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10 Lineup Busts and Avoids for Week 13

Week 13 is here, which means some people are starting the playoffs (if you're playing two-week playoff match-ups in leagues with four playoff teams and aren't doing Week 17, or if you have some weird system of playoff byes) and many more people are preparing for their final game before the playoffs begin. It's at these times that our decision making becomes very important.

Or, it's at these times when our luck becomes important. I have a league starting playoffs now, and even though I've been the second highest scoring team this season, I needed a lot of luck to sneak in at 6-6. The Russell Wilson/ Doug Baldwin touchdown on Monday night back in Week 11 gave me a nail-biting sixth win, and then in Week 12--against the lowest scoring team in my league--I put up my first sub-70 point game of the season. Thanks, point differential! And thanks Russell Wilson!

At this point, the thing that will make or break you in a must win game is going to be, primarily, luck, but making some wise decisions about players to avoid can help you out as well. That's why I'm here, again!

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Recap of Last Week

Quarterback: It was a bad week for me. Jared Goff had another strong fantasy game against the Saints, tossing for 354 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Josh McCown did even better, throwing for three touchdowns in a shootout loss to Carolina. I didn't factor in the Robby Anderson Experience when thinking about McCown.

Running Back: Of course Joe Mixon had the best game of his career against Cleveland. I think it's time to stop buying into the idea that was floating around the fantasy football universe that you should avoid running backs who play the Browns. Alex Collins had a solid day as well, finding the end zone and rushing for 60 yards. Kenyan Drake didn't have the yardage one would have liked, but he also found the end zone. If you're keeping track at home, I'm 0-for-5 at this point. Yikes!

Wide Receiver: Amari Cooper was well on his way to not being a bust--his first catch was a nine yard touchdown grab--before he left the game with a concussion. Jordy Nelson was completely unable to get going against the Steelers, even though the rest of the Packers offense came to life. That's...odd. Larry Fitzgerald was equally ineffective, though he added a two-point conversion along the way.

Tight End: I think we're done with Cameron Brate, y'all. He's been a non-entity the past few games. Jimmy Graham didn't have many yards, but he found the end zone again.

Below are ten lineup busts and avoids for Week 13 of NFL action.

 

Top 10 Busts - NFL Week 13

Matthew Stafford (Quarterback, Detroit Lions)

Stafford plays against a Ravens team that is second-best against quarterbacks, just a small bit behind the Jacksonville defense. He's only scored 20+ fantasy points three times this season, and seems more likely to finish with less than 15 this week than he does to explode for a huge game.

Andy Dalton (Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals)

Speaking of touch match-ups, Andy Dalton gets the Steelers, who have been good against quarterbacks all season. Yes, Brett Hundley had a good game against them last week and yes, Dalton is on a bit of a hot streak dating back to Week 8--he's thrown for multiple touchdowns in all but one game over that span (he didn't throw any against Jacksonville) and hasn't tossed an interception. Why am I concerned? Dalton has played two teams whose average points allowed against quarterbacks are comparable to Pittsburgh. There's the aforementioned Jaguars game, when he finished with just 136 yards, and there's the season-opener against the Ravens, when he finished with 170 yards and four interceptions. I don't trust Dalton against top defenses.

Tevin Coleman (Running Back, Atlanta Falcon)

Coleman is coming off three consecutive good games, but Devonta Freeman is back and Atlanta plays the Vikings. Coleman will still get touches, but don't expect anything close to the production we've been seeing from him.

Lamar Miller (Running Back, Houston Texans)

See DeMarco Murray blurb below.

DeMarco Murray (Running Back, Tennessee Titans)

I'm using the same space for both Murray and Miller because the Texans and Titans are playing each other and both running backs present similar concerns for me. Both defenses are among the best against the running back position, which suggests this could end up being a game in which the teams don't find much space on the ground. Murray has Derrick Henry pushing him for playing time, whereas Miller has a much more solid grip on the starting role in theory, though he was a little banged-up last week and ceded carries to Alfred Blue even after returning to the game. It wouldn't be a shock to see more 0f a timeshare this week, especially if the newly acquired Andre Ellington is active and sees work on third downs. This has the makings of one of those very, very low scoring games.

T.Y. Hilton (Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts)

Hilton has been a huge disappointment in the majority of his games this season, and I see no reason to expect that to change against the league's best defense. Hilton had two catches for 27 yards the last time the teams played.

Corey Coleman (Wide Receiver, Cleveland Browns)

Josh Gordon is back. The way I see it, that could mean one of two things for Coleman. The first is that the Chargers defense continues to treat Coleman as the number one receiver, which would lead to more open field for Gordon. The other thing is the opposite. Either way, the Chargers defense has been on fire lately and the Browns passing attack will likely struggle to get going.

