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Week 13 of the 2023 fantasy football season will feature six NFL teams serving their bye weeks - the maximum number for any week this season. This significantly reduces the amount of potential lineup options.
Managers will need to work harder than usual this week when analyzing where to find the best value as fantasy points will come at a premium.
Further increasing the importance of setting the best lineup possible this week is the proximity to the fantasy playoffs. Most leagues enter the postseason around Week 15, so little time remains to solidify a playoff spot.
Some of these variables include injury situations to relevant players, recent individual performances, direct weekly matchups, offensive projections, expected workload, potential game scripts, and many more.
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These are some of the keys to finding the best value each week and coming up with a list of players to target and fade.
This process can sometimes be extremely challenging, especially with the abundance of teams on their bye weeks, but the Start/Sit Optimizer makes it much easier.
This valuable tool weighs every possible variable before generating lineup advice and fantasy projections. Managers who use it often gain an edge over their fantasy leagues.
The Optimizer was also used to help produce the following list of potential starts and sits in Week 13 of the 2023 fantasy football season. It features an ideal target and fade candidate, based on their individual weekly situation, from each of the four major offensive fantasy positions.
Fantasy Football Week 13 Start 'Em Picks
Sam Howell
Every fantasy football season features unexpected breakout superstars that outperform their preseason projections by a significant margin. In 2023, Sam Howell may be the best overall example of this.
He went undrafted in many fantasy leagues this year but has now solidified himself as a QB1 on most rosters, currently leading the NFL in passing yards.
The Washington Commanders quarterback has also finished among the top 10 fantasy football quarterbacks in each of the past five weeks. He now gets an enticing matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 where he will likely need to pass often to keep up with their high-powered offense.
His strong recent form and ideal potential game script make him an elite lineup option this week.
Rachaad White
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved on from Leonard Fournette ahead of the 2023 NFL season, opening the door for Rachaad White to step up as their featured running back.
His unchallenged role as their workhorse made him a popular pick in fantasy drafts, but he failed to find consistency in the early weeks this year. He has turned things around recently in a major way.
White has ranked among the top 20 running backs in PPR leagues in each of the past six weeks, after doing so just once in his first five games. He has an excellent opportunity to keep his hot streak going in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers.
They are currently allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
Michael Pittman
The Indianapolis Colts were forced to make a quarterback change to Gardner Minshew when rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending injury. This may have helped Michael Pittman to quietly emerge as one of the most consistent fantasy football wide receivers this year. He has now finished as the WR17 or better in PPR leagues in each of his past six games.
Pittman's elite streak has a solid chance to continue in Week 13 when he faces off against the Tennessee Titans. Their defense has struggled in several areas this year, especially against the opposing pass, including allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Evan Engram
Tight ends have always been one of the most difficult positions to navigate in fantasy football. The position as a whole lacks consistency, with the exception of just a few elite options.
The weakness of the position in fantasy football is what makes Evan Engram extremely valuable. He has quietly been one of the most reliable lineup options this year.
Engram has been targeted at least five times in every game this season so far, turning his high volume into six finishes among the top 10 weekly tight ends. His matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals this week offers him plenty of upside as they are allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to his position.
To acquire any of these Week 13 targets, make sure to consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.
Fantasy Football Week 13 Sit 'Em Candidates
Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams are finally back to full strength on offense with Kyren Williams returning from the injured reserve list last week. This resulted in Matthew Stafford turning in a season-best QB7 finish. It also marked the fifth time this year that he has finished among the top 15 fantasy football quarterbacks.
Despite Stafford's impressive performance in his most recent game, he should still be avoided in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns. They have been one of the most elite defenses this season by many different measures, including allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Chuba Hubbard
Miles Sanders opened the 2023 fantasy football season as the Carolina Panthers' lead back, but has since been replaced by Chuba Hubbard. They have found more consistent success in their rushing game since making the change, with Hubbard ranking among the top 25 running backs in PPR leagues in four of his past six games.
While Hubbard has established himself as RB2 on many fantasy football rosters, he is much better off left on the bench for Week 13. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggle in defending the pass, but excel against running backs. They are allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position.
Garrett Wilson
The New York Jets finally made a much-needed change at quarterback, benching Zach Wilson in favor of Tim Boyle last week. Unfortunately, it didn't improve their offense as they continued to be one fo the weakest units in the NFL.
Garrett Wilson has been hindered by the poor quarterback play all year and it has been getting worse in recent weeks.
In his past two games, Wilson has combined to total just 53 yards. This includes his third-lowest output of the season last week in Boyle's first game. With another start expected this week, it would be wise to leave Wilson on the bench in fantasy football.
The Atlanta Falcons allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers decreases his value even further.
Tyler Conklin
Streaming tight ends is one of the most popular strategies for approaching this challenging position, due to the lack of consistently legitimate options. Tyler Conklin is a good example of a useful streamer in the right situations. He has finished among the top 15 weekly tight ends five times this year.
Week 13 is not a situation that makes Conklin an ideal streaming target. The Atlanta Falcons have quietly been one of the best all-around defenses this season and the New York Jets have continuously failed to establish a passing game. This problem could get even worse with Tim Boyle under center again.
