If you want to know how crazy Week 13 was in the NFL, the Seattle defense and Evan McPherson were two of the four highest-scoring fantasy football assets on the week. Sunday was a low-scoring affair, and Thanksgiving put up all the points. In the midst of the chaos, what were the most interesting usage notes of the week?
This weekly piece will look at those trends and make recommendations for players who might be worth rostering or starting in our fantasy lineups. We will look primarily at how roles changed over the first 13 weeks of the season for a player on each team, and if that is signal or noise for the season.
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If you have interesting usage notes, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter/X (@CableBoxScore) and let me know. Let’s dive into the NFL Week 13 usage!
NFL Week 13 Usage Trends
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Marvin Harrison Jr. Snip Snap
Marvin Harrison Jr. came back after a two-week absence due to an appendectomy but was forced to leave the game early with a heel injury. He seemed likely to return at one point, but the coaches kept him out of the game. Harrison was having a decent return with six catches for 69 yards, so we just have to hope he isn’t forced to miss more time. It would be interesting to see what he can do with Jacoby Brissett.
ATLANTA FALCONS
Bijan Does it All
Bijan Robinson had 30 opportunities in his game on Sunday against the Jets as the coaching staff finally took off any of the remaining shackles and let Robinson dominate. He finished the day with 142 rushing yards, 51 receiving yards, and a touchdown to lead all running backs in scoring. The 30 opportunities were his most in a game all season.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Rasheen Ali Out of Nowhere
The Baltimore Ravens being down big on Thanksgiving night and Justice Hill out of the lineup meant Rasheen Ali got 48% of the team’s snaps. He only touched the ball four times for 17 yards, but in deep, deep leagues, he is a name to keep in your back pocket.
BUFFALO BILLS
Wide Receiver Caroseul
The Buffalo Bills played five wide receivers against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and none of them played more than 615 of the team’s snaps. Even more interesting, none of them caught more than two passes in the game. This team has literally become Josh Allen rushing, James Cook rushing, and a few targets to whichever tight end is healthy that week.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Bryce Young Shows His Good Side
Bryce Young posted his second electric performance in two weeks by dismantling a stout Los Angeles Rams defense all afternoon. Young led the Panthers to a win by throwing for 206 yards (at a 75% completion rate) and three touchdowns, while adding 23 yards with his legs. He is still way too inconsistent to trust on a week-in, week-out basis, but every now and again, we see these glimpses of why he was drafted number one overall.
CHICAGO BEARS
Running Back Bonanza
If the Philadelphia Eagles had a feared rush defense before Friday’s game, all of that is out the window now. The Chicago Bears rushed 45 times for 268 yards against them and scored twice on the ground. Both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were dominant in this game, and look to form the most fearsome duo in the league now that David Montgomery has fallen off.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Burrow and Chase Back Where They Left Off
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase connected seven times for 110 yards in Burrow’s first game since Week 2. Chase’s seven receptions were only one behind all other wide receivers and tight ends combined against Baltimore.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Jerry Jeudy’s Fall From Grace
Jerry Jeudy still has just one game with more than nine fantasy points this season, and it’s not gotten any better with Shedur Sanders under center. Jeudy had three receptions for 26 yards and just four targets in the loss to San Francisco on Sunday. He is completely droppable right now, considering he has one touchdown and one game over 51 yards this season.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Running Back Consistency
Is Javonte Williams the most consistent and predictable running back in the NFL? He has played exactly 78% of snaps for three straight games, and has between 20 and 23 touches in each of them. He has at least one touchdown or 87 yards in each of those games.
DENVER BRONCOS
RJ Harvey Growing Role
RJ Harvey continues to be the lead back in the absence of J.K. Dobbins. In an overtime game, Harvey touched the ball 16 times, compiling 62 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was used as the exclusive back at the goal line and in passing situations, so he is creeping closer to the RB1 conversation for the rest of the season.
