Flex Options for Week 13 (Fantasy Football)
Happy Thanksgiving to the FootClan! Hopefully, you are able to “carve” out some time to watch some football this weekend. If you’re facing any last-second start/sit decisions, give this article a read to see if any of these players can help make your holiday extra cheery. As usual, these are names who are currently ranked outside the top 24 for RBs or top 36 for WRs, but who I think can finish higher than that this week.
Let’s get into it:
Devin Neal, RB, New Orleans Saints
Neal is likely to find himself in a lead-back role this week after Alvin Kamara suffered what appears to be a multi-week knee injury. Hopefully, you got him off waivers in your league, as he was the priority add this week. If you did get him, you can slot him right into your lineups against a Miami defense that is susceptible to both the run and the pass. Neal also appears to come with a decent floor thanks to his passing game work. He caught five of seven targets last week for 43 yards on 74% of the team’s offensive snaps. The increase in work directly coincided with Kamara’s injury, so it should continue this week, making Neal a plug-and-play starter. The game doesn’t boast a spectacular over/under, and New Orleans’ offense has struggled mightily this season to put points on the board, but Neal should return solid flex value based on volume alone.
Aaron Jones Sr., RB. Minnesota Vikings
Jones has now gone multiple weeks without a TD, but he still finished in the top 30 both weeks thanks to his sizable role in this Vikings offense. He also appears to be the preferred option on passing downs for Minnesota, a role that could be in high demand this week as the Vikings go on the road to Seattle. They enter the game as 11.5-point underdogs, and they might be tempted to lean on the run game as much as possible with rookie QB Max Brosmer expected to make his first career start. There shouldn’t be a ton of optimism around the Vikings offense in this one, but frankly, it can’t get any worse than what we’ve seen from JJ McCarthy the last couple of weeks, and Jones has still been good in those games. I’m starting him everywhere I have him this week.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny G. has been balling out for Pittsburgh of late, and I like his chances to stay hot this week against a porous Buffalo run defense. Gainwell is essentially in a 50/50 backfield split with Jaylen Warren. He’s been getting the better side of that 50 the last two weeks and capitalizing on the opportunity. He finished as the RB5 in Week 11 and the RB12 in Week 12, seeing eight and six targets in those contests, respectively. Meanwhile, Buffalo currently ranks as the third best matchup for opposing RBs, allowing 4.4 fantasy points above expected to the position. Not only can Gainwell be trusted as a flex play this week, but he is a borderline must-start for fantasy.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco is making his return from a three-week absence this week, and what a game to come back for. The Chiefs take on the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in a game with a 52.0-point over/under and massive playoff implications for both teams. Prior to his injury, Pacheco had been fairly disappointing for fantasy, but not to the point where managers were considering benching him. He had actually been riding a streak of five consecutive top 36 performances thanks to pretty consistent efficiency and volume. The rub is that he has mostly given up goal-line work to Kareem Hunt this year, which caps his upside, but I still think Pacheco is a solid play for fantasy, especially in a game that projects as a track meet. Hunt has been solid in Pacheco’s stead, but not good enough to keep Pacheco off the field. Pacheco is a high-upside flex option for your fantasy lineups on Thanksgiving.
Andrei Iosivas, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Iosivas almost snuck into the flex options article last week, but the Patriots’ stout defense, in combination with Joe Flacco getting the start, scared me off of him. He ended up being decently productive despite those factors, catching four of seven targets for 61 yards and adding a rush for five yards. This week, however, those roadblocks are out of the picture. Joe Burrow is officially BACK, and this matchup with Baltimore on Thanksgiving sports a 52.0 point over/under. With Tee Higgins officially ruled out due to a concussion, Iosivas has a massive opportunity to produce this week. He is a smash start, and I would play him over names like Deebo Samuel, Alec Pierce, and Darnell Mooney.
