Happy belated Thanksgiving! Thursday was full of family, friends, football and of course, that turkey coma. Now, we have all these leftovers to feast on, just like I have sleepers who I think will feast from these leftover games that didn’t play on Thursday or Friday. After all, the leftovers are one of the best parts of Thanksgiving!
As always, I recap the previous week’s “Shore Thing Sleepers”. The “appetizer” (beginning) didn’t really hit, as Bryce Young was too busy cooking turnovers and going 6.3 points under projection. The white meat was dry, as Rachaad White scored 5.7 points under projection and the “dessert” (ending) didn’t taste great either, as T.J. Hockenson scored 2.3 points under projection. But the middle part was amazing; even though one “-son” was only okay, the other “-son” I called went off, as Dylan Sampson scored 13.1 points over projection, thanks to a 66-yard touchdown. Then, a minute later, Greg Dortch torched the Jaguars for a touchdown and ended with 8.8 points over projection! That wasn’t enough for me, though. I wanted more. And indeed, more is what I got, as D.J. Moore‘s two-touchdown game put him at 14.9 points over projection! Yes, the total was 24.8 points over projection! So it was a pretty good week for me and I finally got rid of that three-week “inactive WR curse.”
All that’s left to do is dish out some Week 13 sleepers, so let’s do that, shall we? Oh, and be warned, my pun/joke side definitely comes out in this article and personally, I’d say they’re better than the dad jokes told at the dinner table… but that’s for you to decide.
Fantasy Football Start/Sit Consideration: Week 13 Sleepers (2025)
Quarterback
Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
You know that family member who knows all the weird rules and law facts? Did they mention that it’s a law that Trevor Lawrence has to have the same number of passing touchdowns and interceptions in a game? Yeah, it’s this new law, because in Lawrence’s last three games, he has the same number of passing touchdowns and interceptions. Now, that would be concerning to me, but he’s actually been fine in back-to-back games. Because in those last two games, he has 160+ scrimmage yards, multiple touchdowns, and 16+ fantasy points.
Now, I don’t know about you, but that 16 number is pretty sweet, just like it’s been sweet to play the Titans defense lately. Because in the last five games, the Titans have allowed a quarterback to score 16.4+ fantasy points. Not only that, but all those quarterbacks have gone for 243+ scrimmage yards and a touchdown, with four of them scoring two touchdowns. In fact, two QBs in the last four weeks scored three touchdowns! Not to mention that the Jaguars got their starting tight end, Brenton Strange, back and it sounds like they’re get their WR1 Brian Thomas Jr. back, too. Trevor Lawrence should feast.
Running Back
Tyjae Spears (Tennessee Titans)
Yo, can you pass the rolls? No, I’m looking past you, Tony Pollard, or should I say, Tony Roll-ard. I’m looking at getting this bread with Tyjae Spears. He’s been a borderline staple in this article since returning from injury and for good reason. Since Week 6, Spears’ 9.5 fantasy point average has been higher than Pollard’s average of 7.7 fantasy points. While Spears has been struggling to run the ball lately, with only seven rushing yards in his last two games combined, he can get it done on the receiving end, racking up 18+ receiving yards in every game since Week 6. That’s what helped him score at least 6.5 fantasy points in each of those games.
Hmmm. A running back not getting done on the ground but getting done in the receiving game. That sounds like the Jaguars’ weakness at the position. The Jaguars have allowed the fewest rushing yards to the position, with 705, but are allowing the ninth-most receiving yards with 415. Then, as always, I looked at the recent game logs for the running backs, and wouldn’t you know? In the last four games against the Jaguars, a running back has been held to 63 rushing yards, but has 18+ receiving yards and they all scored at least 8.8 fantasy points. Oh, I almost forgot! In the last three times this happened, they’ve also scored a touchdown and 13.2+ fantasy points, averaging 14.5, meaning Tyjae Spears should be able to get it done one way or another.
Nick Chubb (Houston Texans)
Listen, I get it. We saw all the food on the table, ate a whole lot of it and now we’re feeling chubby. The same cannot be said for Nick Chubb, because he’s being left with the scraps, as most of the opportunities are now going to rookie Woody Marks. In his last three games, Chubb has not seen more than seven opportunities and is averaging 27.9 scrimmage yards (26.6 rushing and 1.3 receiving) for 3.4 fantasy points.
