Stars of Week 13

QB: Alex Smith, KC: 19-33, 366 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs

RB: Alvin Kamara, NO: 9 carries, 60 yards, 2 TDs (5 catches, 66 yards, 0 TDs)          

WR: Tyreek Hill, KC: 6 catches, 185 yards, 2 TDs                        

TE: Travis Kelce, KC: 4 catches, 94 yards, 2 TDs

If only Chiefs’ RB Kareem Hunt had gotten into the action, we’d have the first ever clean sweep of the honor roll by one team – although this may be the first time a team has snagged three of the four spots. And in a losing effort no less! The Chiefs’ passing game showed signs of life against the Jets, with Alex Smith tossing 4 TDs, two each to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Nice job guys – now try to get back on the winning track. As for Hunt, we’ll take a closer look at his struggles below. While Hunt was the early darling of the season, his counterpart rookie sensation Alvin Kamara returns to claim his throne as the top RB this week. Kamara continues to give defenses fits with his do-it-all game. The Saints’ RB will be a first round pick in drafts next season.

Week 13 Takeaways – A Closer Look 

Each week we take a closer look at a handful of performances and sort out what such performances mean going forward.

- JimmyGaroppolo, QB – SF: 26-37, 293 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT      

Analysis: The San Francisco 49ers’ future is now! The Patriots’ surprisingly shipped Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers mid-season, and we finally had a chance to watch Garappolo start for the team. While Garappolo failed to throw a TD pass, 49ers’ fans should nevertheless be excited from what we saw. Jimmy G passed the eye test, demonstrating firm command of the team, while making several accurate throws – and even the INT was not his fault. Garoppolo also handled the blitz well, standing tall in the pocket and hitting his guys. So what’s the fantasy outlook here? Not too much relevancy for this season, but Garoppolo’s a QB to keep an eye on for next year and for dynasty leagues. It’ll be imperative for the 49ers to get him some help this offseason – at least one top WR. If the 49ers can upgrade his supporting cast, then Garappolo could emerge as early as next year. 

- Kareem Hunt, RB – KC: 9 carries, 40 yards, 0 TDs 

Analysis: The Kansas City Chiefs are in an outright free fall, one that has brought the Raiders and Chargers back into a three-way tie with the Chiefs for the division lead. While the offense played better against the Jets this week – in another loss – Kareem Hunt’s photo remains on milk cartons. Hunt has surpassed 70 yards only once in his last five games, and hasn’t scored a TD since week three of the season. Defenses have largely adjusted to the Chiefs – learning to keep the offense in front of them, rather than reacting to all the noise. Unfortunately, the Chiefs have struggled to adjust to the adjustments, and no one has been hurt more by this than Hunt. At this point, Hunt slides down to RB2 status, so he should still start for you unless you have incredible RB depth. But those September performances won’t be coming back. Long term, Hunt should return to RB1 status as he’s quite talented, so those of you in dynasty leagues, don’t sell short.

- Josh Gordon, WR – CLE: 4 catches, 85 yards, 0 TDs

Analysis: For the first time since 2014, Josh Gordon is back in the NFL. And Gordon made an immediate impact in his return, hauling in four passes for 85 yards against the Chargers. The underlying numbers tell an even bigger story, as DeShone Kizer targeted Gordon a whopping eleven times, with only twenty-one targets for the remainder of the Browns’ pass catchers. Gordon has always displayed Pro Bowl talent, so it was no surprise that he made an impact in his first game back. But, off field issues have been his demise, and that’s why Gordon has been off the radar for three years. With clear evidence that coach Hue Jackson wants to make Gordon the first, second and third option, we have to reassess the Browns WR corps. As a result, Gordon slides into WR2 status for the remainder of the season, and Corey Coleman – and the rest of the Browns’ pass catchers – become fantasy irrelevant.

