite only scoring 2 TDs. Allen gets his chances no matter the game flow and has caught almost 70% of his 116 targets. Only Cooper Kupp and Tyreek Hill have more targets and receptions this season in the entire NFL. Allen gets the Bengals this weekend in what will hopefully be a high scoring game. Ekeler and Allen are my favorite Chargers this week.
Sit – Joe Burrow – Burrow and the Bengals crushed the Steelers in week 13. He threw for 190 passing yards and scored 1 TD vis pass and 1 TD via rush. Burrow has looked sharp for the most part this season but has been average since week 9. To be fair, Burrow hasn’t had to do much lately with Joe Mixon taking matters into his own hands by dominating. I expect Mixon to be fed a lot this week to continue his hot streak. A QBs best friend is an RB1 who can rush for 352 yards and score 6 TDs in a 3-game span. Burrow meanwhile had 3 total TDs and 4 turnovers in those same last 3 games. Burrow is outside by top 10 QBs this week.
Vikings @ Lions
Start – Alexander Mattison – Dalvin Cook got injured in week 12 and is rumored to miss a minimum of 2 games. If you own Cook, I hope you also own his handcuff Mattison since Cook has been known to be injury prone. Mattison was my week 13 top waiver priority and for good reason. He will get full RB1 responsibilities for Minnesota and gets a great matchup with the Lions. Minnesota seems to always have a close game on their hands despite the competition. I am expecting Mattison to contribute on the ground and in the air for all 4 quarters. In Cooks absences earlier this season which were week 3 and 5, Mattison had 25+ carries in both games and totaled 225 rushing yards. He also had 15 receptions, 99 receiving yards, and 1 TD in those 2 games combined. I am all in on Alexander this week.
Sit –Kalif Raymond – You’re not benching any of the Vikings top 4 offensive weapons this week. Jamaal Williams is in a good spot to produce if Deandre Swift doesn’t play, and Hockenson is a top 10 TE every week. All other Lions are on my bench. I chose Raymond because of his inconsistency. He had a 2 TD game in week 4 and had 115 receiving yards in week 7, but other than that he has been relatively silent. He has 3 games this season without a reception including 2 of his last 4 games. If and most likely when Goff is forced to throw more, he will target Hockenson and Williams most. All WRs available are unreliable. Only Josh Reynolds and Hockenson have scored a receiving TD in the last 4 weeks, and the Lions haven’t scored over 19 points in a game since week 1.
Giants @ Dolphins
Start – Jaylen Waddle – Waddle is by far the best pass catcher on the Dolphins and he is just a rookie who recently turned 23 years old. Miami has won 4 in a row and get the Giants this weekend. Since week 6, Waddle has averaged over 9 targets per game and has 60+ receiving yards in 6 of his last 7 games. The Giants defense isn’t a big worry to anyone even after holding the Eagles to 7 points in week 12. Waddle is coming off a fantastic week 12 performance where he caught 9 of his 10 targets for 137 receiving yards and a TD. Waddle and Gaskin could be in line for a big day in Miami.
Sit – Evan Engram – Engram has played 9 games this season after missing week 1 and 2. He has been 1 of the few healthy pass catchers on the Giants this season. Engram is also the only player on the team with 2 receiving TDs this season. This week he takes on Miami. The Dolphins don’t have an elite defense but have been holding their own recently. The Giants need to work through Saquon Barkley in order to move the offense more smoothly. Even when Daniel Jones throws the ball (if he plays this weekend) he has a bunch of different options regardless of who is healthy and who is not. Too many catchers with too little upside. Fading all Giants this week.
Colts @ Texans
Start – Carson Wentz – Wentz and the Colts are proving doubters wrong this season. Jonathan Taylor is clearly a must start MVP caliber player every week, but Wentz has also contributed nicely this season. Wentz hasn’t had to do much since Taylor has scored 14 rushing TDs and 2 receiving TDs in his last 9 games. This week’s opponent is Houston. Expect a lot of Taylor but also some Wentz magic. The air game should be wide open given the attention to Taylor and Houston doesn’t seem to be stopping any offenses this season. Wentz is a streaming option this week for me as he could have top 10 fantasy QB upside.
Sit – Rex Burkhead – Burkhead has 30 rushing attempts in his last 2 games. Unfortunately, he only has 67 rushing yards to show for it. That’s an average of less than 2.5 yards per rush. I expect him to get touches, but the Colts will be a hefty burden to try to keep pace with forcing the Texans to throw more. David Johnson is the more desirable RB for me of the 2 because Johnson has the better chance at targets and receptions. Another week where Brandin Cooks is the only Texan I would consider starting.
Washington @ Raiders
Start – Antonio Gibson – Antonio Gibson and the WFT have suddenly become a team that has a chance at playoffs. Gibson is a big reason why. He has 72 rushing attempts in his last 3 games resulting in 270 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. He is also coming off a 7-reception performance in week 12 which was a season high for him. JD McKissic could miss week 13 against the Raiders opening up even more volume for Gibson, especially in the passing game. The Raiders defense has given up 97 points in their last 3 games including 4 RB scores. Washington will need Gibson to produce in order to keep their playoff hopes alive and I believe he is up for the challenge. Hoping for a shootout in Vegas.
