X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Top 10 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 13

Tyler Boyd - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Mark McWhirter lists his top 10 fantasy football lineup busts and NFL players to avoid for Week 13 of the 2020 NFL season, based on bad matchups.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE! It's officially the last week of the fantasy regular season and it's time to push all the chips in as you prepare for battle. For those of you facing a win-or-go-home scenario, there is no tomorrow and it's a long wait until next season. Managers can ill-afford to leave valuable fantasy points on the bench this week in favor of underperforming starters.

Throughout the season, it is important to trust the process. If you get it right more often than not, you will likely find yourself in a playoff spot. That logic does not apply to a one-week affair in which every detail must be analyzed to avoid submarining your lineup. Thankfully, our excellent RotoBaller team is here to help with expert analysis for every fantasy football matchup.

Tom Brady and his arsenal of weapons are on bye, as are the Panthers. For those requiring reinforcements, our team dives into the top waiver-wire pickups each week. Those pickups may prove vital if you happen to be planning to start any of the ten players listed below. May the odds be ever in your favor and I'll see you in the playoffs, RotoBallers!

Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.

 

Tyler Boyd vs. Miami Dolphins

Brandon Allen was … less than stellar in his debut performance for the now Joe Burrow-less Bengals. This had a severe trickle-down effect on his trio of normally fantasy-relevant receivers. I say “normally” because there is a real chance that none of the three are relevant moving forward. That is an unfortunate and difficult reality that those rostering the likes of Boyd and Tee Higgins have to face. Many predicted that Boyd would be safe even with the major quarterback downgrade due to his frequent presence in the slot. Allen is not capable of completing passes at any level of the field, however, and there is simply no touchdown upside for anyone in this offense anymore. Boyd, Higgins, and A.J. Green combined to produce eight catches for 59 yards last week. Higgins managed to find the end zone and will have the most upside of anyone in this group due to his knack for doing so. Boyd’s safe floor has crumbled from underneath him and Green can be sent to waiver wires.

It would be difficult to confidently insert Boyd into lineups even if Cincinnati were facing a soft matchup. The Dolphins allow the fifteenth-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position but have tightened up recently. Miami’s defensive unit has been no worse than thirteenth against fantasy receivers the past three weeks. Boyd may escape the likes of Byron Jones and Xavien Howard but it will not be enough to elevate him in a matchup with the fourth-best defense in terms of completion percentage allowed. For those tempted to roll with Higgins, the Dolphins have yielded the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league. Avoid Bengals until or unless we see this team figure out its post-Burrow strategy.

 

Matt Ryan vs. New Orleans Saints

Matt Ryan really needs Julio Jones and we witnessed the latest demonstration of this last week against the Raiders. In eight games with Jones in the lineup, Ryan has five top-twelve performances. In the three games sans Jones, Ryan has been the QB27, QB25, and QB17. Jones wasn’t practicing as of Thursday and is in danger of missing a second straight game.

The Saints concede only 14.5 points per game to fantasy gunslingers, best in the NFL. Opposing offenses have averaged seven points per game over the past month against New Orleans and have been held to just three points in two of those matchups. Granted, they didn’t face an actual quarterback last week in Denver. Still, Brady threw for just 209 yards against this defense in Week 9, with no touchdowns and three interceptions. Nick Mullens tossed a couple of picks the following week and Ryan himself completed two passes to the Saints in Week 11 while failing to find the end zone. All in all, New Orleans has registered nine picks over the last four weeks, surrendering just one touchdown pass along the way. I wouldn’t start Ryan this week even if Jones plays. Without Jones, it shouldn’t be a debate.

 

Travis Fulgham vs. Green Bay Packers

Travis Fulgham emerged as a go-to option for the Eagles in Week 4 and rode that wave of momentum until the team’s Week 9 bye. An entirely different Fulgham emerged from the bye week, as the receiver who had averaged 87 yards per game in his previous five contests has managed just 10.7 yards per game since. He had still been a full-time player, at least, until seeing his snap percentage drop to a season-low 51% last week. That number was down from 96% a week prior and coincided with Alshon Jeffery’s snap count rising from 7% to 50%.

Rookie Jalen Reagor is playing more than either receiver, Zach Ertz could be back this week, and Dallas Goedert has proven to be Wentz’s clear number-one target. Without even factoring in the Eagles’ tendency to throw to the running back position, it is clear that Fulgham faces steep competition for target volume. He’ll need that volume in this matchup, as the Packers are twelfth against the wide receiver position in addition to being seventh versus quarterbacks. The Packers are the third-easiest matchup for running backs and teams have chosen to exploit this vulnerability rather than testing Jaire Alexander and company. No Eagles’ pass-catcher other than Goedert can be started in fantasy for the time being.

