Happy Honda Days, and welcome back to another Tuesday of racing around the league in “Fantasy Whiplash!” Climb aboard my trusty snowmobile because we don’t need roads where we’re going. We’ll navigate the strange terrain of fantasy football news, avoiding trees (I hope) and taking note of what’s going on in our march to the playoffs.
After hugging the turns and dodging branches, we’ll wind up in Grandma’s waiting arms and a feast for the ages. That is, at least since the one last year, but who’s counting? One can never give too much thanks! There will be dishes of Hershey’s Kisses everywhere you turn and some rare imported beer brought by that one uncle who is always sloshed before dinner. Before we say, “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub,” I’ll prepare you with dinner talking points. You’ll need these in your back pocket as you endeavor to steer the conversation from the inevitable election talk.
The fantasy football playoffs will be here before you can say “wishbone,” so we’d better get cracking. Make sure to duck under oncoming branches and watch for ice on our way. This thing hits a cool 50 mph, so if you blink, you’ll miss the “Quick Hits” and other notes of interest.
It’s Week 13! Hold on tight, and let’s talk turkey.
Fantasy Football News & Notes for Week 13
Fantasy Football News
The Pipes, the Pipes Are Calling
As I noted last week, the New York Giants made a change at starting quarterback. Then, not only did they replace Daniel Jones, aka “Danny Boy,” but they said, “Please pass the pink slip” and shipped him right out of New Jersey. Turns out, Jones himself requested the release after New York attempted to send him to the practice squad.
By releasing “Danny Dimes” now, the Giants are on the hook for $22.21 million. That’s cherry pie compared to the $76.5 million he would have been owed through 2026 as a member of the team. That excess was not guaranteed – perhaps the one right thing the G-Men did when they gave that turnover casserole a $160 million contract.
For his part, Jones makes out like a bandit. He gets that $22.21 million straightaway while he looks for a new job. There have already been reports of potential suitors (and contenders, at that) expected to sign him. In the end, Jones could end up being paid by his new team to do nothing while being paid by his old team for doing nothing. On top of it all, he could get a ring out of the deal. It’s all gravy from here.
Happy Saquonathon to Those Who Celebrate
Congratulations to Saquon Barkely fantasy managers
-255 rushing yards
-47 receiving yards
-2 TDSA total of 46.2 fantasy points pic.twitter.com/07rLtn5388
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 25, 2024
I’d be willing to bet that any football fantasy team with Saquon Barkley and a reasonable supporting cast is in good shape for a playoff bye. Barkley continues to be the stuff that fantasy wet dreams are made of. Not since King Philip’s War circa 1675 have visitors completely laid waste to the home team. This time, it was the Eagles behind the heroic efforts of Barkley. The rest of the team barely broke a sweat against the Los Angeles Rams, whose playoff hopes now nest on wrestling a single turkey leg away from the competition.
For the season, Barkley has reached career highs in carries (223), yards (1,392), Yards Per Carry (YPC) – 6.2 – and yards per game (126.5). He has touched the ball 250 times and fumbled just once. The Penn State product has 1,016 yards before contact this season. That metric alone would place him at No. 2 among rushing leaders. The Philadelphia Eagles brass are pinching themselves.
Similar to the deep-fried bird that adorns your Thanksgiving Day table, it’s time to put this bird squarely in the MVP conversation. Not since Adrian Peterson in 2012 has a non-quarterback won the award. The Pennsylvania native is making his case for the award in fantasy and reality by stuffing the stat sheet.
Call Him Butter, He’s on a Roll
On a Sunday where four different players found paydirt on the ground, Bucky Irving stood head-and-shoulders above the rest. Once referred to (OK, it was me) as “Rachaad White Lite,” Irving has now become the Kings Hawaiian of the backfield rolls.
After last weekend’s win, turning the Giants into Giblets 30-7, Irving is making his case as the go-to in Tampa. He accumulated 87 yards on just 12 carries for a 7.2 YPC average and a touchdown. He wasn’t done. Instead, he loosened his belt for seconds and tacked on six catches for 64 yards; he had all the trimmings. We could be seeing the long-suspected changing of the guard on the Buccaneers. Irving now outpaces White in every statistical category, save for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns through the air. Aside from the touchdowns, White only holds a modest six catches for 49 yards edge.
The Tampa Bay backfield will remain a three-headed beast (with Sean Tucker) moving forward, but Irving is borderline “set it and forget it” in fantasy lineups. He is also showing tremendous dynasty fantasy football value for teams with capital to pony up and abandon the kids’ table.
