As the fantasy football season begins to wind down, an emphasis on stars and the proper sleepers rules the day when it comes to start ’em, sit ’em decisions.
In Week 12, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson led all scorers at his position before Monday with a 29-point outburst against the struggling Atlanta Falcons. Not far behind him was super sleeper Spencer Ware of the Kansas City Chiefs with 17.
There are a few ways to score late-season victories. Below, let’s look at value comparisons for each position in table form and outline some lineup advice by examining star and sleeper options for Week 13.
QB
Star to Exploit: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at NO)
This is going to get ugly.
The New Orleans Saints entered Week 12 coughing up the most points to quarterbacks by way of 14 passing touchdowns allowed over three games. Out of a bye, Houston’s Brian Hoyer tossed two more while totaling 14 points.
Long story short, Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers will have a field day with the unit. He’s coming off a down performance by way of 17 points, but remember that just a week before he went for 30 while tossing five scores.
Newton managed 29 points against these Saints back in Week 3. Oddly enough, New Orleans looks even worse for the rematch, making Newton the top play of the week.
Sleeper: Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets (at NYG)
For one reason or another, fantasy football owners just don’t seem to trust New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who only has an ownership percentage of 26.3.
There’s good value here, though, considering Fitzpatrick has posted 14 or more points in four consecutive games, the latest a 29-point outburst.
Fitzpatrick has the ability to go off in the right matchup thanks to weapons such as Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. Week 13 will personify this thanks to an encounter with the New York Giants, a team that entered a Week 11 bye coughing up the fifth-most points to the position.
Washington’s Kirk Cousins just posted 22 points on the unit. Fitzpatrick can hit that mark and then some.
RB
Star to Exploit: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (vs. SF)
Matt Forte’s return from injury for the Chicago Bears in Week 12 wasn’t the boon some would have hoped.
There, he split duties with backup Jeremy Langford and mustered just four points, but one has to think the Bears will give more work to Forte as he gets back into the swing of the game.
Just in time, too, as the Bears next encounter the San Francisco 49ers. The struggling franchise allowed the second-most points to running backs before Week 12, only to let Arizona’s third-string back, David Johnson, total eight points with a touchdown on just eight carries.
Rest assured Forte will see more than eight carries against the unit on his way to a big day.
Sleeper: Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs (at OAK)
Before suffering an injury of his own, Charcandrick West of the Kansas City Chiefs was one of fantasy’s hottest commodities while playing in place of Jamaal Charles.
Starting in Week 7, he rattled off three consecutive games with a touchdown and at least 17 points before dealing with an injury.
West almost played this past weekend, which means he’s sure to be in the lineup against the Oakland Raiders, a team that entered the same weekend as one of the worst 10 in terms of points allowed to backs.
It’s easy to forget about West on a struggling team, especially after Ware’s outburst. Those who do not will start one of the week’s top sleepers.
WR
Star to Exploit: Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders (vs. KC)
Sometimes, it’s a scary proposition to label a rookie receiver a star and tout him as one of the week’s top players.
There’s nothing to be afraid of when it comes to Amari Cooper, though. The Oakland Raiders’ top option has double digits in six games this year, including seven grabs for 115 yards and 11 points this past weekend.
Cooper will merely be the latest to exploit the Chiefs through the air. They entered the weekend allowing the most points to wideouts before Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins erupted for 27.
While Cooper might not reach that mark, he’s going to post one of his top performances of the season.
Sleeper: Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers (at NO)
Go ahead and fire up Carolina’s top wideout alongside Newton.
For those who don’t know, that would be Ted Ginn Jr. with Kelvin Benjamin out of the picture for the season.
Ginn exploded out of the gates with double digits in two of his first four games but has cooled since with just one other such outburst. In between the double-digit outings, though, was a nine-point performance against the Saints on his four grabs for 93 yards.
In Week 13, Ginn gets another shot at the Saints after seeing at least eight targets in four of his last five games. Since he’s still seeing plenty of work and put up solid numbers against a unit that looks even worse this time around, Ginn figures to be one of the top surprises of the week.
TE
Star to Exploit: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (at OAK)
While Kansas City’s Travis Kelce has been rather hit or miss this season, he’s scored in double digits four times, including last week with 12 points.
By now it’s clear Kelce is mostly a touchdown-reliant producer, which is just fine heading into Week 13 against the Raiders.
Those Raiders have allowed a whopping 11 touchdowns to tight ends this year, a clear testament to the fact the team won’t have anyone who can shut down Kelce.
Sleeper: Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (vs. SEA)
Thanks to the return of Adrian Peterson, the emergence of Stefon Diggs and other factors, Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph has fallen a bit on the back burner.
Rudolph’s best game of the season came in Week 11 when he caught six passes for 106 yards and a score, good for 16 points. He followed with another seven catches this past weekend but didn’t find pay dirt.
The usage is an encouraging sign, though, as is a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, who quietly allowed the fourth-most points to the position entering this past weekend thanks to seven touchdowns allowed.
Look for Rudolph to see more heavy usage and turn it into another strong day.
All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 30. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.
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