Week 13 Fantasy Football Projections: Top 100 Players and PPR Predictions

The holiday season is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Whoever said that didn’t bench Sammy Watkins or C.J. Anderson in fantasy football before their Week 12 breakout games.

The 2015 campaign has been a roller-coaster ride for fantasy owners thanks to high-profile injuries (Rob Gronkowski's and Jimmy Graham's were the latest), inconsistent production and unexpected performances every week. For example, Anderson has not lived up to preseason expectations, and Watkins’ inconsistency has driven fantasy owners mad.

Elsewhere, guys like Markus Wheaton carved up the once-fabled Legion of Boom secondary in Seattle, while Ryan Fitzpatrick outperformed Tom Brady. Whatever is a fantasy football enthusiast to do this year?

While some roster decisions have involved rolling the dice in 2015, the following list of rankings and rounded projections will hopefully provide some clarity for the flex position and beyond heading into a critical Week 13 with postseason spots on the line. The projections are based on a points-per-reception scoring system.

Quarterback

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	New Orleans Saints	27
2	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	26
3	Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	24
4	Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals	St. Louis Rams	22
5	Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	21
6	Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers	Indianapolis Colts	19
7	Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	17
8	Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets	New York Giants	16
9	Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	16
10	Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints	Carolina Panthers	15

Brady will be without Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and Dion Lewis for his Week 13 matchup, but his high ranking is a testament to his greatness and ability to work through those obstacles. It is also a testament to the Eagles defense.

Philadelphia allowed 45 points in each of the last two outings to the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions and Bucs have admittedly played better football over the past few weeks but have nothing on a Brady-led offense.

Philadelphia is spiraling downward as the season progresses, and a matchup with the defending champions and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time could be a disaster. That is, unless you are a fantasy owner relying on Brady.

Running Back

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings	Seattle Seahawks	22
2	Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	22
3	Chris Ivory, New York Jets	New York Giants	20
4	Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams	Arizona Cardinals	20
5	Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	20
6	Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers	New Orleans Saints	18
7	DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers	Indianapolis Colts	18
8	Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	17
9	Thomas Rawls, Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	17
10	T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars	Tennessee Titans	17
11	DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles	New England Patriots	17
12	Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	16
13	LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills	Houston Texans	16
14	C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	13
15	Matt Forte, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	13
16	Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	13
17	Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders	Kansas City Chiefs	12
18	Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys	Washington	11
19	Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens	Miami Dolphins	11
20	Jeremy Langford, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	11
21	Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints	Carolina Panthers	10
22	LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	9
23	Antonio Andrews, Tennessee Titans	Jacksonville Jaguars	9
24	Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs	Oakland Raiders	9
25	Spencer Ware, Kansas City Chiefs	Oakland Raiders	8
26	Alfred Blue, Houston Texans	Buffalo Bills	8
27	Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins	Baltimore Ravens	8
28	Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	8
29	Shaun Draughn, San Francisco 49ers	Chicago Bears	7
30	Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions	Green Bay Packers	7

MVP candidate Adrian Peterson faces a stingy Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 13, but sometimes talent trumps matchups in fantasy football.

The Seahawks allow the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs per game this season, according to ESPN.com, but Peterson is simply too talented to deny. The Minnesota Vikings playmaker leads the league in rushing yards by 223 over the next-closest competitor (Doug Martin) and has found the end zone in each of the last four games.

He is carrying the Minnesota offense atop the NFC North, and the team will ride him all the way to the playoffs. That means plenty of fantasy points in Week 13 and beyond.

