The Week 13 NFL slate is already off to the races with three matchups on Thanksgiving and a lone Black Friday game already in the books. But there are still 10 games taking place across Sunday afternoon. All 32 teams are in action this week, with no bye weeks taking place, even if some of the more notable teams have already played.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action with DraftKings Sportsbook and DFS contests. As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here is a look at a few players in line to outperform their price point to help give you an edge across the Sunday slate. This article presents my top DFS lineup and the logic behind each selection.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford ($7,000)
There may not be a quarterback in the NFL playing better football than Matthew Stafford right now. The Rams’ star leads the NFL with 30 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions, including a streak of 27 consecutive scores without an INT. He has also thrown for 2,830 passing yards, which ranks sixth in the league, and will be facing a vulnerable Panthers defense. Carolina enters this matchup ranked 15th in passing yards allowed and 24th in net yards per pass attempt, with top CB Jaycee Horn set to miss this matchup.
From a fantasy football perspective, Stafford is averaging 21.3 fantasy points per game, which ranks fifth among quarterbacks. The 37-year-old has tallied as many as 30.4 fantasy points in a game and has tallied 26+ points in five of his past eight matchups. Stafford has looked unstoppable and is leaning on his impressive collection of weapons at a high rate, and it will take a defense of a much higher caliber than the Panthers to slow him down.
Los Angeles continues to make their case why they should be regarded as the top team in the NFC, and don’t expect this to stop on Sunday. Count on another offensive explosion by the Rams, with Stafford set to be at the heart of it for a friendly fantasy football output.
Other Considerations: Josh Allen ($7,500), Sam Darnold ($5,600), Trevor Lawrence ($5,400), C.J. Stroud ($5,000)
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins ($6,200)
It has become increasingly clear that Quinshon Judkins is the top running back in the Browns’ backfield, and he has gained trust in the coaching staff throughout the season. He has tallied 173 rush attempts across the 10 games he has played, converting this to 667 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Amid their shifting quarterback outlook, Cleveland also has counted on Judkins as the Wildcat quarterback in red zone situations, which resulted in two rushing scores last week.
Judkins is averaging 13.3 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring, which ranks 22nd among running backs. But he has tallied as many as 26.4 fantasy points in a game and is coming off a 16.7 point performance last week. The Browns will face the 49ers this week, who have not had the level of defensive success as their reputation would have you believe. San Francisco ranks 11th in points allowed, 21st in yards conceded, and 15th in net yards per rush attempt this year. Count on Judkins continuing to see plenty of touches and for his red zone chances to increase his potential fantasy outlook. Expect him to outperform this $6,200 price tag and have a chance to be one of the top-performing RBs on the week.
Kenneth Walker III ($5,300)
The Seattle Seahawks will be facing the Minnesota Vikings this week, who have slipped to 4-7 on the year. Stopping the run has been a major part of this, with Minnesota ranking 23rd in rushing yards allowed and 15th in rushing touchdowns conceded. Their inability to move the ball offensively should also open the door for more chances for the Seahawks on the ground as well.
It has not been as strong a season as Kenneth Walker III had hoped, but he is still plenty equipped to take advantage. He has tallied 677 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the year, while adding 157 receiving yards. Walker III’s 11.6 fantasy points per game are tied for 25th among running backs. But he has 33.2 fantasy points tallied across the past two weeks and will look to carry this over in this friendly matchup. Expect Seattle to take a lead in this matchup and for Walker III to make the most of his expanded chances and outperform his price point in this matchup.
Other Considerations: Rico Dowdle ($6,900), Breece Hall ($6,000), Aaron Jones Sr. ($5,600)
Wide Receivers
Davante Adams ($7,500)
One of the driving reasons for the success of Matthew Stafford has been the production of his stellar wide receivers. Puka Nacua headlines the action, but Davante Adams is not far behind him with 631 receiving yards and an NFL-leading 12 receiving touchdowns this year. Stafford targets Adams frequently in the red zone, and this has become a staple of the Rams’ offense. His 25 targets inside the red zone lead the entire NFL.
Expect this to remain a key part of the game plan and for Adams to be leaned on against a vulnerable Panthers’ defense. His 16.9 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring ranks ninth among all wide receivers, and he has tallied 23+ fantasy points in three of his past five outings. Adams has nine receiving scores across this stretch — expect this streak to continue with plenty of points available in this matchup.
