With no Get Tilted live show this week, I figured I’d put down my entire Week 13 DraftKings Sunday slate thoughts in writing instead. I’ll look at every single game, break down plays I like from each one, and at the end I’ll build a lineup based on my favorite plays. So without further ado, let’s get right into it!
Rams @ Panthers
This will be a quick game to preview. Play Stafford, Kyren, Puka, and Adams. Yes they’re pricey but the offense is simply too good to skip over simply because of price. I don’t think you need to stack all of them on one team, but I think you should strive to have at least one Ram on every roster you build this week. Davante Adams is my favorite play of the bunch, as he will get Red Zone targets and most likely avoids the Jaycee Horn matchup.
If you are totally punting at TE, I also think Colby Parkinson is a viable play at only $2800. You should also consider the Rams’ DST, though you will have to pay up for it. But Bryce Young turns the ball over at a steady rate and takes plenty of sacks.
I have very little interest in anyone on the Panthers side of things. Tetairoa McMillan is still being peppered with targets by Bryce Young, but at $6100 you basically need a touchdown for him to pay off at cost. The Panthers refuse to use Rico Dowdle for some reason, even though he is the only chance they have at winning any given game, and against a stout Rams’ defense I simply have no interest in playing him.
49ers @ Browns
Christian McCaffrey should be played every week, regardless of cost and regardless of matchup. He has the safest floor in all of fantasy football, and still possesses one of the higher ceilings as well. You should play him in cash and in tournaments, and enjoy your 20-35 free DraftKings points. I also think one of Jauan Jennings or George Kittle will get there this week, as Purdy is going to have to throw to someone besides CMC in this game. I wouldn’t stack both, but having one in your lineup feels perfectly fine. The 49ers’ DST is also a viable option at $3600, especially if you have confidence that Shedeur is not any good.
For the Browns, I am playing Quinshon Judkins with confidence. The 49ers’ defense is still incredibly banged up and thin on starter-level talent, despite them shutting down the Panthers last week. However, unlike the Panthers, the Browns are happy to use their talented RBs as the engine of their offense, and Judkins could quite conceivably score two touchdowns again this week if they can get into the Red Zone a few times.
I absolutely love Harold Fannin this week as well at only $3400 on DraftKings. Njoku played his season low in snaps last week, and Fannin lead the team in targets. The Niners are a better defense than the Raiders, but I still wouldn’t say they’re a good defense either. While the names they face seem daunting, I also love the Browns’ DST at only $3k. Brock Purdy is coming off a 3 interception game, and Myles Garrett can usually be penciled in for 1-2 sacks every game at this rate.
Texans @ Colts
C.J. Stroud appears to be geared up to return on Sunday after missing multiple games with a concussion. At only 5000 DraftKings dollars, I think Stroud is one of the better value plays at QB on the slate. The Colts’ defense is good, but not dominant or a unit to be avoided. If Stroud continues to run the offense the way that Davis Mills did when he played, I also really like both Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins here. Higgins especially has emerged as the clear number 2 target in Houston, and he is easily one of the better value receivers available at only $3900.
Woody Marks is playable for sure, but you hope that he is more involved in the passing game again like he was with Stroud the first time, but maintains the rushing work he’s received under Mills with Nick Chubb taking a backseat. If that happens, Marks could absolutely produce a surprisingly good fantasy game for you. The Texans’ DST is always a solid play regardless of opponent, and Daniel Jones is injured and has started to show more prevalent signs of turning back into the Daniel Jones we all know and despise.
Famous last words, but I have no interest in Jonathan Taylor at $9800 on DraftKings. It’s a tough matchup for the Colts in general, and the Chiefs gave a pretty solid blueprint on how to slow down JT and slow down the Colts as a whole. Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren are okay options this week, but I don’t know if either player truly has blow up potential in this matchup. They will need a touchdown to pay off their price tag, but both should at least see solid target shares.
Saints @ Dolphins
Chris Olave is questionable with back spasms that seem to have popped up during Wednesday’s practice. I like Olave if he plays, but there will definitely be risk that the spasms occur during the game and knock him out early, so only play him if you’re willing to accept that risk. Tyler Shough is a gross but defensible QB value play, considering the weakness of the defense the Saints face.
