NFL DraftKings Plays: Week 13

The Week 13 DraftKings NFL slate brings us a ton of weather. That is normal for this late in the year, and most of it will be minimal impact. The main spot to look out for is in Cleveland, where the Browns will host the San Francisco 49ers. There will likely be wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour, rain, and a chance of snow. Most other spots will have at least minor winds impacting the game.

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We also have four games that have already been played, so it is a shortened 10-game slate. So ownership will be condensed, meaning the top plays might box you out of the money altogether if some of the chalk plays hit. Expect an ultra-competitive slate, with a ton of Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Chargers in lineups today. However, for my favorite quarterback play, I’ll be going in a different direction.

Favorite DraftKings NFL plays for Week 13

Quarterback

Favorite Play: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (5.4K)

We do not have the benefit of picking on some of the worst fantasy defenses on DraftKings. The five worst fantasy defenses against quarterbacks are absent, as four of them have already played. This week, we will get creative and pick from the middle of the pack. The Tennessee Titans have allowed the 16th most fantasy points to the position. However, they have allowed the fourth estimated points against the pass. The Jaguars are 15th in passing plays per game, and they have the seventh-highest point total on this slate. Lawrence gets Brian Thomas Jr. back a week after getting Brenton Strange back, who was solid in his return to action. He scored 14.3 DraftKings points and is a viable stacking option with Lawrence. I prefer Lawrence as a tournament option on this shortened DraftKings slate.

Contrarian Play: C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (5K)

Stroud is making his return after a three-game absence due to a concussion. In that time, Davis Mills has won all three starts against quality competition. Now, Stroud re-enters the fold as the team gets rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel more involved in the offense. Nico Collins has also had his second and third-best DraftKings showings on the season.

The Texans have one of the lower point projections on the slate, projecting at just under three touchdowns at 20.5. The Houston Texans are 3.5-point underdogs and throw the ball the fifth-most in the league at 35.6 times per game. And I am willing to take the chance on a returning Stroud in a tough divisional matchup.

Running Back

Favorite Play: James Cook, Buffalo Bills (7.6K)

On the surface, the Steelers appear to have a good run defense. When you peel back the layers of the team, they are allowing the seventh fewest fantasy points to the position, and they have the 15th best run defense in terms of yards. Those stats are decent, but they rank fifth-worst in estimated points allowed against the run. Cook has assumed a heavy workload, ranking third in the league in carries, and should get plenty of opportunities against this subpar defense.

Contrarian Play: Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers (6.3K)

On the opposing side of this game, there’s an even better matchup. The Bills give up the fourth-most fantasy points to the position, the third-most rushing yards, and the most rushing touchdowns. What makes Warren a contrarian play despite the great matchup is that Kenneth Gainwell has cut into Warren’s playing time a bit. Gainwell has had two RB1 finishes in the past two games. And he looks to keep it up as well. So, I will pick Warren because everyone is likely to go to Gainwell after his massive performance against the Chicago Bears. This backfield looks like a timeshare moving forward, and with neither running back’s salary being cheap, this will be one of the key decisions DraftKings users make on this short slate.

Wide Receiver

Favorite Play: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (9.5K)

This pick needs no explanation. Smith-Njigba leads the league in target share, receiving yards, is second in receptions, and fifth in touchdowns. He is an option every week, no matter the opponent. Puka Nacua is also a great target at the receiver position against Carolina if you would like to spend high on the position on DraftKings this week. Either player can be defended as the number one at the position, especially on a slate with Ja’Marr Chase. Play Smith-Njigba with confidence this week, even against a top-five passing defense.

Contrarian Play: Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (4.9K)

The so-called forgotten man in Los Angeles. After starting the season hot, including a game where he scored 14.9 DraftKings points against the Las Vegas Raiders. Johnston has cooled off immensely since then, including a zero-point performance in their Week 11 game. Despite all of these negatives, Johnston still leads the team in average depth of target. And the Raiders give up the seventh-most 40+ yard passing plays in the league, so the upside for Johnston remains. I am concerned about the team’s offensive line, and Johnston is nothing more than a speculative play who could catch a long touchdown against a weaker secondary. It has not been the rest of the season we wanted out of Johnston, but he could show a fair amount of promise in an easy matchup.

Tight End

Favorite Play: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders (5.8K)

This play is solely a salary play on DraftKings. Trey McBride is approaching the salary levels of Bijan Robinson. And while it is warranted. He has had two 30-point DraftKings games in his last three games. And while I’m not discounting that McBride can do it again. Bowers feels like the better play at his DraftKings salary. Yes, the Raiders have struggled, but Brock Bowers just got a significant upgrade at offensive coordinator. He will also be playing without Michael Mayer, who is out due to injury. So today is setting up for a potential Brock Bowers masterclass, even against a tough defense. Greg Olson, the new offensive coordinator, has experience running his offense through the position. Darren Waller had top-three fantasy finishes in two of the three years with Olson as offensive coordinator back in 2020 and 2021. I like both as fantastic plays, but I will take the DraftKings salary discount with Bowers.

Contrarian Play: T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings (3.5K)

I will admit I was very wrong with my J.J. McCarthy contrarian play last week against the Green Bay Packers. Now Max Brosmer will get his chance against a tough Seattle defense. Hockenson has had quite the down year, but so has everyone on the Vikings. This game could be a potential bounce-back spot for Hockenson. The Seahawks give up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. I like Hockenson as a possible sleeper to hit value on volume, but as it always is for the position, it is purely speculative.

Check out all of our Week 13 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings

Final Thoughts

With the 10-game slate, things have become somewhat speculative. Although there are still plenty of good DraftKings plays we did not even discuss. Jaylen Waddle and Chris Olave at wide receiver, Bijan Robinson and Bucky Irving in his first game back at running back. There are plenty of fantastic plays. As I mentioned in the introduction, keep an eye on the weather, as some spots could get a little messy today. Despite that, this should be another great week of NFL action. And best of luck to everyone on this Week 13 DraftKings NFL slate.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!