 

James Conner vs. Washington Football Team

Washington’s defense completely shut down Ezekiel Elliott last week, holding him to an RB58 showing and constraining the Cowboys’ backfield as a whole to just 5.6 points. This was on the heels of holding the Bengals’ backfield to only 10.1 fantasy points. This is not out of the ordinary for Washington, as the Football Team ranks fifth against fantasy rushers on the season, allowing 17.4 points per game to the position. They rank twelfth in yards per carry allowed and ninth in rushing touchdowns given up.

While the matchup is concerning, if not daunting, it is Conner’s own usage that is most worrisome. Prior to missing last week’s game due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, Conner had finished as the RB19, RB34, and RB55 in his three previous contests. Averaging 18.3 touches per game over his first seven outings, Conner averaged only 14 touches during that disappointing stretch. It’s not that Conner has lost his grip on the lead job. Rather, it’s that Pittsburgh has refrained from handing the ball off to their running backs.

Through the first six weeks of the 2020 campaign, Steelers’ running backs combined to average 25.8 carries per game. Over the past five games, the Pittsburgh backfield has seen that number dip to 17.8 carries. With Benny Snell being worked in and designed runs being manufactured for Chase Claypool near the goal line, Conner’s touch-ceiling and touchdown-upside have both taken a hit. He hasn’t been a significant factor in the receiving game all year, having surpassed nineteen yards only twice and having accumulated only 33 yards over his past four games. Most GMs probably can’t afford to bench Conner, but he needs to be downgraded to a low-end RB2 at best in this matchup.

 

Michael Gallup vs. Baltimore Ravens

Yikes. That’s the automatic reaction generated from a glance at Michael Gallup’s fantasy finishes this season. He’s finished above WR37 once and has ranked as WR57 or worse on seven occasions. Gallup has caught more than three passes just four times, and one of those was a four-catch performance. He has also topped 41 receiving yards just once in his last five games while finding the end zone only once the entire year. Talent is not an issue for Gallup. This offense just understandably does not have the same juice without its quarterback and/or offensive line.

The Ravens pose an additional obstacle for Gallup to overcome, as they rank fourth against fantasy receivers. They have been burned the past two weeks but were missing key players due to injury and Reserve/COVID-19 list placements. For the season, Baltimore has allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards, sixth-fewest receiving scores, and second-fewest yards per reception. Gallup’s target share has dropped to 15.3% this year after commanding a 21.7% share in 2019. With a lack of targets, minimal touchdown upside, a downgraded quarterback situation, and an imposing matchup, the red flags are crystal clear in this one.

 

Logan Thomas vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Whenever a tight end hits the five-target mark it causes amusing excitement in fantasyland. Such is the state of the position in 2020 that a player who has topped 31 receiving yards just three times can be picked up and started. That was the case last week against the Cowboys’ joke of a defense, but it is not the case versus a why-so-serious Steelers’ unit. The Steelers have allowed the fewest passing yards, third-fewest receiving yards, third-lowest yards per passing attempt, and lowest opposing completion percentage in the NFL. All of those metrics translate to their numbers against tight ends, as the Steelers surrender the fewest points per game to the position at 5.7

The best tight end performances against Pittsburgh this year came from Noah Fant, Austin Hooper, and Dalton Schultz. Fant was the TE8 all the way back in Week 2 and has been the only tight end to find the end zone against the Steelers. Hooper was the TE15 in Week 6 on a line of five catches for 52 yards and Schultz was the TE15 in Week 9 with four catches for 48 yards. Otherwise, no tight end has outperformed Mark Andrews’ Week 8 showing of three catches for 32 scoreless yards, which placed him at TE21 for the week.

Thomas is averaging only 30 receiving yards per game and has relied on touchdowns to produce for fantasy. Outside of his TE7 finish in Week 10, he has failed to place inside the top-26 in any game in which he has failed to find the end zone. With the Steelers having allowed only one receiving touchdown to tight ends, managers willing to roll the dice are likely to come up with snake eyes.

 

Carson Wentz vs. Green Bay Packers

Maybe the Eagles can get Nick Foles back from Chicago? Fantasy managers and Eagles fans are united in their frustrations with Wentz’s poor play. The struggling quarterback hasn’t topped 235 passing yards in his past four games and has done so only twice in his past nine contests. He’s not making up for the lack of yardage either, as he has just six touchdowns compared to five interceptions over the last four weeks. He somewhat saved his fantasy day against Seattle by rushing for 42 yards, but this has not been a consistently prominent feature to show up on game day, as evident by Wentz being held to seventeen or fewer rushing yards in seven of eleven matchups this year.

