Each week there are some obvious starts and sits in fantasy football. Other decisions are not quite so simple. With that in mind, I offer up some not-so-obvious picks with my weekly Studs, Duds & Sleepers. Here are this week’s picks.
STUDS
QB: Dak Prescott (DAL) vs. IND: don’t look now, but since returning the lineup four weeks ago Dak has been dynamite, finishing as a top 5 fantasy signal caller during that span. He’s thrown for multiple scores in each of those contests. Indy has allowed four of the last seven quarterbacks to face them to break 20 fantasy points. Expect Prescott to do the same.
RB: Josh Jacobs (LV) vs. LAC: Freaking 48+ fantasy points in PPR leagues last week was monstrous, especially for a player that was being looked at as being limited on game day after popping up on the injury report. The Chargers have been ravaged by injuries, leaving them vulnerable to the run, including allowing a league-high six running backs to hit the century mark on the ground. Expect Jacobs to pass that plateau on Sunday.
WR: Tee Higgins (CIN) vs. KC: With all of the talk of Ja’Marr Chase’s return many fantasy managers will expect a negative impact on Higgins, but I still view him as a top 10 WR and one that could be contrarian in weekly contests. With a total at 52.5 and rising expect fireworks between the Bengals and Chiefs in Week 13 with enough targets to go around for both Cincy wideouts to make fantasy managers healthy.
TE: Pat Freiermuth (PIT) at ATL: The Steelers’ offense is ticking upward as we hit December and with injuries piling up in the backfield look for Pittsburgh to lean more on its passing game than they might be comfortable doing so. That should lead to enough targets to make Freiermuth a top 5 option versus the Falcons.
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DUDS
QB: Daniel Jones (NYG) vs. WAS: After being decimated by injuries across the offense, Jones is running out of options to throw the ball to. His rushing floor is a nice fantasy commodity, but the ceiling has come crashing down in recent weeks. A matchup vs. a Washington D
RB: Devin Singletary (BUF) at NE: Singletary has proven to be a valuable commodity for the Bills and fantasy managers alike in 2022. However, keep your expectations low for his Week 13 matchup vs. the Patriots. Only two RB’s have found the end zone all year vs. New England and only five runners have topped 12 PPR points against them.
WR: Mike Evans (TB) vs. NO: Evans hasn’t scored since Week 4 and hasn’t eclipsed 54 yards receiving in three straight. Now he gets to face a team that he has struggled with. There are hopes Marshon Lattimore returns this week and if he does that doesn’t spell good things for the Bucs’ wideout. He struggled to keep his poise when matched up against Lattimore and even got ejected earlier in the season after a tussle in the matchup.
TE: Greg Dulcich (DEN) at BAL: After a promising start, the rookie has cooled off quite a bit in recent weeks in a lackluster Broncos’ offense. He has scored a combined 12 PPR points total in his last three contests.
SLEEPERS
QB: Trevor Lawrence (JCK) at DET: Coming off one of his best outings as a pro, Lawrence now gets a prime matchup vs. a Lions’ D that has struggled at times this year vs. the pass. Detroit has shown signs of improvement of late, but oddsmakers have this one pegged as one of the higher scoring matchups of the week and that should lead to solid production for the young signal caller.
RB: Kyren Williams (LAR) vs. SEA : The Rams are struggling and the wheels are falling off quickly as key starters continue to go on the shelf. However, Williams is one player that could offer fantasy value this week and down the stretch. The rookie should see enough targets out of the backfield with the team playing from behind to make him someone to consider as a PPR flex in this matchup.
WR: Christian Watson (GB) at CHI: It looks like Aaron Rodgers is good to go this week and we all know how much he owns the Bears. That should spell success for Watson. The rookie wideout has made the most of his targets in recent weeks with three straight weeks of 20+ PPR FP and six scores in that span. He’s a back end WR2 in Week 13.
TE: Juwan Johnson (NO) at TB: After a tough matchup last week vs. San Francisco Johnson should bounce back vs. the Bucs. Tampa Bay has allowed three tight ends to score in the last five games and before his goose egg last week Johnson scored in three straight games and had five touchdowns in his five previous contests.
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