Start/Sit Hub Week 13 – Fantasy Football Blueprint

Happy week 13 of the 2025 NFL season and happy turkey day & Black Friday! Welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit Hub! Mike here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out.

I am here every week during the fantasy football season 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.

Here are my Thursday/Friday predictions:

Lions win 31-19 with Gibbs & St. Brown TDs

Chiefs win 34-31 with Kelce & Mahomes TDs

Bengals win 27-26 with Ja’Marr & Gesicki TDs

Eagles win 34-27 with Brown & Saquon TDs

THANKSGIVING START/SIT

Packers @ Lions (DET -3, o/u total 48.5)

Start – Amon-Ra St. Brown– Amon-Ra had 45 receiving yards against Green Bay in week 1 and the Lions lost by 14. This time around I believe the Green Bay defense will be focusing most on Gibbs since he has been red hot, leaving Goff to connect with his favorite and most reliable weapon often, St. Brown.

Sit – Emanuel Wilson – Wilson was stellar filling in for Josh Jacobs. Unfortunately for Wilson owners, Jacob’s is expected back this week to play the Lions. The Lions have a top 3 rush defense this season in fantasy so Wilson would be in for a tough game regardless.

Chiefs @ Cowboys (KC -3.5, o/u total 52.5)

Start – Patrick Mahomes – It is hard to pick someone here because both offenses can light up a scoreboard and stat sheet. Going with Mahomes after he has his team resurrected and gets a Dallas defense that has seen better days. Mahomes should be able to spread the ball around and can surely keep up if it is a shootout.

Sit – Hollywood Brown – I wanted to go with Javanese Williams facing the KC defense but thought better of it and went with Hollywood. Brown has not scored since week 7 and has not eclipsed 4 targets since week 5. Dallas defense is weak, but Mahomes usually targets Kelce, Rice, and Worthy more often.

Bengals @ Ravens (BAL -7, o/u total 52.5)

Start – Chase Brown – With Joe Burrow returning from injury this week I can see the Bengals wanting to lean on Chase a bit. He has been stellar lately, especially in the pass catching game. The Raven’s defense has gotten better this season but not where they want to be so Burrow, and both Chases should have good outings.

Sit – Noah Fant – Staying away from Fant this week strictly because Mike Gesicki is healthy. Burrow can spread the ball around, but Gesicki has the more reliable history and will be taking on a bigger role with the Tee Higgins injury.

BLACK FRIDAY START/SIT

Bears @ Eagles (PHI -7, o/u total 44.5)

Start – AJ Brown – No one must have told AJ that last week was not Thanksgiving because he feasted on the Dallas defense. Hurts has gotten him the ball amid off the field drama and it is a beautiful thing. AJ has been targeted 21 times in his last 2 games combined and is coming off a 110-yard performance with a TD. Chicagos defense will have to pick their poison because Hurts, Saquon, AJ, and Smith have good matchups this week.

Sit – Kyle Monangai – Kyle is getting more action and playing well. However, he must go to Philly on Black Friday. If you look at the Eagles last 2 home games, they shut down Jahmyr Gibbs rushing and Tyrone Tracy Jr rushing. Kyle is more of a rusher while Swift takes on a receiving role which I think will be used more. I would take swift over Kyle this week if I had to take one.

Come back in the coming days for the rest of week 13’s START/SIT picks.

Recent News

Isiah Pacheco does not have an injury designation for Week 13.
Pacheco will make his return to the Kansas City lineup after missing a few weeks with a knee injury. He'll likely split the backfield workload with Kareem Hunt against the Cowboys in the Chiefs' Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Hunt could be a flex option since he remains the team's preferred red zone back. Pacheco should remain benched in normal sized fantasy leagues this week.
(Nov 26 -- NBC Sports)

Titans signed CB Kaiir Elam, formerly of the Cowboys.
Elam is a former first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played in 39 career NFL games, with 19 starts while playing with the Bills and the Cowboys. Elam had 19 solo tackles and one defended pass in seven games for Dallas this season. He's been credited with 110 tackles and two interceptions in his career. Elam will join a Titans defense allowing the league's eighth lowest drop back success rate in 2025.
(Nov 26 -- NBC Sports)

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said WR Noah Brown (groin) will practice this week.
Brown hasn't practiced since he suffered a severe groin injury in Week 2 against the Packers. The team opened his 21-day practice window on November 24, which means he could play as soon as this week against the Broncos. He would likely function as Washington's WR3 and should remain on waiver wires, even in deeper formats.
(Nov 26 -- NBC Sports)

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Terry McLaurin (quad) will practice this week.
McLaurin hasn't played since late October after re-injuring his quad in a loss to the Chiefs. A full week of practice should mean McLaurin returns for Washington's Week 13 game against the Broncos, the league's best pass defense. He has 13 receptions for 203 yards and a touchdown over four games this season and could have some fantasy value in the regular season's final weeks if Jayden Daniels is able to return from his elbow injury.
(Nov 26 -- NBC Sports)

Bills waived WR Elijah Moore.
The Bills this week signed veteran journeyman Brandin Cooks, making Moore expendable after he appeared in nine games for the team this season and had nine catches for 112 yards. Moore could land with a receiver-needy team in the coming weeks, though he would likely remain a rotational player. Moore had 61 receptions for 538 yards and a touchdown last year in Cleveland.
(Nov 26 -- NBC Sports)

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