Fantasy & Betting

11/27/24

6 min read

Fantasy Football 2024: Week 13 Rankings For Every Position

By C.H. Herrmann

Fantasy Writer

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Happy Thanksgiving week to all who celebrate.

There’s plenty to be thankful for in fantasy football, including all 32 NFL teams playing in Week 13. What a lovely change of pace, considering the six-team absence fantasy managers had to experience last week. Another bye week apocalypse awaits us at the beginning of December, but we can focus on the positive for now. 

Of course, the tricky aspect of this Thanksgiving week in the NFL is that four games will be played between Thursday and Friday, which is ¼ of the slate. As such, I will also not do a rankings update this week as usual. 

So, as a general rule of thumb, if one of your players is healthy and typically very productive for your lineup, you should play them even if they’re in one of the holiday games. There’s no use in being skittish on the short week. Any major player with an injury concern who plays on Thursday or Friday will be discussed in this article, too.

With that all said, let’s start with the position-by-position ranks for Week 13:

NFL Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings

Week 13 Quarterback Rankings

Quick Takeaways

• Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew II suffered a season-ending fractured collarbone late in Sunday’s game vs. the Denver Broncos. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team is preparing to start Aidan O’Connell on Friday. The second-year signal-caller hasn’t played since breaking his thumb in Week 7 and should only be considered a lineup option in Superflex formats.
• Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray went into the blue medical tent after being shaken up late in Sunday’s NFC West showdown vs. the Seattle Seahawks. No significant updates have been provided since, and it appears Murray is on track to suit up in Week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings. However, his status will be worth watching as the week unfolds, just in case.
• As of this writing, the health of San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy is still unclear. The only update currently comes from a report in the San Francisco Chronicle that notes Purdy did some ‘light throwing’ at the team facility on Monday, per head coach Kyle Shanahan. It’s best to assume that Brandon Allen will get the nod again vs. the Buffalo Bills. If that happens, fantasy managers should downgrade all 49ers' weapons. Stars like TE George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey will still be decent options, but any wide receiver will likely be best left on the bench if possible.

Trending Up

• It might be strange to see Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud so high in the rankings this week, considering he’s registered above 250 passing yards just once since Week 8 and has tossed more interceptions than touchdowns in that span. Hesitation in trusting the sophomore is understandable, but Stroud finds himself in an exceptionally good spot in Week 13 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, whose secondary ranks 32nd in pass defense DVOA in 2024, according to FTN. The last time the Texans played the Jaguars in Week 4, Stroud ended his day with 345 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. I’m willing to bet we see a similar effort on Sunday.
• It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the efforts of Denver Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix. Since taking off in Week 5, the Oregon product ranks fifth among qualified quarterbacks in adjusted completion rate (79.1 percent), fifth in fantasy points per game (21.5), and sixth in fantasy points per dropback (0.57), per Fantasy Points Data. It’s not even worth worrying about matchups at this point; Nix has proven himself to be a viable fantasy asset weekly, regardless of opponent. 
• Though he may ultimately be more helpful for managers in superflex formats, it’s worth highlighting that Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson is averaging 10 rush attempts and 48.5 rushing yards per game, the highest among quarterbacks in the last month, according to FantasyData. Indeed, the 15.7 fantasy points per game he’s posted since returning into the starting role in Week 7 are suboptimal. Still, in a pinch, fantasy managers without a reliable quarterback option can feel relatively safe with the rushing floor provided by the 6’4 Herculean athlete.

Trending Down

• Albeit in aggressively poor weather, Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston plummeted in effectiveness in Week 12 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. The gunslinger netted a mere 13.5 fantasy points on a season-low 27 pass attempts since taking over as starter in Week 8. Volatility is the name of the game with Winston, and a Week 13 contest against the Denver Broncos isn’t likely to make matters better. As a whole, the Broncos rank sixth in pass defense DVOA and have allowed only 199.8 passing yards per game in 2024.
• Unlike Winston, we can take a broader look at the season Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is having and be incredibly disappointed. Outside of a pair of mega-efforts against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the veteran has just one top-12 weekly finish and has now undergone two consecutive games without a passing score. In fact, Cousins’ average of 14.4 fantasy points per game stands as his lowest output since becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL in 2015. There’s almost no point in throwing him into lineups outside of Superflex formats.

Week 13 Running Back Rankings

Quick Takeaways

• Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery, who suffered a shoulder injury on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, reportedly could’ve gone back into the game if needed and self-proclaimed his readiness for Week 13 vs. the Chicago Bears. Montgomery sitting out was the decision of head coach Dan Campbell. Unless we see some news to the contrary, fantasy managers should anticipate Montgomery being available on Thanksgiving Day.
• Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler sustained a concussion against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter on Sunday and was taken to a local hospital afterward for further evaluation. It’s reasonable to assume he won't clear NFL concussion protocol before Week 13, which is why Jeremy McNichols appears as the RB42 on this list. McNichols would elevate somewhere into the low 30s without Ekeler and can be considered a decent flex option.
• Ekeler’s teammate, Brian Robinson Jr., also suffered an injury in Week 12 against the Cowboys and got pulled in the second half. He experienced a light ankle issue in the first quarter but was able to return to the contest later on. Eventually, the team changed their mind (clearly), so his progress will be worth monitoring as well.