Sit – Kenyan Drake – There aren’t many players in this matchup that I don’t like. Drake is 1 player I would feel comfortable sitting. Josh Jacobs is RB1 and the Raiders are trying to get him more involved. Jacobs was limited in practice on Thursday so keep an eye on his questionable status. If Jacobs doesn’t play, Drake would then become a player I wouldn’t want to bench. It’s safe to bench Drake assuming Jacobs is good to go. The Raiders should have success through the air and use Jacobs as much as they can. Not much room for Drake.
Jaguars @ Rams
Start – Odell Beckham Jr – OBJ saw 10 targets in week 12 against the Packers. He caught 5 of those for 81 receiving yards and scored his first TD of the season. OBJ, Kupp, and Jefferson all saw 9+ targets and had over 80 receiving yards each. It’s safe to say OBJ will be implemented into the Rams pass game, especially since Robert Woods was lost for the season. The Rams get the Jaguars this weekend. OBJ should be in for success this week and for weeks to come as long as he stays healthy. Defenses will prioritize shutting down Kupp (they can try) leaving OBJ with more exposure to big plays.
Sit – Marvin Jones Jr – The Marvin Jones frustration has continued. Despite 5+ targets in his last 5 games he has averaged only 37 yards in each of those 5 games with no scores. The Jags have lost Jamal Agnew and Dan Arnold to IR making you think Jones will have more production. Instead, it seems like James O’Shaughnessy will get more exposure and Trevor Lawrence just will keep adding pass catchers to his arsenal. Too many players have the chance to be targeted by a rookie QB who has 9 passing TDs in 11 games going against a Rams defense in LA. I’ll pass.
Ravens @ Steelers
Start – Devante Freeman – Freeman has double digit carries 4 games in a row and gets the Steelers this week. The Steelers are known for their defense, but just let Joe Mixon run free in week 12. Mixon carved them up for 165 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Even Joe Burrow had an 8-yard rushing TD. In week 11 the Steelers let Austin Ekeler score 4 total TDs and allowed Justin Herbert to rush for 90 yards. In week 10 they let the Lions RBs go for over 200 rushing yards and a couple scores. It is Freeman’s turn to get in on the action. Although Lamar will probably take a lot of the teams rushing yards, I still like Freeman this week.
Sit – Rashod Bateman – Bateman is going have a long and successful career in the NFL. The rookie has 6+ targets in 5 of his 6 games to start his season and has at least 3 receptions in every game. Bateman averages 50 yards a game but is still searching for his first TD. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens run the ball a ton. When Jackson does throw, it usually is to Mark Andrews, Marquise Hollywood, and Bateman in that order based off of targets and receptions. Bateman is lowest on the totem pole and needs to find the end zone in order to start him with confidence.
49ers @ Seahawks
Start – Elijah Mitchell – Eli Mitchell has been on a tear this season when healthy. He has 4 games with at least 100 yards rushing and in all 4 of them he has scored as well. He has been efficient, and the 49ers have recently been a run heavy offense. Mitchell has 29 carries in his last 2 games played and could easily do it again when he travels to Seattle on Sunday. The Seahawks defense is very kind to opposing RBs this season making Mitchell even more tempting. I have him as a top 10 RB play this week in fantasy.
Sit – Alex Collins – Alex Collins got another start in week 12 against the WFT. He only had 7 carries for 14 rushing yards and 1 reception for 13 receiving yards. Collins has not been producing, but none of the Seahawks offense has been producing either. The Seahawks have a few options at RB and my guess is they go with the hot hand. Collins hasn’t had the hot hand since week 6. The Seahawks have to establish a run game in order to open the pass, but apparently its easier said than done. Collins is outside my top 30 RBs this week and wouldn’t be surprised if DeeJay Dallas has a better game.
Broncos @ Chiefs
Start – Javonte Williams – Javonte Williams scored his 2nd rushing TD of the season in week 12. He also had 57 receiving yards which was his season high. The Chiefs defense has been better lately and hasn’t allowed any RB eclipse 60 rushing yards since week 7. They also haven’t given up a rushing TD since week 7 when Ryan Tannehill of all people rushed for a TD. The current status of Melvin Gordon is that he has a 50-50 chance at playing. If he is out, Javonte just becomes more appealing. Even if Gordon can play, Javonte has that explosiveness and agility to produce. He is a dual threat with great games ahead of him.
Sit – Darrel Williams – Darrel Williams got to be RB1 in KC starting in week 7 all the way through week 10, but that ended in week 11 when CEH returned to playing. The assumption was that both RBs would be involved when CEH returned and technically they both did, but Williams had only 5 carries compared to CEH’s 12. CEH also scored a rushing TD. Williams value has decreased significantly. CEH is the preferred RB until proven otherwise. Williams is a bench stash in case CEH gets injured again, but other than that he is borderline droppable.