Fantasy Football Week 13: Big Board and Advice for 'Monday Night Football'
What started out as a year with Super Bowl aspirations for the Dallas Cowboys has evolved into an injury-plagued season. Notable injuries include quarterback Tony Romo (twice) and wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Enter former backup quarterback Brandon Weeden, who would play, go winless and get cut.
From there, the Cowboys turned to Matt Cassel, who also went winless. Under those two Romo fill-ins, the Cowboys went 0-7.
However, Romo returned, and the Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins.
At this point, many speculated that the Cowboys could actually win out and make the playoffs after all.
Then Thanksgiving happened.
Romo broke his collarbone again, and now the Cowboys are sitting at 3-8 with Cassel set to be the man under center going forward.
On the flip side, the Washington Redskins have had a rather successful season, all things considered, including a Week 12 defeat of the New York Giants.
With Cassel under center, it's going to be a battle for the Cowboys to win another game this season.
I'm taking the Redskins, 20-16.
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Big Board
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Here's the Monday night big board:
| Rank | Name | Pos. | Team |
| 1 | Jordan Reed | TE | Washington Redskins |
| 2 | DeSean Jackson | WR | Washington Redskins |
| 3 | Dez Bryant | WR | Dallas Cowboys |
| 4 | Kirk Cousins | QB | Washington Redskins |
| 5 | Darren McFadden | RB | Dallas Cowboys |
| 6 | Pierre Garcon | WR | Washington Redskins |
| 7 | Matt Cassel | QB | Dallas Cowboys |
| 8 | Jason Witten | TE | Dallas Cowboys |
| 9 | Alfred Morris | RB | Washington Redskins |
| 10 | Chris Thompson | RB | Washington Redskins |
Injury Report
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Dallas Cowboys
- Dez Bryant, WR, Probable (Foot)
- Morris Claiborne, CB, Probable (Hamstring)
Washington Redskins
- Keenan Robinson, CB, Questionable (Shoulder)
- Andre Roberts, WR, Questionable (Knee)
- Dashon Goldson, S, Probable (Knee/Hamstring/Wrist)
- Derek Carrier, TE, Questionable (Ankle/Achilles)
- Trenton Robinson, S, Questionable (Placed on Waived/Injured list)
- Chris Thompson, RB, Questionable (Shoulder)
Injury reports courtesy of ESPN.com.
Quarterbacks
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Dallas Cowboys: Matt Cassel
Over his last two starts, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Matt Cassel has been good and, well, bad.
In Week 9, Cassel threw for three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards.
That's the good part.
The bad part was Week 10, when he threw for fewer than 200 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
Don't start Cassel. He's not very good.
Projections: 225 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT.
Washington Redskins: Kirk Cousins
Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown for exactly one touchdown in every game this season except Week 7 and Week 10.
The Cowboys are actually pretty good against opposing quarterbacks, allowing the seventh-least fantasy points to the position.
The Cowboys allow one touchdown pass per game, but I'll say Kirk makes it to two touchdowns Monday night.
Projections: 240 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
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Running Backs
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Dallas Cowboys Starter: Darren McFadden
With the Dallas Cowboys resorting to quarterback Matt Cassel, running back Darren McFadden will be used more going forward.
Additionally, the Washington Redskins allow nearly 4.6 yards per carry and 110 rushing yards per game.
Heading into the playoffs, McFadden is a running back you'll want to own.
Projections: 90 rushing yards; 3 receptions, 30 receiving yards.
Washington Redskins Starter: Alfred Morris
Even with a healthy amount of carries, Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris has not been able to capitalize.
On the season, Morris is averaging less than four yards per carry, and he has yet to score a rushing touchdown.
Morris is far from a must-start.
Projections: 70 rushing yards.
Washington Redskins Backup: Matt Jones
Unfortunately, Washington Redskins running back Matt Jones is gaining notoriety for his fumbling issues.
After fumbling in Week 11, Jones had eight carries in Week 12.
He'll try to work himself back into the mix in Week 13.
Projections: 20 rushing yards; 2 receptions, 10 receiving yards.
Wide Receivers
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Dallas Cowboys: Dez Bryant
It's hard to analyze Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in this circumstance, because he's so good and his quarterback's play is not.
Give Dez a touchdown.
Projections: 5 receptions, 60 receiving yards, 1 TD.
Washington Redskins: DeSean Jackson
Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been hot the past two weeks, scoring touchdowns in both games.
The Cowboys have allowed a mere six receiving touchdowns to the wide receiver position this season, but Jackson is going to make that seven.
Projections: 5 receptions, 80 receiving yards, 1 TD.
Washington Redskins: Pierre Garcon
Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon has been far from the most productive wide receiver option this year.
On the season, Garcon has yet to have 100 yards receiving in a game, and has not scored a touchdown since Week 6.
Also, Garcon is only averaging right around three targets per game the last three weeks.
Garcon is a flex play.
Projections: 4 receptions, 45 yards.
Tight Ends
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Dallas Cowboys Starter: Jason Witten
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has been a steady tight end option this season. As he heads into Week 13, Witten is the TE11 in point-per-reception leagues.
However, Witten has yet to eclipse 75 receiving yards in a game, and he hasn't had a touchdown of his own to celebrate since Week 1.
Witten is a middle-of-the-pack tight end option.
Projections: 4 receptions, 35 receiving yards.
Washington Redskins Starter: Jordan Reed
What can I say? In the games Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed has played, he's the TE2 in point-per-reception leagues.
Reed is clearly Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins' favorite option.
He's a high-end TE1 every week.
Projections: 7 receptions, 70 receiving yards, 1 TD.
Defense/Special Teams
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Dallas Cowboys Defense/Special Teams
Heading into Week 13, the Dallas Cowboys are the third-worst defensive unit in terms of fantasy points.
They won't be a terrible option this week, but you can find better elsewhere.
Projections: 20 points allowed, 1 INT, 3 sacks.
Washington Redskins Defense/Special Teams
The Washington Redskins have a pretty good defense, and their fantasy ranking backs that up, ranking 11th in terms of position.
They're a decent option this week.
Projections: 16 points allowed, 2 INTs, 1 sack.
Best Sleeper Add
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Chris Thompson, RB, Washington Redskins (Owned in 6.1 percent of ESPN Leagues)
Although he's not featured in this column, Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson has the most potential of any "sleeper" pick to rack up the fantasy points.
Thompson has proved to be a viable pass-catching threat in the past.
Start or Sit?
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Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys
While he's teetering on being a top-10 tight end in fantasy land, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten's inconsistency, and consistently low production make him difficult to play against a Washington Redskins team that has allowed just two receiving touchdowns to tight ends all season.
Verdict: Sit.
All advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Fantasy numbers courtesy of ESPN.com.
Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin.
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