Week 13 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Final Review of Most Difficult Fantasy Matchups

Entering a crucial fantasy football weekend that will make or break playoff applications, several owners are already off to a rousing head start.

Established stars began Week 13 off with a bang. Matthew Stafford, LeSean McCoy, Joique Bell, Calvin Johnson and Alshon Jeffery all delivered on Thursday, making fantasy players thankful for their services. After performing below their first-round statuses all season, McCoy and Johnson especially excited gamers with vintage efforts.

Meanwhile, things are gloomy for anyone who counted on Tony Romo or anybody on the San Francisco 49ers. They will have to overcome the odds and fight from behind this Sunday. Maybe the stakes aren't too high in a game based on a game, but four months of work will go down the drain for unlucky owners blocked out of playoff contention.

Half of these guys will help manufacture a Week 13 win, but the others will tank any chance of emerging a victor.

Start: Eli Manning, New York Giants (at Jacksonville)

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Is this a trap? It feels like a trap, but Eli Manning's favorable late schedule makes him a strong play down the stretch.

A week removed from smashing the Dallas Cowboys for 338 passing yards and three touchdowns, Manning gets the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ranked third with 33 sacks, they stripped Andrew Luck four times this week. That makes them dangerous.

Their No. 27 passing defense, however, opens the door for business. Interceptions fluctuate, but they've picked off opponents only five times this season. Manning reached that mark in one game against the 49ers, so it helps not to face a ball-hawking secondary.

After losing six straight games to winning teams, the Giants get the Jaguars, followed by the Tennessee Titans and Washington again. This upcoming stretch of enticing opponents reflects New York's earlier three-game winning streak, during which Manning amassed eight touchdowns and just one turnover.

Yet Manning realizes the Giants are in no position to judge, per ESPN.com's Dan Graziano.

Well, let's do it for him. Manning is on pace to eclipse 4,000 passing yards and throw for 30 touchdowns during an erratic season. With Odell Beckham Jr's emergence as a legit No. 1 receiver, the 33-year-old quarterback becomes relevant in a generous matchup.

Sit: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at Minnesota)

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If only this segment could travel back in time and recommend the nice readers bench Romo. Oh well, let's settle on someone who should occupy this real estate for the considerable future.

Cam Newton tallied 598 passing yards and four touchdowns over his past two contests, but look at the opponents. The Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons rank last and No. 28, respectively, against the pass. 

Also, the five interceptions. He's now thrown 10 this season, all within the last seven games. And don't go crawling to his rushing ability, and he's accumulated just 293 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season.

The Minnesota Vikings aren't a great team, but they're strong against the pass with a No. 7 ranking. They allow 14.5 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, which rates No. 22 in ESPN.com leagues. Meanwhile, Newton is sporting a 58.6 completion percentage, making him a below-average choice in a below-average matchup.

Start: Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams (vs. Oakland)

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Even if Tre Mason's matchup isn't as easy as some may think, he still remains a viable No. 2 running back this weekend.

The Oakland Raiders aren't as horrible against the run as the raw numbers indicate. Although they own the No. 24 rushing defense, their 3.8 opposing yards per carry places them in a much better light. 

It stems from volume, as running backs average 28.7 carries per game with most of them enjoying leads over the 1-10 Raiders. The St. Louis Rams can't promise such a distinction, but this is also a squad with Shaun Hill at quarterback. Barring an unlikely blowout in Oakland's favor, Mason should get his touches.

During the past four weeks, the rookie has received 19.5 carries per contest. The mark expands to 22 in three winning efforts in which he participated. Even if he ends up his 20 rushes for 78 yards, not many managers are in a position to pass that up, especially given the possibility of a end-zone trip.

Temper expectations, but use Mason as a high-floor option.

Sit: Trent Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Washington)

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Ahmad Bradshaw's season-ending injury opened the door for Trent Richardson to assume greater responsibility in the Indianapolis Colts offense. That door, however, closed before their first game without Bradshaw.

Instead of Richardson taking control against the Jaguars, Daniel Herron received the first start of his career. An afterthought up until Week 12, he slid seamlessly into Bradshaw's old job description, splitting carries with Richardson while getting more looks as a pass-catcher.

