This is Fantasy Sleepers Week 13!
Woof. Week 13 is the most challenging I have faced in writing this article. There are six teams on Byes, severely limiting the players I have to choose from. We also have our threshold of players available in 75 percent or more of Yahoo Leagues, making this endeavor even more difficult. But you did not come here for excuses, you came here for fantasy sleepers.
Most of the players listed are stashes and not streams, but there are a few players who desperate managers could find just enough scoring from to help them get through a must-win Week 13.
Quarterbacks
Kenny Pickett | Pittsburgh (21%)
Pickett passed for a season-high 278 yards in Week 12’s win over Cincinnati. Pat Freiermuth put up huge numbers, and Pickett looked at ease attacking the middle of the field. Pittsburgh now hosts Arizona in a potential smash spot. Arizona has allowed the No. 4 most passing TDs in the league this season, and this is a statistic Pickett very much needs to improve on (only six TD passes this season).
Bryce Young | Carolina (15%)
This is an example of the law of self-preservation and the law of opportunity.
Expect new play caller Thomas Brown to push the envelope and get aggressive. What does he have to lose? Young could be a big beneficiary against a Tampa Bay secondary that has allowed the No. 3 most passing yards all season.
Gardner Minshew | Indianapolis (23%)
Minshew is coming off of a 251-yard passing performance against Tampa Bay and has a chance to build on it in a must win road game at Tennessee. The Titans are very difficult to run on, but they can be passed on. Indianapolis may also look to be a little more pass heavy than usual with Jonathan Taylor missing.
Running Backs
D’Ernest Johnson | Jacksonville (13%)
Johnson has passed Tank Bigsby on the depth chart and has seen a recent uptick in work. He has had 17 touches his past two games played.
Johnson needs to be stashed everywhere. Etienne is banged up, and if he were to miss time, Johnson would be a mid-RB2.
Royce Freeman | Los Angeles Rams (13%)
Lost in the Kyren Williams smash game is that Royce Freeman went over 70 yards for the second consecutive game. The Rams pounded Arizona, and Freeman’s touches could decrease this week, but his strong play cannot be ignored.
Michael Carter | Arizona (3%)
Carter made his Arizona debut and played 38 percent of the snaps. He caught all four targets and had more combined yards than starting RB James Conner. Carter has 96 career catches, and it seems Arizona wants to get a long look at what he brings to the table. This is a sneaky spot with multiple Arizona pass catchers nursing injuries.
Patrick Taylor | Green Bay (1%)
Aaron Jones is going to miss another game, and Taylor will serve as the backup to AJ Dillon. Taylor had a high snap share but only had four touches. I want to stash Taylor and see how this backfield shakes out. Who knows when Aaron Jones will return? Taylor is now the next man in.
Wide Receivers
Greg Dortch | Arizona (8%)
Trey McBride and Marquise Brown both missed practice this week with injuries, and Michael Wilson has been ruled out for another week.
Enter Dortch. Dortch has come out of nowhere and has been targeted 17 times over the past two weeks. He had 52 catches in 2022 and seems to have a connection with Kyler Murray.
AT Perry | New Orleans (4%)
Chris Olave is likely going to miss Week 13 with a concussion, and Rashid Shaheed is dealing with a quad injury. Perry led New Orleans in WR snaps last week despite almost no fantasy stats to show for it. This week, he should see increased targets. Detroit just allowed three passing TDs to Green Bay last week and can be beat through the air.
Jonathan Mingo | Carolina (6%)
See Bryce Young and double down with Mingo. Mingo has had at least four targets for five straight games and has drawn 19 targets over his last three. He had 60 receiving yards in Week 12 and will have a chance for even more in Week 13. The Mingo and Young connection showing signs of life for the rest of the season would be a positive step in the right direction for Carolina heading into the offseason.
Marvin Mims | Denver (9%)
Mims has been praised by Sean Payton and Russell Wilson lately and has seen an uptick in snaps. This could be the week where Mims gets a second breakout of the season after some early season success. No one questions Mims talent. We simply need opportunities and targets.
Jalen Guyton | Los Angeles Chargers (5%)
The Chargers need a third option in the passing game in a major way. Quentin Johnston is underperforming and banged up. Keenan Allen is also dealing with some knocks and did not practice on Thursday. Look for Guyton to have a real opportunity against New England.
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson | New Orleans Saints (18%)
I like Johnson as a streamer this week. In New Orleans’ first game post-bye week, Johnson drew seven targets (a season high), catching four for 45 yards. He dominated the Saints’ routes run. Johnson has an opportunity for a big performance with multiple WR injuries.
The Lions allowed a TD catch to Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft last week, and Johnson could make it two weeks in a row against opposing TEs.
Brevin Jordan | Houston (0%)
Jordan should step right in for the injured Dalton Schultz and play in a high number of snaps. C.J. Stroud has successfully targeted the TE position with Schultz receiving 61 targets and catching five TD passes.
