Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 13 Matchups to Consider
With just two regular season games remaining in most leagues and a whopping SIX teams on bye this week, getting your fantasy lineup set just right will be crucial in taking a step toward the playoffs after Week 13. The worst feeling when the playoffs hit comes when you make the wrong move this late in the season that cost you valuable seeding position for the playoffs or made you miss them altogether! We can’t have those regrets, which is why I’m here to work through some important matchups heading into such an important week to help get those fantasy lineups just right!
As always, make use of the Start/Sit Tool on the website, ask for advice on Discord, or reach out to me via Twitter: @KurtKnowsBest.
Quarterbacks
Jared Goff (DET) at New Orleans
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| QB10 | QB10 | QB11 |
QB9 |
As high as the expectations were for the Lions’ offense coming into the season, they all hinged on Jared Goff following up his QB10 season from 2022 with another strong season for fantasy, but so far he hasn’t been more than a streaming option. Through 11 games, Goff has only been a top-12 QB five times, though he’s done so in two of his last three games. Without a rushing baseline, Goff is almost entirely dependent on throwing at least two TDs and hasn’t finished higher than QB14 when he doesn’t.
Goff will have his work cut out for him in Week 13 against a Saints defense that’s only allowed 20+ points to opposing QBs three times this season. New Orleans is only allowing the seventh-fewest passing yards on the year and just six passing TDs over their last four games. In Goff’s five top-12 QB finishes he’s thrown for 300+ yards in four of them, a mark that the Saints haven’t allowed all season. For fantasy managers in need of a streaming option this week, there are better options to put in fantasy lineups than Goff for Week 13.
Kurt would prefer to play: QB11 – Russell Wilson at Houston.
Kenny Pickett (PIT) vs Arizona
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| QB17 | QB16 | QB17 |
QB18 |
After an offseason full of optimism for the Steelers’ offense, it’s been a pretty disappointing second season so far for Kenny Pickett. Despite starting every game this season, Pickett hasn’t had a single top-12 QB finish on the year and only had at least 15 fantasy points twice. The small glimmer of hope for Pickett’s fantasy outlook has to come with the change at offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. Last week Pickett had his highest passing total on the season and the second-highest of his career, so there may be optimism ahead for his fantasy relevance going forward.
While there’s optimism for Pickett after Week 12, his matchup this week with Arizona could be less appealing than it first appears. The Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most passing TDs on the season and the highest completion percentage in the league. Even though there’s been plenty of passing success against Arizona, they’ve only given up one top-12 QB finish in their last seven games, with opposing QBs averaging just 17.2 points per game against them. Even though it feels like things are moving in the right direction for Pickett and the Steelers’ offense, I’d prefer to let Pickett prove it on my bench before throwing him into my lineup in a single QB league.
Kurt would prefer to play: QB18 – Will Levis vs Indianapolis
Running Backs
James Conner (ARI) at Pittsburgh
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| RB28 | RB27 | RB26 |
RB28 |
For fantasy managers who waited through the IR stint, the return of James Conner hasn’t really paid off. Conner hasn’t finished inside the top-24 RBs once since getting back into the Cardinals’ lineup in Week 10, averaging just 6.6 points per week. What has been encouraging is the nearly 15 opportunities he’s averaged in those three games. Still, fantasy managers haven’t been happy to have Conner in their lineups like they were to start the season when he finished in the top 24 three straight weeks.
If Conner is going to get back on track for fantasy purposes, it may not be this week with a tough matchup against the Steelers on tap. Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed the sixth-fewest rushing TDs on the season but is still allowing decent fantasy output from RBs. In their last five games, the Steelers have allowed a top-24 RB three different times. With the large number of bye weeks, there may not be many more options at RB, but Conner should be viewed as a flex option with RB2 upside.