Trending Up

• One of the more intriguing rookies in football this season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving, is starting to see a greater bump in usage and responsibility. During the first nine weeks of the season, the former Oregon speedster registered a 40.1 percent snap share and 30.0 percent route participation rate opposite teammate Rachaad White. However, throughout the past two games, Irving has narrowed that gap by elevating to a 51.7 percent snap share and a 45.3 percent route participation that ranks even higher than White. Plainly speaking, Irving may be winning over the backfield.
• While not a huge bump, Arizona Cardinals rookie Trey Benson is showing an increased workload. Despite a sizable downtick in usage last week against the Seattle Seahawks (four carries, 18 yards), the Florida State product is averaging 8.3 touch opportunities (carries + targets) and 53.3 scrimmage yards per game during the past three weeks. The annoying usage of Emari Demercado seems to be fading. Benson is firmly entrenched as the RB2 behind James Conner and should be rostered as a priority handcuff entering the fantasy playoffs.

Trending Down

• In two games under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, Chicago Bears RB D’Andre Swift appears to be slipping into a split backfield situation with Roschon Johnson. While Swift leads the way with a 70.2 percent share of the backfield touch opportunities, Johnson is logging a 41.8 percent snap share in this span and has accounted for seven of the Bears’ eight red zone touches. Simply put, Swift’s fantasy ceiling is seeing a bit of an artificial cap being placed on it. It is not time for concern yet, but something to remember moving forward.

Week 13 Wide Receiver Rankings

Quick Takeaways

• On Sunday, Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs suffered a concussion against the San Francisco 49ers. Considering the Packers are set to play on Thanksgiving night against the Miami Dolphins, it’s best to assume he won’t be cleared in time for play.
• Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs sustained a shoulder injury in the second half of Sunday’s contest against the Detroit Lions. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the second-year wideout is considered ‘week-to-week’ and unlikely to play in Week 12 vs. the New England Patriots.

Trending Up

• Despite his team’s less-than-stellar quarterback situation, Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers continues to post exceptional numbers. Since returning from injury in Week 8, the slot pass-catcher is averaging 7.0 receptions and 71.8 receiving yards per game. In fantasy terms, we’re looking at a player who ranks 11th among receivers with 16.6 fantasy points per game in point-per-reception (PPR) scoring. Don’t let the return of Aidan O’Connell’s return scare you away from trusting Meyers in lineups.
• Granted, it’s just one game, but Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle might be leaving the doldrums of irrelevance. The superstar went off with season-highs in catches (8) and receiving yards (144) in Week 12 against the AFC East division rival New England Patriots. The quick turnaround time for Thanksgiving Day against a tough Green Bay Packers defense (11th in pass defense DVOA) makes for a difficult bet to make, but a player of Waddle’s caliber should be able to put together a decent WR2 effort on Thursday. 
• Fun fact: Jaxon Smith-Njigba now leads the Seattle Seahawks in targets with 93. While this total may seem arbitrary on the surface, 93 actually matches his output as a rookie in six fewer games played. The acronymous JSN is now tracking to finish the season with 143.7 targets, which would make him the only Seahawks receiver to record a 140+ target season since 2013.

Trending Down

• After debuting in Week 7, San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall looked on track to be significantly involved in the offense. Unfortunately, he’s struggled to find relevance of late with teammate Jauan Jennings fully healthy and back in the lineup. Diving into the numbers in the past two weeks, Pearsall has been running on just 61.2 percent of the team’s routes while notching a truly disappointing 1.8 percent target share.
• By contrast, the ex-Florida standout had recorded a 72.3 percent route rate with a 16.1 percent target share in the three games prior. It’s worth holding onto the first-round pick in case Brock Purdy returns before the season’s end, but at this stage, Pearsall is probably more relevant to dynasty managers than anyone in season-long leagues.

Week 13 Tight End Rankings

Quick Takeaways

• At this point in time, there aren’t many tight ends aggressively trending upward or downward. Recent names like Miami Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith and Los Angeles Chargers TE Will Dissly are sustaining their success recently and should continue to be trusted, but by now, fantasy managers probably have a solid grasp on which players are trustworthy starters and those who aren’t.
• Carolina Panthers TE Ja’Tavion Sanders suffered what appeared in the moment to be a severe neck injury in Sunday’s showdown vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Fortunately, per Joe Person of The Athletic, the rookie was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and was later discharged. It’s reasonable to expect Sanders won’t play this weekend, but at least he seems to have avoided significant harm.

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C.H. Herrmann

Fantasy Writer

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C.H. 'Herms' Herrmann is a fantasy writer for The 33rd Team, leveraging his extensive experience from previous roles as a fantasy analyst and NFL writer at Draft Sharks, FantasyPros, ClutchPoints, and SB Nation. A respected voice in the fantasy football community, Herms' insights and accuracy have earned them the distinction of being the No. 1 most accurate DST ranker in FantasyPros’ ECR Draft Rankings in the 2023 season. Herms has worked in media since 2020.