Dominate your fantasy football leagues in week 13 with these keys to victory.
Best RB spot of the week: Bucky Irving vs. Tsar
It’s the second week in a row that Irving has taken home the top spot of the week crown. Last week he faced the Giants, who allowed the most rushing yards per game. New York also ranks in the top five in explosive plays allowed by running backs. Irving made the most of that game, turning 18 touches into 151 total yards and a touchdown. He was also tackled twice at the 1-yard line and saw Sean Tucker fumble both ensuing goal-line carries.
Irving now enters an even better matchup. He will be facing the Panthers, who are allowing the most rushing yards per game and the second most rushing touchdowns this season. The Bucs rookie is picking up steam at the right time and has been a clear focal point of their offense coming off the bye week.
Irving and the Bucs come into this game as six-point favorites. Expect even more touches if the Bucs can play with a lead, just like we saw in Week 12 against the Giants.
RB Draft Spot of the Week: James Conner vs. MIN
Conner is coming off one of his worst games of the season. In Week 12, Conner turned seven carries into just eight rushing yards. He was able to save the day by catching five passes for 41 yards. It was a weak game, but overall Conner has been great this season. He averages 5.2 yards per touch and ranks first in broken tackles this year, according to Player Profiler. He has seen a strong role, averaging more than 18 opportunities per game, and Conner is tied for eighth in red zones this season. These are the cheat-code touches that lead to big fantasy days.
Conner profiles as a league winner thanks to its strong playoff schedule. However, this strong schedule does not include a sketchy spot for this week. Conner has to face the Vikings’ No. 1 defense according to PFF. Minnesota is allowing the fewest rushing yards per game and the second fewest rushing touchdowns this year. It’s hard to sit Conner because of his strong role, but if you have better options, you should consider them.
This embedded content is not available in your region.
Subscribe to the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast at , , or
Essential start of the week: Brian Thomas Jr. vs. HOU
Thomas returns from his bye week to face the Texans. Houston is coming off a game in which Will Levis was able to complete 75% of his passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. In that game, the Titans had four different pass catchers total at least 11 fantasy points. Calvin Ridley led the way with five catches for 93 yards. This is a solid place for Thomas as he returns from his layoff.
The last time we saw Thomas, he had 82 total yards on five catches against the Lions in Week 11. This was his best game with Mac Jones at QB and it was encouraging to see Thomas used more in the short to intermediate areas of the field. . This type of usage pairs better with Jones, who isn’t known for consistently hitting downfield throws.
There’s a chance we’ll get Trevor Lawrence back this week; that would certainly solidify Thomas as a must-start. But if Lawrence can’t go, I saw enough in Week 11 to feel confident starting Thomas against the Texans, especially since the Jaguars are coming off a bye week with an extra week to prepare for that game. Jaguars WR Gabe Davis also suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 11, which could put Thomas in line for other targets.
Sleeper of the Week: Elijah Moore Vs. DAY
Moore could be a tricky play this week if you’re trying to find a solid FLEX option. The last time we saw Moore was on Thursday Night Football in Week 12 — a crazy weather game against Pittsburgh. Both passes struggled to find success given the conditions, and that affected Moore’s fantasy day as he turned five targets into just three catches for 21 yards.
It wasn’t a good day by any means, but the context of the inclement weather allows us to overlook this poor performance. Prior to this game, Moore was averaging 9.7 targets per contest with Jameis Winston under center. This is a great use and could be even better in Week 13 with WR Cedric Tillman in the concussion protocol. If Tillman is out or limited, we could see Jerry Jeudy play more on the outside for the Browns in Week 13.
That’s important because the Browns face the Broncos this week. If forced to play more on the outside, Jeudy would likely match up against standout defenseman Patrick Surtain II. This could put Moore in an advantageous position against Denver. Currently available in over 80% of Yahoo leagues, Moore is worth picking up if you’re desperate for FLEX this week.
The fantasy playoffs are just a few weeks away, and now is the perfect time to start preparing. One way to set yourself up for success is to stash a high-value running back. They are good offense guys who would likely take the bulk of the touches in their team’s backfield if the starter in front of them goes down.
One of the best stashes right now is Trey Benson (24% ranked).
Benson is the Cardinals’ third-round pick out of Florida State. He is known for his elite combination of size, strength and speed. In 2022, Benson broke the college football rushing record previously held by guys like David Montgomery and Kenneth Walker III. That success with the broken tackle has carried over to the NFL, where Benson ranks in the top 12 among all linebackers with a 26% failure rate. He’s only gotten 58 touches this season, but he’s looked good in that limited sample, averaging five yards per touch. If James Conner were to miss time, Benson would likely step into Conner’s workhorse role in Arizona’s offense. Conner is 29 years old and has missed an average of four games per season in his NFL career.
What makes Benson an even better stash is the Cardinals’ fantastic playoff schedule. Arizona will face the Patriots, Panthers and Rams in the fantasy postseason. The Patriots rank 25th in run defense according to PFF, the Panthers currently allow the most rushing yards per game and the Rams gave up 124 yards and a touchdown to James Conner already this season back in Week 2.
Benson is a priority stash as the fantasy playoffs approach.