Kurt would play Conner over: RB23 – Zach Charbonnet at Dallas
Joe Mixon (CIN) at Jacksonville
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| RB25 | RB26 | RB23 |
RB26 |
The injury to Joe Burrow definitely affected the fantasy value of the receiving options in Cincinnati, but is going to have an impact on the ceiling for Joe Mixon as well. Prior to Burrow’s injury, Mixon finished as a top-24 RB seven times. The one game sample we have with the new-look Bengals offense isn’t overly encouraging, with Mixon only mustering 16 yards on the ground. What is encouraging though are the 44 yards he managed through the air, but the total of 10 points Cincinnati managed overall doesn’t instill much confidence in the offensive output going forward.
Jacksonville’s defense has been a great matchup for QBs and WRs this season but has been one of the worst for opposing RBs to face. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards on the season and just seven rushing TDs on the year as a whole. Despite their strong rush defense, Jacksonville has allowed a top-24 RB in four of their last seven games. The common thread with the top-24 RBs against the Jags has been their work in the receiving game where they’ve averaged seven receptions for 57 yards. Unless Mixon stays involved in the passing game, it may be a rough week for fantasy managers depending on him.
Kurt would prefer to play: RB22 – Brian Robinson Jr. vs Miami
Jerome Ford (CLE) at LA Rams
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| RB24 | RB24 | RB25 |
R24 |
What started as a waiver wire pickup has turned into one of the most consistent fantasy assets in Jerome Ford. Since taking over as the lead RB in Cleveland, Ford has finished inside the top-24 in all but two games for the Browns and sits as the RB24 on the season. Possibly the only concern going forward for Ford will be the uncertainty in the Browns’ offense due to the instability at QB which could limit the upside for the offense as a whole. Luckily, the Browns run the ball the second most in the league so there should be plenty of work still for Ford down the stretch.
For Ford to continue his top-24 RB streak, the Rams present a tough matchup in Week 13. While Los Angeles’ defense hasn’t been what we have become accustomed to in years past, they’ve only allowed 20+ fantasy points to opposing teams’ RBs twice on the season and have held them to 13 or fewer points seven times. Over their last five games though, the Rams have allowed a top-24 RB four times. As long as Ford continues to get the bulk of the carries for Cleveland, he should still be a solid play despite who ends up playing QB.
Kurt would play Ford over: RB27 – Dameon Pierce vs Denver
Wide Receivers
Chris Godwin (TB) vs Carolina
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| WR34 | WR33 | WR36 |
WR33 |
To say it’s been a disappointing season for fantasy managers who invested in Chris Godwin would be an understatement. Godwin is on pace to finish with fewer than 1,000 yards for the first time since 2021 and his fewest TDs since his rookie season. What’s frustrating for fantasy managers is Godwin has been plenty involved in the Buccaneers’ offense this season, seeing 7.5 targets per game, but he hasn’t been able to turn all those targets into consistent fantasy production.
The 2023 Carolina Panthers‘ defense is this year’s version of the Houston Texans‘ defense that is so bad against the run, teams don’t have to do anything but run the ball against them to have success. Carolina’s defense has allowed a league-leading 18 rushing TDs but the fourth-fewest passing yards in the league. For fantasy, the Panthers have still given up plenty of usable fantasy performances to WRs but have been better over the last month. After allowing a top-24 WR finish in four straight weeks from Weeks 3-6, the Panthers have allowed just two top-24 finishes to a WR over their last four games. With Godwin the clear second option in the Tampa Bay passing game, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for Week 13.
Kurt would prefer to play: WR31 – Brandin Cooks vs Seattle
Curtis Samuel (WASH) vs Miami
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| WR36 | WR36 | WR35 |
WR36 |
After disappearing for fantasy purposes for five weeks, Curtis Samuel finished inside the top-24 WRs for the third time this season on Thanksgiving Day. Samuel has been a huge part of the Commanders’ passing game in sprints this season. From Weeks 4-6 Samuel scored 48% of his fantasy points on the season with 17 receptions for 158 yards and two TDs. Seeing Samuels get back into the fold with the Washington offense with his first 100-yard receiving game since 2020 could serve to jump-start his involvement again down the stretch of the season.
