Welcome to RotoBaller's Yahoo! daily fantasy football lineup picks for Week 13 of the NFL season. In this article, I, Justin Klein, will be taking you, the reader, through the best Yahoo! DFS plays of the week for this upcoming Sunday.
These Yahoo! lineup recommendations are based on matchups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more. Good luck with your Yahoo! DFS lineups!
Editor's Note: If you like Yahoo, be sure to also check out FantasyAces. New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NFL and NBA Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.
Yahoo! Quarterback - Week 13 DFS Picks
Drew Brees (vs DET, $40)
Starting Drew Brees at home at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans is like pairing a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup. Both things are solid on their own, but become great when paired together. When you add in that Brees is facing the mediocre Detroit Lions it becomes an even tastier selection. Feel free to pair several of the Saint's WR's with Drew as well. I will be.
Colin Kaepernick (at CHI, $32)
Kaepernick has quietly been very good in the fake game since taking over as the starting QB for the 49ers this season. In the five weeks that he's been they guy for San Francisco, he's managed to pass for as many as 398 yards in a game and run for as many as 116 in a game. All the while he's averaged 22.6 fantasy points per game, which just so happens to be the fifth most in the league behind some schmucks named Rodgers, Brees, Brady and Ryan. Despite that fact there are still nine QBs that are more expensive than Colin on Sunday. That doesn't make any sense. When you also factor in that the Bears defense hasn't been very good it makes it even more perplexing and an even better value play.
Yahoo! Running Backs - Week 13 DFS Picks
LeSean McCoy (at OAK, $29)
McCoy has been tremendous when healthy this season as he's managed an impressive 17.6 fantasy points per game this season in spite of the fact that he had a lackluster 1.10 effort in an injury shortened outing. I'm not sure how LeSean is priced under $30 this week, but I'm not complaining about it. Instead I've got a ton of exposure to him in a week where he heads to sunny California to face a defense that has allowed 116.9 rushing yards per game this season and an additional 273.5 yards per game through the air. I expect McCoy to have a big day running and receiving and I implore you to join me and get him into several of your lineups.
Spencer Ware (at ATL, $25)
Ware has been fairly quiet in the production department of late, but it has been mostly because of a lack of TD's and not because of a lack of touches. In what should be a closely contested game, I expect Ware to be fed like it's Thanksgiving yet again and wouldn't be surprised to see 20+ touches on the ground and through the air combined. If Kansas City gets a lead it could be even more. And if they fall behind, Ware could get more receptions as a result. The likely game flow scenarios are a win-win for Ware. It also helps that the game will be indoors as we head into December, so adverse weather conditions won't affect Smith's passes to Ware.
Yahoo! Wide Receivers - Week 13 DFS Picks
Michael Thomas (vs DET, $22)
Thomas has become the go to guy on the Saints and that's a big deal; especially when they play at home. Somehow, despite averaging a rock solid 13.6 fantasy points per game, Thomas is still just $22. This seems like a no-brainer folks. Unless Michael does his best Brandin Cooks impersonation from last week, he should definitely have a solid game.
Odell Beckham Jr. (at PIT, $31)
This seems like an obvious play, because of the price tag, but sometimes in DFS the layup is the shot that people miss. So here we are. The only player that averages more fantasy points per game that is cheaper than OBJ is listed above (McCoy). Julio Jones averages half a point more per game, but is five dollars more. That is a big enough difference to make Beckham both a solid value and a strong upside play with an extremely high floor.
Yahoo! Tight End - Week 13 DFS Picks
Vance McDonald (at CHI, $14)
In his last five outings, Vance has notched at least six targets per game and even received eight once. That leads the 49ers since Kaepernick took over as the QB. On the flip side, Chicago has allowed a TD to a TE the past three weeks and will be without a couple of key defenders. These facts make McDonald an interesting value play this weekend. I have a ton of shares and implore that you join me and get Vance into most of your lineups.
Yahoo! Defense - Week 13 DFS Picks
Green Bay Packers D/ST (vs HOU, $11)
The Packers have been absolutely terrible on defense for much of the season and were starting a couple of holograms at cornerback and a cardboard cutout of Clay Matthews for over a month. That all changed last week when both Matthews and Demarious Randall returned from injury. Despite some rusty play from the pair, the Packers defense actually stopped the Eagles last week and I expect more of the same against Blake Osweiler and the Texans this week. Fresh off a three interception game, Osweiler seems likely to turn the ball over once or twice in the cold confines of Lambeau Field this weekend. At just $11 it's an easy gamble to take and is a big upside GPP play.