What You Need to Know From Week 13

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NO @ ATL

1. Taysom Hill proved he can be a good NFL passer against the Falcons two weeks after facing them in his first NFL start, giving us more confidence to play him against Philadelphia this year. Michael Thomas had nine catches and over 100 yards against the Falcons to ensure that we’ll play this week.
2. Alvin Kamara was shaking our faith in him going into Week 13, but his explosive runs and score vs. Atlanta will keep him in lineups against the Eagles even though his passing game production hasn’t come back. Drew Brees could return in Week 15 to fix that.
3. Todd Gurley was active but didn’t get his normal workload, so we have to assume his knee isn’t right. Ito Smith is the most valuable Falcons back right now, but none are startable.
4. One week after Hayden Hurst finally had a good week with Julio Jones sidelined, he disappeared with Jones on the field for the first time this year. He’s a desperation play against the Chargers and going forward with no rhyme or reason to his production pattern.

CLE @ TEN

1. Corey Davis was a golden ticket to a Week 13 win, helped in part by the Titans giving up 38 points in the first half and passing to get back in the game in the second half. AJ Brown is banged up, so it’s possible that Davis will be more valuable for the rest of the season. This week vs. Jacksonville does have some risk of a low passing volume game.
2. Baker Mayfield’s execution of Kevin Stefanski’s playcalls hit all day, which also reminds us to pick on Tennessee’s defense when we set lineups. The Browns passing game outlook will be diminished this week against Baltimore and in Week 15 against the Giants, but Week 16 against the Jets is promising for Mayfield and Rashard Higgins.
3. Jarvis Landry had his second excellent game in a row and we should try to get him into our lineups even with the Baltimore matchup likely holding down the Browns passing game.
4. Adam Humphries is going on injured reserve and Jonnu Smith is uncertain for Week 14, so Anthony Firkser could be a solid tight end play coming off of a 5-51 game.
5. Kareem Hunt is still getting a lot of work, but his nicks and bumps could be limiting his effectiveness. He’s more flex than RB2 against the Ravens this week.
6. Is Derrick Henry human? He was stopped on a fourth down, a two point conversion, and he fumbled. He’s still obviously in lineups in redraft leagues, but DFS lineups that have relied on him lately have been falling short.

DET @ CHI

1. David Montgomery looked like the player we hoped he’d become in the pros for the second straight week and he’s a must play against the Texans this week.
2. Interim head coach Darrell Bevell has made the offense fun again for Matthew Stafford and his schedule could make him a solid QB1 for the fantasy playoffs. Marvin Jones has also become a better play, although we should also allow for the possibility that the Bears defense is showing cracks, with Deshaun Watson up next to take advantage.
3. Second round pick Cole Kmet appears to have left Jimmy Graham in his wake at tight end and should be the play if you turn to the Bears for a fantasy option at the position.
4. If D’Andre Swift’s illness is still an issue for Week 14 against the porous Packers run defense, Adrian Peterson is the play over Kerryon Johnson, who only got five touches to Peterson’s 16 (including two goal line scores).

CIN @ MIA

1. Tua Tagovailoa had his career high in passing yards, but we have to pause because it was the Bengals (Dallas gets them this week). He had a terrific connection with Mike Gesicki, but the chemistry with DeVante Parker is still a work in progress.
2. Myles Gaskin was back in the driver’s seat with only Patrick Laird healthy among the other backs in the Dolphins backfield.
3. Tyler Boyd’s long touchdown was a short pass that was sprung by a Drew Sample block - a fluke. The Bengals do get the Cowboys this week, but it’s still unlikely that this offense produces any fantasy overachievers.

JAX @ MIN

1. Mike Glennon is keeping the Jaguars competitive, but his passing touchdown was a fluke, off of the back of a Vikings defender. He’s still a very low level QB2/Superflex option, even against the Titans this week.
2. Kirk Cousins is rolling and should be a strong QB1 against the Bucs this week.
3. Dalvin Cook got a lot of work but didn’t break any big plays or score. He should still be in lineups against the Bucs stout run defense, but lower expectations for Week 14.

IND @ HOU

1. Keke Coutee looks like he’ll have the volume and ability to be at least a solid WR3/Flex in PPR leagues going forward and keep an eye out for Chad Hansen, who had a 100-yard day after being activated from the practice squad.
2. Jonathan Taylor is playing as well as he has all year and he should be in lineups against the Raiders this week.
3. Always play T.Y. Hilton against the Texans. He’ll face them again in Week 15.
4. Trey Burton looked good in limited action in Week 12, but it shouldn’t have enticed us to spin the wheel of Colts tight ends in Week 13. We won’t try to figure out this three-headed situation again, no matter the matchup.
5. Philip Rivers showed he can be productive through his severe foot injury, but the Colts lost their backup left tackle, so they’ll be starting a third stringer against the Raiders and Maxx Crosby this week.
6. Duke Johnson Jr and David Johnson are splitting the running back snaps close to equally and Duke is getting all of the receptions, so there’s no clear fantasy play here.

LV @ NYJ

1. Darren Waller posted one of the top ten all-time fantasy games for a tight end, joining names like Mike Ditka, Shannon Sharpe, and Kellen Winslow.
2. Frank Gore went out early with a concussion, opening the door for Ty Johnson to have an RB1 game and Josh Adams to also run well against a Raiders defense that Jonathan Taylor will get to run against this week.
3. Derek Carr hooked up with Henry Ruggs on a long play in the waning seconds to usher out Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was fired after the game at least in part because he called a cover zero blitz with a spy on Carr.
4. Sam Darnold’s solid fantasy game gave us another reason to target the Raiders defense down the stretch. Jamison Crowder caught both of his touchdown passes to revive his fantasy value. After the Colts, the Raiders get the Chargers and Dolphins.
5. Josh Jacobs might not be back this week but that’s no reason to shoehorn Devontae Booker into your lineup against the Colts. Booker was a disappointment against the Jets in a lead back role.

