Welcome to Week 13 of the fantasy football season. In many leagues, this is the last week of the regular season with the playoffs starting in the next two weeks. Owners need to make smart plays in order to clinch a postseason appearance or first-round bye.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 13: Wide receivers
We examine the top starting options at receiver, along with some players you should avoid.
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With the bye weeks pretty much over, it’s time to ride your starting wide receivers to the finish line, but some owners don’t have the luxury of setting and forgetting a guy like Antonio Brown or Julio Jones. With that in mind, here are some recommended starting options at WR this week, along with some players you should stay away from.
Start
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (@ Atlanta Falcons)
Jeremy Maclin is set to miss his third-straight game, so Hill should once again be in line for major targets. After last week’s three-touchdown breakout against the Denver Broncos, he gets an even better matchup with the Falcons’ league-worst pass defense. Fire up Hill as a solid WR3 this week.
Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Carolina Panthers)
Russell Wilson went in the tank last week and took his pass catchers with him, but Baldwin still had seven catches to salvage his fantasy value in PPR leagues. He still has a strong connection with Wilson and looks set to close the fantasy season on a strong note. The Panthers are not an imposing matchup, ranking 29th in passing yards allowed per game.
Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins (@ Baltimore Ravens)
DeVante Parker is sitting out this week’s game with a back injury, so that should elevate Landry, who’s otherwise been a disappointment this season. He has just 64 catches in 11 games a year after putting up 111 receptions. The Ravens are a fierce matchup, but Landry should see enough volume to get in the WR3 conversation.
Sit
Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Denver Broncos)
After showing signs of life with a touchdown in three straight games, Robinson put up yet another stinker in Week 13, grabbing just two catches for 24 yards against the Denver Broncos. With Blake Bortles in ruins, Robinson has been running hot and cold all year. This week, he could easily have one of those cold games against the Broncos’ elite secondary.
Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
LaFell is seeing more targets with A.J. Green out, but it’s not translating to fantasy value. He’s clearly behind Tyler Eifert and possibly even Tyler Boyd in the pecking order. Going up against the Eagles’ 11th-ranked pass defense, LaFell is an obvious bench candidate.
Pierre Garcon, Washington (@ Arizona Cardinals)
Garcon might see more volume with Jordan Reed sitting this week, but it could also be canceled out by DeSean Jackson, who’s had 169 yards and a touchdown since returning from injury in Week 12. There’s also the Patrick Peterson factor, although he’s dealing with a knee injury right now. The Cardinals are giving up the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, making Garcon an even riskier play than usual. He doesn’t have to be in starting lineups in shallower leagues.
