Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Football Week 13: Quarterbacks - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains

Matthew Stafford should be a top-10 fantasy quarterback against Jacksonville.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I'll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.

Byes: Browns, Packers, Panthers, Titans

Week 13 Rankings (PPR): QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | FLEX | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES (D/ST)

Week 13 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Start of the Week

Matthew Stafford vs. Jaguars (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Stafford is dealing with multiple injuries, but he battled through to score nearly 22 fantasy points in last week's loss to the Packers. I'd keep him active this week, too, as he'll face a great matchup at home against the Jaguars. While their defense has been better against quarterbacks in recent weeks, it’s still allowed five to score more than 20 fantasy points this season.

Week 13 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES

Start ‘Em

Kirk Cousins at Lions (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Cousins has been somewhat unreliable in recent weeks, scoring fewer than 18 fantasy points in three of his last six games. Still, he’ll be a solid option when the Vikings visit the Motor City for a matchup against the Lions. He’s had plenty of success against them, scoring 20-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games against the Lions and five times in their eight career meetings.

Derek Carr vs. Football Team (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Like Wentz, Carr can be difficult to predict in the stat sheets regularly. However, he did put up a nice stat line last week against the Cowboys, and a matchup against the Football Team makes him a nice option. No team in the league has allowed more fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, so Carr should be a solid high-end No. 2 fantasy selection.

Joe Burrow vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): This week's matchup against the Chargers isn't great on paper, as the Bolts have allowed just 15.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season. That total has swelled to over 18 points per game allowed since Week 9, however, including a 22.9-point performance from Ben Roethlisberger. This could be a high-scoring affair, so I like Burrow as a low-end No. 1 quarterback.

Carson Wentz at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Wentz has been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of sort in fantasy land recently, but it'll be tough to overlook this week's game against the Texans. Their defense has allowed five different quarterbacks to score 19-plus points against them this season, so Wentz should be seen as a nice high-end No. 2 quarterback in superflex leagues. He had two touchdown passes against them in Week 6.

More Starts

• Justin Herbert at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Gardner Minshew at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Taylor Heinicke at Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Bargains

• Carson Wentz at Texans ($6,100)
• Derek Carr vs. Football Team ($6,000)
• Gardner Minshew at Jets ($4,000)

Week 13 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Sit of the Week

Tua Tagovailoa vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Tua’s stats have left much to be desired in recent weeks, as he’s failed to score more than 17.5 fantasy points in each of his last four games. That total could be his ceiling this week, as Tagovailoa faces a Giants defense that’s allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to enemy quarterbacks this season. Unless you're in a superflex league, Tua needs to be on the sidelines.

Sit ‘Em

Matt Ryan vs. Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Ryan’s totals have taken a nosedive in the last three weeks, as he’s scored a combined 12.9 fantasy points. Combined! This week he faces the Buccaneers, who have allowed one quarterback to score more than 15.7 fantasy points against them in their last five games. Tampa Bay also held Ryan to a modest 16.3 fantasy points during their first meeting of the season back in Week 2.

Russell Wilson vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Wilson scored 19.5 fantasy points in a Monday night loss to Washington, but it was his first game with over 9.1 points since Week 4. I’d beware the veteran this weekend, as he faces a Niners defense that has allowed an average of fewer than 13 fantasy points a game to quarterbacks since Week 9. At best, Wilson will be a risk-reward, low-end No. 1 fantasy field general.

Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports

Teddy Bridgewater at Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): You might look at this weekend’s game in Kansas City and think it’s a good matchup for Teddy Two Gloves, but let’s look a bit deeper. After allowing 28-plus fantasy points to four of five signal-callers, the Chiefs defense has allowed fewer than 19 points to all but one in the last six games. As a result, I’d reserve Bridgewater for super flex and multi-quarterback leagues.

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Ben Roethlisberger vs. Ravens (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Roethlisberger has looked like a shell of his former self, scoring fewer than 17 fantasy points in all but one game this season. That trend is likely to continue against the Ravens, who have allowed just one quarterback to score more than 16 fantasy points against them since Week 9. What’s more, their defense has allowed just five touchdown passes in those four contests.

More Sits

• Mac Jones at Bills (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Tyrod Taylor vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Trevor Lawrence at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Fades

• Russell Wilson vs. 49ers ($6,400)
• Matt Ryan vs. Buccaneers ($5,600
• Tua Tagovailoa vs. Giants ($5,500)

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!

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