Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 13 Matchups to Consider
The final steps to the fantasy playoffs start in Thanksgiving Week with a slate as important as they come! With all 32 teams in play this week, bye weeks aren’t a concern, but what should be a concern is getting your lineups set to their best to help propel you into the best playoff spot!
For one of the final times in the fantasy regular season, let’s walk through a handful of matchups at each position ahead of Week 13!
Make sure to head to Footclan HQ to use all of the useful tools before locking in those lineups!
Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford
QB - LAR
After a slow first month of the season, Matthew Stafford has been at his very best into the heart of the NFL season, playing at an MVP level. Stafford has been lights out for fantasy this season once he got rolling. Since Week 4, Stafford has finished as a top-8 QB in six of eight games and scored 25+ fantasy points five times during that stretch. Where Stafford is making his fantasy money has been the massive amount of TDs he’s tossed this season. On the year, Stafford has an 8% TD rate, which is tracking for easily the highest of his career, with his current highest season total sitting at 6.8% back in 2021 when he finished as the QB5.
Stafford will have an interesting matchup to continue his hot streak for fantasy against the Panthers. Carolina’s defense is middle of the pack in the league in yards allowed through the air, but they have forced 10 interceptions this season, good enough for 6th-most in the league. For fantasy, the Panthers have been pretty tough against opposing QBs, only allowing 11+ points twice in their last six games. Over that stretch, Carolina has only allowed a QB to throw multiple TDs once and has held opposing QBs to zero TDs three times. It’s not prescriptive for fantasy managers to shift away from Stafford this week, but expectations might need to be tempered with a more difficult matchup than it may initially seem.
Justin Herbert
QB - LAC
It’s really been a mixed bag of production this season for Justin Herbert in the Chargers’ offense. While Herbert has finished as a top-10 QB just five times this season, he has only ever really stunk for fantasy managers once, and that was the last time we saw him in Week 11 when he scored just 3.3 points. Other than that, Herbert has averaged 20.3 fantasy points per game. An added bonus to keep that average up has been the 31.4 rushing yards per game that Herbert has averaged per game this season. Herbert has already set a new career-high in rushing yards on the season, so it’s likely he will continue to use his legs to provide a baseline for his fantasy production going forward.
If Herbert is going to get back on the right track for fantasy after his bye week, he will have an interesting matchup to do so against the Raiders this week. Las Vegas has been a mixed bag for fantasy success this season when it comes to opposing QBs. In their last six games, the Raiders have allowed just three top-12 QB finishes and have only allowed 20+ fantasy points from opposing fantasy QBs four times this season. As a heavy favorite this week, there is a chance that Herbert might not be needed much, so his upside could be limited this week.
Running Backs
Rico Dowdle
RB - PIT
There was really a stretch of the season where Rico Dowdle was one of the absolute best RBs to have on a fantasy roster. In a five-week stretch from Weeks 5-9, Dowdle finished as the RB2 or better three different weeks and averaged 21.1 fantasy points per week, and that is including a week where he scored just 5.4 fantasy points. Since then, Dowdle has cooled off a bit but has still finished inside the top 24 each week, though he did so in Week 12, scoring just 9.4 fantasy points. While it may be just a one-off, Dowdle only saw six carries Monday night against the 49ers, so there could be some concern for his large workload that gave him the avenue for the massive fantasy production earlier in the year.
A tough task lies ahead for Dowdle this week with a tough matchup against the Rams on the slate. Los Angeles’ defense has been one of the best against the run in the league. On the season, the Rams have allowed just four rushing TDs and have allowed the league’s shortest longest run of just 29 yards. For fantasy, the results have really been the same for RBs up against Los Angeles. The Rams have only allowed four top-24 RBs on the season, and two of those were Christian McCaffrey. While the Panthers’ offense isn’t necessarily a great power, Dowdle still has real value but may be limited to a FLEX option this week against this defense.
David Montgomery
RB - HOU
Over the last several seasons, the pair of RBs in the Lions backfield has been beneficial for all fantasy managers who had either David Montgomery or Jahmyr Gibbs, but that hasn’t been the case for the former this season. Montgomery still sits as the RB24 on the season, but that is probably more attributed to being healthy and involved in a good offense than it is with being a true valuable fantasy asset. On the season, Montgomery has scored 10+ fantasy points just four times, and those are the only games where he has gotten into the end zone. The truth is, Montgomery isn’t seeing the amount of red zone work that he saw last season when he punched in 12 TDs inside the 20 on 50 total carries, while this season, he is on pace for just 34 touches.
If getting into the end zone is the key to fantasy success returning for Montgomery, he’s got an uphill battle in a matchup against the Packers on Thanksgiving. Green Bay has allowed the 6th-fewest rushing yards in the league and just eight rushing TDs on the year. Still, they have been a decent matchup for fantasy RBs. On the year, the Packers have given up a top-24 RB finish in all but four games and have allowed a RB to hit that mark in seven of their last nine games. While Montgomery might be a tough bet, he still holds some FLEX value this week, but if he cannot get back on track for fantasy managers, it may be time to consider sitting him altogether as we enter the fantasy playoffs.
Devin Neal
RB - NO
Opportunity knocks for the Saints’ rookie RB Devin Neal, as he should be thrust into starting action this week. Neal brought an interesting profile into the NFL out of Kansas with a well-rounded game and a decent pass-catching profile that should translate at this level. In limited opportunities last week, Neal managed 61 yards, with most of that coming through the passing game, where he caught five passes for 43 yards. If Neal assumes the starting role for the Saints this week, he will likely have a full game of touches to really show what he’s capable of contributing for a fantasy roster.
