PlayerProfiler is home to the award winning redraft rankings and tools. Our Player Rankings are second to none, and the World Famous Draft Kit contains detailed player write ups and cheat sheets to help You dominate fantasy drafts! Check it out. Below, Bradley Stalder identifies premium fantasy football flex players for fantasy Week 13.
In this weekly flex plays article, I identify three players outside the top 50 projected FLEX starters who will “win” the FLEX. How do I define “winning” the FLEX position? If a player earns at least 12.5 points in half-point PPR scoring, that’s a “win.” Anything less is a loss. I also identify one player outside the top-100 in projected points for the week as my long-shot, double-or-nothing score. Throughout the season, I’ll offer players I think will “win” the FLEX each week, and update how I did last week as accountability.
Week 12 Record: 0-3
Running Records 16-24 , 40-percent
Marvin Harrison, Jr. | WR, Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr. is rostered on 100-percent of teams, and projected to start on 96-percent. He projects as the 63rd-highest FLEX player in Week 13. Harrison Jr. has exceeded 12.5 fantasy points in five games this season– all games where he’s scored a TD. MHJ has redefined boom-bust. He ranks No. 21 in Explosive Plays, No. 7 in Air Yards, No. 10 in Deep Targets, No. 11 in Target Depth, and No. 7 in Dominator Rating. He ranks No. 10 in Route Win Rate vs. man coverage and No. 3 in Target Rate vs. man coverage. Harrison easily leads the Cardinals wide receiver corps in Target Share and other meaningful receiving metrics. His only other receiving competition is from tight end Trey McBride.
The Minnesota Vikings run the lowest man coverage rate in the NFL, at approximately 12-percent. However, MHJ wins nearly 38-percent of his routes vs. zone coverage. In a solid 45 projected game total, expect Maserati Marv to have a big day in Minnesota.
Rome Odunze | WR, Chicago Bears
Rome Odunze is rostered on 93-percent of teams and projected to start on 54-percent. He projects as the 80th-highest FLEX player for Week 13. Odunze is coming off two straight 10-target games. Unfortunately, he hasn’t found the end zone. However, regression is coming. Odunze ranks No. 10 in Target Depth, No. 12 in Deep Targets, No. 5 in Unrealized Air Yards, and No. 22 in red zone targets. Odunze has exceeded 12.5 fantasy points only twice on the season, but in this new offense under OC Thomas Brown, it’s clear Caleb Williams is being given the go-ahead to throw downfield and attack with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Odunze.
The Detroit Lions allow the No. 2 most fantasy points to wide receivers. The game is in Detroit, meaning the dome will protect teams from the elements. Detroit is favored by 10, which means that the Bears are projected to trail and throw the ball more than expected. This is the No. 3 highest projected game total at 48.5 and highest on the Thanksgiving slate. Fill your heart with fantasy goodness from Odunze before gobbling down your turkey Thursday.
Tyreek Hill| WR, Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill is rostered on 100-percent of teams, and projected to start on 98-percent. Hill projects as the 54th-highest FLEX player for Week 13. Fantasy gamers may feel fatigued by Hill’s underperformance this year. The excuses have piled on: pre-game arrest, Tua’s concussion, wrist injury, emergence of other receiving options, etc. Hill has only exceeded 12.5 fantasy points in two of eleven contests so far this season. However, it’s not all bad. Hill ranks no. 21 in Explosive Plays, No. 11 in Air Yards Share, No. 14 in Unrealized Air Yards, and No. 16 in red zone targets.
The Dolphins travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers are favored in a respectable 47 projected game total. Green Bay allow the No. 11 most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. There may be a little snow on Thanksgiving night, but don’t get cute benching Tyreek Hill.
Deep Cut: Travis Etienne | RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Etienne is rostered on 100-percent of teams and projected to start on 97-percent. He projects as the 101st-highest FLEX player for Week 13, per Sleeper. Etienne has struggled as of late, not having exceeded five fantasy points since Week 5. Etienne is coming off a season-high 75-percent Snap Share in Week 11 against a stout Detroit Lions defense. Tank Bigsby hasn’t yet practiced since before missing Week 11’s contest, and it is worth monitoring that situation.
The Jaguars face off against the Houston Texans in Jacksonville. Houston just allowed Tony Pollard to accumulate 129 total yards on 27 touches to go along with a TD. If Etienne gets the volume, he ranks No. 25 in Explosive Rating and No. 26 in Breakaway Runs.
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