Fantasy Football start or sit, Week 13: Start Ryan Tannehill vs. Browns

Fantasy football starts and sit advice for Week 13 of the 2020 NFL season.

Congratulations on making it through arguably the craziest week in NFL history, which naturally translated to fantasy football. With unexpected COVID list adds and the constant rescheduling of the Steelers versus Ravens game, there is a good chance you had to make some tough fantasy football decisions in Week 12.

As for the players detailed in my Week 12 start/sit article, it was a bit of a mixed bag. Tom Brady, Dallas Goedert and Wayne Gallman Jr. all put up top-10 weeks, though Derek Carr put up a terrible performance in a beautiful matchup.

Looking ahead to Week 13, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers are both on bye. This is also likely the final week of the fantasy football regular season, so the start and sit decisions you make this week could be the difference between a playoff berth and the consolation bracket.

With that being said, here are the players that can get you that playoff spot, and some big names who could cost you a week with a subpar performance.

Note: All stats and info via Fantasy Pros. 

Fantasy Football Starts for Week 13

QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee (vs. Cleveland)

Tannehill is coming off a particularly tough stretch of his schedule where he faced Chicago, Baltimore and Indianapolis twice. However, he still managed to turn in two QB1 performances over that stretch and now gets a much friendlier matchup against Cleveland.

With a high over-under of 53, there should be plenty of opportunity for Tannehill to score even with Derrick Henry being the focal point of the offense. With matchups against Jacksonville and Detroit to start off the fantasy playoffs, Tannehill should be locked in as a QB1 for the next few weeks.

Projection: 271 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 19 rushing yards, 24.7 fantasy points. 

RB Miles Sanders, Philadelphia (vs. Green Bay)

One of the most unfortunate outcomes of the ineptitude of the Eagles offense has been the misuse of Miles Sanders. In an extremely favorable matchup in Week 12 against Seattle with a struggling Carson Wentz leading the offense, Sanders was only given eight total touches.

Disgruntled managers may be tempted to throw Sanders on the bench, despite his extremely favorable matchup in Week 13 against Green Bay. However, recency bias makes you forget Sanders was given over 15 rushes and five receptions in each of the two games prior to his Week 12 dud. If he receives that type of volume against Green Bay, he can easily finish as a RB1.

Projection: 99 total yards, 1 touchdown, 4 receptions, 17.9 fantasy points. 

WR DaVante Parker, Miami (vs. Cincinnati)

After a series of lackluster fantasy performances with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, the Fitzpatrick-Parker connection picked up right where it left off, with Parker posting a line of nine receptions for 119 yards on 14 targets. If Fitzpatrick remains the starting quarterback in Week 13, Parker becomes a must-start wide receiver against a weak Cincinnati defense with nothing left to play for.

Projection: 8 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown, 20.9 fantasy points. 

WR Deebo Samuel, San Fransisco (vs. Buffalo)

After spending three weeks on the injured reserve, Deebo Samuel turned in a monster game of 11 receptions for 133 yards on 13 targets against a strong Los Angeles Rams defense. He draws another tough matchup in Week 13 and likely figures to see a decent amount of star cornerback Tre’Davious White.

Luckily for Samuel, he is essentially matchup proof with the 49ers designing multiple plays a game around Samuel. With his ability to take an end-around or touch pass to the house, he needs to be played week in and week out as a high upside WR2.

Projection: 7 receptions, 103 total yards, 1 touchdown, 19.8 fantasy points. 

TE Robert Tonyan, Green Bay (vs. Philadelphia)

After his monster start to the season, Tonyan went without a touchdown for five consecutive games before finally finding the end zone in Week 11. With Aaron Rodgers seemingly good for at least three touchdowns a game and a nice matchup against Philadelphia, there are very few stronger options at the tight end position.

If you do not own one of the top three tight ends, take a look at Tonyan for Week 13, who still remains on the waiver wire in 38 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Projection: 4 receptions, 62 yards, 1 touchdown, 14.2 fantasy points.  

Fantasy Football Sits for Week 13

QB Deshaun Watson, Houston (vs. Indianapolis)

Watson has been on an absolute tear this year after a weak start and is coming off a four-touchdown performance in Week 12. Unfortunately for Watson, his upcoming schedule gets tough with matchups against Chicago and Indianapolis twice in the next three weeks.

He also just lost his No. 1 receiver, Will Fuller V, to suspension for the remainder of the season. As hard as it is to bench Watson with how strong he has been performing, expect less than stellar numbers the next couple weeks.

Projection: 261 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 20 rushing yards, 18.4 fantasy points. 

RB Todd Gurley II, Atlanta (vs. New Orleans)

Before missing a Week 12 matchup with a knee injury, Gurley was only averaging a measly 3.7 yards per carry. In addition, he has been unable to crack double-digit PPR fantasy points without a touchdown all year.

If he is able to get healthy in time for Week 13, he draws a brutal matchup against a New Orleans defense allowing the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs who Gurley only managed 29 total yards on in Week 11. Keep Gurley on the bench this week even if he is cleared to play.

Projection: 47 total yards, 1 reception, 5.2 fantasy points. 

WR D.J. Chark Jr., Jacksonville (vs. Minnesota)

Chark also missed his Week 12 matchup and, thus, we have not gotten to see him yet with Mike Glennon under center. Even though last time we saw a quarterback change Chark came out and feasted for 146 yards and a touchdown, there is simply too much volatility in Chark’s performance and uncertainty in the Jacksonville offense to fire him up as anything more than a dart throw, regardless of his favorable matchup against Minnesota.

Projection: 3 receptions, 59 yards, 7.4 fantasy points. 

TE Evan Engram, New York (vs. Seattle)

Engram had a massive Week 12, turning nine targets into six receptions for 129 yards. However, he was not without his usual blunders and recorded a lost fumble as well. Though many are ready to slot him in as a TE1 for the rest of the season, the injury to Daniel Jones certainly hurts the Giant’s chances of offensive success.

In addition, even though Seattle has been having a historically bad season against wide receivers, they have been better than average against opposing tight ends. If Jones can not get cleared for Week 13, I would certainly lower expectations for Engram.

Projection: 4 receptions, 48 yards, 6.8 fantasy points.