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Scott Engel features fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 13 (2025). He focuses on key NFL players to start when faced with tight Week 13 fantasy football lineup decisions.
Welcome again to our Key Starters and Tough Calls feature for Week 13 of the 2025 season. Scott Engel's Week 13 Lineup Spotlights column focuses on key players to start or sit when faced with tight lineup decisions. "The King" showcases players who may boost your team to a win with needed upside after the Thursday and Friday games.
The fantasy football players included in this Week 13 article are based on Scott's Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available via the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. You can get access to his full player rankings and also examine a full suite of tools and analysis for in-season usage.
To make the best-informed Week 13 lineup decisions -- consult this analysis, the RotoBaller staff fantasy football rankings, and free Who Should I Start? tool for comparing up to four players. The skill position analysis in this article is based on Scott's Week 13 premium PPR rankings.
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Running Backs - Fantasy Football Week 13
RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
We have not seen a true breakout game from the rookie yet, but it may come on Monday night at Washington. The Commanders have lost six consecutive games. Their defense is one of the best fantasy matchups for RBs. Washington ranks 27th in rushing yards allowed to RBs, and its defense may spend a lot of time on the field with Jayden Daniels out again.
RJ Harvey Ranks as a High End RB2 in Week 13 vs. the Commanders https://t.co/T9QwlA74QB
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 29, 2025
The Denver offensive line is graded as the No. 1 unit in the NFL heading into NFL Week 13. Washington’s defensive line is ranked 19th by PFF after 12 weeks. Denver’s rushing offense does rank 30th in the NFL, but this matchup provides an opportunity to establish a better ground game, and Harvey is the lead RB with J.K. Dobbins out.
Before a Week 12 bye, Harvey totaled just 50 scrimmage yards against the Chiefs. This week, however, he gets a much better matchup to exploit. During the bye week, the Broncos might have established methods to improve the rushing attack with the RB of the future leading the way.
Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh RBs get a favorable matchup in Week 13. Buffalo ranks 30th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs. The Steelers will want to control the ball as much as possible against the Buffalo offense. Both Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell are worthy of flex consideration this week, and maybe even as an RB2, depending on your lineup needs.
Warren is the official starter for Pittsburgh, but his numbers have been just adequate in recent weeks. He has averaged 10.8 PPR Fantasy Points Per Game in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, Gainwell has come on strong over the past two games, with totals of 29.5 and 18.2 points. He has finished with over 100 scrimmage yards in each of those outings.
In those two games, Gainwell has outsnapped Warren, 63 to 28 percent in Week 11, and 51 to 50 percent in Week 12. When Pittsburgh blew out the Bengals in Week 11, Gainwell saw considerably more work. Last week, in a closer game, the RB snap counts were more even, but we still saw an even time share.
If the Steelers play from behind again, Gainwell could lead in RB snap counts. In a closer game, he will at least split the workload. He has logged a pair of two-TD games this season, once as a runner and once as a receiver. Of the two Pittsburgh RB options, Gainwell has the most upside. He is versatile and can also serve as an occasional goal-line option for the Steelers.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Allgeier is an option if you have another RB you simply cannot trust this late in the fantasy football regular season. Allgeier doesn’t have much of a statistical floor, yet he might be able to deliver his second quality fantasy performance in the last four games this week.
Much to the chagrin of those who roster Bijan Robinson, Allgeier has continued to function as a frequent goal-line option for the Falcons. He has already rushed for a career-best seven TDs this season. In Week 10, he rushed for two TDs against Indianapolis and finished with 17.7 PPR points.
At 4-7, Atlanta is unofficially playing out the rest of its regular-season games before ending a disappointing year. But most NFL players still perform as hard as they can until the end of the season, so don’t expect any letdown from the Falcons. Also, the 2-9 Jets are indeed an inferior opponent.
Allgeier could be headed for a very productive day in Week 13. He can possibly rush for more than one TD as the Falcons build their lead, and then see some extra rushing work later in the game, potentially in extended garbage time.
