Find success this weekend with the NFL Week 13 Start/Sit offense list!
Do you want the good news or the bad news first? The bad news? Ok then.
The bad news is that more devastating injuries pilled up during the Week 12 slate. Injuries to Fantasy Football studs included: Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, D'Andre Swift, Deebo Samuel, and Darren Waller. McCaffrey was placed on season-ending IR while the rest of them may be only a multi-week absence. The timing of these injuries is brutal as the Fantasy Football Playoffs are just around the corner.
Some other injury-based availability questions remain revolve around Darrell Henderson, Miles Sanders, and Pat Freiermuth. These situations amongst others will require close attention as the updates are revealed throughout the weekend from the Friday practice reports to Sunday morning inactive lists.
Now for the good news. Just kidding, more bad news; week 13 has four teams on bye. The teams on Bye include Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, and Tennessee Titans. Another round of a heavy Bye and injury-riddled week of NFL action isn't exactly my idea of a fun time. No need to worry, because the good news is that every matchup on the Week 13 slate will be covered below.
Every matchup will follow the same format of a start/sit confidence spectrum to assist with your lineup setting needs. These decisions that have to be made are very much league setting and roster size-dependent, but I lay out what I think is the best blueprint for success in Week 13! First, let's get re-familiarized with the start/sit system for lineup optimization.
The "Trust, If You Must, and Bust" System:
“Trust” = Strong start, a player who should be started in all formats!
“If You Must” = Weak start, a player who is good enough to be a starter, but faces a tough matchup or holds an unclear opportunity in a good offense. Some caution should be used while the risk is recognized, as this is often league format dependent.
If you play in a shallow league, I would lean towards benching this player if you have a decent replacement option. In a deep league, I would lean towards starting, since the options may be more scarce. Either way, expectations should be managed.
“Bust” = Keep on your bench, at least for now. These players should be avoided since stronger options at the relative position should be considered first. These are players who fit into one of the following categories:
- A player in a tough matchup or currently holds ambiguous weekly opportunities in the offense.
- A strong bench stash for season-long purposes but currently in a “wait and see” period. Wait and see if their role expands for starter caliber consideration. For example, this type of player may be a strong backup RB behind a stud in an elite offense or could be in line for a big workload if the starter misses time.
- Currently lacking a clear offensive opportunity in either a projected good or bad offense
- Is too volatile on a week-to-week basis. There is no need to play boom or bust type players if you can help it.
Weekly Start/Sit Decision Reminders
Be sure to always be mindful of weekly injury reports and gameday inactive announcements as this could pivot a weak starter into a strong starter!
Be sure to always leave the FLEX spot(s) free of Thursday night players!
Thursday Night Football
Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
Cowboys
Trust – Dak Prescott QB, Ezekiel Elliott RB (if active), Amari Cooper WR (if active), CeeDee Lamb WR (if active), Dalton Schultz TE
If You Must – Tony Pollard RB (Trust if Elliott is inactive), Michael Gallup WR (TRUST if Cooper or Lamb are inactive)
Bust - Cedrick Wilson WR
Saints
Trust – Alvin Kamara RB (if active)
If You Must – Trevor Siemian QB or Taysom Hill QB, Mark Ingram RB (TRUST if Kamara is inactive), Marquez Callaway WR
Bust - TreQuan Smith WR
Sunday Early Afternoon Slate
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets
Eagles
Trust – Jalen Hurts QB, DeVonta Smith WR, Dallas Goedert TE, Miles Sanders RB (if active)
If You Must – Boston Scott RB (TRUST if Sanders inactive )
Bust - Jalen Reagor WR, Quez Watkins WR, Kenneth Gainwell RB (If You Must if Sanders inactive)
Jets
If You Must - Corey Davis WR, Jamison Crowder WR, Elijah Moore WR, Tevin Coleman RB, Ty Johnson RB
