Daily Fantasy Football Week 13: Top Picks, Lineup Advice for DraftKings, FanDuel

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Not everybody can have a successful fantasy football season. In every league, there has to be somebody who finishes in last place and multiple teams who miss out on the playoffs.

Maybe that’s you this year. Perhaps your roster has been riddled by injuries, or some of those potential breakout players you took in the draft didn’t pan out. Regardless of how it’s happened, you may already be mathematically eliminated from reaching the playoffs in your league.

Fortunately, there’s still daily fantasy to play and perhaps you can win back some of the entry fee you lost in your standard league. And in Week 13, there’s a ton of action that will be taking place, including 12 matchups on the Sunday slate.

Here’s some DFS advice to try to help you have success this weekend. 

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Jonathan Taylor is having an incredible second NFL season. He leads the league in rushing yards (1,205) and rushing touchdowns (14), and he’s also been a workhorse for the Colts, as he ranks second in the NFL in carries (209).

After not scoring a touchdown through the first three weeks of the season, Taylor has scored in every game since, as he has 16 total TDs over Indianapolis’ past nine games. He’s also rushed for more than 100 yards six times during that stretch, so he’s usually a reliable option on the ground every week.

There’s no reason to think Taylor is going to slow down anytime soon, especially as the Colts have a favorable Week 13 matchup against the Houston Texans. That’s why it will be worth it to pay the big DFS price ($9,200 on DraftKings; $10,500 on FanDuel) to get him in your lineup this week.

Indianapolis should be in front for most of this game, so Taylor will likely get plenty of touches. And when that happens, he’s always a threat to break out for a huge performance. 

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It seems likely the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will be without their starting running backs this week. But these two NFC North rivals both rank in the bottom five in the NFL in total yards allowed per game. So there’s still going to be plenty of offense on both sides.

If Dalvin Cook (shoulder) doesn’t play for the Vikings, Alexander Mattison ($7,600 on DraftKings; $8,700 on FanDuel) is one of the best RB starts of the week. Mattison rushed for more than 100 yards twice while filling in for Cook earlier in the season, and he’ll likely put up big numbers in Detroit.

D’Andre Swift (shoulder) could be out for the Lions, which will make Jamaal Williams ($5,400 on DraftKings; $6,500 on FanDuel) an intriguing play. Williams has been inconsistent as the No. 2 back in Detroit’s offense, but he could have a strong day with an increased workload.

Both quarterbacks could be worthy of starting consideration, as Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins ($6,500 on DraftKings; $7,700 on FanDuel) and Detroit’s Jared Goff ($5,200 on DraftKings; $6,400 on FanDuel) should at least have solid showings. Cousins has a much higher ceiling and is the better play, if you have the salary to fit him in your lineup.

A sleeper to watch in this matchup is Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds ($3,400 on DraftKings; $5,100 on FanDuel). He had three catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day loss to the Chicago Bears, and that was only his second game with the team. He has a connection with Goff from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams, so he may put up strong numbers down the stretch. 

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Nick Wass/Associated Press

Last week, Logan Thomas returned to Washington’s lineup after missing seven games due to a hamstring injury. He didn’t have a huge performance in the win over the Seattle Seahawks, notching three catches for 31 yards, but it was still an encouraging performance.

Thomas was targeted six times, and he nearly had a three-yard touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter, but the ruling was overturned as the ball hit the ground in the end zone. If he had made a clean catch, it would have been a solid fantasy performance in his return.

With Washington having won three straight games and surging, its offense has been more reliable in recent weeks. And with Thomas seemingly getting right back to having a big role, he should be a strong fantasy performer down the stretch.

That’s why it will be smart to put Thomas ($4,000 on DraftKings; $5,600 on FanDuel) in your DFS lineup this week as he has a favorable matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, who allow the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends (per NFL.com).

     

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