Fantasy Football Week 13 Expert Picks: Jonathan Taylor, Bo Nix, and More

Thanksgiving week is often a time to really lock into the NFL season. As the most popular sport in this country, people are always watching football, but it's easy to get lost in the week-to-week storylines and miss the bigger picture.

After this week, all but four teams (who are on bye in Week 14) will have five games left, meaning there's very little time remaining to make a move in the standings. That's even more true in fantasy football, where playoffs generally start around Week 15. Every decision matters at this point; the temperature is rising (figuratively: we're into snow-game territory).

Luckily, the experts at FantasySP are here to help. Morgan Rode and Daniel Hepner answered five fantasy football questions in advance of Sunday/Monday in Week 13.

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Give us a quarterback to avoid in Week 13.

Morgan: If Daniel Jones ends up playing, it's got to be him. His injury scares me already, and he has a super tough test against the Texans waiting for him.

Daniel: Jones is a great answer here, as he is dealing with a fractured fibula but plans to play through the injury. That brings a ton of extra risk on top of the terrible matchup. Just for something different, I'll give you Geno Smith, who faces a tough Chargers defense and is surrounded by an emerging dumpster fire in Las Vegas. With the team struggling mightily on offense, Smith is unlikely to have a big game against Los Angeles.

How about a running back with a good outlook?

Morgan: I like both Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell in a favorable test against the Bills this weekend. Both running backs delivered good fantasy scores in Week 12, and I think they do it again in Week 13.

Daniel: Rookie TreVeyon Henderson seems to have usurped the top role in New England. Rhamondre Stevenson missed three games, and Henderson took full advantage, gaining 330 total yards and scoring five touchdowns. Stevenson returned last week, but Henderson dominated the work, receiving 21 touches to just seven for the veteran. With a phenomenal matchup against the Giants this week, Henderson is in line for another big game if he keeps that kind of volume.

Do you have a wide receiver you are leaving on the bench this week?

Morgan: All of the Indianapolis wide receivers might be worth sitting, especially if Jones isn't out there. That matchup against the Texans is brutal, so if you can avoid Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, I'd try to.

Daniel: Washington's Terry McLaurin missed three straight games and seven of the past eight before the team's Week 12 bye, but he returns this week against the Broncos. Two pieces of bad news: Denver has a shutdown pass defense, and quarterback Jayden Daniels is still out, leaving a very low floor for the Washington passing game. Sit McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, and any other Commander pass catchers.

Is there a streaming tight end with the right matchup for a good game?

Morgan: I don't know why he's still a streamer, but Juwan Johnson. He has been good most of the season and has a favorable matchup coming against the Dolphins. Don't be surprised if he's a top-10 tight end (again) in Week 13.

Daniel: It seems like every pick I want to make this week has already been taken by Morgan, so I'll give you another of my second choices, as Johnson is a great starter this week, particularly with Alvin Kamara out and Chris Olave questionable. I'll throw in Denver's Evan Engram as a low-level streamer: his ceiling is capped by his modest involvement (around three catches and 26 yards per game), but Engram has a great matchup against Washington, who has probably been the worst pass defense in football.

Who will be the fantasy MVP of Week 13?

Morgan: For some of the reasons I mentioned above, I like Jonathan Taylor in Week 13. With Jones at least hobbled, Taylor should take on even more than usual. His matchup is a bit tougher too, but I still think he can deliver a monster fantasy score.

Daniel: Let's go right back to the team I was just talking about targeting in the Commanders. Bo Nix is the lucky quarterback who faces a team allowing 8.9 yards per pass attempt; Sam Darnold is the only player with at least 10 pass attempts who is averaging a higher number. It's not an exaggeration to say that Washington is turning opposing quarterbacks into the best QBs in football on a regular basis. I love Nix and his two top receivers (Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin) this week.