Bust - Zach Wilson QB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
Buccaneers
Trust – Tom Brady QB, Mike Evans WR, Chris Godwin WR, Leonard Fournette RB, Rob Gronkowski TE
If You Must - Ronald Jones RB
Falcons
Trust – Kyle Pitts TE, Cordarrelle Patterson RB
If You Must - Matt Ryan QB, Russell Gage WR
Bust - Mike Davis RB
Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears
Cardinals
Trust – Kyler Murray QB (if active), DeAndre Hopkins WR (if active), James Conner RB, Zach Ertz TE
If You Must – Christian Kirk WR, Rondale Moore WR, A.J. Green WR
Bears
Trust – David Montgomery RB
If You Must – Justin Fields QB (if active), Cole Kmet TE, Allen Robinson WR (if active), Darnell Mooney WR
Bust - Khalil Herbert RB
Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals
Chargers
Trust – Justin Herbert QB, Austin Ekeler RB, Keenan Allen WR, Mike Williams WR
If You Must - Jared Cook TE
Bengals
Trust – Joe Burrow QB, Ja'Marr Chase WR, Tee Higgins WR, Joe Mixon RB
If You Must - Tyler Boyd WR, C.J. Uzomah TE
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Vikings
Trust - Kirk Cousins QB, Alexander Mattison RB, Justin Jefferson WR, Adam Thielen WR
If You Must – Tyler Conklin TE
Lions
Trust – D'Andre Swift RB (if active), Jamaal Williams RB (if Swift inactive) T.J. Hockenson TE
If You Must – Amon-Ra St. Brown WR, Jared Goff QB
New York Giants at Miami Dolphins
Giants
Trust- Sterling Shepard WR (if active), Saquon Barkley RB
If You Must - Daniel Jones QB (if active), Evan Engram TE, Kenny Golladay WR, Kadarius Toney WR (if active)
Dolphins
Trust - Mike Gesicki TE, Myles Gaskin RB, Tua Tagovailoa QB, Jaylen Waddle WR
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Colts
Trust – Jonathan Taylor RB, Michael Pittman WR, Carson Wentz QB
If You Must - Jack Doyle TE, Nyheim Hines RB, T.Y. Hilton WR
Texans
Trust – Brandin Cooks WR
If You Must - Nico Collins WR, Tyrod Taylor QB
Bust - David Johnson RB, Rex Burkhead RB
Sunday Mid Afternoon Slate
Washington Football Team at Las Vegas Raiders
Football Team
Trust – Antonio Gibson RB, Terry McLaurin WR, Logan Thomas TE
If You Must – Taylor Heinicke QB, J.D. McKissic RB (if active)
Raiders
Trust – Darren Waller TE (if active), Josh Jacobs RB, Hunter Renfrow WR
If You Must – Derek Carr QB, Foster Moreau TE (if Waller inactive)
Bust - Zay Jones WR, Bryan Edwards WR, Kenyan Drake RB
Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Rams
Jaguars
Trust – James Robinson RB
If You Must – Marvin Jones WR, Laviska Shenault WR
Bust - Trevor Lawrence QB
Rams
Trust – Matthew Stafford QB, Cooper Kupp, WR, Darrell Henderson RB (if active), Odell Beckham Jr. WR, Van Jefferson WR
If You Must – Tyler Higbee TE, Sony Michel RB (borderline Trust if Henderson is inactive)
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
Ravens
Trust – Lamar Jackson QB, Mark Andrews TE, Marquise Brown WR
If You Must – Rashod Bateman WR, Devonta Freeman RB
Bust - Latavius Murray RB, Ty'Son Williams RB
Steelers
Trust – Najee Harris RB, Diontae Johnson WR, Chase Claypool WR, Pat Freiermuth TE (if active)
If You Must - Ben Roethlisberger QB
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
49ers
Trust – George Kittle TE, Deebo Samuel WR (if active, unlikely), Elijah Mitchell RB
If You Must – Jimmy Garoppolo QB, Brandon Aiyuk WR
Seahawks
Trust – Russell Wilson QB, D.K. Metcalf WR, Tyler Lockett WR
If You Must - Alex Collins RB, Gerald Everett TE
Sunday Night Football
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Broncos
Trust – Courtland Sutton WR, Jerry Jeudy WR, Noah Fant TE
If You Must – Melvin Gordon RB, Javonte Williams RB, Tim Patrick WR, Teddy Bridgewater QB
Chiefs
Trust – Patrick Mahomes QB, Tyreek Hill WR, Travis Kelce TE, Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB
If You Must – Darrel Williams RB, Mecole Hardman WR
Bust - Jerick McKinnon RB
Monday Night Football
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
Patriots
Trust - Hunter Henry TE
If You Must – Rhamondre Stevenson RB, Damien Harris RB, Jakobi Meyers WR, Mac Jones QB, Kendrick Bourne WR
Bust - Jonnu Smith TE, Nelson Agholor WR
Bills
Trust – Josh Allen QB, Stefon Diggs WR, Dawson Knox TE
If You Must – Devin Singletary RB, Cole Beasley WR, Emmanuel Sanders WR
Bust - Gabriel Davis WR, Matt Breida RB, Zack Moss RB
Good luck with your Week 13 start/sit offense selections and enjoy the games!
