Now that you’ve cussed out your cousin for starting Jordan Love when you started Lamar Jackson over a slice of pumpkin pie is over, we can focus on how to bounce back and salvage your matchup and push to the playoffs.
Thanksgiving saw divisional matchups and upsets of popular teams as of late. Some of these teams definitely impacted the start of your Week 13.
In standard leagues, Love outscored Jackson 36-11, CeeDee Lamb cracked 100 yards and a touchdown, Rashee Rice posted two touchdowns for the second time in sick games despite a Kansas City loss, and if you had the guts to start the Bengals defense, they scored a season-high 19.6.
So who plays on Sunday (or Monday) that can close the gap?
Back by popular demand this season: the top five sleepers of each week. Maybe it’s guys you haven’t heard of. Maybe they’re filling in for an injury? Regardless, more times than not so far this season, these picks ended up on the right side of the ball.
What you may need is that extra oomph to start someone you’re on the fence with.
Last week, we saw Lions’ QB Jared Goff, Seahawks’ RB Kenneth Walker, Bengals’ WR Andrei Iosivas, Falcons’ WR and TE Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts and Jets’ tight end Mason Taylor make the list.
Goff scored multiple times on a 20-for-26 passing day, 74 yards and a touchdown, and while Taylor’s fantasy day didn’t amount to anything, we noted he’d need a score to make or break his day and that he’d see at least five targets (he did).
To help you make more decisions this week, this article contains my top five sleepers of the week, and why.
Editor’s Note: These selections rank Tier 4 or lower on The Wolf’s Week 13 Rankings.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
@ Indianapolis Colts
We’re going to learn a lot about the Colts in Week 13 as they take on a surging Texans team for the rivals’ first of two meetings this season.
C.J. Stroud (concussion), who hasn’t played since Week 9, has logged multiple full practices and is in line to start.
Despite the Colts’ defense being 22nd in overall defense, they’re 28th in the league against the pass. They’re in the middle of the pack when it comes to passing touchdowns allowed (16), but they struggle with 245 yards allowed, on average.
Division games aren’t often shootouts, so I can’t seen Stroud attempting more than 30 passes, but Houston has all its receiving options healthy.
Running back Woody Marks likely won’t be the game’s difference maker, but can do enough to help open up the passing game.
If Houston upsets Indianapolis, the division race is suddenly separated by just one game.
Stroud ranks in Tier 4 (QB 25) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Devin Neal, RB, New Orleans Saints
@ Miami Dolphins
I’m breaking my own Cardinal Rule of picking a hot name for one week because a starter is injured.
But I’m a Dolphins fan, and I understand how much Miami has sucked against the run for years at this point.
It allowed (at the time) backup Rico Dowdle to rush for 206 yards (!) in his first game in relief of Chuba Hubbard in Week 5. The Dolphins also allowed 124 yards to backup Kimani Vidal the week after.
Miami is 29th against the run and has allowed a league-worst 17 rushing scores.
Starting back Alvin Kamara (ankle) is out on Sunday, and with backup Kendre Miller (ACL) on injured reserve, Devin Neal will start.
Neal played 86% of the snaps after Kamara exited in the first half against Atlanta (three carries). I’m not afraid of Audric Estime or Evan Hull, who are likely active for this game, and Taysom Hill shouldn’t do enough to deter this decision.
Furthermore, quarterback Tyler Shough won’t be the reason for success for this Saints team, so as much pressure that can be relieved off the passing game, the better.
Neal ranks in Tier 4 (RB 23) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
John Metchie, WR, New York Jets
Vs Atlanta Falcons
Will the real John Metchie please stand up, please stand up?
He has.
It’s a small sample size, but both Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor like throwing to Metchie. He has nine catches (10 targets) for 110 yards and a touchdown in each game.
Atlanta allows the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers, and Garrett Wilson (knee) remains out. New York also moved Metchie to its No. 1 receiver on its depth chart following Week 12.
Teammate Adonai Mitchell has seen more targets than Metchie in the same span, 13, but has only hauled in three of them for a combined 52 yards. Only tight end Mason Taylor (nine) has seen respectable targets outside of those two.
This game could be low-scoring and ugly, but even if both teams struggle scoring, someone is catching passes, and I want the guy who’s also getting red zone targets.
Metchie ranks in Tier 7 (WR 50) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Vs Las Vegas Raiders
On paper, Quentin Johnston is the No. 3 in this starting receiving corps, but that may play to his favor this week.
If I’m Las Vegas, I’m more worried about guarding Ladd McConkey on the outside, likely putting corner Eric Stokes in coverage on him. Keenan Allen will likely see the toughest coverage, with Jamal Adams in the slot and Devin White and Elandon Roberts slotted as linebackers. That leaves Johnston as the odd man out, possibly operating as a safety blanket, short field and deep threat.
I’ve never been a Johntson fan, but the Raiders allow the sixth-most points to receivers in the NFL, so him being the best option to see targets due to the coverage makes him a low-end starter in all leagues.
Johnston ranks in Tier 5 (WR 36) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Theo Johnson, TE, New York Giants
@ New England
Theo Johnson collected a career-high in yards last week against Detroit, 77 yards, and continues seeing a respectable average of five targets per game this season.
Jaxson Dart (concussion) will start Week 13, and in the last two games with him, Johnson has seen 14 targets (10 catches).
Both Wan’Dale Robinson (ankle) and Darius Slayton (hamstring) could miss the game, leaving the top receiving option up for grabs against a Patriots team that is in the bottom third of points allowed to opposing tight ends.
Johnson ranks in Tier 4 (TE 13) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
