Welcome, #4EYEDfans!
You want the edge in your fantasy football matchups each week? Then you’ve come to the right place!
In these articles, we’ll highlight the players that may or may not have the best matchups to exploit this week in order to help you know how to set your lineups with confidence!
Let’s examine some important matchups on offense in Week 13!
Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins vs. Jacksonville
“Mr. Fourth Quarter” leads the NFL with a 136.4 passer rating in the last quarter of the game. Now, he gets the Jags who allow the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks(22.7) and concedes 284 passing yards per game. Cousins has over 290 pass yards in three straight weeks with 11 touchdowns. While interceptions nipped him in the butt early on in the season, he’s thrown just one pick since the team’s Week 7 bye. Even if Thielen can’t play, Cousins is a solid option this week.
Taysom Hill vs. Atlanta
Taysom Hill played Atlanta two weeks ago and scored 24.22 fantasy points. In each of his two starts, he has 10 carries, 40-plus rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. He has just 311 passing yards over the last two weeks. He has yet to throw a touchdown but does have an interception under his belt. Over the last two weeks, he leads the team with three rush attempts inside the five, which he converted into three touchdowns. Alvin Kamara leads the team with eight red zone rush attempts in games in which Hill starts, but Hill is right on his tail with seven. Atlanta is tied with Buffalo for allowing the most rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks(6) and have allowed the ninth-most rushing yards to the position. Hate to say it, but Hill very well could turn in a Top-5 finish this week.
Ryan Tannehill vs. Cleveland
Cleveland has been very fantasy-friendly to opposing quarterbacks all season long. They allow the tenth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks (19.8) and have given up 22 pass touchdowns this year. Tannehill is coming off a tough four-game stretch in which he faced the Colts twice, the Bears, and the Ravens. My biggest concern is the lack of pass attempts because he’s surpassed 30 attempts just once over the last six weeks. Additionally, he’s topped 250 pass yards just once in that same span so he does the most with his opportunities. Finding A.J. Brown for a big touchdown has now become a weekly occurrence.
Running Backs
Todd Gurley/Brian Hill vs. New Orleans
The Saints PFF run-defense grade of 81.2 is the best in the NFL. They give up just 76 rush yards per contest and 3.3 per carry. The Saints have held seven of their 11 opponents under 100 yards on the ground. In Week 11, Gurley and Hill combined for 12 carries and 44 yards. This has the making for a long day for the Atlanta backfield.
Frank Gore vs. Las Vegas
No player in the history of the NFL who is 37 or older has ever rushed for more than the 521 yards Frank Gore has accumulated this season. He has now passed 17 touches in two straight weeks and has tallied 135 rush yards with 5 catches. This week he gets the Raiders who allow the fourth-most fantasy points(25.3) to opposing running backs. They’ve also allowed 15 total touchdowns to running backs this year so Gore could find his way into an RB2 finish. Remember, Adam Gase is still the head coach though.
Miles Sanders vs. Green Bay
Wide Receivers
Marquise Brown vs. Dallas
Luckily for Hollywood, Dallas gives up the second-most fantasy points (35.9) and no team has allowed more than the 19 touchdowns Dallas has given up to the position. He may have just 10 catches over the last five weeks, but if Baltimore expects to make the playoffs Brown must be involved. If you can’t play Hollywood this week, then there was no reason in drafting him. He is coming off a big 70-yard touchdown against the Steelers so maybe he can build off that.
Marvin Jones vs. Chicago
Chicago only allows 24.1 FPPG to wide receivers, third-lowest in the league. They’ve only allowed seven touchdowns to wide receivers and average just 11 receptions per game to the position. Even with a dozen targets last week, Jones caught just six balls for 48 yards. Marvin Jones has topped 55 receiving yards just twice all season and I wouldn’t expect him to do it in this matchup.
Tight Ends
T.J. Hockenson vs. Chicago
The Bears’ defense may be stout, but tight ends are the Achilles heel. They allow the second-most fantasy points(12.8) to tight ends and have allowed eight touchdowns. The Bears allow nearly six reception and 60 yards per game to the position. On the other hand, Hockenson is averaging 7.2 targets over the last six weeks. He’s topped 50 yards in four of those six games. To make matters even better for Hockenson owners, Golladay is still not practicing.
Hunter Henry vs. New England
Only three teams give up fewer points to tight ends than the 7.2 FPPG that the New England Patriots allow. They are one of three teams to allow just a lone score to tight ends this year. Henry is coming off a 7-catch, 67-yard game, but had exactly four catches in each of the previous four weeks. He failed to top 50 yards in any of those games, but he does have a touchdown in two of the last three weeks. Still, I’m tempering expectations against Belichick.
Logan Thomas vs. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is allowing just 5.7 FPPG to tight ends, best in the NFL. Only two teams have conceded fewer receptions and yards to tight ends this year. Over the last three weeks, Logan Thomas has just 92 yards on 10 catches. Avoid this matchup at all costs.
For more of my articles, all season long follow and message me on Twitter at @Todd1006
*References provided by:
FantasyData
ProFootballFocus
ProFootballReference
Player Profiler
FantasyPros