Jaylen Waddle ($6,800)
Despite the season going off the rails in the early weeks, the Miami Dolphins have shown some signs of life. They are coming off back-to-back wins, and Mike McDaniel is well aware of his seat being hot. Expect them to continue making every effort to pick up wins where they can, with this week’s matchup against the Saints being a prime opportunity. New Orleans holds a 2-9 record on the season and ranks 22nd in points allowed, 11th in yards conceded, and 25th in passing touchdowns allowed.
With Tyreek Hill out for the season, Jaylen Waddle has assumed the WR1 role and has been successful in filling these shoes. Waddle has pulled in 49 receptions for 722 yards and five touchdowns. The Alabama product is putting up 14.0 points per game, which ranks 22nd among wide receivers, and has exceeded this average in five of the past seven weeks. Expect Miami to have a clear offensive game plan in place with a vulnerable defense in front of them, and for Waddle to have success again this week. Look for him to outperform this price point and play a vital role in keeping this Dolphins team afloat.
Khalil Shakir ($5,500)
After looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the early stages of the year, the Buffalo Bills have lost two of the past three games in concerning fashion. They will now face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have struggled to get stops all season. The Steelers rank 19th in points allowed, 28th in yards conceded, 32nd in passing yards allowed, and 22nd in passing touchdowns given up.
The wide receiver production has underwhelmed across the board for Buffalo. But Khalil Shakir has been the lone player to provide a pulse. The 25-year-old has tallied 54 receptions for 564 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season. While this is not the exact type of output you would hope for in a WR1, he faces little competition on the roster and still averages 11.9 fantasy points per game. Shakir is also coming off a season-high 10 targets last week, producing 21.0 fantasy points. Look for him to build off this in a friendly matchup and for Josh Allen to throw plenty of targets his direction.
Other Considerations: Justin Jefferson ($7,100), Emeka Egbuka ($6,500), Alec Pierce ($4,800)
Tight End
Harold Fannin Jr. ($3,400)
There is a spark of life in this Browns’ offense with Shedeur Sanders stepping in at quarterback. Cleveland is still sorting through what they have with the Colorado product, but he possesses a higher level of arm talent and a willingness to take chances compared to what has been seen this season. No player should be happier about this than Harold Fannin Jr, who leads the team with 48 receptions for 462 yards and a pair of scores this season. In his first start alongside Sanders, the 67th overall pick had 40 yards on six targets, just missing on a big play opportunity. Fannin Jr. is producing 9.7 average fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring and will look to add to this against an underwhelming 49ers’ defense.
Other Considerations: Brock Bowers ($5,800), George Kittle ($5,300), TJ Hockenson ($3,500)
Flex
Kenneth Gainwell ($5,300)
While Jaylen Warren headlines the rushing production for the Steelers, Kenneth Gainwell has increasingly made his case for why he deserves more carries as the season has progressed. His ability as a pass catcher has also made him increasingly valuable, and Gainwell is just about equal to Warren from a fantasy perspective. On the season overall, he has tallied 336 rushing yards, 234 receiving yards, and five total scores. Gainwell is coming off an 18.2 point fantasy football output last week and tallied 29.5 a week prior against the Bengals.
The Steelers will be facing the Bills and need to put up some points if they want to have a chance in this game. Expect the game script to favor Gainwell with his pass-catching skills. He is coming off back-to-back weeks with 16 touches and has tallied as many as 31.4 fantasy points in a game this season. Look for Gainwell to continue proving his importance and be called on at a regular rate to outperform his $5,300 price point in this matchup.
Defense & Special Teams
Cleveland Browns ($3,000)
When sorting through why the Browns have struggled this season, no blame can be thrown on the defense. They enter this week’s matchup ranked 12th in the league in points allowed and second in yards given up, despite their offense hanging them out to dry and giving opponents plenty of opportunities on a weekly basis. Myles Garrett remains in the conversation for the best defender in football and is chasing the individual sack record with 13 sacks over the last four weeks alone.
Cleveland will be facing a 49ers team that has given up 19 sacks on the season and has struggled to pass the football. Brock Purdy threw three interceptions last week against the Panthers, and Cleveland is a different tier of defense. Expect Myles Garrett to have success getting in the backfield and disrupting the entire attack. The defense is not just a one-man show, with encouraging signs in the secondary and around the rest of the defensive front. Count on the Browns’ defense to give the team every chance at a victory and for this to result in a strong fantasy football output.
Other Considerations: Seahawks ($3,900), Jaguars ($3,700), Saints ($2,800)
