Fantasy Football Week 13 Review

Without many fireworks from the wideouts around the league in Week 13, huge backfield performances defined the slate. Every-down workhorses such as the Arizona Cardinals' David Johnson fueled success as we head into the fantasy playoffs.

We detail significant updates and performances that defined this week in the NFL. Join us in canvassing the results of Week 13 with a specific eye on the fantasy football marketplace, and as always, feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

Star Signal-Callers

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Quarterbacks who deliver big box scores can heavily influence fantasy football matchups. We highlight the top quarterback performances of the slate.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions 

Stafford's stellar efficiency this season continued in the Superdome on Sunday. He set a franchise record, per ESPN Stats & Info, with 13-straight completions en route to the third-highest fantasy score at the position in ESPN leagues. With 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions on the season, Stafford now has a home game against a depleted Chicago Bears secondary. Week 14 is another opportunity for Stafford to continue his strong season.

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Flacco was started in just 4.5 percent of ESPN leagues, per ESPN.com's Tristan Cockcroft, so we take this nomination lightly. You can consider Flacco's four-score performance an outlier—he's tallied one or fewer passing touchdowns in eight of his past 10 outings. 

Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

Palmer earned the second-highest score of the quarterback slate with an effective line of 300 yards and three scores. That also signaled his third-straight game with multiple touchdowns. Next up is the Miami Dolphins, and a defense that has allowed the highest fantasy score to opposing quarterbacks in consecutive weeks, followed by a home game against the New Orleans Saints. It's a fine time to ride Palmer's hot hand into the fantasy playoffs.

Honorable Mention

Derek Carr continues to shine for the Oakland Raiders, sustaining his bid as an MVP candidate with continued success in the passing phase. Carr delivered two touchdowns and orchestrated multiple late scoring drives to stave off the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

Ben Roethlisberger now has 17 touchdowns in five home games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he travels for the next two weeks.

The Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton is coming off one of his best games of the season in Week 13 and could shine again facing the Cleveland Brown in Week 14.

Top Tailbacks

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A run for glory in fantasy football often involves helpful production from your running backs.

David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Johnson has 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season, tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history to start a season, per ESPN Stats & Info. With 1,709 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns, Johnson's only peers in the tailback group are the Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Le'Veon Bell.  

Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears

This rookie became the first Chicago tailback since Matt Forte in 2013 to tally three touchdowns in a single outing. He was the latest back to enjoy a massive performance against the generous San Francisco 49ers defense. Howard should be busy again next week in Detroit, and he's the lone bankable fantasy asset on the Bears at this stage. 

Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders

With eight touchdowns over his past six games, Murray is increasing his dominance over the Raiders rushing workload. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 50 snaps on Sunday—his highest total of the season. With some inviting matchups down the stretch and a valuable majority of backfield touches, Murray is a high-floor RB2 going forward. 

Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

As the key early-down and short-yardage touchdown producer on an elite offense that ranks in the top three in points per drive, Freeman scored twice on Sunday and cemented his status as a RB1 commodity. Facing some vulnerable defenses over the next four games, namely the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15, Freeman could finish the season strong.

Honorable Mention

LeSean McCoy of the Buffalo Bills netted 191 yards from scrimmage in Oakland against the Raiders. He remains underrated, rarely being grouped in the elite tier where he belongs. With home bids against the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins in Weeks 14 and 15, respectively, you can trust Shady as a RB1.

The San Diego Chargers' Melvin Gordon racked up 138 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, becoming the first player with 10 rushing touchdowns in a season following a season with zero rushing TDs (minimum 100 attempts each season), per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info).

Terrance West of the Baltimore Ravens enjoyed a strong fantasy total in a surprising showing against the Miami Dolphins. It's becoming clearer with each week that we can't trust the Ravens' backfield committee, but West's boom-or-bust nature and scoring upside make him an intriguing option.

For the Sunday night game, the Seattle Seahawks' Thomas Rawls survived a concussion scare and tallied the third-highest fantasy score at the position in ESPN leagues.

Winning Wideouts

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In an increasingly pass-happy NFL, it's vital to find receivers that can make a difference. We identify the top receiving mavens of the week.

Golden Tate, Detroit Lions

Thanks to a team-high 10 targets, Tate thrived in the Superdome and led the NFL with 145 receiving yards this week. There were just four other 100-yard performers on Sunday, and Tate was the top fantasy scorer among wideouts in ESPN standard leagues. If Marvin Jones continues ailing going forward, Tate could be a pivotal asset in points-per-reception formats. 