Since Week 8, the Dolphins’ defense has looked like a different unit which should change the way fantasy managers approach matchups against them. Miami has only allowed more than 17 points once in their last four games and has recorded 14 sacks during that stretch. Even with their defense playing well, the Dolphins have still allowed a top-24 WR in back-to-back weeks. The worry for fantasy managers should be exactly how involved in the offense Samuel will be this week and how well the Commanders can protect Sam Howell, but getting a piece of the highest projected total scoring for the week feels like a solid flex play.
Kurt would play Samuel over: WR35 – Amari Cooper at LA Rams
Josh Downs (IND) at Tennessee
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| WR27 | WR26 | WR26 |
WR27 |
For fantasy managers who invested in Josh Downs early in the year, his stretch in the middle of the season makes him one of the best pickups so far this season. From Week 4-8, Downs averaged seven targets and nearly 80 yards per game en route to his two top-24 WR finishes of the season. Since his injury in Week 9 though, Downs hasn’t been able to replicate the same production for fantasy managers. What should make fantasy managers believe in Downs as a flex play, despite his low fantasy output in Week 12, are the 13 targets he saw, which marked a new career high.
If we’re looking for Downs’ targets to repeat, getting a repeat of his finish against the Titans in his first matchup of the season would be a good start. In Week 5, Downs finished as the WR18 on the week in his first big fantasy performance of his career. Since then, the Titans have allowed a top-24 WR in four of six games, including three top-six WR finishes. It may be difficult to trust putting Downs in your lineup after a few disappointing weeks, but he should be a strong flex play with WR2 upside.
Kurt would play Downs over: WR28 – Marquise Brown at Pittsburgh
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson (NO) vs Detroit
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| TE12 | TE13 | TE11 |
TE13 |
There was a lot of hope coming into the season that Juwan Johnson could follow up his TE11 performance in 2022 with an even stronger one after the Saints added Derek Carr as their new starting QB. The reality is that Johnson hasn’t been used anything like he was last season despite still being on the field for 73% of snaps this year. Typically the TE of preference in New Orleans for me would be Taysom Hill because of the many ways he’s used in the offense, but with the Saints’ three best WRs on the injury report, Johnson could be called upon to be much more involved this week.
While the Lions’ defense has been solid this season, the way to attack them has been through the air. Detroit has given up the fifth-most passing TDs on the season and 32% of the TDs have gone to opposing TEs. It may be tough to depend on Johnson in such a critical week, but any increase in opportunity could prove useful for fantasy managers in a pinch. I’d definitely be monitoring the WR injuries ahead of Sunday for New Orleans, but if Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed aren’t active, Johnson should be in lineups this week.
Kurt would play Johnson over: TE11 – Cade Otton vs Carolina
Pat Freiermuth (PIT) vs Arizona
| Ranking | Andy | Jason | Mike |
| TE8 | TE9 | TE7 |
TE9 |
Finally, the Muth is Luth again for fantasy managers! Pat Freiermuth made the most of his increased opportunity in Week 12 finishing as the TE2 on the week, setting a career-high with 120 receiving yards against the Bengals. What’s most exciting about the Muth’s big week is the change at offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh seems to have been directly related to his uptick in his involvement. If Freiermuth can repeat his workload again this week, he may put himself in must-start status moving forward.
If we’re looking for Freiermuth to repeat his big week, we’ll want a repeat of the Cardinals allowing the TE1 on the week as they did in Week 12. In four of their last five games, Arizona’s defense has allowed 10 or more points to the opposing team’s TEs, each of which resulted in them allowing a TD to a TE who finished inside the top 12. With plenty of bye weeks and injuries taking top TEs out of the picture, Freiermuth should be in lineups this week and can be played with confidence.
Kurt would play Freiermuth over: TE6 – Dalton Schultz vs Denver