Wide Receiver

Rank	Player	Oppponent	Projection
1	Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	25
2	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Indianapolis Colts	24
3	Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys	Washington	24
4	A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	23
5	Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants	New York Jets	21
6	DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans	Buffalo Bills	20
7	Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders	Kansas City Chiefs	19
8	Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	19
9	Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	18
10	Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	17
11	Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions	Green Bay Packers	16
12	Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	14
13	Brandon Marshall, New York Jets	New York Giants	14
14	Danny Amendola, New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	14
15	Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars	Tennessee Titans	13
16	Eric Decker, New York Jets	New York Giants	13
17	Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals	St. Louis Rams	12
18	Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins	Baltimore Ravens	12
19	Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers	Indianapolis Colts	11
20	Jeremy Maclin, Kansas City Chiefs	Oakland Raiders	11
21	DeSean Jackson, Washington	Dallas Cowboys	11
22	Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers	Chicago Bears	11
23	T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts	Pittsburgh Steelers	10
24	Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	9
25	Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills	Houston Texans	9
26	Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	8
27	Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings	Seattle Seahawks	8
28	Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles	New England Patriots	7
29	Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	7
30	Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints	Carolina Panthers	6

Demaryius Thomas is coming off an abysmal game against the New England Patriots, with only one catch on 13 targets. However, fantasy owners should heed the target numbers as evidence that Denver quarterback Brock Osweiler trusts his go-to receiver.

Thomas is still well on his way to his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season with 875 on the year, and he gets to go against a San Diego Chargers defense that was 22nd in the league in passing yards allowed per game after Sunday’s action. Expect a strong bounce-back effort.

Tight End

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	11
2	Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers	New Orleans Saints	11
3	Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans	Jacksonville Jaguars	9
4	Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars	Tennessee Titans	9
5	Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs	Oakland Raiders	7
6	Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	7
7	Scott Chandler, New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	7
8	Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns	Cincinnati Bengals	6
9	Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers	Denver Broncos	6
10	Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys	Washington	5

Gronkowski’s injury opens up an opportunity for tight end Scott Chandler, who will seize it against a vulnerable Eagles defense.

Chandler scored a touchdown Sunday against the Broncos and also received a team-high 11 targets, many of which came with Gronkowski on the field. Chandler also had something of a track record before he joined the talented Patriots, with 655 receiving yards in 2013 with the Buffalo Bills and 12 combined touchdowns in 2011 and 2012.

Brady will throw to Chandler enough against the Eagles to make the tight end a valuable waiver-wire target in Week 13.

Kicker

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	16
2	Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers	New Orleans Saints	13
3	Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Cardinals	St. Louis Rams	13
4	Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	12
5	Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	12
6	Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings	Seattle Seahawks	11
7	Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	11
8	Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	10
9	Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens	Miami Dolphins	10
10	Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders	Kansas City Chiefs	10

A matchup with the Eagles defense means plenty of points for Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski. The special teams weapon is 24-for-25 on field goals this season and has drilled four of 50 yards or more.

Matt Dolloff of CBS Boston praised Gostkowski after his effort against the Broncos:

"

Gostkowski has grown into perhaps the best, most dependable kicker in the league. This season he has finally gotten the chances to prove it, and quickly silenced his remaining doubters. It’s too bad the Patriots couldn’t pull off the win Sunday night, because if they did, Gostkowski’s game-tying kick at the end of regulation–the entire preceding drive, really – would have been the stuff of legend.

"

A clutch kicker against a struggling defense is a recipe for fantasy gold.

Defense

Rank	Defense	Opponent	Projection
1	Cincinnati Bengals	Cleveland Browns	14
2	Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	13
3	Arizona Cardinals	St. Louis Rams	13
4	Houston Texans	Buffalo Bills	11
5	Carolina Panthers	New Orleans Saints	11
6	Chicago Bears	San Francisco 49ers	10
7	Kansas City Chiefs	Oakland Raiders	10
8	New England Patriots	Philadelphia Eagles	9
9	Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	9
10	Seattle Seahawks	Minnesota Vikings	8

The Chicago Bears face the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, but their high ranking is not primarily about Blaine Gabbert, who has been much better than expected. Rather, it is a recognition of one of the more underrated defenses in the league.

Chicago allowed less than 20 points in each of its last four games, and those contests came against stars such as Aaron Rodgers, Thomas, Todd Gurley and Philip Rivers. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has this team rolling right into playoff contention, and safety Chris Prosinski claimed that “the guy is a genius” when discussing his impact, via Adam Hoge of WGN Radio.

San Francisco also allows the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses per game, according to ESPN.com. That means the Chicago defense will carry it to another victory and rack up some fantasy points along the way.