2023 Fantasy Football Week 14 Target Report Preview: No Joe Burrow, No Problem for Ja'Marr Chase

Now that we’re into the nitty-gritty weeks here, Target Report will take a bigger shift toward player-focused takes to help you better with starts, sits, and who you can trust in your lineups going forward into the fantasy football playoffs.

Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no air yards, receiving yards, receptions, or touchdowns without first earning a target. And to earn a target, you need to be deemed “open” by the quarterback. It’s one significant trickle-down effect. There’s a reason the biggest and most consistent target-earners are near the top of fantasy football ADP: They can be relied on by not just their team’s offense to earn targets and produce on those targets, but that also trickles down to the fantasy managers drafting those pass-catchers and starting them in their lineups each week.

In this season’s Fantasy Football Target Report, we’ll take a weekly team-by-team look into these target earners and separate the wheat from the chaff. To properly lead into what we’ll be looking at this season, we’ll have to establish a baseline of the most important things we’re looking at with targets and other receiving metrics that paint the complete picture for who we should be rostering, who we should be adding, and who we can drop. Combing the box score stats doesn’t paint a clear picture of the players we should target, roster, and start. Fantasy football rankings can only paint so much of the picture as well.

Everything we’ll be talking about here and this season in the Fantasy Football Target Report will be some of the best statistics and metrics that correlate with fantasy football production. Think of targets as a page in a coloring book, just the outline yet to be colored. Coloring on that page adds context and flavor to that page. That’s what we’ll be doing with targets — adding more context than just some target totals and saying, “go add this player,” which doesn’t help anybody.

This season, we're adding a video component, so if you want to get some of the juiciest nuggets of the target report in video form, check out the Target Report Bulletpoints for the upcoming Week 14!

Bye Weeks:

• Week 5: CLE, LAC, SEA, TB
• Week 6: GB, PIT
• Week 7: CAR, CIN, DAL, HOU, NYJ, TEN
• Week 9: DEN, DET, JAX, SF
• Week 10: KC, LAR, MIA, PHI
• Week 11: ATL, IND, NE, NO
• Week 13: BAL, BUF, CHI, LV, MIN, NYG
• Week 14: ARI, WAS

NOTE:

Any player not listed for a particular team is not somebody who’s rostered in most fantasy formats. The listing at the end (QB1, RB2, etc.) is how they should be viewed for the rest of the season, not for the next week.)

All statistics below are listed in the following format:

• QB as:
  • (20-of-30, 212 yds., 1/1; 4-100-2) 
  • Pass Completions - Pass Att. - Pass Yds., TD/Int; Rush Att - Rush Yds. - TD
• RB as:
  • (18-75-1; 10-4-100-2) 
  • Rush Att. - Rush Yds. - TD; Targets - Receptions - Rec. Yds. - TD
• WR/TE as:
  • (10-4-100-2)
  • Targets - Receptions - Rec. Yds. - TD

NFL Target Report

Arizona Cardinals

Week 13 Arizona Cardinals Fantasy Takeaways:

• Kyler Murray (13-of-23, 145 yds., 1-0; 9-20)
  • Kyler wasn’t great, but it doesn't allow for much passing upside when the opposing offense can’t push scoring and doesn't have to go to a backup in Mitch Trubisky, especially when James Conner was running as well as he did on 25 carries.
    • Low-end QB1 with overall QB1 upside
• James Conner (25-105-2; 2-0-0)
  • Conner is solid enough to plug in as a low-end RB2. He’s not getting the receiving upside, thanks to Michael Carter taking some of that work that would have been otherwise ticketed for Conner. Still, when you score two touchdowns and earn massive volume, the receiving workload doesn’t matter as much.
    • Mid-range RB2
• Marquise Brown (3-0-0)
  • Yikes. Brown didn’t catch a pass and seems to have taken a backseat in target priority to McBride.
    • Low-end WR3/High-end WR4
• Trey McBride (9-8-89-1)
  • McBride is a stud tight end. Zach Ertz was released. Behold your new king and next season’s third-round pick at tight end.
    • Must-start TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Atlanta Falcons

Week 13 Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Takeaways:

• Bijan Robinson (18-53; 5-3-26)
  • Robinson struggled but, at the very least, saw a heavy workload with 84% routes and 75% snaps. The matchups don’t get much tougher than in Week 13, but it was at least good to see Bijan get a massive role, even if he didn’t produce a ton of fantasy goodness.
    • High-end RB2 with overall RB1 upside
• Tyler Allgeier (8-26)
  • Allgeier received eight carries and had a muted role compared to Bijan Robinson in Week 13. Still, Allgeier is a solid contingent play in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy scheme.
    • Mid-range RB3/middling flex with a lower floor than typical
• Drake London (5-1-8)
  • London just caught one pass, and Ridder struggled versus the Jets’ tough defense.
    • Low-end WR3/high-end flex
• Kyle Pitts (8-4-51)
  • Pitts led the Falcons with 106 air yards and all receiving categories, minus the lone touchdown that went to MyCole Pruitt. He’s still as hard to trust as ever.
    • Mid-range TE2/high-end streamer

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Baltimore Ravens

BYE WEEK

Week 13 Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Takeaways:

• Lamar Jackson
  • Elite fantasy quarterback.
    • High-end QB1
• Gus Edwards
  • Edwards is losing some of his steam to Keaton Mitchell as Mitchell encroached on some of his early-down work. If this backfield condensed to two backs, Edwards is likely to be the second back, nudging Justice Hill off his allotment of touches.
    • Mid-range RB2 (for now)
• Keaton Mitchell
  • He’s trending up and gaining a foothold on work at the expense of Justice Hill and Gus Edwards. Mitchell earned 47% of snaps in Week 12 before their Week 13 bye and had the edge on both Edwards and Hill in snaps, routes, and opportunities. That should continue on post-bye.
    • He is a low-end RB2 right now as he’s trending towards more and more work in this Ravens' offense
• Zay Flowers
  • Flowers is very hit-or-miss, with more misses lately than hits in fantasy scoring. Without Andrews in tow, Flowers should be in line as the top fantasy receiver for the Ravens, but as much as they spread the ball around, it really doesn’t matter as much as we would like it to.
    • Mid-to-high-end WR3
• Odell Beckham
  • Beckham saw his lowest healthy snap (32%) and routes per dropback (33%) of the season in Week 12, but is targeted when he is out on the field. You still can’t trust him on any fantasy lineups.
    • Mid-range WR4 that doesn’t earn enough routes for starting consideration
• Isaiah Likely
  • Likely received 83% of routes in Week 12 and turned in a decent 4-40 line on six targets before the Week 13 bye. He’s got a ways to go for consistent starting treatment at tight end, but he’s at least a bench hold and can be started in a pinch going forward,
    • Low-end TE1/high-end TE2 with room for upside

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Buffalo Bills

BYE WEEK

Week 13 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Takeaways:

• Josh Allen
  • Stud.
    • Locked-in QB1
• James Cook
  • The Bills flat-out refuse to give Cook the solid role he had earlier in the season, as Latavius Murray slightly out-snapped Cook here despite Cook getting many more opportunities. Even Ty Johnson is getting some opportunity in this offense, which is laughable from a top-down view.
    • Low-to-mid-range RB2; volatile asset
• Latavius Murray
  • Murray has a more prominent standalone role than he should now, but his real value is in the contingency if an injury strikes Cook.
    • Contingent low-end RB3 play (for now) if something happens to James Cook. 
• Stefon Diggs
  • A set-and-forget stud.
    • WR1
• Gabe Davis
  • The very definition of boom-or-bust.
    • Low-end WR3/volatile mid-range flex
• Khalil Shakir
  • Earning a sizable role in routes per dropback (no lower than 70% in the last five weeks), but the production has only mildly increased.
    • Low-end WR4/mid-range flex 
• Dalton Kincaid
  • Still moderately involved in the offense from a volume standpoint, but it still feels hollow. Dawson Knox’s practice window was activated this week, so hopefully, Knox doesn’t reclaim a significant role if the Bills are looking to get a spark on their climb back into the playoff hunt. Still, the upside is great, and that’s not something you can find on the waiver wire in fantasy football.
    • Top-8 fantasy TE for right now while Knox is out

