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Andy's potential Week 13 busts, fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for players who may disappoint. You should consider benching these players in Week 13.
With the fantasy football payoffs two weeks away, it is crucial to set our lineups correctly. With all 32 teams on the slate in Week 13, it is very important to navigate the difficult matchups.
In this piece, I will highlight four players, one from each position, who have tough matchups that may be best to leave out of your starting lineup.
Who should fantasy managers bench in Week 13? Let's dive in!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) rankings
- Quarterback (QB) rankings
- Tight end (TE) rankings
- Defense (D/ST) rankings
- Kicker (K) rankings
- FLEX rankings
- Dynasty rankings
Potential Fantasy Football Lineup Busts
QB Brock Purdy (SF) at CLE
Brock Purdy wasted little time to make an impact in his return to action in Week 11, totalling 21.3 PPR points during their victory over the Cardinals. In this game, Purdy went 19-for-26 with 200 yards and three scores. However, in their Week 12 victory, Purdy took the backseat, going just 23-for-32 with 193 yards and a rough 1:3 TD:INT.
Jauan Jennings bounces off defenders to cap a 15-play 49ers opening drive 💪
CARvsSF on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/dPHFqb2bfp— NFL (@NFL) November 25, 2025
He will have another tough task this week, facing the Cleveland Browns. The Browns enter Week 13, allowing the fifth-fewest PPR points to opposing QBs. Managers should consider pivoting to another low-end QB1s, such as Sam Darnold or Jacoby Brissett.
RB Javonte Williams (DAL) vs. KC
Javonte Williams has been a pleasant surprise for those who took him in the final rounds of drafts. Through 12 weeks in Dallas, Williams has found the back of the end zone nine times and is averaging a strong 16.6 PPR points per game, making him a borderline RB1 in most weeks.
While he is hard to sit in deep leagues, managers with a deep RB room should push him towards FLEX consideration this week. On Thursday, Williams will face the potent Kansas Chiefs rushing defence. Last week, they held superstar Jonathan Taylor to just 8.6 PPR points. Overall, they have allowed the fourth-fewest PPR points to the position.
The former Bronco is a touchdown-dependent low-end RB2 with minimal upside.
WR Chris Olave (NO) at MIA
Chris Olave has been a high-volume WR2 this season. Despite playing on a struggling New Orleans offence, Olave has been a reliable contributor this season, averaging a solid 15.1 PPR points. Last week, the former first-round pick saw a hefty 13 targets. This was the seventh time this season he saw double-digit targets in a game.
However, similar to Williams, if you have alternative options, I would suggest keeping Olave on the bench or in a FLEX position. On Sunday, the Saints will travel to Miami to face the Dolphins. Despite their record, the Dolphins boast one of the sport's top defences in terms of allowing PPR points to opposing WRs.
Through 12 weeks, they have allowed the seventh-fewest PPR to the position. Olave is a mid-end WR3 that will be heavily reliant on his volume to produce this weekend. Over their past two games, the Dolphins have held opponents to under 14 points each time.
TE Jake Ferguson (DAL) vs. KC
The final player to consider benching this week is Dallas TE Jake Ferguson. Ferguson has been a high-floor TE1 this season, but, like his teammate Williams, faces a tough task this Thanksgiving. On Thursday, Ferguson will line up against the Kansas City defence that has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points to opposing TEs.
In addition, over his last four, Ferguson has seen his production steadily decline, averaging just 8.2 PPR points per game. Over the first seven, he averaged a much higher 17.2 PPR points per game.
Jake Ferguson takes the screen all the way to the end zone for a Cowboys TD!
DALvsNYJ on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/poTLD0y0wf
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Read more player news and updates for Week 13
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 13 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Brock Purdy, Javonte Williams, Chris Olave, Jake Ferguson. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 13. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 13 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Brock Purdy, Javonte Williams, Chris Olave, Jake Ferguson. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 13.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 13 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 13 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 13 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 13 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Brock Purdy, Javonte Williams, Chris Olave, Jake Ferguson compared to others:
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