Doug Baldwin (Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks)

You can't sit Baldwin because he's Russell Wilson's top target on a team that has no running game, but he hasn't had the best games the past couple of weeks (a late touchdown in Week 11 salvaged a rough game), and the Eagles have a really strong defense. It might be smart to play someone with a really, really solid floor at your other WR spot to mitigate some of the potential failings of Baldwin this week, though it wouldn't be too much of a shock to see him find the end zone.

Ricky Seals-Jones (Tight End, Los Angeles Rams)

I just wrote an article for RotoBaller about how Seals-Jones is a good player and worth consideration in Dynasty formats, but I don't love his match-up this week against a Rams defense allowing just 40 yards-per-game to opposing tight ends. Seals-Jones is a talented receiver, but Los Angeles will likely shut him out of the end zone this week.

Cameron Brate (Tight End, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Maybe--MAYBE--you're thinking that a healthy Jameis Winston will get Brate going again, but you are likely wrong. The Buccaneers play the Packers, who have been the top team this season against opposing tight ends. O.J. Howard is going to keep increasing his target share. Brate is droppable in shallow formats and unplayable in most others.

 

More Week 13 Lineup Prep




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Troy Terry

Could Miss Start of Next Season Due to Hip Surgery
Arber Xhekaj

Scratched for Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals
Jakub Dobes

Seeks More Success Against Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen

Looks to Stay Undefeated Thursday
Calvin Ridley

Not Taking Part in OTAs as Value Continues to Plummet
Carnell Tate

Receiving Early Buzz at OTAs
Ashton Jeanty

Bigger Role Could be Coming for Ashton Jeanty in Year 2
Robby Snelling

Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Malik Nabers

' Goal is to be Ready for Start of the Season
De'Von Achane

Dealing With Injury at OTAs?
Dalton Kincaid

Says he Feels "Really Good"
Keenan Allen

Door isn't Closed for Keenan Allen in Los Angeles
Ty Simpson

Does Ty Simpson Have First-Round Appeal in Rookie Drafts?
Fernando Mendoza

Working Behind Other QBs
Cam Ward

is "Perfectly Healthy"
James Cook III

Absent From OTA Practices This Week
Darnell Washington

Is it Time to Drop Darnell Washington in Dynasty Leagues?
Fernando Mendoza

a Top Dynasty Target Even if He Doesn't Start Week 1?
Tyreek Hill

Dynasty Outlook Dependent on Landing Spot
Mack Hollins

Should Managers Trade for Mack Hollins Amid Roster Questions?
Michael Wilson

a Prime Dynasty Sell Candidate
Jake Ferguson

Insurance Upside Makes Him a Borderline TE1 in Dynasty
Brock Bowers

One of the Most Valuable Assets in Dynasty
Devin Vassell

Contributes 22 Points in Wednesday's Loss
Mike Gesicki

Still Provides Some Dynasty Insurance as His Standalone Value Fades
Stephon Castle

Tallies Team-High 25 Points in Game 2 Loss
Victor Wembanyama

Records Eighth Postseason Double-Double
Philadelphia Eagles

Nolan Smith Arrested for Speeding and Reckless Driving
Isaiah Hartenstein

Bounces Back With Double-Double
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads Thunder to Game 2 Victory WIth 30 Points
Dylan Harper

Exits Game 2 Early Due to Right-Leg Injury
Jalen Williams

Suffers Another Hamstring Injury
Valeri Nichushkin

Ends Scoring Slump in Game 1 Loss
Nathan MacKinnon

Extends Point Streak With an Assist
Brett Howden

Pots Another Goal in Game 1 Win Against Avalanche
Tomas Hertl

Extends Point Streak to Four Games
Pavel Dorofeyev

Scores in Fourth Straight Outing
Carter Hart

Records Third Consecutive Win
Timothy Liljegren

Capitals Re-Sign Timothy Liljegren to Two-Year Extension
Jackson Merrill

Tweaks his Back on Wednesday, Pulled Early
New York Giants

Giants Offense to be a Run-First Unit?
Chicago Bulls

Jerry Stackhouse Emerges as Bulls Head-Coach Candidate
Cooper Flagg

Kon Knueppel Headline All-Rookie Team
De'Aaron Fox

is Ruled Out for Game 2 on Wednesday
Jiri Kulich

Aims to Return Next Season
Jeremy Lauzon

Not Expected to Play Wednesday
Mark Stone

Likely to Remain Out Wednesday
Scott Wedgewood

Starting Western Conference Finals for Avalanche
Sam Malinski

Set to Return Wednesday
Artturi Lehkonen

Expected to Play Wednesday Night
Cale Makar

Will Miss Game 1 Against Golden Knights
CFB

Lincoln Riley Believes USC is Ready for Playoff Run
CFB

Notre Dame-Stanford Rivalry Renewed Through 2028
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Says He's "Back to the Road to Success"
CFB

