Fantasy Football Week 13 Starts, Sits: Advice For Toughest Lineup Decisions

Fantasy football players likely will be looking over their starting lineup ad nauseam in the coming days.

Weeks 13 and 14 are make-or-break games for countless fantasy managers, as the start of the playoffs is right around the corner. As such, it’s imperative that you put your best foot forward and assemble the best lineup for the upcoming slate.

In hopes of making this process a bit easier, here are some starts and sits suggestions for Week 13.

STARTS
QB: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence will be coming off arguably the best game of his young career. The sophomore completed 29 of his 37 pass attempts for 321 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Jacksonville’s upset win over the Baltimore Ravens. Lawrence should be able to build off that breakout game Sunday against a Lions team that has improved as the season’s gone on but still struggles defensively. Detroit enters Week 13 allowing the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

RB: Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
Many likely have soured on Pierce, who was looking like an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate earlier in the season. The first-year running back combined for only 8.3 (!) fantasy points in full-point PPR leagues over the Texans’ last two games. But Sunday presents a great bounce-back opportunity for Pierce, who will go up against a Browns defense that is nightmarishly bad against the run. Only Pierce’s Texans have allowed more touchdowns on the ground than the Browns.

WR: George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers
It feels like only a matter of time before we see a true breakout game for Pickens, who seems to make a highlight-reel play every week. The rookie wide receiver logged double-digit fantasy points in six of his 11 games to date and saw six-plus targets in seven of those contests. Perhaps a stat sheet-stuffing performance will come against the Atlanta Falcons, who are tied for the league worst in receptions allowed to wideouts and rank second-worst in receiving allowed yards to WRs. Pittsburgh’s offense also could be more pass-happy in Week 13 if Najee Harris is bogged down by the abdominal injury he sustained Monday night.

SITS
QB: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Tannehill admittedly has been a fringe starter at best all season long, but this definitely is a week to stay away from the Titans quarterback. Lincoln Financial Field has been a house of horrors for opposing quarterbacks this season, as four of the six visiting signal-callers to date were held under 190 passing yards. Furthermore, the Eagles’ 10.3 fantasy points per game allowed to QBs this season ranks first in the league by a full point-plus margin. Tannehill was limited to one touchdown or less in five of his nine games thus far, and there’s a very good chance he’ll deliver another quiet performance Sunday in Philadelphia.

RB: Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills
Singletary has been a solid running back option of late, averaging 12.1 fantasy points per game since Buffalo’s Week 7 bye. But the fourth-year pro probably will fall below that mark Thursday night against the Patriots, who’ve been excellent defending running backs this season. New England only allowed two (!) total touchdowns to RBs through its first 11 games and it’s allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to backs. Not to mention, Singletary was limited to 75 combined rushing yards and five catches across two regular-season meetings with the Patriots last season.

WR: Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
The Commanders are hot, but McLaurin hasn’t excelled throughout Washington’s season-altering stretch. McLaurin was held under double-digit fantasy points in each of his last two games, which obviously isn’t a great trend for a player who likely is a WR1 in many leagues. The 2019 third-rounder will be in the Meadowlands on Sunday battling a Giants defense that’s allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to wideouts. And after losing three of its last four, New York’s defense might play with a heightened sense of urgency and desperation.