- Marqise Lee, WR – JAX: 7 catches, 86 yards, 1 TD

Analysis: Leonard Fournette has served as the sun of the Jaguars’ solar system, but don’t sleep on Marqise Lee as one of the larger planets. Ok, clumsy analogy, but you get my drift. While the Jaguars’ passing game has been panned this season, and not unfairly, Lee has quietly strung together a strong second half of the season. The fourth year WR has scored three TDs in his last five games, and remains the go-to option for Blake Bortles. In the same five game span, Lee has been targeted at least 9 times in four of those games. I mentioned Dede Westbrook last week, but he’s more of a long term investment. For the rest of this year, Lee’s the top Jaguars’ WR to own, and he can serve as a solid WR3/flex option for teams in leagues with 12 or more teams.

Rapid Fire Pickups 

Each week we’ll throw out potential free agent pickups from each position for deeper leagues, in each case 1) someone who has NOT been referenced above, and 2) a player available in most leagues. 

QB: Josh McCown, NYJ

RB: Mike Davis, SEA (he’s the top RB add this week)

RB: Theo Riddick, DET

WR: Marquise Goodwin, SF

WR: Jermaine Kearse, NYJ

TE: Ricky Seals-Jones, ARZ

Week 14 Rankings

Quarterbacks:

1. Tom Brady, NE (at MIA)
2. Philip Rivers, LAC (vs. WAS)
3. Carson Wentz, PHI (at LAR)
4. Matthew Stafford, DET (at TB)
5. Alex Smith, KC (vs. OAK)
6. Jared Goff, LAR (vs. PHI)
7. Russell Wilson, SEA (at JAX)
8. Dak Prescott, DAL (at NYG)
9. Cam Newton, CAR (vs. MIN)
10. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (vs. BAL)
11. Kirk Cousins, WAS (at LAC)
12. Jameis Winston, TB (vs. DET)
13. Derek Carr, OAK (at KC)
14. Josh McCown, NYJ (at DEN)
15. Case Keenum, MIN (at CAR)
16. Marcus Mariota, TEN (at ARZ)
17. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF (at HOU)
18. Andy Dalton, CIN (vs. CHI)
19. Eli Manning, NYG (vs. DAL)
20. Blaine Gabbert, ARZ (vs. TEN)

Running Backs:

1. Le'Veon Bell, PIT (vs. BAL)
2. LeSean McCoy, BUF (vs. IND)
3. Todd Gurley, LAR (vs. PHI)
4. Leonard Fournette, JAX (vs. SEA)
5. Lamar Miller, HOU (vs. SF)
6. Melvin Gordon, LAC (vs. WAS)
7. Dion Lewis, NE (at MIA)
8. Samaje Perine, WAS (at LAC)
9. Kenyan Drake, MIA (vs. NE)
10. Jordan Howard, CHI (at CIN)
11. Carlos Hyde, SF (at HOU)
12. Marshawn Lynch, OAK (at KC)
13. Kareem Hunt, KC (vs. OAK)
14. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. MIN)
15. Rex Burkhead, NE (at MIA)
16. Jamaal Williams, GB (at CLE)
17. Alfred Morris, DAL (at NYG)
18. Alex Collins, BAL (at PIT)
19. Latavius Murray, MIN (at CAR)
20. Giovani Bernard, CIN (vs. CHI)
21. Jerick McKinnon, MIN (at CAR)
22. Orleans Darkwa, NYG (vs. DAL)
23. Isaiah Crowell, CLE (vs. GB)
24. DeMarco Murray, TEN (at ARZ)
25. Frank Gore, IND (at BUF)
26. Derrick Henry, TEN (at ARZ)
27. Mike Davis, SEA (at JAX)
28. Doug Martin, TB (vs. DET)
29. Jay Ajayi, PHI (at LAR)
30. Duke Johnson, CLE (vs. GB)
31. Matt Forte, NYJ (at DEN)
32. C.J. Anderson, DEN (vs. NYJ)
33. Theo Riddick, DET (at TB)
34. Kerwynn Williams, ARZ (vs. TEN)
35. Danny Woodhead, BAL (at PIT)
36. LeGarrette Blount, PHI (at LAR)
37. Jonathan Stewart, CAR (vs. MIN)
38. Peyton Barber, TB (vs. DET)
39. Bilal Powell, NYJ (at DEN)
40. Tarik Cohen, CHI (at CIN)

