Fantasy Football Week 13: Making the Call on Toughest Lineup Decisions

Like the Cleveland Browns on a potential game-winning kick, more than a handful of owners likely struggled last week.

It's to be expected with so many tough lineup decisions floating out there. Still, it's never fun to watch as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees struggles to seven points, somebody named Spencer Ware outscores LeSean McCoy and Doug Baldwin comes out of nowhere to lead all scorers at wideout.

There's always room for a comeback in most cases (sorry, Browns), though, so owners can best rebound with the season winding down by taking the lessons learned from past weeks and applying them to Week 13.

Within, let's take a look at some of the most difficult start-sit decisions sure to stump owners.

START: Matt Hasselbeck at Pittsburgh Steelers

What, worried about a 40-year-old quarterback? 

Don't be. Matt Hasselbeck of the Indianapolis Colts is as reliable as it gets this season, having started four games, gone 4-0 and, more importantly, posted 15 or more points three times. Last time out, Hasselbeck posted a season-high 20 points.

Another season high might be in play this week.

Thank the struggling Pittsburgh Steelers. Part of the reason the aforementioned Baldwin went wild is because the Steelers can't stop anything and last week coughed up five passing scores and 34 points to quarterbacks.

For those counting, the Steelers have now allowed five sets of quarterbacks to reach 20 or more points. Over their last three outings, the Steelers have allowed four or more passing touchdowns twice.

Nobody would suggest Hasselbeck will hit the rewind button by 10 years and throw four scores, but he's the perfect streaming option.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 20-of-27, 345 passing yards, two touchdowns.

SIT: Philip Rivers vs. Denver Broncos

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Philip Rivers will have a hard time against the Denver defense.

Forget about it. 

Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers might be fantasy's fifth-ranked quarterback in terms of scoring, and he might have tossed four touchdowns last time out. But this isn't the week to trot him out with confidence.

Rivers has yet to encounter the Denver Broncos this year, which is probably a good thing because Von Miller's defense surrenders the fewest points to quarterbacks on average and has allowed more than two passing touchdowns to a quarterback one time this season.

Six sets of quarterbacks have managed single-digit production against the unit. Rivers won't be that bad, but this isn't one of those times owners should wing it and toss him in the lineup because it's a familiar opponent.

In fact, over two games against the Broncos last year, Rivers mustered just four touchdowns to four interceptions. Bonus—the Chargers are worse this year, and the Broncos arguably better.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 22-of-40, 210 passing yards, one touchdown, two interceptions.

START: Lamar Miller vs. Baltimore Ravens

Owners have every right to be angry with Miami Dolphins lead back Lamar Miller, who over the course of his last two games has managed just six total points.

They only have to look at the five-game stretch before that—where Miller posted 15 or more points four times—for encouragement.

Understand that the Dolphins just made coaching changes, letting go of Bill Lazor for Zac Taylor as offensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com's James Walker.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald pointed out the feelings in the locker room over the move: "Jay Ajayi said Zac Taylor told players they will establish run game. Lazor didn't do that enough to [head coach Dan] Campbell's liking."

Miller's going to see a renewed set of usage for a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, a team letting up the fifth-fewest points to backs. It should be noted, though, nobody runs much on the Ravens because they're so terrible against the pass.

Given Miller's versatility, he's going to post a massive game.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 19 carries, 135 yards, one touchdown. Six catches, 55 yards.

SIT: Thomas Rawls at Minnesota Vikings

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Thomas Rawls will struggle to find room against Minnesota.

This might be a different story if it were Marshawn Lynch. 

It's not, though. The Seattle Seahawks have quite the gem in Thomas Rawls, who has 14 or more points in each of his past two outings. But asking him to go up against an elite run defense doesn't make a ton of sense—and on the road too.

The Minnesota Vikings allow the sixth-fewest points to backs this year and have only allowed four touchdowns to the position—two of which came in Week 1, when Carlos Hyde was briefly a thing.

Rawls will merely be the latest back to get stonewalled against the Vikings. Don't expect his magical run to continue when the Vikings can mostly focus on that aspect of the Seattle attack and shut it down.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 22 carries, 65 yards.

START: Darren McFadden at Washington

It's not easy to trust Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden right now after a miserable seven points on Thanksgiving. 

Fine, but those sort of outings happen when playing a defense like the Carolina Panthers. On paper, McFadden has another tough encounter in Week 13 when he takes on Washington, a defense that has allowed just four touchdowns to backs this year.

