One of the key components to fantasy football success is making the correct lineup decisions. Here to help you make those decisions are our positional start ’em and sit ’em picks.
Fantasy decisions are more important than ever with playoff spots and playoff positioning on the line, so let’s look at our Week 13 start/sit plays for the RB position.
Which RBs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans (vs. DEN)
I wouldn’t call Devin Singletary’s performance last week a flop, but it was certainly a dip from his previous two weeks. Singletary carried the ball six times for a mere 18 yards. He managed 13.2 fantasy points on the heels of six receptions for 54 yards, both season-high marks.
Dameon Pierce returned but was a pure backup, playing just 11 snaps. There may be some fear he was being eased back in and will see a larger workload this week. While I do think his snap share will tick up to around 30%, this remains Singletary’s backfield.
MORE: Week 13 Start/Sit Options — WR | TE | QB
Things should be much smoother for Singletary this week. The Denver Broncos are the ultimate run-funnel defense. They are a top-10 defense against the pass but remain the worst against the run, allowing the most fantasy points per game to running backs.
The Broncos allow 5.8 yards per carry and 133 rushing yards per game. Both numbers are the worst in the league. Singletary has a good shot to post RB1 numbers this week.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. ARI)
For all this talk of Jaylen Warren being the starter, Najee Harris continues to out-snap and out-touch him. Warren is clearly the better player, but that doesn’t mean Harris is incompetent or incapable. They both are useful players.
Harris did not log a single target last week but did carry the ball 15 times for 99 yards and a touchdown. Naturally, he has become quite a touchdown-dependent option, but given that he remains the Steelers’ goal-line back, he has a decent chance to score against an Arizona Cardinals defense allowing one whole rushing touchdown per game to running backs.
The aforementioned Broncos are the most favorable matchup for running backs. The Cardinals are second, allowing 28.8 PPG to the position, as well as 4.4 yards per carry and 120 yards per game.
Warren remains the superior start due to his receiving role, but Harris is firmly on the RB2 radar this week.
Which RBs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals (at JAX)
Joe Mixon deserves better. Sadly, there is no more hope for him this season. His four-game touchdown streak came to an end last week, and my prediction is he won’t score another one this season.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ offense just can’t function with Jake Browning. In a game where the Bengals never really fell behind by a ton, Mixon managed 10 touches for 60 scoreless yards. So much for the offense running through Mixon.
The Jaguars just held Singletary to 18 yards on six carries. They allow 3.6 yards per carry to running backs and 59 rushing yards per game. They have been vulnerable through the air, though, with 18.4% of their total receiving yards allowed going to running backs. That would be Mixon’s best shot at a usable fantasy day. But without a touchdown, he’s likely capped at around 10 points. You can do better.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (at TB)
It has been nearly impossible to predict this Panthers backfield. Perhaps I am foolish for even trying.
Last week, Chuba Hubbard had his best game of the season, totaling 92 yards, catching five passes, and scoring a touchdown for 17.7 fantasy points. All of those numbers were season highs. He also accomplished them against a collapsing Titans run defense.
The Bucs are a different animal. They are a pass-funnel defense that is suffocating against the run. They allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs.
On the season, the Bucs surrender just 0.2 touchdowns per game to running backs. They also are quite effective at stopping backs in the receiving game, with just 10.3% of their total receiving yards allowed going to running backs. Essentially, the two ways in which Hubbard scores his points are unlikely to be beneficial to him this week.
There is the narrative of the Panthers having just fired their head coach, which often leads to a short burst of offensive improvement. However, that can happen without Hubbard being particularly involved. Fantasy managers relying on Hubbard this week will need a short touchdown. If not, it will look quite ugly.
Trending Searches for RB Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, and we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Najee Harris or Jerome Ford?
I like both of these running backs this week. If you have either one, you should feel pretty good about starting him. If you only have one, the PFN Start/Sit Optimizer can help.
It has Najee Harris projected for 10.1 points against 9.0 for Jerome Ford. That’s not a massive disparity, but it’s not insignificant, either.
MORE: Kyle Soppe’s Week 13 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
While I clearly agree that Harris is a great start against the Cardinals, I do have Ford slightly ahead in my weekly rankings. The primary difference is that Ford is his team’s feature back, while Harris is splitting work with Warren.
The difference for me is projected volume. I do think Ford touches the ball more, even against a more difficult Rams defense allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Volume is king in fantasy football, and I give the slight edge to Ford because I project him to see more work.
Should You Start Joe Mixon or Brian Robinson Jr.?
Fantasy managers’ first inclination is probably that Mixon is clearly the call here. The Start/Sit Optimizer has Mixon projected for 11.0 points, 0.9 more than Brian Robinson Jr. My personal weekly rankings have Robinson ahead of Mixon, though. But why?
For starters, Robinson has been the better fantasy asset all season. He’s averaging 0.7 fantasy points per game more than Mixon on the season.
More important, though, is Mixon’s situation. I just want no part of a Browning-led offense, especially against a tough Jaguars run defense.
Robinson certainly has concerns of his own against a Dolphins defense allowing 17.7 PPG to running backs, the sixth-fewest in the league. However, he’s benefited from an increase in receiving work recently, and the Dolphins allow a 21.6% target share to running backs. Plus, Robinson is more likely to score on a superior Commanders offense.
I am going against the Start/Sit Optimizer here and starting Robinson over Mixon in Week 13 lineups.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
