We are almost through the stretch of the season where byes rob us of many top options, but not quite there yet. Week 13 brings us another 10-game slate in which a multiple positions clearly lack top options.
The list of quarterbacks with legitimate fantasy upside this week is as short as it has been in any week this season. My player pool at the position will likely include just a handful of options, which we will go in depth on below.
The number of exciting wide receiver options are also lower than normal for a main slate. It is especially difficult to find upside in the sub-$7K price range. This is a week when we are going to want to save salary to fit in a trio of higher-priced wide receivers.
Tight end is also weak in terms of high-end options. The optimal strategy is to go heavy on very inexpensive options. There are a handful of standout plays at the position priced in the $5K and below range. In terms of bigger picture roster construction, saving money here is one path to affording three higher-priced wide receivers.
The key to the slate is running back. Zack Moss will be exceptionally popular and incredibly difficult to fade. Aside from Moss, this is the most wide-open slate of running back options all season. You can make a decent case for as many as 20 different backs, but none of them (aside from Moss) stand out from the pack. Sorting through and deciding on which backs to target will decide whether you have a winning Week 13.
Quarterback
Writing up the Main Slate quarterback options has started to feel like Groundhog’s Day. C.J. Stroud ($8,000) and Sam Howell ($7,500) continue to be underpriced and not as popular as they should be. Jalen Hurts ($9,000) continues to average a rushing touchdown per game and cash in multiple rushing touchdowns in a game regularly (including each of the past two weeks). These are the three guys to build around this week. Brock Purdy, who has been incredibly efficient, finally finds himself in a spot where he should throw the ball 35-plus times. He is also strongly worth considering. Tua Tagovailoa ($8,400) is expected to be incredibly popular, but looks like bad chalk. The Dolphins are scoring just 52% of their touchdowns through the air (23rd in the NFL). Tagovailoa has not scored more than 28.4 fantasy points in any game this season. He has only scored more than 23 points twice this season, and both of those games were in September.
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