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Carolina Panthers

Week 13 Carolina Panthers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Chuba Hubbard (25-104-2)
  • Hubbard has the clear lead-back role in Carolina, and he had his best game of the season in that role with his first 100-yard game and two touchdowns. His routes bottomed out from last week’s season-high 68% to just 29%.
    • Hubbard is a mid-range RB2 but is easily game-scripted out because of how bad the Panthers are especially if he’s not running routes
• Miles Sanders (8-23; 2-1-6)
  • Sanders is just a backup and a weaker contingent play to Hubbard at this point.
    • A mid-range RB3 with some RB2 upside should he earn some of his role back
• Adam Thielen (6-3-25)
  • The Panthers are bad, and it’s even affecting Thielen. Jonathan Mingo actually led the team in all receiving categories in the first game post-Frank Reich, so that could be something to watch for.
    • Low-end WR3 with major fantasy downside if the Panthers' offense craters even further

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Chicago Bears

BYE WEEK

Week 13 Chicago Bears Fantasy Takeaways:

• Justin Fields
  • You take the good with the bad. You know he can put up a dud, but you know he has overall QB1 in his range of outcomes. We plug away and start him anyway.
    • Low-end QB1 with weekly overall QB1 upside
• Khalil Herbert
  • It will be interesting to see how this Chicago running back room shakes out with all three healthy players coming off their Week 13 bye.
    • Mid-range RB3 for right now until we get some clarity
• D’Onta Foreman
  • Foreman missed Week 12 with an ankle injury and turned in a full practice on Wednesday, but he seems destined for a backup role to sit behind Herbert, Johnson, or both.
    • Mid-range RB3 with some contingent upside 
• Roschon Johnson
  • Is it Roschon Johnson's time in Chicago? The musical chairs in this backfield will stop once the Bears hit the field again in Week 14, but Johnson had a sizable role in Week 12, which could continue post-bye.
    • High-end RB3 if the utilization wasn’t a one-week thing post-bye. 
• DJ Moore
  • The clear top target in Chicago’s passing game, Moore is the only pass-catcher receiving consistently usable volume and the production to go with it.  
    • Mid-range WR2
• Cole Kmet
  • Kmet is the clear second target in Chicago as he’s vaulted over Darnell Mooney. There’s not a ton of target volume in Chicago, but Kmet gets his and gets it over Mooney.
    • Low-end TE1/high-end TE2

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cincinnati Bengals

Week 13 Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jake Browning (32-of-37, 354 yds., 1/0; 2-22-1)
  • Browning likely had the best game he’ll ever have as a professional, dumping the ball off a ton but taking some deep shots, too and trusting his players to make plays. We’re not going ahead and universally starting him now or anything, but he rises above the ground floor in terms of bargain-basement quarterback streamers, if anything.
    • Middle-of-the-pack QB2/streamer
• Joe Mixon (19-68-2; 7-6-49)
  • No, it wasn’t the 50-point game from last year, but in this iteration of the Bengals’ offense, it’s probably the closest we’re getting. Hilariously, it came in a game where Chase Brown got nine carries just because. Perhaps the Bengals want to see what they have as Mixon is a free agent at the end of the season. That’s something to keep in the back of your mind as the playoff weeks roll on.
    • Mixon is a volatile mid-range RB2 if he continues to cede work to Brown 
• Ja'Marr Chase (12-11-149-1)
  • Awesome game and the high-end of what his production will be with Browning for the rest of the season. You’re starting him each week, but the floor is much lower than with Joe Burrow.
    • High-end WR2
• Tee Higgins (3-3-36)
  • Higgins (81% routes in Week 13) was close to his regular routes per dropback percentage (~90%), but with Browning, the ceiling is nothing close to what it’s been with Joe Burrow, and we have to account for that.
    • Mid-range WR3 when healthy
• Tyler Boyd (7-5-37)
  • Boyd stands to benefit a bit with Browning’s shorter aDOT (4.5 yards) more than Higgins, but it’s not something to truly bank on when we’re making our start or sit decisions. Boyd’s floor and ceiling are way too close together to call him anything more than a desperation flex play in the fantasy playoffs.
    • High-end WR4/low-end flex