But it’s the season of giving thanks, and Chubb can give thanks to the Colts defense for being so generous to RB2s! In the last four games, the running back with the second-most opportunities against the Colts is averaging six carries for 30 yards and 0.7 rushing touchdowns. They’re also nabbing an average of 2.5 receptions for 22 yards and 12.2 fantasy points, and all of them saw at least 34 scrimmage yards and 6.6 fantasy points! So, let’s beef up that average and have a Sunday, Nick Chubb!
Wide Receiver
Ricky Pearsall (San Francisco 49ers)
This is a holiday known for turkey, but I’m going to talk about pears, with S-pears and Pears-all! Ever since Ricky Pearsall returned from injury, his stats have made me feel prickly. In the first four games, he averaged five receptions on 7.2 targets for 81.7 yards and 13 fantasy points. Now, he’s combined for three receptions on seven targets for six yards and 3.8 fantasy points in his last two games. While the injury and the quarterback carousel are two of the main reasons for this, we need to get back to the Weeks 1-4 version of Pearsall, stat! So, I have a feeling that he will be a key ingredient against the Browns this week.
The Browns are a tough matchup on paper, but they’ve kept WR1s in check. In four of the last five games, no WR1 has more than 30 receiving yards against the Browns, and all scored fewer than 10.5 fantasy points. That forces a different wide receiver to step up, and in two of the last four games, they have, averaging 4.6 receptions for 75.3 yards, 0.3 touchdowns and 14.2 fantasy points, and all scoring in the double-digits. Hey, wait a minute, that’s similar to what Ricky Pearsall was averaging before the injury! Which is exactly my point; I think he finds his groove back, as he needs to!
Jordan Addison (Minnesota Vikings)
Yeah, yeah. I know, your brother could’ve scored more fantasy points than Jordan Addison last week. Now, Addison is looking to add more points from that deviled goose egg, but we don’t know who the quarterback will be at this moment. All we know is that if J.J. McCarthy does not start or is still in concussion protocol and ruled out, the Vikings would have to lean on their third different starting quarterback this season, and bro, it would be undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
First, the reason I like Addison is the potential of the unknown. I’ll admit, a piece of me wants to jump in and join the “Max Brosmer Experience” because McCarthy has been struggling, to say the least. When it was Carson Wentz at the helm, Addison was averaging the numbers we want for a WR2, with 5.2 receptions on 7.5 targets for 77.2 yards and 0.5 touchdowns for 15.9 fantasy points. Now, that’s something we’d all like to see back!
Second, it’s the matchup. The Seahawks have allowed a wide receiver duo to each score seven fantasy points in three straight games, with one of the duo scoring a touchdown. Believe it or not, Addison is leading the Vikings’ receiver core in touchdowns, with three. It’s not much, but it’s more than superstar teammate Justin Jefferson in fewer games played, and that’s saying something. So, maybe, just maybe, Jordan Addison can uncap that touchdown potential again and go for his fourth touchdown (and maybe more, who knows?!) in Week 13.
Tight End
Mason Taylor (New York Jets)
This matchup for Mason Taylor reminds me of mashed potatoes. Wild statement, but let me explain. I don’t know about you, but mashed potatoes have never looked aesthetically pleasing to me, but they’re still a beloved and a go-to target (besides the meat) by many. When you look at the matchup for tight ends against the Falcons, it’s not pleasant. But trust me, that’s good and I’m here to tell you why.
Now, in Tyrod Taylor‘s two starts this season, Mason Taylor is only averaging 3.5 receptions on 5.5 targets for 19.5 yards and 5.4 fantasy points. That’s not the greatest, but consider this; despite the stats saying how bad the matchup is, the Falcons have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to the tight end position in the last three weeks. Now, for the go-to target portion, see how I mentioned those 5.5 target averages that TE Taylor is seeing from QB Taylor? Well, in three of the last four games, the Falcons have faced a tight end that’s seen six or more targets, and not only have they all surpassed 46 receiving yards and 9.1 fantasy points, but they’re averaging six receptions for 65.3 yards and 12.5 fantasy points! Look past the aesthetic and grab a healthy scoop of Mason Taylor.
Enough of the mashed potatoes talk, smash this matchup that you have ahead of you in Week 13!
Thanks for reading this week’s “Shore Thing Sleepers.” If you’re looking for more fantasy content like this or need help with the last-minute fantasy football start/sit decisions for your roster, you can find me on Facebook at “Fantasy Sports Start or Sit’Em Questions,” Twitter/X @FSSOSEQ or on BlueSky!
*Photo Credit: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean – USA TODAY Sports*
