The Los Angeles Chargers will travel to take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13. Here’s the final injury report and start-sit advice for every skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy football impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 13 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
And if you’re looking for all the latest injury updates around the league, our Final Week 13 Injury Report is live and updated with the very latest for all 32 teams.
Justin Herbert, QB | LAC
Herbert’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Herbert
Monday night was another underwhelming performance as a passer for Justin Herbert in what was a perfect matchup for a second straight week. In two games against the struggling secondaries of the AFC North, he completed just 52.8% of his passes with two scores on 72 attempts.
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt and blame his pass catchers. The Chargers have averaged 1.9 drops per game during the Herbert era, the fifth most over that stretch.That excuse would be completely justifiable, but at some point, a carpenter can’t continue to blame his tools.
Even so, he’s been able to keep the fantasy ship above board with 6.5+ fantasy points on the ground in three straight contests, versatility that was on display early against the Ravens (2/2 passing for 35 yards with nine rushing yards and a touchdown on the opening drive).
At the end of the day, we are talking about a team trending toward the playoffs that is counting more now than ever on its franchise QB, and that’s more than enough for me to trust him in our game.
The last time we saw this Atlanta defense, they allowed Bo Nix to post a 145.0 passer rating (our third-best QB+ performance of the week). While a bye week to prepare for a team on short rest is a nice advantage, it’s not even close to preventing me from ranking Herbert inside my top 10 this week.
Gus Edwards, RB | LAC
Edwards’ Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Edwards
If you play in some bizarro league where you started Gus Edwards last week, you were rewarded with a late touchdown. Even that was fortunate, as the Chargers were in pass mode before a penalty put them at the one-yard line and in need of his services.
While the end result was adequate, he did have two carries (12 yards) on the first drive as Jim Harbaugh continued to give us signs that he wanted a committee backfield over a featured situation.
He might not have that luxury this weekend after J.K. Dobbins didn’t play the second half on Monday night due to a knee injury. For a player who has had his troubles staying healthy (he already has a career-high carry count by 24 this season), asking him to play on short rest for a playoff-bound team feels a bit aggressive, leaving a near bell-cow role available for Edwards to assume on Sunday.
The matchup isn’t a worry (Atlanta allows the fourth-most points per drive this season) and fantasy teams, like the real ones, are battling injuries left and right, so I get it if you are left in a spot where you have no other options. That said, even with a spike in projected work, I just can’t get there with ranking Edwards as an RB2.
Through 12 weeks, he ranks 50th of 54 qualifiers in our elusive rating metric (ahead of two Raiders, a Jaguar who has been borderline benched at times this season, and a Chief who was signed off his couch at the end of September). I don’t see that changing, as defenses know what is coming their way with him on the field.
For his career, Edwards has averaged just over one target every two games, a lack of versatility that is a death sentence if not sufficient on the ground.
You can chase this volume if you’d like – you just need to be aware that the floor remains low.
J.K. Dobbins, RB | LAC
Dobbins’ Injury Status for Week 13
Dobbins had defied his lengthy injury history until Week 12, when the Los Angeles Chargers running back departed his club’s Monday night loss to the Ravens and never returned.
Dobbins was declared out against the Falcons in Week 13 after not practicing all week and could miss more time moving forward after spraining his MCL.
Gus Edwards received nine carries on Monday night and will likely have the first crack at replacing Dobbins. However, the Chargers’ backfield could quickly devolve into a full-blown committee.
Edwards is a non-factor in the receiving game. He’s been in the NFL since 2018 and has never garnered over three targets in a single contest.
There’s room for Hassan Haskins and sixth-round rookie Kimani Vidal to establish roles in Los Angeles, depending on how long Dobbins is sidelined. That’s especially true behind a solid Bolts offensive line that features outstanding tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Dobbins’ Fantasy Outlook
I thought J.K. Dobbins was running hard on Monday night against a stingy Ravens run defense and I was thrilled to see his number called on 11 of their first 24 plays (six carries and five targets), but a knee injury ended his night before halftime and we’ve seen this story before for the 25-year-old.