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cleveland Browns

Week 13 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Takeaways:

• Joe Flacco (23-of-44, 254 yds., 2/1)
  • Joe Flacco was Joe Flacco. Statuesque, a bunch of pass attempts (44), still has a strong arm and is not afraid to dump the ball off. He’s fine if you need a plug-and-play quarterback. But you’re just getting passing stats.
    • Mid-range QB2/decent streamer 
• Jerome Ford (9-19; 3-3-33-1)
  • Ford started the game with a receiving touchdown and provided nothing more besides losing work to Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong.
    • Low-end RB2
• Kareem Hunt (12-48; 1-1-0)
  • Hunt saw the most carries and took 35% of snaps in Week 13, which was annoying. We’re looking at a two-way split with Strong working his way in randomly, so it hampers projecting any of these backs because it seems like it depends on how the wind blows when figuring out who will have the most touches.
    • High-end RB3/solid contingent value
• Amari Cooper (5-3-34; left Week 13 - concussion)
  • Cooper left the game early on with a concussion, and that gave most of the receiving work to Elijah Moore. Cooper may not play in Week 14, so you’ll need some contingency plan in case Cooper cannot make it through concussion protocol in time.
    • Mid-range WR3
• Elijah Moore (12-4-83)
  • Moore was inefficient, but Flacco kept chucking the ball up to him, as evidenced by a massive 255 air yards for Moore. That’s a wild number, but it shows intent within the offense to get the ball to Moore and get it to him deep. 12 targets on a 21-yard aDOT is certainly something.
    • Mid-range WR3 if Cooper misses Week 14
• David Njoku (6-2-17)
  • Njoku is fine; he is what he is. He’s on the periphery of TE1/TE2 every week and has some upside, but he doesn’t always show it. 
    • TE1/TE2 borderline

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Dallas Cowboys

Week 13 Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Takeaways:

• Dak Prescott (29-of-41, 299 yds., 3/0; 7-23)
  • Dak is a must-start fantasy option at quarterback. He’s had one week in his past seven outings where he didn’t finish as QB3 or better.
    • Top-6 fantasy QB
• Tony Pollard (20-68-1; 4-3-15)
  • Pollard has three top-12 fantasy weeks in a row, and he’s coming on at the right time for fantasy managers. He also saw his most volume since Week 3. Fire him up as a high-end RB2 who can get you RB1 weeks, as shown in the past three weeks.
    • High-end RB2
• Rico Dowdle (5-15; 1-1-7)
  • Dowdle is a valuable handcuff in case something happens to Pollard — one of the few worth stashing on every bench.
    • RB4/contingent hold
• CeeDee Lamb (17-12-116-1)
  • Stud.
    • A must-start WR1 every week.
• Brandin Cooks (4-4-45-1)
  • Cooks scored again in Week 13 on just four targets, and he’s proven to be startable in fantasy, albeit a touchdown-dependent start in lineups.
    • Mid-range WR3/high-end flex
• Jake Ferguson (8-6-77-1)
  • Ferguson got back into fantasy’s good graces with a touchdown and some volume on top of that. He’s been a bit spotty, but as a third option in a potent Dallas passing game, you can do much worse at your tight end slot than Ferguson.
    • Low-end TE1/high-end TE2

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Denver Broncos

Week 13 Denver Broncos Fantasy Takeaways:

• Russell Wilson (15-of-26, 186 yds., 1/3; 10-44-1)
  • Eh. Wilson is acceptable in the QB streamer territory if you need a quarterback in a pinch. He’s only scored 20 fantasy points twice this season and not once since Week 4.
    • Mid-range QB2/okay streamer
• Javonte Williams (13-46; 3-3-24)
  • He still has the clear RB1 role in Denver but hasn’t produced too much in the last three weeks, as with 13, 21, and 16 touches, he hasn’t been any better than RB23. He doesn’t even have a rushing touchdown to his credit this season.
    • Low-end RB2
• Courtland Sutton (7-2-77-1)
  • Still as touchdown-dependent as ever on an inefficient two receptions on seven targets. He at least made the two catches count as he salvaged his day with another score, giving him nine on the season. The passing game isn’t fruitful most weeks, but Sutton has found ways to make it work.
    • Safe, mid-range WR3
• Jerry Jeudy (4-3-51)
  • Jeudy has been a massive disappointment all season, but on a week where Russell Wilson only completed 15 passes, there wasn’t much to go around for anybody else. He’s surviving on fantasy rosters right now based on name value.
    • High-end WR4/weak flex

