A Week 13 lineup mistake could haunt fantasy football players for the entire offseason.
For some leagues, this is the last game before the postseason. While there are undoubtedly owners already kicking back with a top seed locked down, others are crossing their fingers and biting their nails for a playoff spot.
Since the Miami Dolphins aren’t going to hire you to call their offensive plays so somebody can finally give consistent touches to Lamar Miller, all any fake-team owner can do is set the optimal lineup and hope for the best. The skill positions constantly coerce the most dilemmas, so let’s take a late look at Week 13’s flex rankings for standard and point-per-reception (PPR) formats.
C.J. Anderson, RB, Denver Broncos
It’s time to bury the hatchet with C.J. Anderson. Sorry to anyone who wasted a first-round pick on the underwhelming running back, but consider last weekend and this Sunday his apology.
In a strong Sunday night showing concluded by a 48-yard touchdown, the Denver Broncos running back recorded a season-high 153 total yards. After entering Week 12 with one touchdown, he scored twice in an overtime win over the New England Patriots.
Over the last five games, the 24-year-old has looked much more like the guy who led many managers to championships last season. Starting with a 101-yard rebound against the Green Bay Packers, he’s averaging 6.3 yards per run since the start of November.
According to the Denver Post‘s Nicki Jhabvala, he’s confident this resurgence isn’t a fluke.
“What I did Sunday night or against Green Bay, or what I’ve been doing since the bye week, it’s been me,” Anderson said. “It’s the same person. It’s the same thing I’ve known I can do from last season, and I know I can continue to keep doing it. It was like that last year.”
Unfortunately, he has received only 58 touches during those games, including a mere two carries against the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver, however, has ample motivation to recommit to him versus the San Diego Chargers, who yield an NFL-high 4.9 yards per carry and the most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Anderson doesn’t need to completely oust Ronnie Hillman to flourish as a No. 2 fantasy back this weekend. As long as he gets roughly 15 touches, he’ll make a dent.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills
When Sammy Watkins shows up, he’s the life of the party. Making up for lost time last weekend, the Buffalo Bills’ second-year wideout caught six passes for 158 yards and two scores (all in the opening half) against Kansas City.
After entering November with 147 yards through four games, Watkins has since topped that tally in two separate affairs. Yet sandwiched between Nov. 8’s 168 yards against the Miami Dolphins and last Sunday’s outburst are two quiet outings with 53 combined yards:
Falling for his recent success, several optimistic owners will shove him into their starting lineups without a second thought. He certainly boasts superstar talent and upside, but don’t ignore his low floor when taking a back seat in Buffalo’s run-first offense. Just look at Week 12, when he followed a torrid first half with a catchless second half.
Also consider his difficult opponent. The Houston Texans have not allowed a touchdown in three of their last four games, shutting down two top-10 offenses in the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. Over that stretch, which vaulted them up to No. 3 against the pass, they relinquished the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers.
Weighing the risk and reward, Watkins remains a No. 3 wideout rather than a sure thing. Given his ability to break open a matchup, he’s worth the gamble in most spots.
Danny Amendola, WR, New England Patriots
Back in the summer, who would have thought so many fantasy gamers would spend Week 13 anxiously awaiting Danny Amendola‘s status? After missing New England’s first loss of the season with an injured knee, he is listed as questionable on the team’s official injury report.
He offered some guarded optimism earlier in the week, per ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss:
If active, he could have a monster day against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have surrendered 45 points and five passing touchdowns in consecutive weeks. They have also coughed up the most fantasy points and second-most receptions to wideouts.
If that’s not enough, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski are out, so somebody is going to take advantage of this golden opportunity. A limited arsenal didn’t stop Tom Brady from posting 280 yards and three touchdowns against the Denver Broncos’ top-ranked defense. The Patriots could hold a contest to let a lucky fan start at receiver, and he’d at least merit flex appeal this Sunday.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Over his last two games, Amendola reeled in 19 of 23 targets for 196 yards. Draft Day Consultants’ C.D. Carter summed up the potential benefits and costs of playing the oft-injured veteran:
If Amendola starts and plays all four quarters, he’s a virtual lock for double-digit receptions. PPR players can’t pass up that productivity if he suits up.
Fantasy scoring courtesy of NFL.com.
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