Dobbins was drafted in 2020 and has appeared in 35 of a possible 78 regular season games (44.9%). We don’t yet have clarity on the injury, but on a short week at this point in the season and the Chargers more focused on making nice in late January than early December, I think it’s plenty reasonable to sit Dobbins on your bench right now and pivot if the news takes an optimistic turn.
Los Angeles’ lead running back was more productive early this season than I would have ever expected. While he has shown some splash play ability of late, there’s no denying that he peaked in September. Even if deemed healthy, I won’t be ranking Dobbins as high as you want me to, fearing that even a slightly compromised version of him could see less volume, and that’s been the driving force to his value.
This season, his PPR points per touch, stuff rate, and yards per carry after contact are all below his career norm despite the lowest loaded box rate of his career. Gus Edwards punched in a short score on Monday night. If Dobbins gives up the inside-the-10 work, we could be looking at an awfully thin profile moving forward.
I’m ranking this backfield, at the moment, as if they will not have Dobbins at their disposal in Week 13.
Joshua Palmer, WR | LAC
Palmer’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Palmer
Joshua Palmer earned a season-high eight targets on Sunday night against the Ravens, but you’d never know it by looking at your fantasy box score (6.8 PPR points; 2024 average: 6.9). Despite pacing the NFL in air yards by 46 last week, it wasn’t enough to unlock him, even in a strong matchup against a vulnerable secondary.
The Falcons are a top-eight defense against the deep pass in terms of pass attempts allowed and yards per completion, leaving me out of the Palmer business this week. Could he offer spike potential against the Buccaneers (Week 15) or Patriots (Week 17)? It’s within the range of outcomes, and that sort of upside is enough for me to roster him, even if there’s not a situation in which I’m starting him this weekend.
Ladd McConkey, WR | LAC
McConkey’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for McConkey
Since 2010, three times has a rookie not drafted in the first round caught at least five passes in seven of his first 11 games – Michael Thomas, Puka Nacua, and Ladd McConkey. His ability to shake free while also making exceptional contested catches looks sticky.
The only thing missing from this profile is valuable looks, but I’m tempted to chalk that up to weird variance than anything given his skill set. We’ve gone four straight weeks without McConkey seeing a red zone target, something that is illogical for a player with a 73.7% catch rate on balls thrown five or fewer yards downfield.
The floor is enough to justify your confidence and a ceiling outcome is possible with Atlanta ranking 28th in opponent slot completion percentage (74.6%).
Quentin Johnston, WR | LAC
Johnston’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Johnston
With 59 air yards and a crossing route that was lining up for a big gain, the Chargers put Quentin Johnston in a spot to succeed last week. That is good to see, obviously, but, I’m told, that the ability to catch the ball is critical to the career path he has chosen and he simply couldn’t do that and was shut out as a result.
From a process standpoint, his involvement in an upward-trending offense should be encouraging. However, with four catches on 88 routes (15 targets) over the past three weeks, if you’re Flexing Johnston, you’re hoping more than projecting.
Is he the one who jumps on a Falcons defense that is allowing a league-high 8.5% of perimeter targets to result in scores? It’s possible. I’m not banking on it, but you come here for a well-rounded profile, so that needs to be mentioned – if you’re in a pinch, there is some hope based on math and fading the eye test.
Will Dissly, TE | LAC
Dissly’s Injury Status for Week 13
Chargers tight end Will Dissly did not practice on Wednesday due to a groin injury. But he steadily progressed to limited on Thursday and full on Friday, and does not carry any injury status entering Sunday’s game.
Dissly played 52 offensive snaps in Week 12, tied for his second-highest total of the year. Given that, his injury might not be all that serious and this could be a maintenance plan to keep him fresh.
