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Week 13 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
It's Thanksgiving Week, and many fantasy managers are reading this with a house filled with the delicious aromas of a feast yet to come. Or as they try to stay awake after eating entirely too much turkey so they can watch football.
However, Thanksgiving dinner isn't the only feast fantasy managers are hoping for in Week 13. They also want a heaping plate of victory. In fact, many managers need it.
Some teams have been gorging on opponents all season, and they are already well-positioned for the fantasy playoffs with nine-plus wins. But for teams with six or seven wins, they are famished. Finish these next two weeks strong, and it's on to the playoffs. Take another loss or two, and the season ends with an empty belly.
Have no fear, though, my gravy-covered friends. This column is all about offering sustenance to fantasy managers in Week 13, with recommendations for players who should be in lineups, others who should be relegated to the kiddie table and some sleeper picks at each position.
Quarterbacks
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Start 'Em
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (at TB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800]
The Cardinals have dropped a whopping eight straight games, but Brissett has been productive. He's fourth in fantasy points among quarterbacks over the past four weeks. That production should continue Sunday in Tampa, where the Buccaneers have given up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (at DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]
It's not easy for fantasy managers to trust an inconsistent quarterback with a bad (non-throwing) shoulder who is coming off a down week. Still, if the Packers are going to go into Ford Field on Thanksgiving and get a win, Love is going to have to take to the air, and the Lions have been a plus fantasy matchup for QBs this season.
Sit 'Em
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (vs. GB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]
Goff has again been a solid fantasy starter and a top-five fantasy option under center over the last four weeks. But the 31-year-old will have his hands full with Micah Parsons and the Green Bay defense this week. His second-worst fantasy outing of the season came when these teams met at Lambeau Field in Week 1.
Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]
Some of the shine has come off of Daniel Jones of late, and his last 20-point fantasy outing came back in Week 8. Now he and the Colts play host to a scorching-hot Houston Texans defense that leads the NFL in total defense and has surrendered the fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks in 2025. Oh, and there's the whole broken leg thing, too.
Sleeper
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans (vs. JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]
Admittedly, it's not easy to trust Ward in a must-win fantasy matchup after an uneven rookie season. Last week, though, he threw for 256 yards and a touchdown, ran for 37 yards and a score and was fourth among QBs in fantasy points. The Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position this season.
Running Backs
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Start 'Em
R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos (at WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]
Harvey hasn't impressed since taking over No. 1 duties in the Denver backfield after J.K. Dobbins went down, but this is breakout week. The floundering Commanders have allowed 137.5 rushing yards per game (sixth-most in the NFL) and the sixth-most PPR points per game to running backs.
TreVeyon Henderson, New England (vs. NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]
This appears to be Henderson's backfield now. Even with Rhamondre Stevenson back last week, the rookie dominated the backfield touches. Henderson will peel off a long touchdown run on Monday night against the Giants. New York's 157.2 rushing yards given per game leads the league.
Sit 'Em
Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (vs. LAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,900]
There's no way the Panthers would be a .500 football team were it not for the hard running of Dowdle. However, he has just 25 carries for 83 yards over the past two games combined, and now faces a stout Rams defense that has surrendered the third-fewest PPR points per game to running backs this year.
Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]
Williams has averaged 19 carries per game over the last three weeks, but he didn't find the end zone in any of those games. He's going to go hungry on Thanksgiving as well, because the Chiefs have given up just 97.6 rushing yards per game and the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to the running back position.
Sleeper
Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000]
It isn't easy for fantasy managers to have faith in a third-string running back for a two-win team. With Alvin Kamara (knee) unlikely to play this week, Neal should see quite a few touches against a Dolphins run defense that has given up 142.6 yards per game on the ground and the 11th-most PPR points per game to backs in 2025.