Give Thanks & Avoid Politics
Listen, you’ve got to endure in these get-togethers. There will be horrible jokes, answering the same “What have you been up to?” questions and screaming your answers to the hard of hearing so loud that people three counties over are listening to your reality show. There’s also that weird uncle who won’t leave your significant other alone and the aunt who’s been tipping the liquid courage since 8 a.m. Worst of all, you sit down to a family dinner, and the conversation devolves into political disagreements. Steer it towards football with one of these.
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- The Giants’ quarterback room screams “turducken.” Tommy DeVito suffered a forearm injury on Sunday and now his status is up in the air for the quick turnaround on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys. Drew Lock is currently listed as second on the depth chart, with newly-signed Tim Boyle behind him. If Lock secures the job, don’t expect him to relinquish his hold on it. In related news, if you want to see a bunch of turkeys trying to play football, tune in to FOX at 4:30 p.m. ET. It’s like putting marshmallows on sweet potato casserole… it’s still not good.
- The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are realistic contenders this season. However, both have more than a few chinks in the armor. The Ravens lost to Pittsburgh in Week 11, and then the Steelers turned around and laid a big old Amber Heard to the Browns on Thursday. Suffice it to say that those two games and corresponding losses raised a lot of eyebrows in Cincinnati. If the Bengals can magically turn their season around, they immediately become the team no one wants to play.
- Speaking of raising eyebrows, the NFC West is completely up for grabs… if anyone wants it. The two teams atop the division (Seahawks and Cardinals) played to a 16-6 Seattle win in a game seemingly neither wanted to win. Fantasy football managers were not happy, either. Meanwhile, the Rams and 49ers are at 5-6 and are one game back. With tons of fantasy intrigue from players on every team in that division, managers are hoping for a lot more shootouts. The Cardinals seem to have the easiest path if they can get their act together.
- Jan. 5 could have any number of exciting games on tap. I’m most interested in seeing this Denver Broncos team under Sean Payton leading up to it. The Denver schedule is forgiving, and if they keep carving up opponents, they’ve got a date in the regular season finale with the defending champion Chiefs, who may be resting their players. Bo Nix has added his name to the Offensive Rookie of the Year talk, while last week’s darling of this series, Courtland Sutton, just keeps producing.
What to Watch for Around the NFL in Week 13
When you’re sitting at the table with your friends and/or loved ones this Thursday, thank God for a brief respite from byes. “Bye-pocalypse” came and went and left misery in its wake. Even some players that were on the field decided to take the week off. It was as upside-down as a pineapple cake.
Not this week, though! Mercifully, NFL players must all go to work, and we can dump all those outrageous fill-ins. Week 14 fantasy football news is sure to be a doozy, like those Jack Daniels slushies Dad likes.
This is arguably the most important week for fantasy squads. Pull out all the stops for a win this week, as Week 14 features six more byes.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
You’re finishing side dishes in the oven and setting the table in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Everyone is huddled around the counter, smashing brews and dining on the fanciest of cheeses when the doorbell rings. Guess who comes waddling in? Yep, the Miami Dolphins left South Florida, and they’re here to crash the party.
Tua Tagovailoa & Co. arrive in Green Bay riding a wave of three-straight wins in which they outscored their opponents 91-49. They are starting to make noise in the playoff picture, thanks to raising their record to 5-6, and have their sights set on the Packers in what could be a boom for fantasy managers rostering players from either side. Last week saw Tagovailoa go off for 317 yards and four touchdowns a week after dropping 288 yards and three scores. The run game could not get it going, but the trio of Jaylen Waddle, Jonnu Smith and Tyreek Hill combined for 22 catches for 259 yards and a pair of scores. The Dolphins have returned to fantasy relevancy across the board.
Josh Jacobs led the Packers to a surprising 38-10 victory over San Francisco with 106 yards and a hat trick of touchdowns last week. Jordan Love also passed for two scores, but none to anyone named Christian Watson, Jayden Reed or Dontayvion Wicks. Look for that to change this week as the Packers try to solve the visiting Dolphins’ eighth-ranked passing defense. This game currently has the second-highest opening total for the week at 47 points, and these weapons have the potential to push the over.
Levis Pray
Will Levis is 🔥 Trending Up! 🚀
Fantasy Football Stats (WK10-12):
📊 21.5 FPPG
🎯 249.3 passing yards/game
🏈 1.7 TDs/game
💪 QB12 since Week 10
🚀 9.6 YPA
Playing efficient + consistent. 🔑Week 13: Faces a Commanders’ defense allowing 20+ fantasy points to QBs in 4… pic.twitter.com/u3FyRlC5YV
— Anthony Cervino (@therealNFLguru) November 26, 2024
Can Will Levis (Billie Jeans) continue this pace? He’ll match up with Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ defense that has allowed 20-plus fantasy points per game to quarterbacks over the last four games. Levis was padding stats last week, even as the Houston defense (eight sacks) tried to turn him into mashed potatoes.