Wide Receivers:

1. Antonio Brown, PIT (vs. BAL)
2. Keenan Allen, LAC (vs. WAS)
3. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (vs. SF)
4. A.J. Green, CIN (vs. CHI)
5. Brandin Cooks, NE (at MIA)
6. Tyreek Hill, KC (vs. OAK)
7. Adam Thielen, MIN (at CAR)
8. Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ (vs. TEN)
9. Mike Evans, TB (vs. DET)
10. Alshon Jeffery, PHI (at LAR)
11. Marvin Jones, DET (at TB)
12. Michael Crabtree, OAK (at KC)
13. Jarvis Landry, MIA (vs. NE)
14. Golden Tate, DET (at TB)
15. Dez Bryant, DAL (at NYG)
16. Davante Adams, GB (at CLE)
17. Doug Baldwin, SEA (at JAX)
18. Josh Gordon, CLE (vs. GB)
19. Sterling Shepard, NYG (vs. DAL)
20. Jamison Crowder, WAS (at LAC)
21. T.Y. Hilton, IND (at BUF)
22. Stefon Diggs, MIN (at CAR)
23. Marquise Goodwin, SF (at HOU)
24. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. NYJ)
25. Marqise Lee, JAX (vs. SEA)
26. Devin Funchess, CAR  (vs. MIN)
27. Sammy Watkins, LAR (vs. PHI)
28. DeSean Jackson, TB (vs. DET)
29. Ted Ginn, NO (at ATL)
30. Cooper Kupp, LAR (vs. PHI)
31. Nelson Agholor, PHI (at LAR)
32. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (vs. NYJ)
33. Jermaine Kearse, NYJ (at DEN)
34. Danny Amendola, NE (at MIA)
35. Kenny Stills, MIA (vs. NE)
36. Josh Doctson, WAS (at LAC)
37. Martavis Bryant PIT (vs. BAL)
38. Rishard Matthews, TEN (at ARZ)
39. Mike Wallace, BAL (at PIT)
40. Jordy Nelson, GB (at CLE)

Tight End:

1. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. OAK)
2. Evan Engram, NYG (vs. DAL)
3. Jimmy Graham, SEA (at JAX)
4. Zach Ertz, PHI (at LAR)
5. Delanie Walker, TEN (at ARZ)
6. Hunter Henry, LAC (vs. WAS)
7. Jack Doyle, IND (at BUF)
8. Cameron Brate, TB (vs. DET)
9. Jason Witten, DAL (at NYG)
10. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (at CAR)
11. Jared Cook, OAK (at KC)
12. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ (at DEN)
13. Charles Clay, BUF (vs. IND)
14. Ricky Seals-Jones, ARZ (vs. TEN)
15. Tyler Kroft, CIN (vs. CHI)
16. Stephen Anderson, HOU (vs. SF)
17. Vernon Davis, WAS (at LAC)
18. David Njoku, CLE (vs. GB)
19. Julius Thomas, MIA (vs. NE)
20. Ben Watson, BAL (at PIT)

Defense/Special Teams:

1. New England Patriots (at MIA)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CHI)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. SEA)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL)
5. Seattle Seahawks (at JAX)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. WAS)
7. Minnesota Vikings (at CAR)
8. Green Bay Packers (at CLE)
9. Buffalo Bills (vs. IND)
10. New York Jets (at DEN)
11. Philadelphia Eagles (at LAR)
12. Tennessee Titans (at ARZ)
13. Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)
14. Baltimore Ravens (at PIT)
15. Los Angeles Rams (vs. PHI)