Texas Tech Graduate Judge Recuses Himself from Brendan Sorsby Case
CFB

UCLA Tackle Jordan Davis Officially Eligible for 2026 Season
CFB

Bret Bielema Supports Significant College Football Playoff Expansion
Michael Thorbjornsen

Brings High Upside to CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Luke List

Carrying Poor Form Into CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Tom Kim

Hoping to Build on Strong Myrtle Beach Finish
PGA

Sungjae Im Brings Upside to TPC Craig Ranch
Billy Horschel

Looking for Turnaround at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Adam Hadwin

Difficult to Trust at TPC Craig Ranch
Tony Finau

Looking for Consistency at TPC Craig Ranch
Luke Clanton

Searching for Form at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Aaron Rai

Withdraws From CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Wyndham Clark

Can Wyndham Clark Find Form at CJ Cup?
Si Woo Kim

Looks To Stay Hot at CJ Cup
James Harden

Struggles in Eastern Conference Finals Opener
Evan Mobley

Bags Second Consecutive Double-Double
Donovan Mitchell

Produces Top Two-Way Performance in Game 1 Loss
OG Anunoby

Plays Key Role in Comeback Win
Mikal Bridges

Remains Efficient in Game 1 Against Cavaliers
Karl-Anthony Towns

Extends Double-Double Streak to Four Games
Jalen Brunson

Leads Knicks to Historic Comeback Win
Scottie Scheffler

to Defend CJ Cup Byron Nelson Title This Week
Jordan Spieth

Looking For Victory at TPC Craig Ranch
PGA

Matti Schmid Looks to Keep Recent Momentum Going at TPC Craig Ranch
Brooks Koepka

a High-Upside Play at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Exits Early on Tuesday After Being Hit By Pitch
Dean Wade

Returns to Starting Unit Tuesday
OG Anunoby

Starting on Tuesday
Tobias Harris

May Remain in Motown
Jalen Duren

Pistons Eager to Keep Jalen Duren
Chris Kirk

Continues Search For Putting Form at TPC Craig Ranch
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking to Shake Off Poor Major Showing at TPC Craig Ranch
Joel Dahmen

is of No DFS Consideration This Week in Dallas
Pierceson Coody

is Not The Fun DFS Play He Used to Be
Gerrit Cole

to Make Season Debut on Friday Against Rays
Drake Baldwin

Braves Place Drake Baldwin on Injured List With Oblique Strain
CFB

Ezavier Crowell has Immediate Opportunity at Alabama
CFB

Mark Bowman a Day 1 Impact Player for USC?
CFB

Bill Belichick Says Relationship with First North Carolina Team "Wasn't Great"
CFB

Kemario Taylor a Breakout Candidate at Quarterback
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss the Undisputed Top SEC Quarterback Entering 2026?
CFB

Rocco Becht The "Unifier" of Penn State's Roster
Mattias Samuelsson

Picks Up an Assist in Season-Ending Loss
Rasmus Dahlin

Nets Fourth Postseason Goal
Jakub Dobes

Records 37 Saves in Game 7 Win
Jackson Holliday

Orioles Reinstate Jackson Holliday From Injured List on Monday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Braves Reinstate Ronald Acuna Jr. From Injured List on Monday
Jose Altuve

Astros Put Jose Altuve on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Corey Seager

Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Monday Against Twins
Melquizael Costa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 117
Arnold Allen

Bounces Back
Daniel Santos

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
MMA

Dohoo Choi Wins His Third Consecutive Fight
Malcolm Wellmaker

Suffers His Second Loss In A Row
Juan Diaz

Scores Second-Round Submission
Christian Edwards

Defeated At UFC Vegas 117
CFB

Transfer Running Back Arnold Barnes Visiting Iowa State on Monday
Modestas Bukauskas

Gets Split-Decision Win
Jhostynxon Garcia

Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Colt Emerson

Mariners Promoting Top Prospect Colt Emerson to Major Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Fantastic First Season Continues With Two More Homers
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Dazzles With 13-Strikeout Complete Game on Saturday
Blake Snell

to Undergo Elbow Surgery on Tuesday
Clay Holmes

Could Miss Around Three Months
Jose Altuve

Exits After Swing
Corey Seager

Absent With Back Spasms on Saturday
Trevor Story

Hits the Injured List With Groin Injury
Blake Snell

Likely to Need Elbow Surgery
Kyle Schwarber

on a Heater, Hits Two More Homers to Take Major-League Lead
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