Fantasy Football Week 13 Sleepers: Don’t overlook these options if your lineup needs help

Like any other week, there were hits and misses on the week 12 sleeper side. Luke Schoonmaker, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Roschon Johnson had touchdowns and Will Dissly was solid as always. We like that. But Quentin Johnston toasted a bagel on Monday (so many heartbreaking drops) and there were a few other stones.

Here’s hoping you don’t need many sleepers in your Week 13 lineups. All 32 NFL clubs are in action this week and they’re likely fighting for playoff position. The stakes are rising. However, if you are affected by injuries or poor performance, some of these names may be able to help.

RB Gus Edwards vs. Falcons (44%)

At this stage of the game, we know what Edwards is – a two-down pounder who has almost nothing to offer in the passing game. However, he will be the first to see the goal line as JK Dobbins (knee) will miss time and the Falcons feature a stout defense that is slightly below average in most metrics. Edwards probably needs a touchdown to make up for his prediction, but I would give him a better than 50% chance of achieving that result here.

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RB Jeremy McNichols vs. Titans (12%)

Here’s another defender who hasn’t shown anything in the passing game (just two balls), but McNichols has been efficient when asked to carry the ball (to the slight surprise, his success rate is actually slightly higher than Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler). They’ll have to focus on their injuries this week with Washington, as Robinson is dealing with an ankle injury and Ekeler is in the concussion protocol. If neither can go, McNichols will have to compete against an average Tennessee rushing defense.

RB Ameer Abdullah at the Chiefs (22%)

Here’s your Black Friday special, a pass-catching specialist who may see a favorable game situation against the heavily favored Chiefs (assuming Alexander Mattison and Zamir White are unavailable again). Abdullah’s rushing skills are modest, but he has shown a useful 8-53-2 role in the passing game over the past two weeks. Let Kansas City build a lead and watch Abdullah get away with those balls. This is especially fun if your league has a PPR component to the scoring.

WR Devaughn Vele vs. Browns (17%)

Bo Nix isn’t the only rookie winner in Denver; Vele’s role continues to grow and he is impressive. Vele is coming off its busiest and most productive game of the year (6-80-0, nine goals) and Monday’s draw is favorable, against a Cleveland secondary that has given up the fifth-most points to opposing wide receivers. Perimeter specialist Courtland Sutton is the undeniable alpha of Denver’s passing game, but Vele will likely see a target share of 20% or more at that spot.

WRs Adam Thielen (27%), David Moore (1%) against Buccaneers

One of the biggest fantasy stories from Week 12 was the emergence of Bryce Young, who looked poised and controlled against Kansas City’s intimidating defense. Young was unfazed by the blitz packages and, despite challenging pressure, managed several targeted throws. It appears the Panthers knew what they were doing when they temporarily sent Young to the bench; Since his return he looks like a different player.

This means we can begin attacking Carolina’s receiver room with some level of confidence. Thielen’s resume probably makes him the more comfortable sleeper player, as he had a solid 3-57-0 line upon his return from injury, but we must also note that Moore was heavily used in the game against Kansas City (6-81-1 ) and drew the team’s best 10 goals. The Buccaneers play a lot of shootouts, with a strong offense and a leaky secondary. Maybe the Panthers can hold up their end of the bargain.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Rams (28%)

Some fantasy managers didn’t want to keep MVS past the bye-bye week, and I understand that considering his history of inconsistent performances. And even in two smash games, they had limited chances – just seven goals in the last two games led to his 5-196-3 line. The hope is that Valdez-Scantling makes a big play to justify your trust, and at least there’s little competition downfield in this offense. The Rams secondary was a plus matchup for most of 2024.

WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs Commanders (15%)

It’s becoming more and more of a cut-and-paste case with NWI, a low-target player who has somehow scored in 6 out of 7 games. After the DeAndre Hopkins trade, NWI is seeing snap shares over 90% every week, making him the second most important target in their offense. I’m not afraid to put him up against an average Washington defense; The Commanders are heavy favorites, which could lead Tennessee to be more proactive in their passing game.

TE Luke Schoonmaker vs. Giants (10%)

I’m surprised his roster value has remained so low after Schoonmaker gave us 6-56-0 and 3-55-1 in consecutive weeks. Cooper Rush was a competent quarterback in both games and the Cowboys will not be without Jake Ferguson (concussion) for Thanksgiving. There’s a good chance Schoonmaker will be the second guy on Dallas’ offense – the guy to look for when CeeDee Lamb isn’t open. New York’s tight end coverage has been strong this year despite not having a difficult schedule. Ferguson caught them for seven catches in Week 4.