fantasy football

Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings Thoughts Plus Ask Mike

/ by Mike | Leave a comment

This is a post to discuss Week 13 fantasy football rankings. I will update this throughout the week as the rankings are posted and changed, typically from Wednesday through Sunday morning.

Plus, feel free to ask your own fantasy football questions in the comments. Waivers, free agent add/drops, trades (although I am not a big trader), and start/sit are all fair game. I’ll try to answer as quickly as I can.

Rankings Posted Wednesday

Week 13 fantasy football rankings are up. The initial rankings I mostly use for waivers. Plugging in the league_id for my leagues on MyFantasyLeague.com, Sleeper, or Fantrax, highlights the players who are rostered to identify free agent acquisition targets. If you ever notice a player not marked correctly then let me know. It probably means the player_id for that player isn’t matched in my database.

Only this week and next until the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. Check your standings, and see what you need to happen this week and next to book your spot. Hopefully you are already there. With all of the parity in FF, I’m sure many are not guaranteed.

Here are a handful of initial thoughts for the prelim rankings.

  • That was bizarre last week in Chicago with the Trevor Siemian starting, no wait, he got hurt in warmups, now it is (yikes) Nathan Peterman. No, Siemian is the starter in the end. Not even sure it was decided prior to kickoff. Please lets have Justin Fields come back this week.
  • DeShaun Watson returns and my initial thought is he’ll have a big game with a huge revenge narrative against his former team, and of course, a terrible team, which helps. Now I’ve rolled him back to QB16 given how long he’s been out. Surely there has to be some rust for Watson and some pride by the Texans, right?
  • The Broncos offense is so bad.
  • How can Josh Jacobs be questionable this week after that insane performance last week? At least I didn’t move him down the rankings last week.
  • Christian McCaffrey is another tough one to peg this week, as he has some, “knee irritation”. Elijah Mitchell is out again. Jordan Mason enters the fray. We know what CMC is capable of, but Kyle Shanahan doesn’t seem keen to pull him out of 1st or 2nd-gear.
  • Travis Etienne with a foot issue last week which doesn’t come as a big surprise. Given his prior foot issues, certainly gives pause not only this week but future investments for fantasy.
  • Dameon Pierce has really fallen off even with the return of Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins to relieve a little focus. It looks like the rookie wall is hitting him.
  • Ja’Marr Chase returns! Looking forward to the Chiefs at Bengals match… and I am getting a little sick of watching the Chiefs so much.

Saturday Night Update

I could say all day update, really, because it started this morning, took a break, and continued on into the evening. I went through all of the games to try to identify players over or underrated from a risk-reward standpoint from the early rankings and adjust accordingly. Plus, to account for injury news through Friday practices, of which there are many. Maybe a brief comment or two on each game?

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Deshaun Watson goes scorched earth on the Texans in the ultimate revenge narrative. But, the Browns shouldn’t really have to do much offensively to win this one, and he has to be rusty having never thrown to these teammates before. He’s a middle of the road QB option for me. I’m also more concerned about Dameon Pierce’s last two poor outings than the fantasy analyst community, it seems. Play him if you got him – I do and will – but expectations are in low-ish, even in a seemingly good match up.

Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens

As bad as Russell Wilson looks, he ranked between QB15 and QB24 every week he’s played since Week 5. This surprised me, and I moved him up, slightly to QB24. The QBs are tough to peg in this one. The RBs are tough to peg in this one. This game is a bit of a mess.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

Aaron Rodgers is giving it a go in this one. Will he continue to own the Bears? Fields also is in line to play, and I’m a little concerned about his QB5 ranking if he limits his running to protect the shoulder. Expecting strong games from Aaron Jones, David Montgomery, and AJ Dillon. Dillon looked good last week, let’s see if he can build off that. Shootout potential here. Caveat: moderate winds.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions

Another one with shootout potential. Having a tough time with the running backs in this one, too. Travis Etienne may have something to prove after leaving last week’s game with a foot injury. Jamaal Williams or D’Andre Swift? Williams higher by a hair, he probably scores again. He’s 9 ahead of his previous season high in rushing touchdowns.

New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings

Someone help me, I’ve got one foot on the Mike White bandwagon. Well, he does have a good match up this week against the secondary-challenged Vikings. Fire up White and Garrett Wilson. Start the usual suspects on the Vikings but it should be a tough go against the Jets D.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons

I’m seeing Najee Harris will play which I can only assume that means he’s healthy. He was looking good recently before getting injured last week, and this is a prime match up. I’m way above consensus at RB15, but that could be due to others not adjusting yet. Falcons a little stubborn against the pass per our Steelers-Falcons game preview. Ranking Cordarrelle Patterson always feels like a dart throw. I’m no Ted Lasso at darts.

Tennessee Titans at Philadelphia Eagles

Titans are a tough out, but also getting beat up from injuries. While capable of keeping it close, there is just as halfway decent chance the Eagles could dominate. I’m higher than consensus on Treylon Burks and Quez Watkins in this one.

Washington Commanders at New York Giants

Big division showdown has the Commanders favored as they’ve looked a fair bit better than the Giants lately. Conservative on Barkley as he’s got a tough task in front of him, and little support from the passing game. Prelim rankings had Antonio Gibson ahead of Brian Robinson. I flipped that and put a bigger gap between them. Gibson is questionable for one thing. If they both play, then this is a game where Robinson takes over.

Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers

Dan on Twitter questioned earlier why I am bearish on Tua. I didn’t think I was. I have him QB11 versus consensus QB8, so the numbers speak to it. It is a tough defense. End of the day, I still trust him and would start him, given his offensive weapons and smart head coach returning to his old stomping grounds. While there might be some feeling out early in this one, both offenses should score well by the final whistle.

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams

This is one game I will pass on viewing. The Rams have become unwatchable. The Seahawks should have their way with them, trying to wash the stink away from the OT loss to the Raiders a week ago. Rams have given up a TD to a TE in four of the last five weeks, the other being when Zach Ertz got injured. He hasn’t scored in a while, but I wonder if Noah Fant is due.

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals

Another shootout. Ja’Marr Chase returns and I’ve got him right back near the top at WR3. He was WR1 both weeks prior to injury. Joe Mixon is questionable so that is a bit of a concern, especially being a late game.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

More shootout potential. This looks like another week where if you have a lot of early game players starting, and your opponent has a lot of late game players starting, get worried. Or just don’t look at the live scoring until late Sunday night which is what I do. Josh Jacobs did have a ton of touches last week. Possible slow down this week? Maybe. He is questionable but it would be a surprise if he doesn’t play.

Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys

Really surprised someone didn’t think to flex out this game for Sunday Night Football. Matt Ryan seems criminally low at QB28, but I can’t get past the fact Dan Quinn’s defense played Ryan to a 9-for-21, 117 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT game in Week 10 last season. Yikes.

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Again, not a choice prime time game with so many other good options from Sunday, but not much can be done about the Monday schedule. Tom Brady is looking older and slower. Still good, still knows what he wants to do, but more of a struggle getting the desired results. Expecting this one to be lower scoring, and not sure what to make of the Rachaad White-Leonard Fournette split. I have White over Lenny, RB21 versus RB35. Alvin Kamara is frustrating.

Sunday Morning Update

Really hard judging Joe Mixon with the Chiefs-Bengals game starting after 4:00 pm Eastern, but Mixon still hasn’t cleared concussion protocol. It seems he is less likely to play than play. I moved him down to RB38, moved Samaje Perine up to RB17. If you have both then at least you should be able to monitor up to kickoff to decide. Otherwise, tough decision.

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