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

Nelson has scored in five of the past six games and recorded fewer than nine fantasy points in ESPN standard leagues in just two starts. His strong floor and steady scoring pattern support his WR1 value as the key target on the Packers' pass-happy offense. Nelson caught his 10th touchdown of the season against the Houston Texans. This is his third season reaching that mark, joining Sterling Sharpe (four seasons) and Don Hutson (three seasons) as the only Green Bay players to do so, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals

LaFell's big game against a bad Philadelphia Eagles secondary was impressive. His sizable share of the team's target market supports his WR3 value with upside for more going forward.   

Honorable Mention

The Atlanta Falcons' Julio Jones produced his seventh game with at least 100 yards this season and could be a league-winner with meetings against the 49ers and Carolina Panthers in the stretch run of the fantasy playoffs.

The New York Football Giants are getting elite production out of Odell Beckham. His slow start to the season now seems like a mirage—he's produced double-digit fantasy points in six of his past eight games in ESPN leagues.

Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots has consumed the third-highest target share of his respective offense since Week 5. In the wake of Rob Gronkowski's injury, Edelman is a weekly threat for eight receptions and 100 yards.

Top Tight Ends and Defenses

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Tight end can be a frustrating position. Because these players often block in addition to running routes, there can be plenty of variance in production. That gives us even more reason to celebrate the top performances each week.

Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers

Green enjoyed possibly the largest leap in value this week, performing like the Steelers' key playmaker between the painted numbers. The talented tight end missed much of the season with an injury, but he has integrated into the offense over the past several weeks, resulting in 110 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in the win over the New York Giants. With the tight end market eroded by injury, Green is a TE1 commodity to covet. 

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Kelce is on a career yardage bender, trending for nearly 1,100 yards. Jeremy Maclin's absence (groin) from the Kansas City Chiefs lineup is certainly a factor, as Kelce just became the first Chiefs player since Dwayne Bowe in 2010 to record three-straight games with at least 100 yards, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens

Pitta finally turned all those targets and catches into some touchdowns, but we're hesitant to believe this is a trend and not merely an outlier. Pitta has some appeal in deeper PPR formats, but we don't buy his touchdown production.   

Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

We've hyped Brate as a steady weapon and cheap TE1 commodity throughout recent weeks. With 86 yards and the game-winning touchdown on the road in San Diego on Sunday, he's cementing his status as a go-to target for quarterback Jameis Winston. The Bucs, meanwhile, face the New Orleans Saints at home next week in a promising matchup for Brate.

Honorable Mention

Tyler Eifert of the Cincinnati Bengals salvaged his Sunday with a red-zone touchdown, the hallmark of his fantasy value.

The Philadelphia Eagles' Zach Ertz has at least six receptions in four of the past five games and a score in two of the past three.

Decisive Defenses

The Denver Broncos collected three takeaways and scored a defensive touchdown against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars offense.

Don't drop the productive Baltimore Ravens defense just yet. They aren't viable in New England this coming week, but they could prove elite in Week 15 against a reeling Philly offense.

Waiver Watch: Top Pickups to Consider

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The following assets are available in at least 40 percent of ESPN leagues and can provide positive returns going forward.

Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers (Owned in 11.7 percent of ESPN leagues)

Green enjoyed his best game with the Steelers in Week 13. Pittsburgh doesn't have an easy schedule to finish the season, but with the shallow and fickle nature of the tight end position, we should chase shares of Green down the stretch. In a dynamic passing offense and with no clear target to compete with past Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, Green is a solid starting option at the position. He's also a key asset for those who invested in Rob Gronkowski.

Malcolm Mitchell, New England Patriots (19.8 percent)

The New England Patriots' rising rookie produced another strong game, now totaling 222 yards and three scores over the past three games. Tom Brady has relied on his wideouts since Gronkowski went down, signaling Mitchell's sustainable value.

Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals (16.9 percent)

Fourth among wideouts in ESPN standard leagues this week, LaFell has a chance to consume a steady target share of the Bengals' passing game with A.J. Green sidelined for multiple weeks with a significant hamstring injury. There will be some variant scoring in his production pattern, but there is real opportunity for LaFell in this situation.

Dontrelle Inman, San Diego Chargers (19.8 percent)

With at least eight points in six-straight games (PPR formats) and a touchdown in consecutive outings, you should consider Inman a flex asset in leagues that reward receptions. It also helps to consider the Chargers play four soft secondaries to finish the season.

Detroit Lions D/ST (17.4 percent)

With the fantasy playoffs kicking off in most leagues in Week 14, the right streaming defense can be a pivotal edge. After producing six interceptions in the past three games, Detroit's defense could capitalize on a lackluster Chicago Bears offense.

Cincinnati Bengals D/ST (50.7 percent)

The Bengals tallied three interceptions and harassed Philadelphia's Carson Wentz throughout the win over the Eagles on Sunday. Up next is an inviting matchup with Cincinnati's Ohio peers, the winless Cleveland Browns.

Data such as target share, drive rates and fantasy production sourced from an ESPN database.