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Detroit Lions

Week 13 Detroit Lions Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jared Goff (16-of-25, 213 yds., 2/0; 2-(-2))
  • The Lions were very run-heavy in their approach against the Saints, and Goff kept the team afloat after his three-fumble game on Thanksgiving.
    • Low-end QB1
• Jahmyr Gibbs (8-60; 2-1-(-6))
  • Gibbs took a step back as David Montgomery more than doubled up Gibbs on his opportunities. Gibbs had a 36-yard run down to the two-yard line that led to Montgomery’s touchdown. Those weeks will happen when the Lions jump out to 21-0 early on.
    • High-end RB2 with weekly RB1 upside
• David Montgomery (18-56-1; 2-1-(-1))
  • It was a Montgomery week as he took over after a long Jahmyr Gibbs run to score a short touchdown. He wasn’t super efficient with his touches but was fine moving the ball. 
    • High-end RB2 with weekly RB1 upside
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (6-2-49-1)
  • Stud. Must-start.
    • WR1
• Jameson Williams (1-1-11; 1-19-1)
  • Williams is treading water at the 60% route mark as he’s been used more in a gadget-adjacent role. He scored on an end-around where he showed his blazing speed. But with his sporadic utilization, he can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups.
    • High-end WR4
• Sam LaPorta (9-9-140-1)
  • LaPorta is a top-six option at tight end for the rest of the season and continues to prove the “rookie tight ends can’t produce” slappies wrong with each awesome week.
    • Top-6 fantasy TE

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Green Bay Packers

Week 13 Green Bay Packers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Jordan Love (25-of-36, 267 yds., 3/0; 2-10)
  • Love is on a big-time heater right now with three straight top-ten finishes in fantasy.
    • Low-end QB1/High-end QB2 and priority streamer
• Aaron Jones (missed Week 12 - MCL sprain)
  • Jones missed another week; I’m just not sure if we’ll get a healthy Jones at any point this season.
    • Mid-range RB2 when healthy
• AJ Dillon (18-73; 1-1-14)
  • Dillon was merely fine in Week 13, but he wasn’t the reason the Packers won or anything, so don’t get it twisted. Dillon is simply name value because of his sizable appendages (quads) and not much else.
    • High-end RB3
• Christian Watson (9-7-71-2)
  • Watson has been excellent over the past three games, with four touchdowns over his last three games and two top-12 finishes in consecutive weeks. He suffered a hamstring injury, which could derail him for a couple of weeks, but it’s fluid, and we’ll get word later on about Watson’s status.
    • High-end WR3 when healthy
• Romeo Doubs (5-4-72)
  • Doubs and Jayden Reed bump up in the pecking order if Watson is hurt and misses a week or two. Doubs has been dependent on the touchdown to prop up his value, but he’s been good, not great, this season.
    • Mid-range WR3 if Watson is out in Week 14
• Jayden Reed (5-4-16)
  • Reed took a bit of a backseat in Week 13, but with the unfortunate Watson hamstring injury, Reed could get vaulted back up in the pecking order in Green Bay.
    • Low-end WR3 with multiple avenues to quality upside
• Tucker Kraft (6-3-37)
  • Kraft is seeing a nice route bump with Musgrave on IR (88%, 77%), but he’s merely a streaming option right now with the hope that he gains a bigger foothold in this offense with the way it’s clicking right now.
    • Mid-range TE2/okay streaming option

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Houston Texans

Week 13 Houston Texans Fantasy Takeaways:

• C.J. Stroud (16-of-27, 274 yds., 1/0; 6-11)
  • Despite losing Tank Dell for the season, Stroud should be able to handle being a top-eight fantasy quarterback for the rest of the season.
    • Top-8 fantasy QB
• Dameon Pierce (15-41)
  • Pierce took some of the workload he lost back from Devin Singletary, as he grabbed 15 carries and scored a short touchdown. Pierce will retain the short-yardage work, while Singletary retains the receiving portion of the split.
    • Low-end RB2/mid-range flex
• Devin Singletary (8-36; 1-1-4)
  • Singletary still had the snap and route edge on Dameon Pierce, but Pierce had 15 carries and a touchdown. Pierce wasn’t that great to begin with or even that great in Week 13 with the increased work. It will probably be a 60/40 split between the two backs, with the receiving work skewing to Singletary.
    • Mid-range RB3/low-end flex
• Nico Collins (12-9-191-1)
  • With the injury to Tank Dell, Collins, for me, is a WR1 for the rest of the season. He’s been massively efficient (fourth-highest yards per route run (2.81) of all receivers with 60+ targets)
    • Low-end WR1
• Noah Brown (2-0-0)
  • Brown could find himself in a bigger role with Tank Dell now out for the season.
    • WR4/deep flex
• Dalton Schultz (Missed Week 13 - hamstring)
  • Schultz missed Week 13 with a hamstring injury but returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited capacity.
    • High-end TE2/mid-range streamer with a brutal upcoming schedule for fantasy playoffs
• Brevin Jordan (4-3-64)
  • Jordan started in place of injured Dalton Schultz and ran routes on 77% of C.J. Stroud’s dropbacks. Jordan is a fine plug-and-play tight end as long as Schultz remains out with his hamstring injury.
    • Mid-range TE2/streaming option

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: Tank Dell (out for season - fibula fracture)

Indianapolis Colts

Week 13 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Takeaways:

• Gardner Minshew (26-of-42, 312 yds., 2/0; 3-2)
  • Minshew has been solid in relieving Anthony Richardson, but he’s nothing more than a QB streamer.
    • Mid-range QB2/okay streamer
• Jonathan Taylor (Missed Week 13 - thumb)
  • Taylor reportedly will have thumb surgery and be out for a couple of weeks, so that puts Zack Moss back on the menu.
    • Locked-in RB1 when healthy
• Zack Moss (19-51; 3-2-6)
  • Moss was alright and nothing special despite getting 21 touches. Moss didn’t exactly help out his fantasy managers, but he will have a massive role as long as Taylor remains out.
    • Mid-range RB2 if Taylor is out
• Michael Pittman (16-11-105-1)
  • A solid, safe, consistent WR2 with bankable targets and an excellent weekly floor. You can’t beat it, especially when he’s scoring the walk-off touchdown in Week 13.
    • Mid-range WR2
• Josh Downs (5-3-14)
  • Downs is a solid, productive slot-only option who is back to his target-earning ways before his knee injury in Week 9. Downs took a backseat to Pittman and his target-earning ways.
    • Mid-range WR3/very good flex option with upside

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 13 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Takeaways:

• Trevor Lawrence (22-of-39, 258 yds., 2/0; 5-8-1)
  • Lawrence was solid until he got the back of his ankle stepped on, and C.J. Beathard had to spell him for the rest of the game. Lawrence refused the cart, which made for rampant social media razzing about why the Jaguars didn’t give him the cart. Lawrence’s status is up in the air for Week 14 vs. Cleveland, but I’d say the Jaguars err on the side of caution with his ankle and sit him for at least this game.
    • Low-end QB1
• Travis Etienne (11-45-1; 4-4-34)
  • Etienne has been managed much more now than ever before, with four straight games of snaps in the 60-66% range after no game below 71% and multiple games above 85% before Jacksonville’s Week 9 bye. We’re seeing D’Ernest Johnson get much more involved in the offense as a spell, and it’s hurting the bottom line for Etienne. He’s still an RB1, but he’s much more volatile than earlier in the season.
    • Low-end RB1
• Calvin Ridley (8-4-26; 3-7)
  • It’s concerning that Ridley couldn’t take the production left when Christian Kirk got hurt. Ridley should be better than that, but perhaps with the long lay-off, he just isn’t.
    • Volatile WR3 with WR1 upside 
• Christian Kirk (1-1-26; left in Week 13 - core muscle)
  • Kirk left the game after his one catch after violently crashing to the ground. He will be out 6-8 weeks, so he’s a safe drop for season-long fantasy leagues.
    • High-end WR3
• Evan Engram (9-9-82-1)
  • Engram has been the most consistent pass-catcher week to week and will undoubtedly be that with Kirk now lost for likely the rest of the season.
    • Mid-range TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: Christian Kirk (likely out for the season - core muscle)