Last week was Wentz’s first usable game in a month and he scraped and clawed to get there against a Seahawks Defense that allows the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. His 19.8 points still fell well short of the 24.9 Seattle normally gives up. Green Bay, meanwhile, is seventh against quarterbacks, although they have been more generous the past two weeks. The underlying numbers hint at a less-scary matchup, as the Packers allow the twelfth-highest completion percentage and are middle-of-the-pack in both passing yards and touchdowns conceded. Wentz’s offensive line is doing him no favors, as he has been sacked 46 times, which is eleven more than any other quarterback. This reduces the likelihood of Wentz taking advantage of even favorable matchups. With only two teams on bye, there should be plenty of more attractive options available outside of two-quarterback leagues.

 

Todd Gurley II vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are just too good on defense right now. No Broncos running back checked in above RB41 last week versus New Orleans and Gurley himself led the way for the Falcons in Week 11 against the Saints with an RB45 performance. That recent run of good form continues a season-long dominance against the running game. New Orleans allows the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing backfields at just 14.5 per game, nearly a full point ahead of the second-place Steelers and 2.4 ahead of the third-place Falcons. For good measure, the Saints allow a league-low 3.3 yards per carry and have surrendered both the fewest rushing scores and yards.

The lack of rushing scores allowed is a big factor for Gurley, as he frequently relies on end zone trips to bail out bad performances. He has been inefficient on the ground, posting a yards per carry mark of 3.65. This has resulted in just two games with more than 63 rushing yards. His lack of receiving work furthers his touchdown dependence, as Gurley has accumulated only five receiving yards over his last three outings combined. Coming off a knee injury that forced him to miss last week’s game, Gurley is no lock to even suit up in this contest and will likely be at less than 100% if he does. While the former fantasy-MVP has been solid for managers this year, expect a performance similar to his last outing against this division rival, and don’t risk him torpedoing your lineup.

 

Sammy Watkins vs. Denver Broncos

Sammy Watkins returned from an extended injury absence last week to see seven targets from the red-hot Patrick Mahomes. Watkins has actually seen at least seven targets in four of six games that he has suited up in this season. That type of volume should produce strong results coming from a quarterback of Mahomes’ caliber. The problem is that the Chiefs simply do not need him. While he remains the third option, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce have been so dominant that the team’s other options mustn’t be relied on. This explains Watkins’ inability to finish above WR37 more than once this campaign.

Denver ranks eleventh against fantasy receivers, and while they are unlikely to shut Mahomes down, they are more than capable of holding his ancillary weapons in check. Michael Thomas was the leading Saints’ receiver at WR48 last week in Denver, and while DeVante Parker managed a WR15 finish in Week 11, no other Dolphins’ receiver placed above WR68. Additionally, no Raiders’ receiver finished above WR60 the week prior, meaning there is very little to go around for secondary and tertiary receiving options versus the Broncos. Denver has allowed only 15.9 points per game to the receiver position during that stretch. Once Tyreek Hill gets his, there won’t be much leftover. The Broncos allow the fourth-fewest yards per reception and the fifth-fewest receiving scores in the NFL, meaning that Watkins will require volume in order to produce. Definitely don’t avoid Chiefs, but don’t play Watkins unless desperate.

 

Jimmy Graham vs. Detroit Lions

Jimmy Graham has failed to finish above TE20 in five of his past six outings. His lone exception came in a TE2 performance against the Titans in Week 9. That was not Graham’s first time coming through in a big way for fantasy managers, as he was the top tight end in Week 3. The floor has remained extremely low throughout the year, however, as Graham has finished outside the top-20 on seven different occasions, averaging 3.7 points during those contests. Like most tight ends, Graham’s fantasy success is almost entirely dependent on touchdowns, as he has only finished with more than 34 receiving yards twice on the season.

Coming off a season-low snap percentage of 58 in Week 9, Graham’s playing time was further reduced coming out of the bye week, as he played only 36% of snaps last game. That was not by accident, as rookie second-rounder Cole Kmet has played 70% and 79% of snaps over the last two weeks. Detroit has been surprisingly formidable against the tight end position, allowing only eight points per game, good enough for ninth in the NFL. While they encountered a rough stretch through Weeks 7-10, allowing at least one top-twelve performance in each of those matchups, they have redeemed themselves by surrendering just 0.4 points to the position over the past two weeks combined. Outside of that rough stretch, no tight end has finished inside the top-twelve against the Lions. Graham did find the end zone versus Detroit in Week 1, but only three tight ends have caught a touchdown pass against them since. With the odds favoring a scoreless game for Graham, there is no reason to entrust him in lineups.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Start/Sit Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Arenado

Ready for Second Half
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Back in Action to Begin Second Half
Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF