With just one week left in most regular seasons for fantasy football owners, finding and relying on sleepers will be more important now than ever. Two teams with strong offenses, the Panthers and the Buccaneers, are on bye, and fantasy owners will need to have capable replacements for them. Plus, there are still some injuries thinning out position rankings, so owners facing must-win situations will have some tough start 'em, sit 'em decisions and will need to find the right sleepers, such as Cam Akers, Devontae Booker, Taysom Hill, and Keke Coutee, to earn a win and stay alive for the fantasy playoffs.
WEEK 13 FANTASY: Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Last week, our sleeper picks had some big hits. Wayne Gallman and David Montgomery both posted big-yardage games and found the end zone at RB; Philip Rivers used garbage time to ride to a solid day at QB; Cole Beasley actually threw a TD for the Bills; and Mike Gesicki, Robert Tonyan, and Austin Hooper all found the end zone. Even our defenses -- the Giants, Seahawks, and Packers -- all did well and were able to keep most fantasy lineups afloat. We'll try to stay hot again this week while trying to avoid some of last wee's mistakes (most notably, Derek Carr).
WEEK 13 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 13 Fantasy Sleepers: Running backs
Cam Akers, Rams @ Cardinals (Jacob Camenker). Akers has scored in back-to-back games for the Rams -- once through the air and once on the ground -- and he is becoming increasingly involved in the team's offense. Last week, Darrell Henderson out-carried him 10-9, but it was Akers that led the team in rushing with an impressive 84 yards on his nine carries. The Cardinals have been solid against the run this year, but they have allowed five rushing TDs to RBs in their past five games, including two last week to James White. Akers should have a chance to extend his scoring streak as his workload continues to increase.
Frank Gore, Jets vs. Raiders (Vinnie Iyer). Gore is getting the volume, and the Raiders gave up a big game to Ito Smith last week. Adam Gase will give Gore 20 touches again.
Devontae Booker, Raiders @ Jets (Matt Lutovsky). Even if Josh Jacobs (ankle) plays this week, expect Booker to be more involved. Over the past four games, he’s averaging 9.3 touches, and while that number is inflated by garbage-time carries in a blowout win in Week 10, it still shows he’s always going to get a couple drives to himself every game. With the Jets allowing the 12th-most fantasy points per game (FPPG), Booker will put up flex-worthy stats in a complementary role or RB2-worthy stats in a lead role. (Update: Jacobs has been ruled out for Week 13.)
WEEK 13 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 13 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins, Vikings vs. Jaguars (Camenker). Cousins is on one of his patented hot streaks and has logged three passing TDs in four of his past six games. During that span, he is averaging 272.7 passing yards per game, as well. Cousins gets to face a Jaguars defense that has allowed 22.6 FPPG to QBs this year, good for the third most in the NFL, so he should have a chance to stay hot, especially with Adam Thielen likely set to return from the COVID list.
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears vs. Lions (Iyer). He lit them up in Week 1 with the same exact numbers he dropped on the Packers last week. He’s a borderline QB1 all of a sudden based on matchup.
Taysom Hill, Saints @ Falcons (Lutovsky). Hill put up an efficient 233 passing yards, 49 rushing yards, and two rushing TDs against the Falcons in Week 11, and something similar seems in order this week. Hill still has plenty of pass deficiencies, but Atlanta’s 31st-ranked pass defense will help him overcome those. Plus, you know the rushing floor is always there.
WEEK 13 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 13 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide receivers
Keke Coutee, Texans vs. Colts (Camenker). Between the suspension of Will Fuller, the injury to Randall Cobb (toe), and the release of Kenny Stills, the Texans have lost 40.8 percent of their total receiving production from a receptions standpoint in the last week-plus. They still have Brandin Cooks, but now, they need a player to step up as a No. 2 receiver. That will likely end up being Coutee, who averaged 82 targets per 16 games in his first two seasons (2018-'19) and was somewhat productive. He should be a high-volume slot guy in PPR, and even against a good defense, Deshaun Watson will get him opportunities to produce.
Sterling Shepard, Giants at Seahawks (Iyer). He’s been getting high volume of late as their most reliable wideout, and Colt McCoy (likely) should be feeding him a lot with no deep stuff available.
Corey Davis, Titans vs. Browns (Lutovsky). Aside from a shutout against the Bears in Week 9, Davis has had at least 10 PPR points in every other one of his games this year. It’s always risky trusting a No. 2 receiver on a run-heavy team, but Davis has found a way to get it done. Against the Browns, who allow the 11th-most FPPG to WRs, that should continue.
MORE WEEK 13 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
Week 13 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight ends
Jordan Reed, 49ers vs. Bills (Camenker). The Bills are one of two teams to surrender 700-plus receiving yards to TEs this season. Reed has gone between solid and lackluster in recent starts, but he has seen six targets in back-to-back games. The opportunities should continue to be there for him and he should take advantage of this great matchup.
Eric Ebron, Steelers vs. Washington (Iyer). He has a very good matchup to be good for about five catches, 40 yards and a TD. Washington can contain the downfield stuff well.
Kyle Rudolph, Packers vs. Jaguars (Lutovsky). Only the Falcons have been worse than the Jaguars against TEs this year, so even if Irv Smith Jr. (groin) is back, Rudolph has a chance to pay off as a low-end TE1 streamer. He’s averaged five targets per game over his past four contests, including a season-high eight looks last week.
WEEK 13 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 13 Fantasy Sleepers: Defenses
Green Bay Packers vs. Eagles (Camenker). Carson Wentz had thrown a league-leading 15 interceptions this year and has taken a whopping 46 sacks. The Packers just demolished Mitchell Trubisky, forcing three turnovers, sacking the QB three times, and logging a defensive TD. They should repeat that success against the Eagles.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Broncos (Iyer). They are a no-brainer to have a big game at home on Sunday night and destroy this offense for a second time.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Patriots (Lutovsky). The Patriots don’t pass all that much, which can limit a D/ST’s ability to put up fantasy points against them, but New England still found a way to allow three sacks and throw two INTs last week against Arizona. This is simply not a good offense, and the Chargers, who are coming off one of their best defensive games of the season in Buffalo (three sacks, three takeaways), can take advantage.