The Chargers’ offseason addition has become a viable weapon recently, catching at least four passes in each of the club’s last three games. He finished as fantasy’s TE5 after putting up a 4-80-1 line against the Bengals in Week 11.
Fellow L.A. tight end Hayden Hurst is already on IR, leaving Stone Smartt and Tucker Fish as the next men up.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Dissly
Will Dissly pulled in an 18-yard catch on Los Angeles’ first drive last week and was great in Week 11 against the Bengals (4-80-1). He’s clearly worked his way into a role as this offense slowly opens up, but I worry that the target ceiling is only so high.
Ladd McConkey has established himself as a reliable option, and with two other receivers who will have their moments, Dissly is more of a matchup play for me.
This is one of those matchups.
The Falcons rank 21st in red-zone defense and 30th on third downs, two areas where the Bolts value what it is that their athletic tight end brings to the table.
I’m looking for 6-7 targets and 4-5 receptions, TE volume high enough to land him inside of my top 15, especially when you consider that the Chargers are willing to explore his matchups down the field on linebackers.
Kirk Cousins, QB | ATL
Cousins’ Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Cousins
Atlanta’s recent struggles have been the result of Kirk Cousins not living up to expectations. In Weeks 10-11, he completed just 60.4% of his passes with zero scores and two interceptions when not blitzed (Weeks 8-9: 82.1% with six touchdowns and zero interceptions).
That makes him a tough sell coming out of the bye against a Chargers defense that ranks in the bottom 10 in blitz rate and the top five in success rate when bringing the heat. They are a defense content to sit back and choose their spots wisely. I mentioned Cousins’ downward trending numbers when not blitzed, and his rates look even worse in those two contests when pressured:
- 23 dropbacks
- 17 attempts
- Eight completions
- 109 yards
- Zero touchdowns
- Two interceptions
I think there will be utility for Cousins coming down the stretch this season, I just think it starts next week (Weeks 14-17: Vikings, Raiders, Giants, and Commanders). He’s failed to finish better than QB15 in three straight games (and in five of his past six), struggles that I think have a better chance at continuing on Sunday than Cousins punishing you for not trusting him significantly.
Bijan Robinson, RB | ATL
Robinson’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Robinson
It’s funny how impactful creativity can be, isn’t it? Arthur Smith was unwilling to explore new-age play-calling a season ago, and that limited the Falcons’ potential across the board. This year? Different story. For Bijan Robinson …
- 2023: 32.2% vs loaded boxes
- 2024: 15.6% vs loaded boxes
His fantasy stock has also gained stability by seeing at least four targets in six straight games; with the variety of looks, Robinson’s raw talent is shining through with more regularity (he has a 15+ yard catch and rush in two of his past three games).
With Atlanta in an advantageous rest spot this week, I think they can be just fine against Los Angeles’ elite defense. Robinson is capable of taking over at a moment’s notice, and that fact, coming off a bye, lands him as a top-five running back for me this weekend.
Tyler Allgeier, RB | ATL
Allgeier’s Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Allgeier
Ray Davis, Trey Benson, Braelon Allen. There are a handful of running backs that hold no value when the starter is healthy but are only an injury away from walking into the RB2 tier of my rankings, and Tyler Allgeier is clearly in that mold.
He’s averaging 5.0 yards per carry this season and has proven the ability to pick up yards consistently when given the opportunity (career: 34.7% of carries have gained at least five yards). The schedule lines up nicely when it matters most (Weeks 15-17: Raiders, Giants, and Commanders), and that is enough to justify keeping Allgeier rostered, even if you out-gained him in Week 11.
Darnell Mooney, WR | ATL
Mooney’s Injury Status for Week 13
Falcons wideout Darnell Mooney followed a limited-full-DNP practice pattern this week. He did not practice on Friday, but it was due to rest reasons and not because of an Achilles injury that limited him in a practice session earlier this week.