DETROIT LIONS
Potential Amon-Ra St. Brown Replacement
Amon-Ra St. Brown was injured very early in the Thanksgiving game, so we saw a full contest of Detroit’s backup plan. Isaac TeSlaa played 92% of snaps and caught another touchdown. If the Sun God misses more time, TeSlaa becomes an immediate add against the Cowboys on Thursday night.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Dontayvion Wicks Gets a Shot
What happens when Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden don’t play for the Green Bay Packers? Dontayvion Wicks plays more than 50% of snaps and catches six balls for 94 yards and two touchdowns. If those other two wideouts miss more time, Wicks is a must-add.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Woody Marks Gets 20
Running back Woody Marks finally got 20 touches in a game after getting 19 carries and a reception against the Colts on Sunday. Marks actually left this game with a hurt foot for a while, opening the door for a Nick Chubb touchdown. So this could have been an even bigger day for Marks if not for that absence.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Michael Pittman Shut Down by Houston
Michael Pittman Jr. was shut down by the stingy Texans’ secondary on Sunday and finished with one catch for 13 yards. Pittman had at least double-digit fantasy performances in four of his last five games entering Week 13, but his four targets marked his second-lowest output of the season.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Travis Etienne Disappears
Travis Etienne Jr. had an easy assignment on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, but he busted with just 28 rushing yards on 12 carries, and nary a score. The Jaguars couldn’t run at all on the Titans on Sunday (Bhayshul Tuten had just 17 yards, but scored a touchdown), but the Jaguars still won easily because of how inept the Titans’ offense has become.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Pacheco Eased Back In
Isiah Pacheco returned in Week 13 after missing three games. He played just 30% of snaps, while Kareem Hunt handled 64% and the vast majority of the touches. Look for this to become more of an even workload throughout the rest of the season.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Brock Bowers Bounces Back
Brock Bowers’ managers breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday after Bowers caught two touchdowns. He has been very up and down since returning from his injured knee on November 2, but his performance against the Los Angeles Chargers proves he is still the Raiders’ most important and dangerous weapon.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Kimani Vidal Makes His Case
Kimani Vidal showed on Sunday that he does not want to give up the running back job when Omarian Hampton comes back for the Los Angeles Chargers. Vidal rushed for 126 yards on 25 carries and had a massive 59-yard touchdown run that broke the game open against Las Vegas.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Another Two-Pack for Davante Adams
Davante Adams only had five targets on Sunday, but he turned them into 58 yards and two touchdowns. That’s now 14 receiving touchdowns in 12 games for Adams, as he continues to be one of the most dangerous red zone weapons in the entire league. He is on pace for 20 touchdowns, which would be the third-most all-time by a wide receiver.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Darren Waller is Back (Again)
Darren Waller returned to Miami after missing five games and played 47% of snaps, pulling in two catches on three targets for 47 yards. His big-play ability should put him on the fantasy radar, and if he can turn that into four catches per game, he would enter must-start territory.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Justin Jefferson Breaking Point
Justin Jefferson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba combined for four receptions and 27 yards in this offensive wasteland of a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings. New Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer finished with 0.94 fantasy points after throwing four interceptions on Sunday. We didn’t think it could get much worse than J.J. McCarthy, but it did. I really think Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison belong on fantasy benches until further notice. This offense in Minnesota is terrible.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Starting Drake Maye is Easy; Figuring Out Receivers is Not
Drake Maye is the MVP favorite as we exit Week 13, and he threw for another 282 yards and two touchdowns on Monday night. But figuring out who will get those yards and touchdowns is maddening. Against the Giants, seven players had between three and six targets. And another player (Kyle Williams) caught one of the touchdowns.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Devaugh Vele Breaks Out
Devaughn Vele is another out-of-nowhere receiver who signed with New Orleans and has built an immediate rapport with Tyler Shough. After seven targets last week, Vele caught all eight of his targets in Week 13 for 93 yards and a touchdown. With the Saints slinging it every week, Vele looks like a nice add for the fantasy stretch run.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Devin Singletary’s Time
Tyrone Tracy left Monday’s game with an injury, which might force Devin Singletary into a workhorse role. Even with Tracy getting 11 touches in this game, Singletary rushed 12 times for 68 yards and a score, while also catching three passes for 34 yards, second-most on the team.
NEW YORK JETS
Adonai Mitchell Resurrection
Adonai Mitchell was brought back to life by Tyrod Taylor the last two weeks. He finished Sunday as a top two scorer on the day at the wide receiver position. Mitchell had an incredible 12 targets, catching eight of them for 102 yards and a touchdown. This is a game Justin Fields never could have given Mitchell, and he now has 19 targets in his last two games.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Anti-2024 Saquon
Saquon Barkley has one game with more than 100 rushing yards this season, coming in Week 8. In his best stretch of 2024, there was a 10-game streak where he only had UNDER 100 yards one time. Presently, Barkley is in the midst of a four-game stretch where he has only surpassed 60 yards one time.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jonnu Smith Falls Like a Rock
Jonnu Smith finished the 2024 season as the overall TE4 with the Miami Dolphins. Now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith is the TE38 in fantasy points per game. Smith caught one ball for six yards on Sunday and continues to be outperformed by Darnell Washington.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Ricky Pearsall Not Clicking
Ricky Pearsall saw his snap count go up for the third straight week since returning from injury. But it was also the third straight week with no more than four targets and no more than two receptions. He doesn’t have any real-time game situations with Brock Purdy yet, and the two are having to work out their preseason rust issues together in the last quarter of the season.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Drop Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold has been under 10 fantasy points in four of his last six games. The two games where Darnold did well were against the Tennessee Titans and the Washington Commanders, two of the worst defenses in the NFL. Darnold’s 128 passing yards on Sunday were a season low, and it’s clear Seattle is focusing more on the defense and the running game moving forward.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Sean Tucker Back to Bench
Sean Tucker had two carries and zero fantasy points in a day when Bucky Irving returned to Tampa Bay’s lineup. Despite the success Tucker had while Irving was out, Rachaad White got the start, and Irving got most of the touches. Tucker can be replaced by someone else who has a higher production floor.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Terry McLaurin is Back
After missing most of nine weeks, Terry McLaurin returned and played 51% of snaps. But he made a much larger impact than that by catching seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Even with Marcus Mariota behind center, McLaurin remains a top-20 option when he is healthy.
Data Sources: Pro Football Focus, NFL Next Gen Stats, Football Guys Snap Summary, FTN Air Yards, Pro Football Reference, Team Rankings, Fantasy Points Data Suite
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