Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 13
By Jay Marsdale
For some fantasy football players, Week 13 is the start of the playoffs. This is where everyone second guesses themselves and regret it later. There are few games to target for this week and some key players set to help your team advance in the fantasy football playoffs.
The fantasy football playoffs are here!
Just get into the playoffs and anything can happen. It seems like the best fantasy football team during the year rarely wins the league in my experience. This is a new season now. Win and move on, lose and your fantasy football season is over.
That’s a ton of pressure, so players everywhere are looking for more information on who to put in their lineups ahead of these crucial Week 13 games. Before looking forward to these games, let’s see how Week 12’s list played out. Hopefully it helped some players get into their playoffs.
San Francisco 49ers
Week 12 Hits: Russell Wilson (SEA) start-em, Derek Carr (OAK) sit-em, Demariyus Thomas (DEN) sit-em, Delanie Walker (TEN) start-em, Greg Olsen (CAR) sit-em.
Week 12 Misses: Christian McCaffrey (CAR) start-em, Adrian Peterson (ARI) sit-em, Doug Baldwin (SEA) start-em.
Christian McCaffrey and Adrian Peterson both had average games in Week 12. Neither topped fifteen fantasy points, but there was far more expected out of McCaffrey last week than Peterson in a depleted offense. Seattle’s top target, Doug Baldwin, went cold all game last week even with the offense performing well. He was held to just two catches in the Seahawks’ win over the 49ers.
When I say that Seattle’s offense was running well, I really mean that Russell Wilson carried them again. Once again he was over 20 fantasy points and continued his excellent season. Meanwhile, Oakland quarterback Derek Carr continued his poor season. Carr has gotten no help this season from the other players on that offense, and that proved true again in Week 12.
Delanie Walker found the end zone for the first time this season as predicted. Those stat lines of five catches for 60 yards look a lot better with a touchdown on the end for fantasy football owners.
Expect more of that from Walker to end the season.
Unfortunately, Greg Olsen was taken out of his first game back from injury early in Week 12. He injured the same foot that kept him out most of this season already. It looks like patient Olsen owners are not going to be rewarded this season.
Enough about the past. On to this big Week 13 in the fantasy football season.
Start-em: Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) @ Chicago
San Francisco 49ers fans are going to remember Week 13 in the 2017 season for many years to come. This is the beginning of the Jimmy Garoppolo era for the 49ers, and it is going to start with a bang this week in Chicago.
Coming over in an unexpected trade at the deadline from the Patriots, Garoppolo is finally getting his chance to run a team. Everything he has said and done, with both the 49ers and the Patriots, give San Francisco fans reason for high expectations. He learned under the best in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and now it is time to show it.
Last week’s injury to quarterback C.J. Beathard allowed for one small taste of what Garoppolo can do. His last-minute touchdown throw was the most important pass of the 49ers season, and it came in a blowout loss.
Garoppolo didn’t have much playing time in New England, but in limited time, he impressed. Everyone has been listing his stats for completion percentage and quarterback rating, which are very impressive, but neither is my favorite Garoppolo stat.
Garoppolo has thrown 100 passes in his career and is yet to throw an interception. The most important thing for a young quarterback to gain confidence is to not turn the ball over. His ability to make good decisions with the football is rare for a young, inexperienced player.
His first career start for the 49ers comes in Chicago this week, and the whole country will be watching. The Bears are middle of the pack in almost all defensive statistical categories this season. This is a nice spot to get your first game against a rookie quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky for Chicago. The score should stay close, and that mans we get to see Garoppolo in high-pressure situations right off the bat.
Fantasy football players who have been streaming the quarterback with the best matchup weekly should look to Garoppolo for Week 13. Don’t be hesitant because of the unknowns, he is ready. Fantasy owners of players like injured Aaron Rodgers, benched Eli Manning or struggling Marcus Mariota need to trust the new 49ers signal-caller this week.
Other options: Blake Bortles (JAX) vs. Indianapolis and Philip Rivers (LAC) vs. Cleveland