We’ve finally made it to the last bye week and, for some fantasy players, the week before the playoffs. It’s a good thing that only two teams, Cleveland and Tennessee, are on bye this week. Cleveland’s quarterback situation continues to be a gong show, so they won’t be missed. On the other hand, Marcus Mariota has turned in a very good sophomore season and has become a weekly starter in fantasy. He’s thrown multiple touchdowns in 10 out of 12 games this season. His schedule is difficult following the bye but Week 16 sets up very nicely against Jacksonville.
Fantasy football rankings, Week 13: Quarterbacks
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which quarterbacks rank in the top 25 heading into Week 13.
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Derek Carr dislocated the pinky finger on his throwing hand in Week 12. The pain was very intense and caused him to quickly leave the game. He returned with a glove on his hand and threw very well to finish the game. He should be fine to start in Week 13 against Buffalo. Andrew Luck has cleared the final stages of the concussion protocol and will start in Week 13 against the New York Jets.
We may not have seen the last of Jay Cutler or Robert Griffin III in 2016. Cutler is rehabbing his shoulder injury and has four weeks left in the fantasy season to make it back on the field. Griffin has been activated from injured reserve and resumed practicing. It would not be surprising to see Cleveland give him another chance to start over the remaining three fantasy weeks following their bye.
My sleeper this week is Colin Kaepernick. He has put up some very impressive fantasy numbers over the last four weeks, including 1,110 passing yards and eight touchdowns. In addition, his rushing totals remain very robust. He’ll take on a favorable matchup in Week 13 against Chicago. I think he will pass for 280 yards and two touchdowns with 60 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He is a borderline must start in most leagues this week.
Quarterbacks, Week 13
(ZS: Zach Senvisky, JM: Jason Marcum, SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg, KB: Kyle Bennett, DG: Derek Gordon)
| Rk | Consensus | Tm | Opp. | ZS | JM | SK | JG | KB | DG |
| 1 | Drew Brees | NO | vs. DET | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Tom Brady | NE | vs. LA | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | vs. HOU | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Andrew Luck | IND | @ NYJ | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Matt Ryan | ATL | vs. KC | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | vs. NYG | 6 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| 7 | Derek Carr | OAK | vs. BUF | 8 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Cam Newton | CAR | @ SEA | 11 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | Philip Rivers | SD | vs. TB | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| 10 | Russell Wilson | SEA | vs. CAR | 13 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Kirk Cousins | WAS | @ ARI | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Dak Prescott | DAL | @ MIN | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | Colin Kaepernick | SF | @ CHI | 9 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 16 |
| 14 | Eli Manning | NYG | @ PIT | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
| 15 | Matthew Stafford | DET | @ NO | 18 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 17 |
| 16 | Tyrod Taylor | BUF | @ OAK | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 15 |
| 17 | Blake Bortles | JAC | vs. DEN | 22 | 14 | 22 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
| 18 | Jameis Winston | TB | @ SD | 14 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
| 19 | Carson Palmer | ARI | vs. WAS | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
| 20 | Alex Smith | KC | @ ATL | 16 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 21 |
| 21 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | NYJ | vs. IND | 25 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 25 |
| 22 | Carson Wentz | PHI | @ CIN | -- | 25 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | Andy Dalton | CIN | vs. PHI | 21 | 21 | -- | 25 | 25 | 18 |
| 24 | Joe Flacco | BAL | vs. MIA | 20 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 |
| 25 | Ryan Tannehill | MIA | @ BAL | 23 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 24 |
| -- | Sam Bradford | MIN | vs. DAL | 24 | -- | 24 | -- | -- | -- |
