10 Things You Need to Know for Week 13 (#FantasyFootball)
Somehow, someway, we made it. We are in the final week of the regular season of the 2020 fantasy football season. Many (including myself) didn’t expect this to actually happen, so although this season has been one of the most difficult for fantasy managers in recent memory, I think I can speak for us all that we’re thankful it happened. I’ve got 10 more things for you to wrap up the regular season. I had some good calls, some bad calls, but overall I hope I helped your team make it to the playoffs.
Don’t miss “Thursday War Room Live” every Thursday night from 7-8 pm eastern. @EagleDanFF and I answer viewer questions, discuss this article more in-depth, Dan’s rookie rankings, and much more. Tune in and check us out!
1. It’s time to worry about Alvin Kamara.
You have to start Alvin Kamara if you have him, but as long as Taysom Hill is under center you can’t be comfortable in doing so. Kamara has averaged a measly 8.4 points in the two games since Hill took over. He’s not being targeted, going from an average of nine targets per game with Drew Brees to only three total targets in Hills two starts. Hill and Latavius Murray are taking work away and most importantly goal line touches. Until Drew Brees come back or if Jameis Winston were to become the starter, Kamara is a borderline RB2. He can break for a long touchdown on one play and still has all the talent in the world, but I have zero confidence in Kamara while Hill is the starter.
2. Jared Goff will be on championship rosters.
Outside of a difficult Week 14 matchup against the New England Patriots, the Rams have one of the best schedules for fantasy quarterbacks in whats left of this short season. This week the Rams play the Cardinals in a game that has sneaky shootout potential. But the most appetizing aspect of Goffs schedule is Weeks 15 and 16. In the fantasy playoff semi-finals and championship rounds, Goff gets to play two of the worst defenses in the NFL, the Jets and the Seahawks. The Jets give up the fifth most fantasy points to opposing Quarterbacks, and the Seahawks give up the second most. The Rams are throwing the ball a lot recently, as Goff has averaged 45 passing attempts over the past four games. He’s coming off of a bad game against the 49ers defense, but Goff can lead you to a championship with his last two matchups.
3. 2020 in a nutshell: Wayne Gallman is an every week start.
As much as I wanted to throw my laptop across the room as I typed this out, yes Wayne Gallman is an every-week fantasy starter. Gallman has scored 13 or more points in each of the past five games, including at least a touchdown in each game. He’s got this backfield on to himself and with Daniel Jones banged up they may have to lean on him even more. Gallman has an ok schedule for the fantasy playoffs, with the Cardinals, Eagles, and Ravens all solid yet unspectacular matchups. The state of fantasy running backs is a dumpster-fire in 2020, and Gallman was likely free or close to it. He’s getting the touches, he’s producing solid numbers, and he’s someone worth starting every week from here on out.
4. Kenyan Drake is back from the dead .
After a slow start to the season and an ankle injury, everyone was expecting Chase Edmonds to take over the Arizona Cardinals backfield. But since coming back from injury Drake has out-carried Edmonds 49 to 16 in three games. What is most exciting is that Drake is getting targeted again. Drake has gotten 10 targets over the past three games, with nine coming in the past two games. Drake got 10 total targets over the first seven games of the season. He’s 100 yards or a touchdown in each game since the injury, and with Kyler Murray banged up I expect the goal-line work to continue. The schedule isn’t the greatest, but any running back who’s getting volume in a prolific offense is a worthy fantasy start. Drake is a mid-to-low RB2 for the rest of the season.
5. Dont Worry About Michael Pittman.
Although Michael Pittman had a down game after back to back double-digit games, there are still signs that he’s taken over as the WR1 in this offense. He led the Colts with a season-high nine targets and has led the team over the past three games in targets, yardage, and fantasy points at the wide receiver position. Pittman has a good schedule down the stretch, playing Houston twice, the Raiders, and a Steelers defense that hasn’t played that great as of late. Don’t hesitate to throw Pittman right back in your lineup, he’s a solid WR3 the rest of the season with some decent upside.
6. In a pinch at QB? Start Mitch Trubisky.
Similar to having to type out that Wayne Gallman is a solid start, it pains me to have to type the words “start” and “Mitch Trubisky” in the same sentence. Although he didn’t look that great, garbage time still counts all the same in fantasy football, and Trubisky took advantage of Week 12. Yes, he threw two picks and less than 250 yards, but he also threw three touchdowns. Trubisky has averaged 31.45 over his last four starts against the Lions, who give up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. He still has a floor of zero, but if you need a quarterback this week, Trubisky should be a solid start and offers pretty significant upside with a great matchup.
Love our content? Check out the GoingFor2 Live Podcast Network!
7. Fitzmagic under center is good news for DeVante Parker.
It’s looking extremely likely that Ryan Fitzpatrick will once again be the starter for the Dolphins in Week 13, and that’s a good thing if you have DeVante Parker in your lineup. Games in which Fitzpatrick under center, Parker has average 18.4 ppr points this season, and with Tua Tagovialoa that number has dropped to 10.7. Fitzmagic loves Parker, and he was able to score 19.9 points without a touchdown thanks to a whopping 14 targets which Parker turned into 8 catches for 119 yards. The Bengals defense is one of the worst in the league and
8. Eric Ebron is severely undervalued.
Believe it or not, Eric Ebron ranks as a TE1 on the season. He hasn’t had any blow-up games yet, but he has been extremely consistent. Ebron has scored over 10 points in five of the past six games and is averaging seven targets over that same period. He’s scored three touchdowns in the past five games and is getting the volume that is rare at the tight end position. Unless you have Travis Kelce or Darren Waller, you’re praying for double-digit points. Ebron has been delivering that almost every week and is a start at the tight end position for the rest of the season.
9. Fire up Kirk Cousins.
Coming off of his best fantasy game of the season, it wouldn’t be suprising to see Kirk Cousins put up an even better game this week. Cousins faces a Jaguars defense that gives up the third most fantasy to opposing quarterbacks and has given up 23 passing touchdowns, second most in the NFL. Cousins has averaged 37 passing attempts the past three games and has one of the best one-two punches at wide receiver with Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Cousins has a safe floor and could go nuclear once again. Start him if you have him.
10. Look to stash defenses.
During the regular season, I am a guy who streams defenses and will never, EVER have more than one defense on my team. However, that changes as we get to the playoffs, where looking ahead a few weeks and stashing defenses with good matchups could be the difference between disappointment or a championship. Look for defenses you can pair together who have good matchups. My favorite combo is the Rams and Bears, the Rams get the Patriots Week 14, Jets Week 15, and the Bears get the Jags Week 15. Some other defenses that could be available who have good matchups are:
Week 14 – SEA (NYJ), TEN (JAX), GB (DET), LAR(NE)
Week 15 – LAR (NYJ), MIN (CHI), CHI (MIN)
Week 16 – CHI (JAX), CLE (NYJ), HOU (CIN)
If you have the room, stash the defense you want now so you don’t have to fight for them later on. Don’t be afraid to play defense (no pun intended) and stash a defense on your bench so your opponent can’t play them against you.
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @GMenJay, and feel free to tweet or DM me any questions you may have. Good luck in Week 13!
ATTN Dynasty Commissioners: Do you want to do something cool for your league? How about a 1-hour live show dedicated to YOUR league? Team-by-team breakdowns, rankings, and more. For details and to book a show, visit: GoingFor2.com/plp.