However, I absolutely love both Devin Neal and Juwan Johnson in this game against a soft Miami defense. Neal should get the bulk of the RB work with Alvin Kamara likely out with an MCL sprain. And if Olave misses (and even if he doesn’t), Juwan Johnson is a primary weapon in the passing game, and at only $4200 on DraftKings, I think Juwan is even a solid Flex play if you go double TE to fit in some of the higher salary players. Even though he’s been bad this year, I also don’t think Taysom Hill is ever a bad punt TE play, especially with Kamara out and Hill likely to get a lot of Red Zone work when they get there.
For the Dolphins, DeVon Achane is a must-start every week at this stage, especially considering how much cheaper he is than JT and CMC this week. If you don’t like the CMC chalk at $9300, Achane is an excellent alternative for $1000 less. There is some potential for rain in this game, so keep that in mind. However, I still kind of like Tua as an affordable QB option against a weaker Saints’ defense. I would only play Tua stacked with both Achane and Waddle, but Achane and Waddle I’m happy to play as one-offs for other stacks.
Falcons @ Jets
Bijan Robinson is my favorite play of the entire DraftKings Sunday slate, even without Michael Penix and Drake London. The Jets’ run defense is atrocious without Quinnen Williams, and the Falcons are going to have to focus most of their offense through the run game to be able to move the ball and score points with Kirk Cousins under center.
I think Tyler Allgeier is a viable cheap RB option as well, though you are fully banking on a TD or two for him to pay off. I don’t love Darnell Mooney or Kyle Pitts, but they are playable, especially as pricing gets tighter and value becomes harder to come by. The Falcons DST is an excellent play, even on the road.
To be honest, I really don’t have any interest in playing Jets. The Falcons’ defense is fairly stout, and if New York can’t move the ball, Breece Hall will have limited upside for scoring fantasy points. Tyrod Taylor is cheap with limited upside, and the receiving options of John Metchie, Adonai Mitchell, and Mason Taylor all have an okay floor but need a TD to be worth inserting in your lineups.
I’m okay with going to any of them if you truly need the savings to pay up elsewhere, but you’re dancing for joy if you get 10 DraftKings points out of any of them. While not a good defense at all, the Jets are a fine punt defense to use against an immobile Kirk Cousins whose prone to taking sacks and throwing interceptions.
Cardinals @ Buccaneers
Jacoby Brissett is on the menu until he’s not, at this point. He’s still scored more than 20 points on DraftKings every week that he has been a starter this season, regardless of how good or bad the opposing defense is. Trey McBride is the most expensive TE on the slate by $2k, and he’s arguably still worth it at that price.
I’m not too interested in the run game, as both Bam Knight and Michael Carter are going to be touchdown-dependent to really pay off for you. I do like both Marvin Harrison Jr and Michael Wilson in this spot, as the Cardinals are still missing key pieces on defense and are most likely going to have to throw a lot to stay in the game, as per usual. A mega-Cardinals stack is one of my favorite plays on the week.
Meanwhile for Tampa Bay, it does seem as though Baker is going to play this week, as is, at long last, our lord and savior Bucky Irving. The Cardinals’ defense can be beaten by the run game, and I think you can play Bucky with confidence that he will at the very least have opportunities for big plays and Red Zone work, even if he isn’t getting a huge workload off the rip. Emeka Egbuka is always a play for me with Baker in, though I don’t think I’d brave Chris Godwin or Tez Johnson at this point. Also, the Bucs’ DST is a solid play with Brissett being sack and fumble-prone.
Jaguars @ Titans
One of my absolute favorite plays this week is Travis Etienne against the Titans. At only $6500 on DraftKings, Etienne offers the combo of safe floor and high ceiling that you love to have, and at an affordable price to fit into every lineup you make if you want. However, I do think it will be difficult to get to Trevor Lawrence or any of the wide receivers. With BTJ and Brenton Strange back in the fray, it’s hard to know what the target distribution will look like, especially in a game where the Jags could be very far ahead relatively early on. The Jags DST is one of the best plays of the week as well.
Cam Ward has had his 2 best fantasy performances of the season in the last 2 weeks out of their bye, including his first game over 20 DraftKings points last week. He’s also running more, averaging 35 yards rushing per game since the bye. He’s not a great click, but it is a soft matchup, and Ward is a nice value at only $4600. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the RBs. I have no interest whatsoever in Pollard or Spears.
There are a couple interesting pass-catchers for the Titans that I want to mention here. Chimere Dike seems to have truly become the favorite target for Ward lately, and he also has a solidly high floor due to return TD upside as basically the best punt/kick returner in the league already as a rookie. Gunnar Helm also seems to have ascended to the lead TE role for the team, and there’s a chance that Chig Okonkwo misses this game. At only $2600, I am totally fine slotting in Helm as a punt TE option.