Kansas City Chiefs

Week 13 Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Takeaways:

• Patrick Mahomes (21-of-33, 210 yds., 1/1; 4-26)
  • Despite his weapons being up and down, we know what Mahomes can turn this ragtag bunch of weapons into every week.
    • QB1, but the offense hasn’t provided many spike weeks
• Isiah Pacheco (18-110-1; 4-3-13)
  • Solid, no-frills starting fantasy running back with a lock on early-down work and chipping in with the receiving work, too. Having McKinnon out really helps his fantasy floor to chip in with receptions.
    • Mid-range RB2
• Rashee Rice (9-8-64)
  • Rice has put together two fantastic weeks where he’s been WR3 and WR22 but should be running 90% of routes per dropback, not 70%. If you haven’t been starting him, get him in your lineups ASAP.
    • Mid-range WR3 with upside
• Travis Kelce (5-4-81)
  • Stud. Dating Taylor Swift. Winning at life.
    • Overall TE1

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Las Vegas Raiders

BYE WEEK

Week 13 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Takeaways:

• Josh Jacobs
  • He has a stranglehold on the running back workload, and Jacobs took every running back carry in Week 12 but two.
    •  Mid-range RB1
• Davante Adams
  • Adams has seen his ceiling drop thanks to Aidan O’Connell as the quarterback, but he can still provide some quality weeks, as evidenced by his 16 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks. While that’s not vintage Adams, we’ll take it given the circumstances. 
    • Low-end WR1
• Jakobi Meyers
  • Meyers has a more volatile role than earlier in the season, but he’s a lower-tier flex as we head into the fantasy playoffs.
    • Low-end WR3/mid-range flex
• Michael Mayer
  • Mayer hasn’t reasonably asserted himself from a target-earning and production standpoint, as he’s gotten more snaps over Austin Hooper but hasn’t translated that into fantasy goodness.
    • Mid-rangeTE2/weak streamer

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Chargers

Week 13 Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Takeaways:

• Justin Herbert (22-of-37, 212 yds., 0/0; 4-(-5))
  • Herbert has been very hit or miss the last seven games, with more games as a QB20 or worse (4) than a top-10 fantasy quarterback (3). I mean, the Chargers scored six points on two field goals. It can’t get much worse, but somehow, the Chargers will find a way to prove us all wrong.
    • Low-end QB1
• Austin Ekeler (14-18; 3-2-9)
  • I'm a bit worried here with Ekeler; he doesn’t seem to have the same juice and explosiveness as he used to. While he will rack up high-value touches in this offense, the ground game component may not be there. That’s fine as long as the receiving aspect is alive and well, as are green-zone touches. He only put up 27 yards from scrimmage on 16 opportunities, so I wouldn’t blame them if they wanted to get Joshua Kelley more involved.
    • High-value-touch-dependent low-end RB1
• Keenan Allen (9-5-58)
  • Stud. A must-start WR every week. Even when the team scores six points and wins.
    • Top-5 fantasy WR
• Joshua Palmer (On IR - knee)
  • The Chargers activated Palmer’s practice window on Wednesday, so it could be a week or two before Palmer gives the Chargers another able body at wide receiver. 
    • Mid-range WR3 when healthy

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Rams

Week 13 Los Angeles Rams Fantasy Takeaways:

• Matthew Stafford (22-of-37, 279 yds., 3/0; 1-(-2))
  • Stafford has stepped up his game from earlier in the season and tossed three touchdowns on a previously impenetrable Browns defense. Having the threat of Kyren Williams certainly helps this offense in a much broader sense.
    • Mid-range QB2/mid-range streamer
• Kyren Williams (21-88-1; 5-3-24)
  • Williams is an absolute stud with one of the best roles in fantasy football for a running back.
    • Low-end RB1 with huge receiving upside
• Cooper Kupp (8-6-39-1)
  • Kupp shouldered more of the receiving workload with Puka Nacua banged up with an AC sprain. Kupp still doesn’t seem entirely healthy and may not be for the rest of 2023.
    • Low-end WR1/high-end WR2
• Puka Nacua (7-4-105-1; 2-34)
  • Nacua was looking great until he hurt his shoulder. He did return to the game and finished, but his Week 14 status is up in the air. Nacua ran routes on only 51% of Stafford’s dropbacks, but his line could have been much more dominating if he didn’t get hurt.
    • Mid-range WR2 with huge PPR upside

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Miami Dolphins

Week 13 Miami Dolphins Fantasy Takeaways: 

• Tua Tagovailoa (18-of-24, 280 yds., 2/0)
  • Tua Tagovailoa remains a locked-in QB1 going forward.
    • Must-start QB1 based on the strength of the offense
• Raheem Mostert (11-43-1; 1-1-8)
  • Mostert is the unsexy option when standing next to Achane, but he’s not losing his role to Achane. There’s more than enough work for Mostert to see his typical 10-15 carries per game.
    • Mid-range RB2
• De’Von Achane (17-73-2; 4-3-30)
  • Achane was electric as always when he plays a complete game. He should be in every fantasy lineup moving forward.
    • Achane is a high-end RB2 going forward
• Tyreek Hill (7-5-157-2; 2-(-4))
  • Stud. Best fantasy wide receiver right now.
    • THE WR1
• Jaylen Waddle (8-5-52)
  • Waddle is no Tyreek Hill, but who is? Waddle has disappointed a bit, as many were expecting more high-end production, but Waddle is at least the solid option in this elite Miami passing game.
    • Low-end WR2

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Minnesota Vikings

BYE WEEK

Week 13 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Takeaways:

• Joshua Dobbs
  • Dobbs remains the starter for the Vikings to keep some continuity within the passing game. Plus, getting Justin Jefferson after the bye certainly helps.
    • Volatile streaming QB
• Alexander Mattison
  • Mattison continues to chug along with his brand of uninspiring football. He leads the way in carries when healthy, even though Ty Chandler looms behind him.
    • Low-end RB2/solid flex play for now
• Ty Chandler
  • He’s a “handcuff plus”, where he’s getting a bit of standalone value thanks to Mattison not being that great, but the standalone role isn’t great right now.
    • Mid-range RB3/solid flex play with solid contingency should Mattison get hurt
• Justin Jefferson
  • Finally, some normalcy: Jefferson is slated to play in Week 14 against the Raiders. Get him into lineups.
    • Top-5 fantasy WR
• Jordan Addison
  • Minus Jefferson for this stretch of games, Jordan Addison was inefficient but still earned quite a bit of target volume. Now, with Jefferson back? It relieves some pressure on him to not have to be the sole producer outside of Hockenson.
    • High-end WR3
• T.J. Hockenson
  • Hockenson is still a top tight end post-bye, and the return of Jefferson helps stabilize the offense to take attention away from him. 
    • Top-3 fantasy TE

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New England Patriots

Week 13 New England Patriots Fantasy Takeaways:

• Rhamondre Stevenson (9-39; 1-1-0; left Week 13 - high-ankle sprain)
  • Stevenson hurt his ankle on the second possession of the game for New England, and Ezekiel Elliott had to shoulder most of the workload for the Patriots. He’s expected to miss a few weeks, but potentially not the rest of the season unless he goes on IR.
    • Mid-range RB2 when healthy
• Ezekiel Elliott (17-52; 5-4-40)
  • Zeke will see the bulk of the running back workload for the Patriots with Stevenson out. The touchdown equity isn’t there for New England, as the team has scored exactly ONE touchdown in the last three games. 
    • Low-end RB2 with Stevenson out
• Demario Douglas (Missed Week 13 - concussion)
  • Douglas will also miss Week 14 with his concussion.
    • High-end WR4/solid flex option

Add ‘Em: N/A

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New Orleans Saints