Washington has something to prove, too. They’ve lost three straight games, two to division foes including a debacle last week when they couldn’t get over the Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders have dropped to 7-5 in their division and are two teams catching fire away from turning into a pumpkin. Add some spices and a delicious baked crust and Washington is back in season.
As for the Titans, Levis has brought a few friends to the gathering. Without DeAndre Hopkins on the team, Calvin Ridley has been rejuvenated. In that span, he’s amassed 14 catches for 235 yards – a 16.8 Yards Per Reception (YPR) average – with two touchdowns. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had his fifth and sixth touchdowns of the season in the last two weeks while accumulating 165 yards through the air. This could be a deceptively high-scoring game if Tony Pollard (158 yards rushing and nine catches combined in his last three games) balances the attack.
RELATED: Between Bets: 2024 College Football Week 14 ATS & Total Picks
Fantasy Quick Hits
.@JeremyMcNichols stepped 🆙 pic.twitter.com/UdcFBuv2CL
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 30, 2024
- The Eagles run up against the Ravens on Sunday in a game that favors Baltimore by three points. This matchup will be sold as Derrick Henry versus Saquon Barkley, and “a potential Super Bowl preview is sure to be uttered on more than one occasion. In the end, the passing games will have a lot to say about the result. If you got ’em, start ’em!
- As of now, the statuses of both Austin Ekeler (concussion protocol) and Brian Robinson Jr. (ankle) are up in the air. Both could go, or neither could. Either way, if there is an open spot in that game, Jeremy McNichols could be a sneak attack for a team needing running back help.
- The Detroit Lions are making defenses look as ugly as that hand-traced turkey drawing you did in kindergarten. The 10-1 team is averaging 32.7 points per game, and last week, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were both RB1 status each of the last two weeks. That could be trouble for the Bears’ 13th-worst rush defense.
- Speaking of the Bears, their upcoming schedule (including the fantasy playoffs) is, well, a bear. Conversely, if they can get their act together, Arizona’s aerial attack could carry teams to glory… but that’s a big “if.” As God is my witness, I thought Cardinals could fly.
- As many expected, Tampa Bay’s Cade Otton came back to earth with Mike Evans‘s return to the lineup. It remains to be seen if it was more because of the ground success they enjoyed. Regardless, he’s more of a Chocolate Pecan Pie now than an original recipe, which occupies the top 12 spots.
- Regardless of records, there is no love lost between the Bengals and Steelers. Expect some fisticuffs en route to a Cincinnati ascension or Pittsburgh taking them out “behind the shed.”
- Cleveland beating Denver might as well be as hard as getting Ma’s Green Jell-O out of a mold in one piece. Under the lights of “Monday Night Football,” Nix and Sutton will put on a show.
- The 49ers will try to linger around the edges of playoff contention at Buffalo. We’ll see if the Bills are a fool for them. Save some cranberries for that sweet matchup. Unfortunately, sweet may turn sour as there has been precious little intel on the status of Brock Purdy (shoulder).
- Thanksgiving Day schedule: The Chicago Bears at the Detroit Lions | 12:30 p.m. EST (CBS), the New York Giants at the Dallas Cowboys | 4:30 p.m. EST (FOX) and the Miami Dolphins at the Green Bay Packers | 8:20 p.m. EST (NBC)
“Thursday in the Danger Room”
Pass the “Aunt Gert Beans;” it’s time to stuff ourselves silly with food, drink and football.
That’ll do it for the fantasy football news this week, my fellow degenerates. Hit that waiver wire and strengthen your bench with handcuffs or high-upside players. Remember, sometimes the best move is no move at all. Get your Thursday players into your lineup, and leave the flex open for unforeseen circumstances. Don’t let the tryptophan get you down. We have a long weekend of football, so save some lefties! Make sure to eat the skin, too; that’s where they hide the Vitamin C.
As always, trust your (now splitting) gut. I’ll be back for another “Whiplash!” ride delivering all the fantasy football news next week. If you need last-minute help, I’ll see you on Twitter/X from 10 a.m. ET until the games start on Sunday to answer your start/sit questions. You can also find me here at In-Between Media (IBT) again on Friday with player prop bets for Sunday’s games!
Check out all of our Week 13 fantasy football content:
- Fantasy Football Whiplash! | Week 13 News & Notes (2024)
- Week 13 Fantasy Football Advice Mailbag (2024)
- Week 13 NFL DFS Picks & Lineup Advice (2024)
- Week 13 Shore Thing Sleepers (2024)
- Week 13 In the Scope Targets (2024)
- PropKings: NFL Week 13 (2024)
Thanks for checking out my Week 13 fantasy football news and notes! Track me down on Twitter/X @BuyAndSellYou for more redraft and dynasty fantasy football content.
*Photo Credit: Katie Stratman – USA TODAY Sports*
