This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
The Week 13 NFL main slate begins Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST and features 11 games. The Browns, Packers, Panthers and Titans are on bye, while three games fall outside the main slate this week. The action kicks off Thursday at 8:20 p.m. with the Cowboys and Saints, while Broncos-Chiefs (Sunday night) and Patriots-Bills (Monday night) rivalry games wrap up the slate. Even with a number of high-profile offenses missing from the main slate options, there are still plenty of enticing picks to choose from in Week 13. Among the suggested plays are a running back and a wide receiver in line for more prominent roles following injuries ahead of them, a scuffling star quarterback set to embark on a well-timed get-right game, and an affordable, and a red-hot defense that's facing a mediocre offense without its starting quarterback.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
QB: Derek Carr, LV vs. WAS ($31): The Raiders' formula for success involves Carr throwing early and often — they're 6-0 when he eclipses 300 passing yards and 0-5 when he doesn't. In four of those six wins, Carr has thrown for at least 373 yards, so he's not just barely squeaking over 300, either. Washington's last four opponents have averaged only 18.0 points per game, and Carr won't have the services of star tight end Darren Waller (knee), but there's still plenty of upside here given Carr's hefty yardage totals and the 26:6 TD:INT Washington's defense has allowed this season.
RB: Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL vs. TB ($24): Running backs have generally struggled against a stout Buccaneers front that's allowing a league-low 81.0 rushing yards per game, but Patterson's far from your typical running back. He can get it done on the ground, as evidenced by last week's 108-yard, two-touchdown performance, but he can also split out wide in addition to catching the ball out of the backfield. In fact, 500 of his 911 scrimmage yards through 10 games have come through the air, as well as five of Patterson's nine touchdowns. He's arguably Atlanta's biggest threat both through the air and on the ground in what should be one of the week's highest-scoring games (over/under: 50.5 points).
WR: Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. SF ($21): It's been a slog for Seattle on offense lately, but Lockett has been the one guy on the team to maintain some semblance of productivity, totaling 211 yards over the past two games. He hasn't scored a touchdown since finding the end zone three times in the first two games, but Lockett tends to score in bunches and had at least eight touchdowns in each of the previous three seasons, suggesting he likely has another hot streak left in him. If Russell Wilson can find his game under center, Lockett should be able to sneak behind San Francisco's secondary and reestablish their downfield chemistry.
Other Against-the-Grainers
QB: Taysom Hill (NO, $20), Joe Burrow (CIN, $27), Russell Wilson (SEA, $25)
RB: Ty Johnson (NYJ, $12), Saquon Barkley (NYG, $20), Josh Jacobs (LV, $19)
WR: DeAndre Hopkins (ARI, $29), Mike Evans (TB, $28), Van Jefferson (LAR, $14)
TE: Foster Moreau (LV, $11), Jack Doyle (IND, $13)
DST: Baltimore Ravens (at PIT, $12), San Francisco 49ers (at SEA, $15)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford, LAR vs. JAX ($32): Stafford has scuffled of late, but a visit from the lowly Jaguars should be just what the doctor ordered for the Rams signal-caller. Jacksonville has struggled mightily on the road, allowing 28.8 points per game en route to an 0-4 record. Despite his regression over the past three games, Stafford has still tossed at least three touchdowns in four of his last six games to build up a 27:9 TD:INT overall. With running back Darrell Henderson nursing a quad strain, the Rams will likely stick to the air attack throughout, which will also help Stafford continue to build a rapport with the recently acquired Odell Beckham, who caught a touchdown last week.
RUNNING BACK
Alexander Mattison, MIN at DET ($18): Mattison will be in the majority of DFS lineups this week. He racked up at least 25 carries and 112 rushing yards in each of the previous two games that Dalvin Cook missed this season. Cook's expected to be sidelined for a couple weeks by a shoulder injury, which will thrust Mattison back into a workhorse role, just in time to take on a Lions defense that's allowed 17 scrimmage touchdowns to running backs — second only to the Jets (21).
Jonathan Taylor, IND at HOU ($41): Taylor's in a tier of his own at the running back position, and he should live up to his hefty valuation against Houston. The breakout star has a nine-game touchdown streak going, and he also topped 100 scrimmage yards in each of those games until the Buccaneers held him three yards short last week. Houston's 1,321 rushing yards allowed to running backs are 15 shy of the Chargers' league-worst total, and the Texans are one of six teams that have allowed double-digit rushing scores to the position. When picking a lineup building block, it doesn't get much more obvious than an in-form star in a nearly ideal matchup.
WIDE RECEIVER
Diontae Johnson, PIT vs. BAL ($25): Only Cooper Kupp (11.5) and Tyreek Hill (11.1) average more targets per game than Johnson (10.9). That number's only climbing for the Steelers' No. 1 receiver, who has been thrown to 40 times in the past three games en route to 279 yards and a touchdown over that span. Johnson's immense volume should lead to another strong performance in this rivalry game against a Ravens team that's allowing a league-high 275.7 passing yards per game.
Brandon Aiyuk, SF at SEA ($18): With Deebo Samuel (groin) on the shelf for a week or two, Aiyuk takes over as the top wide receiver for the 49ers. The second-year pro's arrow was pointing up even before the Samuel injury, as Aiyuk has racked up 85-plus yards in three of his last four games, adding a touchdown in two of those. The flip side of Samuel's absence will be defenses devoting more attention to Aiyuk, but a hapless Seattle defense that's allowing 274.1 passing yards per game — just shy of Baltimore's league-worst mark — is unlikely to provide much resistance.
Tee Higgins, CIN vs. LAC ($15): Higgins is a bargain given his prominent role in the high-powered Bengals offense. He has led the team in receiving yards three times in the past four games and is coming off his best performance of the season (114 yards and a touchdown), yet Higgins still comes in at $12 less than Ja'Marr Chase. The Chargers have been especially vulnerable to tight ends and running backs, but their 31.3 points allowed per game over the past seven suggests there should be enough productivity to go around for Higgins and other wide receivers as well.
TIGHT END
Rob Gronkowski, TB at ATL ($21): Tight end has been an unreliable position at which to try to bargain hunt, so it's recommended to lock in more of a sure thing, and it doesn't get much better than a healthy Gronk. He spent some time on the mend after opening the season with consecutive two-touchdown performances, but Gronkowski's 13 catches on 18 targets for 194 yards over the past two games show that his rib and back injuries are behind him. Given his red-zone prowess, it's only a matter of time until he is spiking the ball in the end zone again, and one of those early two-touchdown performances came against the same Falcons team he'll face here.
DEFENSE
Miami Dolphins, MIA vs. NYG ($14): Miami's 1-7 start tanked the team's playoff hopes, especially in the much more competitive AFC, but the Dolphins have quietly played excellent football of late. The defense has led the way during Miami's active four-game winning streak, posting significantly more fantasy points (63.0) than points allowed (46) over this strong stretch. This unit's a bargain against a Giants team that's averaging only 18.4 points per game and will likely be without starting quarterback Daniel Jones (neck), which would press Mike Glennon into duty under center.
Honorable Mentions
QB: Kirk Cousins (MIN, $33), Carson Wentz (IND, $23), Tom Brady (TB, $42)
RB: Jamaal Williams (DET, $16), Joe Mixon (CIN, $34), Boston Scott (PHI, $18)
WR: Jaylen Waddle (MIA, $21), Hunter Renfrow (LV, $18), Brandin Cooks (HOU, $17)
TE: George Kittle (SF, $23), Mark Andrews (BAL, $22)
DST: Los Angeles Rams (vs. JAX, $17), Philadelphia Eagles (at NYJ, $18)