Wide Receivers - Fantasy Football Week 13
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
The Washington matchup is also appealing for the Denver passing game. The Commanders rank 29th in FFPG allowed to WRs this season. As the Broncos have made their unexpected push towards the top of the AFC, Franklin is ascending to become a more reliable fantasy option and a top playmaker for Bo Nix.
Franklin has registered double-figure fantasy points in four of his last five games, and in Week 8, he finished as the No. 1 WR in fantasy football with 26.8 points. He was targeted 28 times in his past three games. Franklin has overtaken Courtland Sutton as the most productive WR for Denver. Sutton has not reached the 11-point PPR mark in his last four games.
The Broncos can put this game against the Commanders away rather quickly. Fantasy players often think that not playing later in the game is a bad thing. But if it’s a one-sided laugher, Franklin should certainly do his part in a Denver romp. When NFL teams appear to be headed for a blowout win, the best playmakers on the team often register their best numbers earlier in the game.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills
Shakir is not a reliable fantasy football WR. This season, he has finished as a top-15 fantasy WR just three times. He is the obvious best WR on the Bills roster, but that doesn’t say too much. Buffalo has never effectively replaced Stefon Diggs since his departure, and Shakir is not the type to function as a team’s No. 1 WR.
Khalil Shakir Faces Ideal Matchup Against Steelers https://t.co/dt9ianCQG2
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 29, 2025
Buffalo was a prime favorite to win the Super Bowl in the preseason. Heading into NFL Week 13, though, the optimism that the Bills can finally get to the Super Bowl with Josh Allen is starting to fade. Buffalo fell to 7-4 after its second loss in three games last week, and their run of five consecutive AFC East titles is closer to coming to an end.
Record-wise, Buffalo is tied with Jacksonville and the Chargers for the final three AFC playoff berths right now, and it is essential to beat the Steelers in Week 13. The Bills will always have a chance to win in any week because of Allen and James Cook. If the pass-catchers step up more, though, the chances of a victory become even better.
Among AFC teams, the Steelers have allowed the most FFPG to WRs. Last week, Shakir caught eight passes for 110 yards in one of his best performances of the season. He will carry that momentum into this week’s game in a good matchup to exploit.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
Johnston has driven fantasy players absolutely crazy in his short time in the NFL so far. He was quiet as a rookie, flashed more promise at times in 2024, and then got off to a stronger start in 2025. He caught four TD passes in his first four games this season, with two-plus games of 85-plus yards.
Since Week 6, though, Johnston has been totally inconsistent. In his last five games, he has two double-figure PPR performances, but he was also completely shut out twice. This week, however, he should be more boom than bust against the Raiders.
Over the past four weeks, Las Vegas ranks 27th in FFPG allowed to WRs. In the first meeting of the season between the Raiders, Johnston finished with 71 receiving yards and a TD. The Chargers cannot afford to lose any ground in the AFC playoff race, and will make sure Johnston gets back into the passing mix. He is always a TD threat, as he caught two in four games leading up to Week 12.
Quarterback And Tight End - Fantasy Football Week 13
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Although he said all the right things in a late-week press conference, Darnold might truly be relishing the chance to destroy the team that gave up on him too soon. After one season with Minnesota, he was allowed to walk away, much to the delight of the 8-3 Seahawks.
Sam Darnold on his year with the Minnesota Vikings: “I’m very grateful for the time that I spent there, for the people I created with relationships with. All the people in that locker room. All the coaches. All the people in that building. But I am very excited to be here and to… pic.twitter.com/OVxWwTG0Pj
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) November 28, 2025
With an undrafted rookie starting at QB against one of the NFL’s best defenses, the Vikings are not going to do much when they have the ball. Seattle should dominate time of possession, and Darnold may throw more than two TD passes.
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
If there is one player on the Minnesota side that might produce better than expected numbers this week, it will be Hockenson. While he has been a bust this season as a fantasy TE, he gets a favorable matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle ranks 30th in FFPG allowed to TEs and has been vulnerable to the position going back to the Pete Carroll era.
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