Wide Receivers
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Start 'Em
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (at WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]
Surprisingly, Franklin leads the Broncos in targets (81), receptions (46) and touchdown catches (5) 12 games into the season. The Washington defense has been a mess this year. The Commanders are 29th in the league in pass defense and have allowed the third-most PPR points per game to wide receivers.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]
Shakir caught eight passes for 110 yards last week in a bad matchup with the Houston Texans, although he also lost a costly fumble. After playing one of the NFL's best defenses, the Bills now face one of the worst. Only the Cincinnati Bengals are giving up more passing yards per game than the Steelers.
Sit 'Em
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]
The Cincinnati defense is terrible. The Bengals are the only NFL team allowing over 30 points per game. But they have quietly been a bottom-10 fantasy matchup for wide receivers this season, while Baltimore's offense is struggling and Flowers hasn't found the end zone since the season opener.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (at SEA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,100]
Fantasy managers can't seriously consider sitting Jefferson, or at least most can't. But he is outside the top-12 fantasy receivers for the season, has failed to hit 10 PPR points in two of his past three games and now has to contend with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer at quarterback.
Sleeper
Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (vs. NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,700]
Boutte has been very hit-or-miss this year, and last week was most assuredly a miss, with two catches for 15 yards in his return from injury. The 23-year-old will get back on track Monday night against a bad Giants defense that has surrendered the fifth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers in 2025.
Tight Ends
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Start 'Em
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600]
This writer has spent much of the season bagging on Andrews as a highly touchdown-reliant fantasy option. But the veteran is going to do some feasting of his own Thursday night against a woeful Bengals defense that has given up buckets of fantasy points to tight ends all season.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,800]
Not much has gone right for the Giants this year, but Johnson has been a bright spot. The second-year pro has surpassed 10 PPR points in three of his last four games. He'll make it four of five Monday night against a New England Patriots defense giving up the ninth-most PPR points per game to tight ends in 2025.
Sit 'Em
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100]
Ferguson caught five passes for 60 yards last week—his first game with over 50 receiving yards since Week 3. However, it will likely take a touchdown for him to salvage a good game Thursday against a Chiefs team allowing the ninth-most PPR points per game to tight ends.
Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]
After finding the end zone in three straight games, Warren has gone four straight contests without scoring a touchdown. Now he has to take on a stout Houston defense that ranks third in the league against the pass and has surrendered the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends this season.
Sleeper
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,700]
With Alvin Kamara sidelined by a knee injury last week, Hill had a season-high 10 carries against the Atlanta Falcons. Those touches only turned into 17 yards, but the Miami Dolphins allow a lot of rushing yards and a lot of fantasy points per game to TEs.
Team Defenses
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Start 'Em
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,700]
This has nothing to do with the Jaguars, and everything to do with the Titans, who are averaging less than 250 yards of offense per game—last in the league. Tennessee is 30th in the league in scoring at just 15.2 points per game, and Titans quarterback Cam Ward has been dropped a league-high 45 times.
Miami Dolphins Defense (vs. NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]
Are the Dolphins a good team? Nope, but they have won two straight, including a victory over Buffalo where they gave up just 13 points. The Saints looked lost on offense (again) last week, probably won't have Alvin Kamara and are on the road. Miami's a solid play for fantasy managers who stream defenses based on matchups.
Sit 'Em
Houston Texans Defense (at IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900]
After watching the Texans terrorize Josh Allen in Week 12, the Houston defense is hard to sit. It leads the league in both fantasy points among defenses and total defense. However, the Colts have been a terrible matchup for defenses this year—no team has given up fewer fantasy points per game to the position.
Philadelphia Eagles Defense (vs. CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900]
The Eagles are likely still trying to figure out what happened last week in Dallas. Philly's defense has been hit pretty hard by injuries on the back end, and Chicago's offense has improved steadily as the season wore on. The Bears have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to defenses this year.
Sleeper
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense (vs. ARI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]
The Buccaneers have been average defensively most of the season, with the defense struggling to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. But the Cardinals have surrendered an NFC-high 40 sacks this season, and while Jacoby Brissett has moved the ball, he has also made some mistakes with the football.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.
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