Fantasy Footballers Week 13: Ranking Audit and Podcast Highlights
The final week to make that playoff push is here. Thanksgiving Day gives us three games, including a TNF matchup that could quickly turn into a shootout. A quick reminder to take those Thursday players out of your flex spots and lock them into the positional positions, just in case there is a late-week downgrade for one of your other starters.
As we enter this time of Thanksgiving, I want to give thanks to both the Fantasy Footballers for giving me the opportunity to share my work with you, and I want to thank you, the readers for always checking out my work. Thank you.
Quarterback Rankings
Russell Wilson carries a QB2 consensus ranking and has averaged 2.8 TDs per home game, but faces a stingy Vikings defense and an offense that is focused on running the ball and controlling the clock. One of the Ballers is a little lower than his co-hosts this week on Russ.
Deshaun Watson has been a top QB all season but finds himself in a scary matchup with the league’s top defense. He’s a borderline starter with a consensus QB12 ranking. It’s hard to bench a stud like Watson, who can score 2-3 TDs at the snap of his fingers, but the Patriots have allowed a league-best 9.6 points per game to opposing QBs. In Ballers’ preferred scoring, only three QBs have broken into double digits, with Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz barely doing so. Only Lamar Jackson posted a QB1 performance against them in Week 9 on the back of 61 rushing yards and two rushing TDs.
Jared Goff hasn’t thrown a TD in the month of November and has 5 INTs. Digging a little deeper, he has faced three teams that rank in the Top 10 of the fewest points allowed to opposing QBs. This week he faces the Cardinals, who are allowing the most points in the league to opposing QBs. Only two QBs have posted under 20 points against the Cardinals “defense”. This is a “trust the process” moment for many fantasy owners. After three terrible weeks, Goff may have found his way to your waiver wire. Based on the info above, would you start Goff over Watson?
Running Back Rankings
Aaron Jones is the consensus RB8 heading into Week 13, even after Jamaal Williams out-touched him in Week 12. In fact, Williams has out-touched Jones multiple times over the past few weeks. But Jones is still the RB4 on the season in PPR leagues while Williams sits at RB18.
Leonard Fournette finally found the endzone (twice!) in Week 12, his first scores since Week 5. The matchup with the Buccaneers may look scary on your fantasy app; they are allowing the second-fewest points to opposing RBs while allowing the most or second-most points to QBs, WRs, and TEs. Don’t get cute with Fournette in Week 13. Keep in mind that he is tied with Christian McCaffery for the MOST RB Routes Run (353) through 11 games. Don’t lose sight of the Buccaneers pass defense and Fournette’s 17.9% target share on the season.
Miles Sanders checks in at consensus RB19 but is set-up to outperform that ranking in Week 13. Facing a Dolphins’ defense that is allowing the fourth-most points to opposing RBs on the season, the Eagles should find themselves in a positive game script. The injuries to the Eagles passing game also positions Sanders for a major workload.
Wide Receiver Rankings
Fire up your Jaguars! I didn’t mention Nick Foles in the QB section, but as highlighted in Leonard Fournette’s notes, the Buccaneers are the most friendly team to opposing passing game players. D.J. Chark is a consensus top 5 WR and Dede Westbrook should get flex considerations in this matchup.
Julio Jones is banged up heading into the Thanksgiving Night showdown with the Saints. His running mate, Calvin Ridley, has been the WR9 over the last month of games.
Since his bye in Week 5, DeVante Parker is the WR13 in PPR scoring. The Eagles have been a pass funnel secondary all year, allowing the fourth-most points to opposing WRs. Ryan Fitzpatrick should be looking for Parker early and often as nine-point underdogs.
Tight End Rankings
The TE position continues to be an absolute mess that boils down to finding the players who are the most likely to score a TD. Your TE decision could boil down to, who’s playing the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Packers, or Seahawks. Someone is likely to be available on the waiver wire playing one of those teams.
Dallas Goedert might be the second TE on the Eagles depth chart, but he’s been a solid streaming option and finds himself in a good spot against the Dolphins and likely filling in for some of the ailing WRs.