Vikings @ Seahawks
Oh boy, what do we do here folks? Max Brosmer is the starting QB for Minnesota this week, and is the stone-min $4000 price. The problem is they face a ferocious Seahawks team that will surely throw everything it can at Brosmer in his first NFL start. On the other hand, it’s almost statistically impossible to be worst than J.J. McCarthy has been, right? I’m not interested in either RB in a game the Vikings will almost certainly be trailing the whole way.
It’s hard to come out and say I have no interest in playing Justin Jefferson, but even an affordable $7100 price tag won’t sway me at this point. I need to see it first with the offense under Brosmer. You can play Jefferson, Addison, or Hockenson if you’d like, but I will not be. One angle I do like though is the Vikings DST, as I am always comfortable playing a defense against Sam Darnold, especially one that blitzes a lot and forces lots of mistakes by the opposing QB.
On the other hand, I could also see Darnold having a great game if they gameplan on getting the ball out quickly and letting JSN and Shaheed make people miss after the catch. I think you can play it both ways, a scenario where Darnold crushes and one where the Vikings’ defense wreaks havoc. JSN is simply a must-play at all times now, and he will be the most popular WR on the slate because of the perceived lack of other top talent at the position, with most other stars already playing this week besides Puka and Jefferson.
Kenneth Walker is quietly getting more consistent passing game work the last 2 weeks on top of a solid workload in the run game, and I think he’s a solid value at 5300 DraftKings dollars, especially knowing his big-run capabilities that haven’t really appeared yet this season. If you’re looking for more value, I also think A.J. Barner is another solid TE play at only $3200. He has potential to be very involved in the offense depending on the gameplan, and facing a defense that blitzes so much could open up a path for more quick dump offs from Darnold to Barner.
Raiders @ Chargers
Ashton Jeanty has quietly become a true workhorse RB since the Raider’s bye week. In his last 4 games, he has seen 26 total targets. While the rushing floor is still poor (though maybe a new OC will actually use Jeanty, who knows), you at least have a great receiving floor for a very talented player, and if he does have a good game rushing, you’ve got a great value at the position for only $6400 on DraftKings.
Brock Bowers will always be interesting to me, especially with Trey McBride being $2000 more expensive even if the talent levels are similar. I’m willing to go back to the well yet again with Bowers with Chip Kelly mercifully gone from the organization. Besides those two, I have no interest whatsoever in any other Raiders. Geno has to prove it before I’ll buy that he’s usable in fantasy.
Meanwhile for the Chargers, it’s hard to find a player I don’t love in this game. Herbert feels great at only $6500, as does Kimani Vidal with Hampton out at least one more week against a putrid Raiders run defense. I can also see a path for any of the 4 top pass-catchers for LA, and they are all affordably priced enough to be in on as many of them as you want without compromising the rest of your lineups. My personal favorites are Ladd and Gadsden, but I can also easily see Keenan and QJ doing well depending on how the game goes. Play Chargers players this week, including their DST.
Bills @ Steelers
I have to be honest, there’s not a lot from this game that I like or want to play. Josh Allen is always in play because he’s Josh Allen, but it’s definitely a thin bet this week in a gross game. Same with James Cook, he could absolutely get there for you, but it’s harder to project this week compared to most other weeks. I am somewhat interested in Khalil Shakir against a bad Steelers’ secondary, especially being only $5500 on DraftKings. If Dalton Kincaid plays, I’ll be less interested in Shakir or Kincaid.
On the Steelers’ side of things, I’m frankly never interested in Aaron Rodgers with his inability to run, and with only one even league-average target in DK Metcalf, it’s hard most weeks for either man to get there for fantasy. I do have some interest in Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell against a Bills’ run defense that has been holier than swiss cheese all season. The problem of course is that they are going to cannibalize each other, and neither is cheap enough to be worth the gamble of taking a tiny score while the other back blows up.
The Lineup
I’m going with yet another AZ double stack this week, betting that Wilson retains some of his role the past few weeks while the Cards still try and get MHJ involved immediately as well.
I’m also taking 3 of my favorite RB plays in Etienne, Jeanty, and Devin Neal. JSN is my hammer with my Cards, and Gunnar Helm is my punt TE. This scenario also sees the Vikings stuff Sam Darnold into a locker all day long.
This is the lineup I’ll be playing on DraftKings this week in our FantasyNow+ weekly contest, which you can join for only $2 to try and beat us at our own game!