But McFadden figures to see a major workload with quarterback Tony Romo out of the picture. Opportunities equal production, even against the Washington defense—over the unit's last seven outings, six opposing backfields have managed 113 or more rushing yards.

McFadden can flirt with those sorts of numbers, if not find pay dirt too. It looks like a rough matchup, but circumstances suggest the focal point of the Dallas offense can break through.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 27 carries, 115 yards, one touchdown.

SIT: DeMarco Murray at New England Patriots

Does anyone really want to trot out a running back starting for a team that has lost in 45-17 and 45-14 fashion over its last two games? 

Of course not—if not for the lack of offensive movement, then for the sheer lack of chances, as the team doesn't have a choice but to take to the air more often.

This, of course, refers to the Philadelphia Eagles and lead back DeMarco Murray. In that span, Murray has just nine total points, and he hasn't been impressive most of the year while reaching double digits just five times.

To be fair, the New England Patriots have allowed four rushing touchdowns to backs over the course of their last two games. But for Tom Brady to torch a Philadelphia defense that let Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jameis Winston throw five touchdowns seems a sure thing.

As such, Murray once again won't see meaningful usage.

Projected Week 13 Stats: 15 carries, 45 yards.

START: John Brown at St. Louis Rams

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

John Brown can break out against a struggling Rams defense.

It's time to hop back on the John Brown hype train, folks. 

Brown fell off a cliff beginning in Week 8 while he dealt with injuries, going for double digits just once over the course of his past four outings. He seems on the rebound, though, having scored 10 and nine points over his last two games.

Pair injury issues with a date against the St. Louis Rams, and it's easy to see why many might still be down on Brown. After all, St. Louis allows the third-fewest points to wideouts and has allowed just six scores to the spot.

The silver lining? Three of those touchdowns have come over the course of the past two weeks as the Rams begin to unravel. Back in Week 4, Brown caught seven passes for 75 yards and eight points against the unit.

A suddenly leaky pass defense against a healthier Brown should see him reach paydirt and strong production this time.

Projected Week 13 Stats: Eight catches, 122 yards, one touchdown.

SIT: Stefon Diggs vs. Seattle Seahawks

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Stefon Diggs next gets the Legion of Boom.

It was fun while it lasted, Stefon Diggs.

Diggs exploded onto the scene in Week 6, posting three double-digit outings in a row and looking like one of the league's premier deep threats in a maturing offense.

Now Diggs heads in the complete opposite direction with no trips to double digits over his last four and hitting a new low last week with just three points.

Don't expect him to turn it around either, not with the Seahawks in town. The so-called "Legion of Boom" somewhat lives up to the nickname this year by allowing the fourth-fewest points to wideouts in 2015 and just four touchdowns.

There's always a chance Diggs breaks free for a long touchdown, but odds are it won't happen against Richard Sherman and Company.

Projected Week 13 Stats: Four catches, 44 yards.

START: Scott Chandler vs. Philadelphia Eagles

When there's no Rob Gronkowski available, owners must look...on the same roster, of course. 

There's no timetable for Gronk's return, so Scott Chandler steps up to the plate as a viable option both for owners who swooped in and needed help or outright needed a Gronk replacement.

Chandler will play pretty much the same role in the New England offense. In Week 12, as if to confirm this, he caught five passes for 58 yards and a score, good for 11 points.

While Chandler now has to deal with a Philadelphia Eagles team allowing the second-fewest points to tight ends, it's an exaggerated line considering in Week 11 the unit just gave up its first double-digit allowance.

As mentioned, this game figures to be a massacre. Chandler's going to get in on the fun early and often.

Projected Week 13 Stats: Eight catches, 102 yards, one touchdown.

SIT: Jason Witten at Washington

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

Jason Witten doesn't have much value without Tony Romo.

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten still touts an ownership percentage of 89.6 in large part because many owners hinged hope on his being a viable contributor whenever Romo returned. 

Now Romo's gone, though, and it's time to let go. Witten hasn't scored a touchdown or reached double digits since Week 1. He's caught four or more passes nine times to establish some sort of floor, but it's nowhere near what owners need on a week-to-week basis.

To make the outlook even more bleak, keep in mind the matchup against Washington. The defense allows the seventh-fewest points to the position and has let up just two touchdowns all year and one double-digit outing.

Witten's a big name who personified reliability at a shaky position in past years. Owners will have to get over the sentimental value, though, and perform moves that create winning lineups.

Projected Week 13 Stats: Four catches, 38 yards.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats as of Dec. 3. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com.