Fantasy Football Week 13 Advice: Sit/Start Projections For RBs

Week 13 of the NFL season picks back up a few days after the Seattle Seahawks took the Philadelphia Eagles behind the woodshed to just about end the Eagles season. Thursday Night Football featured some truly impressive running back performances. LeSean McCoy put together a solid evening, but Marshawn Lynch was the big hero, rushing for 148 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Seahawks to victory.

As fantasy football owners try and solidify playoff spots or even get a first round bye, they will need strong performances from their running backs. Everybody knows to start Ray Rice or Arian Foster, but the big question marks concern the sleepers beyond the big names.

Ben Tate, Texans: A backup running back is always a risky fantasy proposition, particularly when he is behind a stud like Arian Foster. The Texans are handing the reigns over to T.J. Yates following injuries to Matt Schaub and then Matt Leinart. Yates will have to make some plays, but Gary Kubiak will be looking to his ground game to carry the Texans. Tate only managed five carries last week, but there is tremendous upside if the Texans can take an early lead. He is a deeper sleeper, but worth considering if you're short at your flex position.

Javon Ringer, Titans: Another deep sleeper considering Chris Johnson is coming off his best performance of the year. Ringer is a significant roll of the dice, but given CJ2K's inconsistencies, if you're desperate because of injuries, he might be worth a run.

Maurice Morris, Lions: Kevin Smith is the starter, but his ankle sprain leaves him as a bit of a question mark. Keep a close eye on the Lions inactive list for the game. If Smith is out, Morris gets the start. He's not a fantastic start in New Orleans, but the Lions will want to try and control the clock as much as they can against the explosive Saints offense.