NFL Predictions Week 13: Fantasy Guide, Odds Projections and Expert Tips

While there may be some folks who are a bit down on the quality and the popularity of the NFL this season, the gaming side appears to be as strong as ever.

Fantasy football is a genuine phenomenon (and, quite honestly, one of the few legitimate reasons to sit through some of those Thursday night contests). The traditional gaming market continues to have its place as well.

Well, there are 14 matchups remaining on the Week 13 slate, which means there are plenty of fantasy opportunities ahead. Today, we're going to examine some of the best options in fantasy and against the Vegas odds.

We'll be running down the remaining schedule along with the latest lines—courtesy of OddsShark.com—and making our picks against the spreads. We'll also rank some of the top fantasy flex options and identify some players to watch.

Week 13 Schedule and Picks

Game	Line	Prediction
Los Angeles at New England	NE -13.5	NE
Detroit at New Orleans	NO -6	NO
Philadelphia at Cincinnati	CIN -1.5	CIN
Houston at Green Bay	GB -6.5	GB
Kansas City at Atlanta	ATL -5.5	ATL
Miami at Baltimore	BAL -3.5	BAL
Denver at Jacksonville	DEN -3.5	DEN
San Francisco at Chicago	Even	CHI
Buffalo at Oakland	OAK -3	OAK
Tampa Bay at San Diego	SD -4	SD
Washington at Arizona	ARI -2	WAS
NY Giants at Pittsburgh	PIT -6	PIT
Carolina at Seattle	SEA -7	CAR
Indianapolis at NY Jets	IND -2	IND

Top 25 Fantasy Flex Options

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Le'Veon Bell, RB, PIT	NYG
2	David Johnson, RB, ARI	WAS
3	Antonio Brown, WR, PIT	NYG
4	Melvin Gordon, RB, SD	TB
5	Julio Jones, WR, ATL	KC
6	Mike Evans, WR, TB	@ SD
7	LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF	@ OAK
8	Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI	WAS
9	Odell Beckham Jr., NYG	@ PIT
10	Jordan Howard, RB, CHI	SF
11	Jordy Nelson, WR, GB	HOU
12	Spencer Ware, RB, KC	@ ATL
13	Matt Forte, RB, NYJ	IND
14	Julian Edelman, WR, NE	LA
15	Theo Riddick, RB, DET	@ NO
16	Amari Cooper, WR, OAK	BUF
17	Devontae Booker, RB, DEN	@ JAX
18	T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND	@ NYJ
19	Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA	CAR
20	Jamison Crowder, WR, WAS	@ ARI
21	Jimmy Graham, TE, SEA	CAR
22	Jay Ajayi, RB, MIA	@ BAL
23	Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL	KC
24	Tyreek Hill, WR, KC	@ ATL
25	Latavius Murray, RB, OAK	BUF

Players to Watch

Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck obviously doesn't hold a place on our flex rankings, but he is a player worth watching in Week 13. The bearded gunslinger missed Week 12 with a concussion but appears set for a return against the New York Jets.

“Full practice, no restrictions, felt great,’’ Luck said earlier this week, per Mike Chappell of CBS4Indy.com.

If you're a Luck owner who was forced to sit him last week, it's probably safe to go ahead and drop that extra quarterback in favor for a skill-position player that can actually help you in the postseason.

Luck and the Colts will be battling a secondary that is rated just 28th in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus.

Melvin Gordon, RB, San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is a bit on the up-and-down side when it comes to his on-field performances. For example, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry a few weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans then averaged 2.9 yards per carry the next week against the Miami Dolphins.

Overall, though, Gordon has been an excellent fantasy back because of his workload and his role in the passing game. Though he's averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, Gordon has 908 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground this season. He also has 37 receptions for 365 yards and two more scores.

Because Gordon has earned the role of every-down back in San Diego, he is a veritable must-start in fantasy.

Expect Gordon to be the centerpiece of the Chargers offense this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pro Football Focus rates the Buccaneers just 31st in run blocking for the season.

Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

We've seen a few great games out of Chicago Bears rookie running back Jordan Howard, and we've also seen some fantasy disappointments.

Howard has topped 100 total yards five times as a starter this season. Two of his other three games as a starter produced 40 or fewer total yards.

The good news for Howard owners is that the games have been better and more consistent in recent weeks. He's had at least 99 total combined rushing and receiving yards in each of his past four games. A fifth should be on the schedule this week.

Howard and the Bears host the San Francisco 49ers, who are allowing an NFL-worst 171.8 yards rushing per game.

Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Rookie wideout Tyreek Hill has emerged as a legitimate playmaker for the Kansas City Chiefs this season. The West Alabama product has been especially effective in recent weeks. He has 23 receptions for 194 yards and a touchdown with a rushing score since Week 10.

“He’s continued to improve,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Hill, per Pete Sweeney of the team's official website. “We’re asking him to do a ton of things and he just handles it. I’ve told you before I think he’s a smart kid, shows up and does all the things that we’re asking him to do.”

Don't be surprised if Hill has a tremendous fantasy outing this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Not only do the Falcons allow an NFL-worst 282.2 yards passing per game, but they score an NFL-best 32.5 points per game.

This means that Hill could find a lot of room in the secondary and that the Chiefs could be forced to throw early and often.

Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Jimmy Graham has returned to being a fantasy stud this season. He has already racked up 51 receptions for 706 yards and four touchdowns. He has also firmly grabbed the attention of quarterback Russell Wilson.

"Play after play, catch after catch, the catches that he’s making, his grit, his ability to overcome situations and obstacles, it’s a true testament to the character of a man that he is and the person that he is," Wilson said, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com.

Expect Wilson to target Graham with regularity this week against the Carolina Panthers. This could lead to a significant fantasy day for the former New Orleans Saints star. Pro Football Focus rates the Panthers just 26th in pass coverage for the season.