Week 13 NFL DFS Cash Game Lineup Advice & Strategy

The NFL gave us an incredible Thanksgiving slate to consume in Week 12, as all 32 teams were competing against each other. This resulted in some surprise outcomes, headlined by Josh Jacobs’ (RB – Raiders) 86-yard walk-off touchdown run on the road against Seattle in overtime. Jacobs was one of my recommended running backs due to the plus matchup against a porous Seahawks run defense, while Austin Ekeler (RB – Chargers) logged another 25-point outing with 11 receptions for 60 yards and a receiving touchdown. Trevor Lawrence (QB – Jaguars) found a rhythm with Zay Jones (WR – Jaguars), leading to a huge upset at home over Lamar Jackson (QB – Ravens) and the Baltimore Ravens. Russell Wilson (QB – Broncos) failed to get the Broncos’ offense going against Carolina, while the Browns outlasted the Buccaneers in overtime during Jacoby Brissett’s (QB – Browns) final game as a starter this season.

Week 13 only has two teams on Bye, so there will still be plenty of players to insert into DFS builds when constructing lineups ahead of Sunday’s main slate. Only Arizona and Carolina will be unavailable, but there are several huge games with massive playoff implications at stake in Week 13. There are only three games with the betting favorite getting a touchdown or more against the underdog. The Browns, Ravens, and Cowboys are the three teams expected to handle their opponents with relative ease, but we need to address the exciting matchups on tap before getting into the recommended plays in DFS this weekend.

Mike McDaniel will take the red-hot Miami Dolphins on the road to face his former mentor, Kyle Shanahan, in an interconference showdown against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have arguably the best defense in the league right now, so it’ll be fun to watch the pass-centric Dolphins’ offense led by MVP candidates Tua Tagovailoa (QB – Dolphins) and Tyreek Hill (WR – Dolphins). The other big matchup is a rematch from the AFC Championship game last postseason, as the Cincinnati Bengals will host the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals are slight home underdogs at +1.5 but will get star wideout Ja’Marr Chase (WR – Bengals) and running back Joe Mixon (RB – Bengals) back into the mix to boost their chances of winning.

We’ve been hot with the recommended players lately, so let’s get right into the prospects to target on DraftKings and FanDuel on a beefy Week 13 NFL slate!

Quarterbacks

DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Jalen Hurts (QB – Eagles): $8,000
Tennesse’s pass defense is a dream matchup for all quarterbacks this season. Jalen Hurts is currently in the top-three odds for 2022 NFL MVP and he’ll host the Titans at home, fresh off of the overall QB1 performance against Green Bay in Week 12. Hurts may have his rushing upside tested against the Titans’ stout run defense, but he’s proven to be an elite thrower with A.J. Brown (WR – Eagles) and DeVonta Smith (WR – Eagles). Brown gets a revenge game facing his former team, who dealt him to the Eagles on draft night back in April. Hurts has a huge floor and could wind up shredding the Titans with four passing touchdowns as he did against Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. Pay up to insert Hurts into lineups with confidence.

Justin Herbert (QB – Chargers): $7,200
The return of Keenan Allen (WR – Chargers) has been a huge boost to Justin Herbert’s confidence and production. The third-year quarterback finished QB4 in a comeback win over Arizona in Week 12, which included executing a clutch two-point conversion pass to Gerald Everett (TE – Chargers) to ice the game in the closing seconds. Herbert has thrown over 270 yards and at least two touchdowns in back-to-back games, so against the Raiders’ pass defense, which is the third-best matchup for fantasy quarterbacks this season, don’t hesitate to plug Herbert into your lineups.

Honorable Mention: Deshaun Watson (QB – Browns) ($6,500) has completed his suspension and will return under center for the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. Watson will return to NRG Stadium to face his former team, the Houston Texans, who are reeling and depleted on defense. It’s a slight risk but the upside could be massive for Watson at a discounted salary.

FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $60,000

Joe Burrow (QB – Bengals): $8,300
Cincinnati has been winning games without its top-skilled players recently, so the return of Ja’Marr Chase boosts Joe Burrow’s ceiling against a porous Kansas City secondary in Week 13. It’s a huge game based on last year’s matchups, where the Bengals went 2-0 against the Chiefs, and the point total is set all the way up at 52.5. Burrow can get 300 yards and three touchdowns when the offense is fully healthy, so pay up to get him into FanDuel lineups.

Trevor Lawrence (QB – Jaguars): $7,500
Trevor Lawrence had his best game of the season and arguably his career in an upset win over the Ravens in Week 12. The second-year quarterback finished QB3 last week with a 321-yard, three-touchdown performance and he gets another juicy matchup against a bad Detroit defense on the road at Ford Field in Week 13. The Lions are the best fantasy matchup for opposing quarterbacks, so expect Lawrence to generate another top-five finish for the Jaguars this weekend.