Mooney injured his hamstring in Week 11 and never returned. At the time, Mooney said he would “be fine,” noting that his injury wasn’t severe. He was able to rest during Atlanta’s Week 12 bye, and he did not receive any designation on the final injury report of the week.
Mooney, who inked a three-year, $39 million deal with the Falcons over the offseason, still leads the club in receiving yards (711) despite missing the second half of Week 11. He’s second on the team to Drake London in targets, receptions, and receiving touchdowns.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Mooney
Darnell Mooney suffered a hamstring injury in Week 11 against the Broncos before this team went on bye, but nothing coming out of Atlanta has made this injury sound like something we need to worry about.
Before the injury, Mooney had cleared 85 receiving yards in three straight games, and that’s great, but he’s operating at close to max capacity if he can’t improve his efficiency.
Outside of an outlier Week 3 loss to the Chiefs where he caught all eight of his targets, Mooney owns a 54.8% catch rate on the season, something that has the potential to sink any given week where the possession count is limited, something that could be the case when facing a Chargers team that plays at the third slowest pace offensively in the NFL.
For the first time in a while, Mooney is sitting just outside of my top 35 receivers this week and isn’t a player I’m actively trying to start if I have other similar options.
Drake London, WR | ATL
London’s Injury Status for Week 13
Drake London (hip) was added to the Atlanta Falcons’ Thursday injury report as a limited participant after not being listed on Wednesday. However, London returned to practice in full on Friday and did not carry any designation on the final report of the week.
Normally, a mid-week downgrade would be cause for concern, but London has been dealing with a hip issue for weeks. This is likely part of the Falcons’ maintenance plan for him the rest of the season and shouldn’t affect his ability to face the Chargers in Week 13.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for London
Drake London has seen six end-zone targets over his past six contests and has established himself as a featured option in scoring situations. Last season, Atlanta’s WR1 was targeted on 28.1% of his red-zone routes. That’s a respectable rate, but it’s nearly doubled under Kirk Cousins (45.7%), and that brings in an elite ceiling case.
The Falcons have made it clear that they want to scheme up their top pass catcher, so look for him to be heavily involved this week with Atlanta coming off their bye and the Chargers on a short week.
The Chargers are the best YAC defense in the league, but they rank 25th in passer rating allowed against deep passes — London could be used as a vertical threat, and while that introduces a wider range of outcomes, I’m willing to bet on his talent/target combination which lands him inside of my top 20.
Kyle Pitts, TE | ATL
Pitts’ Injury Status for Week 13
Herbert is not listed on the injury report this week.
Week 13 Start-Sit Advice for Pitts
It’s the holiday season, and you know what that means — having to explain to the in-laws what you do.
No? That’s just me?
Every year I describe the “fantasy analyst” thing, and they ask why it requires so much time. This year, I’m going to be prepared. I’m going to print out Kyle Pitts’ weekly finishes and show them:
- Week 8: TE2
- Week 9: TE40
- Week 10: TE12
- Week 11: TE42
“My job is to get ahead of wild swings like this, and that is why it takes time.”
So where has my time gone this week? Trying to identify why those productive weeks occurred.
Both good weeks came against defenses that rank below league average in pressure rate when not blitzing, while the poor weeks came against top-12 units in that regard.
Despite the limitations in blitz success rate, both defenses that coughed up production to Pitts are top 12 in sack rate, while the dud stat lines came against a below-average defense in that respect.
Drum roll, please …
The Chargers fit the former. They aren’t a high success rate defense when it comes to blitzing, but they own a top-five sack rate. Giddy up!
Now that we know that this matchup mirrors that of past plus performances, I have something to share with my in-laws about the attention to detail that my job requires. Am I opening myself up to a boatload of questions come Christmas time when Pitts goes 2-17-0 this week?
I am, and that would mean not only the questioning of my profession but also if I’m any good at it. So, yeah, I have more riding on my top 10 ranking of Pitts this week than you do.