Gerald Everett hasn’t been a target monster coming off an injury, but a matchup with the Cardinals, who are by far the worst team at defending the TE pushes his ranking up to borderline starting TE, checking in at TE13. However, he is is day-to-day with a knee injury. Tyler Higbee could get the start.
Kyle Rudolph was on fire heading into the Vikings bye week, with at least one TD in three straight games and 5 TDs over his past five games. Facing the Seahawks defense who is allowing the third-most points to opposing TEs is a great spot to be in coming out of the bye week.
Biggest Takeaways from the Week 13 Podcasts
Monday – Week 12 Studs & Stinkers + Weekly Rewind, Endangered Penguins
The Monday show opens with Jason lamenting his propensity to participate in, and be on the losing end of, facing the top-scoring team each week. This week’s Monday Punday gives us the excitement of Ryan Tannethrill and the sadness of Amari Gooser. The Weekly Rewind starts at 11:18, but there isn’t much in the way of major news. Fantasy Studmuffins can be found at 15:30, lead off by the aforementioned Ryan Tannehill and includes both Mike and Andy’s QB starts of the week. The Stinkers of the Week segment starts at 35:29 and the show closes with the MAAAAAIIIIILBAG! at 1:00:45.
Tuesday – Week 13 Waivers + Full Stream Ahead, #TakeLock
The Ballers discuss the absolute blow-out Monday Night Football Game. What happened to the exciting 2018 Rams offense? The News and Notes segment at 10:29, including the return of the Red Rifle for Cincinnati. This week’s Waivers segment opens at 14:21. Full Stream Ahead segment is found at the 43:45 mark and we are treated to another MAAAAAIIIIILBAG! at 56:58.
Wednesday – MEGALODON Episode – Week 13 Matchups, Turkey Day Awards, Starts, & TONS More!
The annual Megalodon Episode is here! The Ballers kick it off with the Turkey Day Awards at 3:37. Who is going to receive these awards?
Tiffany’s Mashed Potatoes
The Burned Dinner Rolls
Sweet Potato Casserole
The Mike Wright Special: Jack in the Box
Thanksgiving Day Turkey
At 15:36, the Ballers’ get into their Buy or Sell segment for a bunch of bounce back of players. The News and Notes starts at 22:37 and focus in on some early-round draft picks that missed time, but might be coming back soon. 30:51 opens the Fantasy Previews on the Thanksgiving Day games:
Bears @ Lions 12:30 PM EST Kickoff
Bills @ Cowboys 4:30 PM EST Kickoff
Saints @ Falcons 8:20 PM EST Kickoff
The Ballers breakup the Fantasy previews, getting into their Starts of the Week at 59:04. If you are still playing in a league with Kickers, Jason’s Ironclad, Locked & Loaded, 100% Guaranteed, Boom Boom Kicker of the Week can be found at 1:14:29. The Ballers get back into the Fantasy Previews at 1:18:06 with the rest of the matchups for Week 13 and close down the Megalodon episode with the Ballers on a Budget segment at 2:38:18.
Fantasy Previews:
Eagles @ Dolphins
Jets @ Bengals
Titans @ Colts
Redskins @ Panthers
Packers @ Giants
49ers @ Ravens
Buccaneers @ Jaguars
Browns @ Steelers
Rams @ Cardinals
Raiders @ Chiefs
Chargers @ Broncos
Patriots @ Texans
Vikings @ Seahawks
As we head into the fall, the weather will start to play a role in some of the games. Make sure you check back every Sunday for Eric Ludwig’s Weekly Weather Conditions article.
Weekly Articles:
Rob Wilson’s Ten Things We Learned from the weekend.
Jeff Greenwood’s Trade Targets and Ammo
Matthew Betz’s Injury Recap
Aaron Larson’s Target Report
Ryan Weisse’s Snap Count Observations
Lauren Carpenter’s Waiver Wire
Ryan Weisse’s Defense/Special Teams Strategy
Much of the DFS content begins to drop on Thursday’s. There are a lot of DFS focused articles, so check them all out here:
Kyle Yates’ Dynasty Report
Kyle Borgognoni’s Predicting the Top-12 QB’s
Sunday – Eric Ludwig’s Weekly Weather Conditions
Have a great weekend and best of luck in Week 13!