It’s now Week 13, and the end of the fantasy football regular season in most leagues. Playing matchups is obviously still important right now, so streaming is still worth considering.
With that, here are your quarterback, tight end and team defense streamers for this week.
Quarterback: Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns
Before you say Rivers can’t possibly be a streamer, and it is a bit of a stretch in this or any other week, take a look at his ownership percentages below (especially in ESPN leagues).
Rivers went 27-for-33 for 434 yards and three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, and he has multiple passing touchdowns in three straight games and in four of his last five contests. Perhaps most importantly he has thrown just three interceptions in his last eight games. And a favorable matchup is on the slate this week.
The Cleveland Browns have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season (18.1 per game; ESPN scoring), with multiple passing touchdowns allowed in eight of 11 games. The three quarterbacks who haven’t had multiple touchdowns through the air against the Browns? Jacoby Brissett (Week 3), Marcus Mariota (Week 7, possibly at less than 100 percent) and Blake Bortles (Week 11).
At minimum, it’s worth checking to see if Rivers is available in your league. If he’s not, there are some other good streaming options at quarterback in a crucial week on the schedule.
ESPN Ownership: 66.8%
Yahoo! Ownership: 82%
Others To Consider:Â Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots; Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons; Josh McCown, New York Jets vs. Kansas City Chiefs; Eli Manning, New York Giants at Oakland Raiders; Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday night); Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins; Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts; Brett Hundley, Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tight End: Julius Thomas, Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos
It seems longer than three and four years ago Thomas had back-to-back seasons with 12 touchdowns (thanks Peyton Manning) and was a top-tier fantasy tight end. But is trending the right direction, with touchdowns in back-to-back games Week 9 and Week 10), followed by nine catches (on 10 targets) for 82 yards over the last two games.
In five of his last six games, Thomas has posted at least seven fantasy points (Yahoo! PPR scoring). Now in Week 13 he gets a matchup against the Denver Broncos, who have allowed the second-most yards and tied for the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends this year (ESPN PPR scoring). There’s also a bit of a revenge game angle, for those that want to play to that.
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There’s downside, and some boom-or-bust touchdown dependency, with Thomas. But he’s rarely on the radar as a usable fantasy option, and this is a week where he is.
ESPN Ownership: 26.1%
Yahoo! Ownership: 27%
Others To Consider: Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys (Thursday night, check ownership); Tyler Kroft, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday night); Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots; Ben Watson, Baltimore Ravens vs. Detroit Lions; Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts; Ricky Seals-Jones, Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams
Team Defense: Los Angeles Chargers, vs. Cleveland Browns
Over their last three games, the Chargers have six sacks, nine interceptions (five in one game) and three defensive touchdowns (all in the last two games). The Buffalo Bills scored a garbage time-driven 24 points in Week 11, but the Chargers have allowed 20 points or less in six of their last seven games.
The Cleveland Browns will be visiting Los Angeles on Sunday, with at least three sacks allowed in four straight games and multiple giveaways in eight out of 11 games this season.
I had the Chargers defense in this spot last week, and they delivered. Fantasy owners have been slow to buy in though, so I’m going back to well this week in an even better matchup.
ESPN Ownership: 42.5%
Yahoo! Ownership: 36%
Others To Consider: Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans; Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens; Oakland Raiders vs. New York Giants; Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers
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