Fantasy Football Week 13 Rankings: Guide for Top Players and Sleepers

Week 13 in the NFL season brings some strong fantasy match-ups for the league's top stars, but also some intriguing sleepers who may propel your team to victory.

For every Cooper Kupp vs. Jacksonville or Patrick Mahomes vs. Denver match-up, there is an under-the-radar QB or wideout ready to make a splash against a leaky pass defense.

From a potential return to form for Ben Roethlisberger to a breakout day for tight end Cole Kmet in Chicago, these are the top players, and sleepers, to watch this week.

1. Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) vs. Washington Football Team
2. Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) at Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Atlanta Falcons
4. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) at New York Jets
5. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Denver Broncos
6. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) at Cincinnati Bengals
7. Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings) at Detroit Lions
8. Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) at New Orleans Saints
9. Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) vs. New England Patriots
10. Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals) at Chicago Bears
11. Carson Wentz (Indianapolis Colts) at Houston Texans
12. Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Sleeper: Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Baltimore Ravens

This is not the Roethlisberger of yesteryear who will throw 50 passes for 475 yards and a couple of touchdowns. He has shown his age this year, and his inconsistent play has been troublesome for fantasy owners who took a risk in drafting him as an insurance policy late. That he is playing a division rival that knows him extremely well should be cause for some concern, but this isn't the same Ravens defense he has combatted since 2004, either.

Baltimore gives up the third-most passing yards to opposing teams in the league. They are also tied for the second-fewest interceptions. This isn't the ball-hawking squad that was a threat to take one to the house anytime the ball was thrown in the area of a corner or safety. It is a much leakier pass defense than before, one that may allow Roethlisberger to turn back the clock and look like the Pro Bowl quarterback and MVP candidate he once was.

Is he worth playing this week? Only if your starter is on a bye week, injured or benched. If you do pick him up, he may well net you points you were not expecting, especially with the emotion and determination that comes with the Steelers-Ravens feud.

1. Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) at Houston Texans
2. Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Los Angeles Chargers
3. Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers) at Cincinnati Bengals
4. Leonard Fournette (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Atlanta Falcons
5. Elijah Mitchell (San Francisco 49ers) at Seattle Seahawks
6. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints) vs. Dallas Cowboys
7. Antonio Gibson (Washington Football Team) at Las Vegas Raiders
8. Darrell Henderson Jr. (Los Angeles Rams) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
9. Myles Gaskin (Miami Dolphins) vs. New York Giants
10. James Conner (Arizona Cardinals) at Chicago Bears
11. Najee Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Baltimore Ravens
12. Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) at New Orleans Saints

Sleeper: Alexander Mattison (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Detroit Lions

No Dalvin Cook, no problem.

At least for this week.

Minnesota will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers when it takes on the Detroit Lions—a team giving up the fourth-most rushing yards to opposing teams. The Lions have also allowed five rushes for over 20 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

The news that Cook suffered a dislocated shoulder is devastating to the Vikings, who are still in playoff contention and could use the stud running back to help make that postseason push. Mattison, though, has played in 11 games this season and is averaging 3.6 yards per carry. 

Look for him to boost that number with some consistent playing time Sunday. He will not deliver an all-world performance that single-handedly wins you your matchup this week, but a solid 10-15 points could be all you need to inch closer to your fantasy playoffs.

1. Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) at Detroit Lions
3. Ja'Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Los Angeles Chargers
4. Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers) at Cincinnati Bengals
5. CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) at New Orleans Saints
6. Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Denver Broncos
7. Adam Thielen (Minnesota Vikings) at Detroit Lions
8. Terry McLaurin (Washington Football Team) at Las Vegas Raiders
9. Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Baltimore Ravens
10. DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona Cardinals) at Chicago Bears
11. Cordarrelle Patterson (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Atlanta Falcons

Sleeper: Brandin Cooks (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have given up the fifth-most passing yards in the league and are tied for the most touchdowns allowed through the air. While Tyrod Taylor has never been a numbers guy who is going to wow anyone with his stat line, he is a more-than-capable quarterback who knows how to find his open receivers.

Case in point, Brandin Cooks. 

The veteran wideout has 62 receptions for 704 yards and three touchdowns this season for a bad Texans team. While he may not be the explosive threat he was earlier in his career, he can still get behind defenders for a long reception.

Adding him to your lineup if you lack depth at the position, especially considering the opponent and their struggles against the pass, should help bolster your points this week and push you toward victory.

Four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown are not out of the realm of possibility for Cooks this week.

1. Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens) at Pittsburgh Steelers

2. Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Denver Broncos

3. George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers) at Seattle Seahawks

4. Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys) at New Orleans Saints

5. Rob Gronkowski (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Atlanta Falcons

6. Dawson Knox (Buffalo Bills) vs. New England Patriots

7. Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) at New York Jets

9. TJ Hockenson (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota Vikings

10. Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Baltimore Ravens

11. Darren Waller (Las Vegas Raiders) vs. Washington Football Team

12. Zach Ertz (Arizona Cardinals) at Chicago Bears

Sleeper: Cole Kmet (Chicago Bears) vs. Arizona Cardinals

During Thursday's abysmal Thanksgiving game between the Bears and Lions, Chicago quarterback Andy Dalton targeted tight end Cole Kmet 11 times. That demonstrates a certain level of comfort and trust in the Notre Dame product, and with Dalton starting again this week against the Cardinals, Kmet should be on your fantasy radar.

Arizona has the fifth-most sacks in the league, meaning a relatively stationary Dalton will face pressure Sunday. Short-to-intermediate throws should be expected, and Kmet will benefit from them.

He nabbed 8-of-11 balls thrown his way against the Lions and should have the opportunity to replicate those numbers at home against the top seed in the NFC—especially as Dalton looks for an outlet to save him from the grasps of Chandler Jones and the rest of the Arizona pass rush.

Don't necessarily look to Kmet for scores, though. The Cardinals have only given up 14 passing touchdowns all year.