Fantasy football managers who will be without Stefon Diggs, DJ Moore, and Davante Adams this week due to untimely bye weeks are going to have to make some tough lineup decisions on who to start or sit at the WR position in their absence.
Here are some of my start/sit options at the WR position for Week 13 of NFL action.
Which WRs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle posted his second game within the last four with over 100 yards receiving. And it came against one of the stingiest secondary units in the league, the New York Jets, on Black Friday.
The Commanders’ secondary has had issues all season long slowing down opposing passing games. Sure, Tyreek Hill will continue to get his numbers, but Waddle should be able to generate a handful of big plays as well against this struggling defensive unit that is giving up an average of 35.5 fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts.
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
You know which team is giving up more fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers than the Commanders this season? The Philadelphia Eagles.
MORE: Positional Start/Sits — QB | RB | TE
Despite an abundance of talent on the defensive side of the football, the Eagles are giving up an average of 37.7 fantasy points to opposing wideouts, which has seen them consistently struggle to slow down players operating out of the slot.
Deebo Samuel is a satellite player who is moved all over the formation and used in a variety of ways in an explosive San Francisco offense. Expect him to give this Eagles secondary plenty of issues in Week 13.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
Fantasy managers are running out of reasons to doubt Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks’ recent spike in production. The Cowboys passing offense has been firing on all cylinders for the majority of the last five games, and Cooks has been the biggest beneficiary of this improvement in the passing game.
He has scored in three out of his last six games while topping 70 yards receiving in two of his last three contests. The target volume hasn’t been plentiful, but he has proven to be a reliable and productive option in this high-powered Cowboys offense.
He is certainly a starting caliber Flex option at WR this week for fantasy managers with six teams on a bye.
Which WRs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Smith’s struggles under center this season and the consistent involvement of rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba have made this a very frustrating season for Tyler Lockett fantasy shareholders.
Oddly enough, Lockett saw a season-high 95% of the offensive snaps against the 49ers in Week 12 but finished with fewer than 10 fantasy points in PPR formats for the sixth time this season by catching just three balls for 30 yards.
The Cowboys can get after the quarterback and give up an average of just 22.8 fantasy points per game to opposing WRs this season. Lockett certainly still has the big-play ability to go off on any given week, but his boom-or-bust nature in 2023 feels like he’s chasing upside … which I’m not willing to do with my fantasy playoffs on the line with a tough matchup.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Speaking of chasing upside, fantasy managers who kept rolling Packers WR Christian Watson into their starting lineup were finally rewarded with a big five-reception, 94-yard, and one-touchdown performance against the Lions in Week 12.
While Watson’s best performance of the 2023 season certainly is encouraging, I would caution inserting him into your fantasy lineup against the Chiefs on Sunday.
Kansas City’s CB duo of L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie have given some of the league’s best wideouts issues for the majority of the season, which has me wanting to go in another direction in Week 13.
Trending Searches for WR Start/Sit
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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 Christian Watson or Rashee Rice?
Ironically enough, these two pass catchers will be facing off against one another for the prime-time game on Sunday Night Football this week. While Watson certainly flashed some of the potential many fantasy managers noticed from the second half of his rookie campaign in Week 12 against the Lions, Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice has been far more consistent this year.
MORE: Fantasy Buy Low, Sell High Week 13
Watson has scored fewer than seven fantasy points in half of his eight games played this season.
Do you know how many times Rice has scored fewer than seven fantasy points this year? Only twice. Rice has proven to have a higher floor with a similar ceiling, which makes him the better fantasy play in Week 13.
Should You Start Deebo Samuel or Michael Pittman Jr.?
Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. has seen 12+ targets in three of his last four games. In addition, he has caught a minimum of eight passes in four straight games.
Samuel is going to a nightmare of a matchup against this Eagles secondary, but he still doesn’t have the type of fantasy floor we have seen from Pittman over the last month.
My choice would be to start Pittman against a vulnerable Titans pass defense, but if you are in desperate need of a sky-high fantasy ceiling, that would be the one scenario where I would go with Samuel over Pittman in Week 13.
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!