Fantasy Football Week 13 Cheat Sheet, Rankings Guide and Waiver Projections

The fantasy football season has reached the most crucial point of the year, as many fantasy owners are in the final week or two of the regular season, while others have already reached the playoffs.

This means that the most crucial personnel decisions have to be made prior to Week 13 games, and those decisions have to be based on talent, matchups and overall health. The latter category may be the most significant, because healthiest players have a chance to play their best game for 60 minutes.

A healthy and productive running back who is at his best in the fourth quarter can be a devastating weapon. That kind of player can get double-digit touches in the final 15 minutes, and that can turn defeat into victory at this critical point in the season.

Quarterbacks

A number of top-flight quarterback matchups are on deck this week, but no one has a better situation than Drew Brees, who faces the Detroit Lions secondary.

Brees has been on top of his game for several weeks, and the Saints are rolling at home these days. New Orleans is averaging 34 points per game at home this season, and the Saints are coming off a 49-point effort at the Superdome versus the Los Angeles Rams.

The Saints have the top-ranked offense in the league this season, and Brees is averaging 314.9 yards per game with 30 touchdowns to eight interceptions. 

The Lions are a first-place team that has a knack for registering come-from behind victories, but they rank 15th in yards allowed, so Brees should be able to take advantage of this group. The Lions are worthy of respect, but this may be one of the worst matchups for head coach Jim Caldwell.

Another factor that is working against the Lions is their 30th-ranked running game, which means they are unlikely to hold onto the ball for long stretches. Meanwhile, Brees will be firing the ball to Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas and Coby Fleener on a regular basis.

Some observers may look at the New York Giants’ six-game winning streak and improved defense and take it as a sign to avoid Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We are not in that group. From this corner, it appears that the Steelers are finally starting to hit their stride.

They have won two games in a row following their Thanksgiving victory over the Indianapolis Colts, and no team has a better fantasy trio than Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wideout Antonio Brown.

The Giants have one of the most improved defensive backs in the league in Landon Collins, who leads the team in tackles and interceptions, but Roethlisberger will not hesitate to fire the ball against New York.

The Steelers rank eighth in passing yards this season, and it took them quite a while to hit their offensive stride. Roethlisberger has thrown six touchdowns and has not thrown a pick in his last three games, and we expect him to keep the Giants on their heels throughout the game. 

Running backs

LeSean McCoy has been one of the best and most productive running backs in the league throughout his career, and he is once again enjoying a stellar season with the Buffalo Bills.

He came back after enduring a medical procedure on his left thumb prior to the Bills’ Week 12 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns to lead Buffalo to a much-needed victory.

The Bills have a tough assignment when they go across the …

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