NYG @ SEA

1. The Giants defense was one of the stars of Week 13. Russell Wilson has become a fantasy dud lately, but facing the Jets should fix that in Week 14.
2. Wayne Gallman had multiple big runs to jump start the Giants offense in the second half and should be considered a strong RB2 going forward, regardless of opponent.
3. Daniel Jones should be back this week to breathe some life into a passing game that Colt McCoy flatlined against a resurgent Seahawks defense.

LAR @ ARI

1. Cam Akers appeared to take over the Rams backfield, with seven carries inside the 10 (converting one of them). He has the most value in the backfield, but Sean McVay could keep us on our toes with his backfield split against the Patriots on Thursday.
2. Kyler Murray had three passing touchdowns, but one was directly following a muffed punt and he was not impressive overall as a passer. It’s reasonable to bench him for the fantasy playoffs this week against the Giants after Russell Wilson struggled against them.
3. Jared Goff and McVay own Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Goff should be started against them every time he faces Arizona.

NE @ LAC

1. This game was a flashback to the 2019 Patriots with little offense and two special teams scores. There’s not much to learn here beyond don’t play rookie quarterbacks or trust their offenses against Bill Belichick. We’ll see if he exposed anything the Falcons can use this week against Justin Herbert.

PHI @ GB

1. The Eagles finally pulled the plug on Carson Wentz, at least for right now. Jalen Hurts will start against New Orleans and at least has some 2QB/Superflex appeal because of his running ability. Greg Ward was the most successful receiver while Hurts was out there, but Dallas Goedert is probably the only player from this passing game that we’ll look at for Week 14.
2. Miles Sanders had an even smaller role with Jordan Howard, and the Eagles couldn’t successfully attack the Packers weak run defense. Sanders isn’t an autoplay for Week 14.
3. One week after it looked like Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams might be in something like a 50-50 committee, Jones got most of the work and punctuated his day with a 77-yard weaving and bobbing touchdown run to ice the game.

DEN @ KC

1. Melvin Gordon had his longest run of the year and showed a lot of juice in his runs, giving some confidence to play him as an RB2 against Carolina in Week 14.
2. Drew Lock likes to look to Tim Patrick in the red zone and Patrick rewarded his trust with two scores, including one excellent body control catch at the boundary. Patrick is a what the heck flex vs. Carolina while Lock still rarely looks Jerry Jeudy’s way.
3. Clyde Edwards-Helaire wasn’t over his illness enough to play despite being active. He’ll go back to being a what the heck flex against Miami.
4. The Chiefs offense is going to run through Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Mecole Hardman is droppable after the return of Sammy Watkins slowed his momentum.

WAS @ PIT

1. Logan Thomas started off with a flurry of checkdown receptions and finished with a big catch to set up a score and another one to tie the game in the eventual upset. He’s in the TE1 circle of trust heading into a matchup with the 49ers
2. Antonio Gibson left with a toe injury and he is unlikely to play in Week 14. J.D. McKissic becomes a solid RB2 in PPR leagues with this news.
3. Cam Sims showed some great skill to set up blocks downfield and also made a one-handed catch to set up the go-ahead field goal. He shouldn’t be on any dynasty waiver wires.
4. The pass heavy Steelers offense seemed predictable and easier to stop for Washington as the game went on, we’ll see if that becomes a trend or if the offense becomes more balanced with the return of James Conner this week.

BUF @ SF

1. Josh Allen had maybe his best game as a pro, certainly his best without John Brown as he bucked the trend of being on the downside of his range of outcomes when Brown was out. The rising tide lifted Cole Beasley to a career high in yardage and Dawson Knox and Gabriel Davis to fantasy relevance.
2. Kyle Shanahan is back to his RBBC ways, splitting the work evenly between Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert, rendering both what the heck flex plays going forward.
3. Zack Moss had a fumble at the goal line and was barely heard from again. Devin Singletary becomes at least a flex play against the Steelers as we see whether this is a one week occurrence of the beginning of a new trend in the Bills backfield. Singletary performed well enough to make the coaches consider keeping him in the lead back role.
4. Brandon Aiyuk has been missing some games because of covid, which has hidden his breakout. Since Week 8, only Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams have more fantasy points per game in PPR leagues.

DAL @ BAL

1. Lamar Jackson was a little off as a passer, but strong as a runner and he had a predictably good fantasy game against the weak Cowboys defense, giving hope that he’ll be a good upside play in the fantasy playoffs, at least until he faces the Giants in Week 16.
2. The Cowboys run defense was so bad that JK Dobbins was a good play on 11 carries and Gus Edwards had over 100 yards on seven carries. They’ll be what the heck RB2 plays or flex plays against the Browns, while Giovani Bernard, the 49ers backs, and the Eagles backs get the Cowboys in the fantasy playoffs.
3. Marquise Brown had a terrific touchdown catch and Michael Gallup looked good working the sidelines to give them a fantasy pulse heading into the fantasy playoffs with good matchups against the Bengals (Gallup) and Browns (Brown) this week.
4. The Cowboys problems at offensive tackle didn’t keep Ezekiel Elliott, Andy Dalton and the offense as a whole from being reasonably effective and we shouldn’t worry about the foundational ability to produce from this unit. If Greg Zuerlein could hit a field goal, this would have been a close game.