A matchup against the Dolphins should provide a real chance for Neal to produce for fantasy lineups this week. Miami’s defense has allowed the 4th-most rushing yards on the season and the 2nd-most carries of over 40+ yards on the year. Over their last 7 games, the Dolphins have allowed a top-10 RB finish four times, though they haven’t given up a top-24 RB in three of their last four games before their bye last week. It’s a bit of a risk with no teams missing in action this week, but fantasy managers in need could look to Neal as a real FLEX option this week.
Wide Receivers
Zay Flowers
WR - BAL
It’s been a strange season to have Zay Flowers on a fantasy roster. Flowers has been a real water chestnut of a fantasy asset as he’s rarely left bad flavor in the mouths of fantasy managers, but there hasn’t been anything consistently great about him either. What is encouraging for Flowers’ fantasy value is the consistency with which he’s seeing targets, averaging seven per game on the season. With any luck, if Lamar Jackson finds a way back to the passing prowess that had him in the running for MVP last season, Flowers should be a direct beneficiary.
If there is a chance for Flowers to get back into real fantasy production, a matchup against the Bengals should give him every opportunity needed. Cincinnati’s defense has allowed the 4th-most receiving yards this season and a league-high 26 passing TDs. While the Bengals have been susceptible against the pass, over the last few weeks, none of that fantasy goodness has gone to the WR position, but rather the TE and RBs they’ve faced. Still, in their last four games, Cincinnati has allowed a top-24 WR three times, though they haven’t allowed a WR to hit that mark in their last two games. With the second-highest point total expected this week, Flowers should help fantasy managers get off to a hot start on Thanksgiving night.
Christian Watson
WR - GB
Since returning from injury, Christian Watson has really stepped into being the WR that the Packers needed to help improve their passing attack. Watson has been plenty involved in Green Bay’s passing attack in his limited action this season, averaging nearly five targets per game in the five games he’s appeared in this year. What’s really been missing from Watson’s fantasy value – and most of the Packers WRs this season – has been the ability to get into the end zone. Watson has only scored a TD in one game this year and hasn’t gotten one of his trademark bomb TDs either, so it may just be a matter of time before he gets loose.
Maybe the best way to attack the Lions’ defense this season has been through the air, so Watson may have one of his best opportunities to return some fantasy value this week. Detroit’s defense has allowed the 8th-most passing TDs on the year and 37 passes of 20+ yards. Over the last month, the Lions have allowed three top-24 WR finishes, including two just last week to the Giants. While Watson hasn’t really been the dynamite asset that fantasy managers might have once hoped for, this Turkey Day matchup might be one to target for that big play we have been waiting on.
Wan'Dale Robinson
WR - TEN
While there has been disappointment among the fantasy community with the exciting fantasy assets in New York missing significant time due to injury this season, a surprising bright spot has been Wan’Dale Robinson’s emergence. Robinson has been the most consistent option in the Giants’ offense this season and has been very involved on a consistent basis. Over the last six weeks, Robinson has seen 11 or more targets four times, though that’s only really translated into usable fantasy success twice when he’s finished as the WR21 and most recently the WR2 just last week.
A matchup with the Patriots should provide another real opportunity for Robinson to produce again for fantasy managers. New England’s defense has been a solid unit all season, but their specialty has been stopping the run and not the pass. The Patriots have allowed the 10th-most passing TDs on the season, though just 6.9 yards per attempt. For fantasy, over their last four games, New England has allowed four top-20 WRs, though they came in just three games and three of which were WR8 or better. Regardless of who is starting at QB for the Giants, Robinson should have the right matchup to produce for lineups again this week.
Tight Ends
Brenton Strange
TE - JAX
The return from injury came with a strong fantasy performance for Brenton Strange. Strange missed five games and came back to be the leading receiver for the Jaguars right away. With the receiving options in Jacksonville limited, Strange turned in a career-high in receiving yards against the Cardinals. What is more encouraging is that Strange garnered his first red zone target of the season, so there could be more TD upside to raise the ceiling for him in the needy Jaguars’ passing game.
While Strange is definitely an option for fantasy managers, a matchup against the Titans may be tougher than it first appears. Tennessee’s defense has been susceptible to opposing passing attacks, allowing 7.8 yards per attempt, the third-most in the league. Against TEs in particular, though, they have been stingy, allowing just eight fantasy points per game to the position. Over the last month, the Titans have only allowed opposing teams’ TEs to score more than 10 fantasy points once. Strange’s involvement in the passing attack for Jacksonville may be a little more matchup-proof, but it could be a risky play to bet on a repeat performance from him this week.
Brock Bowers
TE - LV
It’s been a complicated season for fantasy managers who invested in Brock Bowers early in fantasy drafts. Bowers has had his setbacks due to injury, but the offense as a whole in Las Vegas has really held him back from repeating the phenomenal rookie season that had him finish as the TE1. There may be some hope, though, with changes coming to the offensive play-calling in Vegas as Greg Olson takes over as Offensive Coordinator with the firing of Chip Kelly. When Olson has been OC in the past, we’ve seen three different seasons with TEs getting over 100 targets. While it may be a stretch to get Bowers up over 100 targets this season (he would need to average nine targets per game for the rest of the season), this could signal some positive change for Bowers going forward.
If Bowers is going to get back on track this week, he will have a tough matchup to do so against the Chargers this week. Los Angeles’ defense has been one of the best against the pass in general this season, allowing the 2nd-fewest passing yards and just 10 passing TDs on the year. Where the Chargers may be their best is against TEs, though, where they have allowed less than 10 fantasy points to opposing teams’ TEs in each of their last four games. While it’s not prescriptive to consider sitting a player like Bowers, expectations should be dialed back for Week 13.