It’s Week 13, folks! Time to set those fantasy lineups! Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I’ll examine the quarterbacks who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent … like Patrick Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa in Week 12!
For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy football player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and me as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!
Start of the Week
Patrick Mahomes vs. Raiders (Fri. 3 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Mahomes, listed as a start ‘em last week, had his best game of the season with three touchdowns and 28.8 points. I’d keep him active on Black Friday, as he faces a Raiders defense that’s been struggling against quarterbacks lately. In fact, they’ve allowed 10 touchdown passes and nearly 23 fantasy points per game to the position since Week 9. Mahomes will be a top-five option this week.
QBs with Good Matchups
Justin Herbert at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Herbert has been on absolute fire, scoring 17-plus points in five straight games, including two games with more than 24 points. He should remain red hot against the Falcons, who have allowed 17-plus fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks six times, including five over 20 points. Their defense has also allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position over the last four weeks.
Baker Mayfield at Panthers (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Mayfield bounced back against the Giants last week, posting a rushing touchdown and 18.7 fantasy points in a blowout win. I like him this week too, as the veteran faces a Panthers defense that’s allowed 21 touchdown passes and the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Carolina has also surrendered a 69.2 completion percentage, which is fifth-most in the NFL.
C.J. Stroud at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Stroud has not been great this season, but he is a viable starter when the matchup is favorable. That’s the case this weekend, as he’ll face a Jaguars defense that has allowed eight different quarterbacks to score at least 18.6 points against them. What’s more, four of those field generals scored more than 28 points. Stroud also beat the Jaguars for 23.5 points back in Week 4, so he’s obviously a startable asset.
Anthony Richardson at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Richardson wasn’t great last week, completing just 39.3 percent of his passes and scoring only 12.9 points in a loss to the Lions. Still, I love his matchup this week against the Patriots. Over the last two weeks, their defense has allowed 27.8 points to Matthew Stafford and 28.5 points to Tua Tagovailoa. Each quarterback threw four touchdown passes! That’s good news for AR.
Sit of the Week
Tua Tagovailoa at Packers (Thurs. 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Tagovailoa has been hotter than a Miami sidewalk in the summertime, scoring a combined 52 fantasy points in his last two games. So, why would he be a sit ‘em? Well, Tagovailoa hasn’t done well in cold weather, and it doesn’t get much colder than Green Bay in late November. AccuWeather forecasts the temperature to feel like four degrees on Thursday night, so Tagovailoa is a gamble.
QBs with Bad Matchups
Sam Darnold vs. Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): I was dead wrong about Darnold last week, as he went off for 21.1 points despite a tough matchup in Chicago. Well, I guess I didn’t learn my lesson because I don’t like Darnold this week either. The Cardinals’ defense has allowed just 8.5 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks since Week 9. This game could become a shootout, but the stats say sit Sam.
Kirk Cousins vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Cousins has seen his stats decline in each of his last four games, culminating in a 4.9-point stinker in a loss to the Broncos. I’d fade him this week too, as he faces a tough Chargers defense that’s surrendered only 14 touchdown passes and 16.2 fantasy points per game to enemy quarterbacks in 2024. With no byes this weekend, Cousins is easy to fade in all one-quarterback leagues.
Caleb Williams at Lions (Thurs. 12:30 p.m. ET, CBS): Williams looked great last week, completing 68.1 percent of his passes, throwing for 340 yards with two touchdowns, and scoring 26.9 fantasy points. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he must face the Lions’ defense next on the schedule. Over the last four weeks, Detroit has held signal-callers Jordan Love, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson all under 13 fantasy points.
Jameis Winston at Broncos (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Winston has proven to be a fine option when the matchup is favorable, but that’s not the case this week in Denver. Their defense has allowed just one enemy quarterback to score more than 17.8 points in a game this season, and the position has averaged only 13.4 points per game against them overall. So, unless you’re in a super flex league, Winston needs to be sidelined.
As you prepare for Week 13, remember that making the right lineup decisions can make or break your fantasy season. Keep an eye on those matchups, and don’t hesitate to adjust your roster based on the latest insights. Happy fantasy footballing!
