It’s playoff time for most fantasy football leagues.
It’s also the time when one or two poor lineup decisions could cost you money and bragging rights in your league. Luckily for you, we’ve looked at the toughest roster choices and compiled a start/sit list for Week 13.
Obviously, fantasy studs such as Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. should be started. Thus, those players were omitted from this list. Check it out below.
Quarterbacks
Start: Brock Osweiler, Jay Cutler, Eli Manning, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Derek Carr
Sit: Brian Hoyer, Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Tannehill, Blake Bortles, Matt Ryan, Teddy Bridgewater, Blaine Gabbert, Jameis Winston
Osweiler is worth a start in two-quarterback leagues. He’s averaging 260 yards passing in two starts since Peyton Manning was ruled out with a foot injury. Fitzpatrick is playing a Giants defense ranked dead last in passing yards allowed per game, while Cutler faces a weak San Francisco 49ers’ 28th-ranked pass defense that’s given up 17 touchdowns with just seven interceptions.
Winston has a tough matchup against an Atlanta Falcons defense with the fourth-most interceptions. He also struggled against a bad Indianapolis Colts pass defense last week. Taylor has to go up against a red-hot Houston Texans front seven led by arguably the best defensive player in football in J.J. Watt. Ryan has five interceptions in his last two games and the Falcons as a whole are not playing well. (They’ve lost four straight games.) Start him at your own risk.
Running Backs
Start: LeGarrette Blount, Matt Forte, Jeremy Langford, David Johnson, Thomas Rawls, T.J. Yeldon, C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman, Latavius Murray, Charcandrick West (if active), Spencer Ware (if West is inactive), Mark Ingram, Javorius Allen,
Sit: James White, Carlos Hyde, Andre Ellington, Karlos Williams, Antonio Andrews, Alfred Morris, Darren Sproles, Ameer Abdullah
The 49ers give up 121 rushing yards per game with a total of 12 rushing touchdowns, so don’t be afraid to start Forte or Langford, even if both of them are active. The matchup is too favorable to sit either one.
Javorius Allen is playing the Miami Dolphins, who have worst run defense in the league in terms of yards allowed per contest. Johnson will take over the Cardinals’ starting running back job with Chris Johnson hurt.
The Chiefs’ backfield situation still is unclear. The safest play is to start West if he’s healthy. Both of the Broncos running backs are good starts against the San Diego Chargers’ horrendous run defense. Anderson ran for more than 100 yards and had two touchdowns versus a good Patriots run defense last week.
Abdullah, White, Andrews and Sproles aren’t likely to receive enough touches to be fantasy relevant. Find safer options instead.
Wide Receivers
Start: Brandon LaFell, Alshon Jeffery, Eric Decker, Doug Baldwin, Jeremy Maclin, Jarvis Landry, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, Golden Tate, T.Y. Hilton
Sit: John Brown, Michael Floyd, Jordan Matthews, Torrey Smith, Tavon Austin, Nate Washington, Travis Benjamin
LaFell is likely to bounce back against an Eagles defense that’s given up 10 touchdowns in the last two games. Bryant and Wheaton have emerged as reliable fantasy wideouts in a Steelers passing attack that ranks sixth in yards per game.
Decker, Landry, Tate and Hilton all have good matchups versus defenses lacking a shutdown cornerback.
Brown and Floyd are both questionable and there are other weapons in the Cardinals offense (Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, etc.) more likely to carry the load. Matthews has a difficult matchup against a good Patriots pass defense and might be matched up with rising star cornerback Malcolm Butler. Austin, who’s too dependent on big plays, is likely to be shut down by a stout Cardinals defense.
Tight Ends
Start: Martellus Bennett, Kyle Rudolph, Delanie Walker, Scott Chandler, Benjamin Watson, Travis Kelce, Jacob Tamme
Sit: Crockett Gilmore, Owen Daniels, Vernon Davis, Julius Thomas, Brent Celek, Eric Ebron, Richard Rodgers
Chandler will take over for the injured Rob Gronkowski as the primary pass-catching tight end in the Patriots offense. He caught five passes on 11 targets for 58 yards and a touchdown against an excellent Broncos pass defense last week.
Ebron hasn’t found the end zone since Week 1, Celek is playing a quality Pats pass defense and Thomas is going against a Titans defense that has shut down opposing tight ends and gives up the sixth-fewest passing yards.
Thumbnail photo via Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports Images