Player	Rushes	Rush YDs	TDs	Rec.	Rec. YDs
Richardson	13	42	1	0	0
Herron	12	65	0	5	31

The former No. 3 pick from Alabama appeased his fantasy owners with a touchdown, but another inefficient afternoon of 42 rushing yards on 13 rushes puts his season average to a dismal 3.4 yards per carry.

Given his lack of production and Herron's emergence, Richardson's fantasy value remains firmly attached to short touchdowns, and such boom-or-bust plays are hardly the most attractive choices. Herron is more worth using at a flex play, especially in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues.

Start: Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers (at Baltimore)

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Come back, everyone. Keenan Allen is safe to use again.

Commanding high praise following a fantastic rookie campaign, Allen stumbled out of the gate this season, collecting 296 receiving yards through the opening six games. Since then, he has resurfaced as a focal element of the San Diego Chargers passing offense.

Over the last five tilts, the sophomore has caught 33 passes on 53 targets for 345 yards and his only two touchdowns of the year. Although his workload increased, he struggled to make the most of those receptions until last week, when he broke free with a season-high 35-yard play along with a 29-yard score.

U-T San Diego's Michael Gehlken documented Allen's slump-buster against the Rams.

Anyone who kept him around is in luck, as the Baltimore Ravens present one of the league's friendliest foes for wideouts. They allow 25.9 fantasy points per game to receivers, the third-worst clip, while surrendering a lofty 13.9 yards per catch.

If he regains his deep-play prowess along with a steady dose or targets, Allen will cap off the season as a No. 2 fantasy wideout.

Sit: Eric Decker, New York Jets (vs. Miami)

Here we go again. Following a dreadful performance from Michael Vick, Rex Ryan is going back to Geno Smith under center. Per ESPN.com Rich Cimini, Ryan plans to stick with Smith for the final five games.

Quick refresher on the second-year quarterback: He completed 57.8 percent of his passes this season while averaging 5.96 yards per attempt. Smith has thrown 19 touchdowns over his career with 31 interceptions.

Vick was no savior, so this news doesn't plummet Eric Decker's fantasy value. Since Vick targeted him 23 tries in three starts, it also won't help to relieve Smith in the Meadowlands. 

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Either quarterback was doomed to fail against the Miami Dolphins' second-best passing defense. It shouldn't shock anyone that switching from Peyton Manning to Smith and Vick has torpedoed Decker's worth, as he has yet to produce 75 or more yards in a single game with Gang Green.

Starting such a low-ceiling player in a brutal matchup makes no sense. Maybe he and Smith stumble upon a score, but an uneventful 45-yard day is more feasible. 

Start: Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (at Houston)

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On one hand, Delanie Walker gets a golden matchup in the Houston Texans' second-worst pass defense. Yet it's not that simple, as tight ends rarely inflict the damage.

For all their secondary woes, the Texans have yielded just 482 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends in 2015. They've surrendered 4.7 ESPN.com fantasy points per game to the position, so employing Walker isn't a slam dunk by any means. 

Starting him says more about his own abilities than the matchup. Since Zach Mettenberger took over for the Tennessee Titans, Walker has received 24 targets in three games, absorbing 229 yards and a score. 

After breaking off a 68-yard reception against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday, Walker leads all tight ends with 15.5 yards per catch. Fantasy owners don't have to fret his involvement either, as only Martellus Bennett, Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham and Greg Olsen top him in targets.

Cleared to play last week with a concussion, a healthy Walker serves as a sturdy top-10 play.

Sit: Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Carolina)

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Kyle Rudolph is a massive, 6'6", 259-pound target who reeled in nine touchdowns during the 2009 season. Size and production, however, can only go so far without recent results.

Returning from a six-week hiatus with a very favorable matchup, Rudolph was stricken from the box score against the Chicago Bears. While he at least proved his presence last weekend, three catches and 50 yards hardly makes him a fantasy starter again.

The Panthers are yet another team vulnerable against the pass, but not necessarily to tight ends. They allow a below-average 6.0 fantasy points per contest to them, burned for a mere two scores in 11 games.

Anyone who trusts Teddy Bridgewater to distribute success is braver than most fantasy gamers. He may prove a sneaky start during the fantasy playoffs, but owners still should wait for him to first demonstrate that upside.

Note: Fantasy scoring information via ESPN.com.

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