Fantasy Football Week 13 Rankings: Projections to Love and Matchups to Exploit

One week before the fantasy football playoffs, either you're fighting for playoff contention or clinched and lounging, possibly with a bye week. 

If this is the week that decides your postseason prospects, then read ahead for the positional rankings and analysis of the top projections that set the tone for rosters across every league. If you're sitting comfy with a playoff position, then check you've got your quarterbacks and defenses planned out for the last three weeks.

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and your lineup's ankles were as blessed as your day of football and food was spiritually and physically nourishing. These rankings exclude any players from those Thursday games since we don't dwell on the past here.

Quarterbacks

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

2. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (at Miami Dolphins)

3. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Los Angeles Rams)

4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at New York Giants)

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

6. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (at Arizona Cardinals)

7. Sam Darnold, New York Jets (at Cincinnati Bengals)

8. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Jacksonville Jaguars)

9. Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

10. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans (at Indianapolis Colts)

11. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (at Houston Texans)

12. Kyle Allen, Carolina Panthers (vs. Washington National Football Team)

Patrick Mahomes vs. Oakland Raiders

Russell Wilson is tasked with the Minnesota Vikings, Dak Prescott with the Buffalo Bills and Deshaun Watson with the New England Patriots. Patrick Mahomes gets...the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are allowing the fifth-most passing yards and second-most touchdowns per game. They just gave up 34 points to Sam Darnold and the New York Jets. Now, they face a Chiefs team that is fresh off of a bye week and should have Tyreek Hill back just in time for an important divisional game.

Kansas City's passing attack has struggled to regain 2018's dominance at times this season, but Patrick Mahomes is still a former MVP who dropped 443 yards and four touchdowns on Oakland, without an interception, in Week 2.

Mahomes should light it up again, especially if Kansas City opts to hit the air as Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy deal with injury concerns. 

Projection: 387 yards, three touchdowns

Running Backs

1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers (vs. Washington Redskins)

2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings (at Seattle Seahawks)

3. Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders (at Kansas City Chiefs)

4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans (at Indianapolis Colts)

5. Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets (at Cincinnati Bengals)

6. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles (at Miami Dolphins)

7. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (at Pittsburgh Steelers)

8. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams (at Arizona Cardinals)

9. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (vs. Green Bay Packers)

10. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

11. Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (at Denver Broncos)

12. Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

Christian McCaffrey vs. Washington Redskins

In standard, non-points-per-reception leagues, Christian McCaffrey has scored under 17.7 fantasy points just once this season. That was against the Buccaneers, who allow the second-fewest rushing yards per game.

In Week 13, he faces Washington, which conversely allows the fifth-most rushing yards per game. McCaffrey averages 20.1 rushing attempts and 7.5 targets. He was already the best fantasy player not named Lamar Jackson and then he was named "the most skilled white dude in NFL history" by teammate Gerald McCoy. 

Now, he gets to face the Raiders with playoff hopes on the line in Week 13.

Projection: 74 rushing yards, 68 receiving yards, two touchdowns

Wide Receivers

1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (at New York Giants)

2. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Jacksonville Jaguars)

3. Devante Parker, Miami Dolphins (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)

4. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

5. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. New York Jets)

6. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Jacksonville Jaguars)

7. Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (at Houston Texans)

8. DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers (vs. Washington's National Football Team)

9. DJ Chark Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

10. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams (at Arizona Cardinals)

11. Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Los Angeles Rams)

12. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns (at Pittsburgh Steelers)

Davante Adams vs. New York Giants

Green Bay's offense has not met expectations in 2019. The Packers have hit over 300 passing yards in just two of their 11 games thus far.

Much of it has been without Davante Adams, but Green Bay still only managed 81 passing yards in Week 12's loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

But Adams is still Adams, and Rodgers has shown moments reminiscent of his earlier form. The New York Giants are a bottom-10 pass defense in terms of yards allowed and are especially susceptible to receivers in Adams' tier. Allen Robinson (131 yards, one touchdown), Amari Cooper (80 yards, one touchdown) and Kenny Golladay (123 yards, two touchdowns) have all scorched New York in the past five weeks.

Since returning from injury, Adams is averaging 11 targets per game. None of the aforementioned prototypical receivers are getting over 8.7. Talented and trusted by Rodgers, he should return to the big numbers as the Green Bay offense capitalizes on a great opportunity to get back into rhythm.  

Projection: 148 yards, one touchdown

Tight Ends

1. Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders (at Kansas City Chiefs)

2. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (at Miami Dolphins)

3. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

4. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (at Baltimore Ravens)

5. Ryan Griffin, New York Jets (at Cincinnati Bengals)

6. Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams (at Arizona Cardinals)

7. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers (at Denver Broncos)

8. Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Tennessee Titans)

9. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

10. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (at Miami Dolphins)

11. Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

12. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

Darren Waller vs. Kansas City Chiefs

If Zach Ertz ends up missing the game against the Dolphins because of his hamstring injury, then Dallas Goedert should soar into TE1 contention. But Ertz has played through this injury before and is likely to do so again.

That leaves Darren Waller as the best candidate to finish this week as the top tight end. The 2019 standout was losing targets to the deft rookie, Hunter Renfrow, as the season progressed—but he is now out for the year with a rib injury and punctured lung.  

As Renfrow averaged nearly six targets over the past four games, Waller's targets dropped to five, down from his 8.3 mark over the first seven games.

With Renfrow sidelined, the Raiders passing attack will need to resume leaning on its tight end. Waller is talented and faces a defense that allows the most receptions to tight ends in 2019. He should be leaned on as his offense looks to overcome the deficits laid upon them by Mahomes and Co.

Projection: 138 yards, one touchdown