Honorable Mention: Derek Carr (QB – Raiders) ($7,300) has rallied Las Vegas to a 2-0 record in the past two games against Denver and Seattle, producing a QB11 finish in Seattle during an overtime win in Week 12. Carr has thrown for over 290 yards and at least two touchdowns during this stretch and he’s been consistently delivering 17 points or more in the last four games. He’s a solid investment in what projects to be an exciting matchup in Sin City.

Running Backs

DraftKings

Austin Ekeler (RB – Chargers): $8,500
The Chargers’ RB1, Austin Ekeler, has been smashing opponents with his receiving ability throughout the season. The sixth-year running back had a bit of a lull in Week 10 and Week 11, but he returned with a 25-point performance against the Cardinals in Week 12. Ekeler is not the most effective ball carrier but the Raiders are a top-five fantasy matchup for running backs, so fire him up for another huge week in a divisional road game.

David Montgomery (RB – Bears): $6,200
Khalil Herbert’s (RB – Bears) absence on I.R. has opened up more production for David Montgomery in Chicago’s backfield. Justin Fields (QB – Bears) is reportedly practicing in full, so Montgomery could get an even bigger boost with Green Bay focusing on containing Fields. The Packers are a top-seven matchup for fantasy running backs, so pay the $6,200 salary to acquire an underrated player in lineups.

Honorable Mention: D’Andre Swift (RB – Lions) ($5,600) is finally off of the injury report, where he’s spent most of his time this season. While Jamaal Williams (RB – Lions) has been racking up the touches and touchdowns, Swift’s fully healthy, so even against a mediocre Jaguars’ run defense, ranked 14th, he’s worth a flier for the upside we’ve historically seen him deliver.

FanDuel

Nick Chubb (RB – Browns): $9,600
Any running back matched up against Houston’s run defense is worth an investment. Nick Chubb is not just any average running back either. Cleveland’s offense runs through the All-Pro running back, who only needs a couple of carries to hit a home run to the end zone. Chubb has been a bit more inconsistent but with Deshaun Watson under center, he could thrive, so pay up to get a great player in the best possible matchup.

Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – Commanders): $6,600
Washington could be rolling with Brian Robinson Jr. for another week with Antonio Gibson (RB – Commanders) reportedly missing practice. The rookie has had a wild start to his NFL career but he popped against Atlanta’s good run defense, so against the Giants, who are allowing the 16th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, Robinson is worth a shot at $6,600 on FanDuel.

Honorable Mention: Kyren Williams (RB – Rams) ($5,500) is a rookie with increasingly big opportunities in a depleted Rams offense. It’s a risk considering the lack of proven production with quarterback Bryce Perkins (QB – Rams), but Seattle is the second-best running back matchup, making Williams an intriguing dart throw in Week 13.

Wide Receivers

DraftKings

A.J. Brown (WR – Eagles): $7,800
Revenge game narratives are always fun but A.J. Brown is primed to rip off two or three touchdowns and 100 yards against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles traded for the star wideout and he inflicted extreme damage against Pittsburgh’s secondary, which is nearly identical to the third-best pass defense for wide receivers to face this season. Brown should be locked into every single DFS lineup.

Christian Kirk (WR – Jaguars): $6,300
We saw Zay Jones get most of the opportunity in Week 12 against a bad Baltimore secondary, but Christian Kirk gets another chance to produce at a high level against Detroit’s pass defense in Week 13. The Lions are the second-best matchup for wide receivers and Kirk delivered 20 and 30-point finishes against Las Vegas and Kansas City before his quiet 8.1-point finish against the Ravens last weekend. Kirk is a greatly discounted value on the road in Detroit during Week 13.

Honorable Mention: Brandon Aiyuk (WR – 49ers) ($6,100) has been relying on touchdowns and chunk plays, maintaining high efficiency in a loaded offense. However, without Elijah Mitchell (RB – 49ers) and reportedly Deebo Samuel (WR – 49ers) trending in the wrong direction, Aiyuk could be in store for a massive day against Miami’s pass defense, which is still a top-13 matchup for fantasy wideouts. Aiyuk has six consecutive double-digit finishes on DraftKings, so plug him in to obtain great value.

FanDuel

Ja’Marr Chase (WR – Bengals): $8,300
Ja’Marr Chase has not played since Week 7 due to a hip injury but he was delivering huge production before getting sidelined for a couple of weeks. The second-year wideout delivered 29-point outings against the Falcons and Saints and is reportedly fully healthy ahead of a massive rematch against Kansas City. The Chiefs are the seventh-best matchup for wide receivers this season, so pay up to acquire Chase in every lineup this weekend.

Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – Lions): $8,000
Detroit is a run-centric offense but Jared Goff (QB – Lions) favors one player over all others when dropping back to pass. Amon-Ra St. Brown has at least seven receptions in his last three games played, racking up double-digit production, including a huge 23.4-point outing against Buffalo on Thanksgiving. St. Brown has not had many touchdowns but he returned to the end zone in Week 12, so against Jacksonville’s eighth-worst pass defense against fantasy wideouts. St. Brown is a bit pricey but worth the investment.

Honorable Mention: DK Metcalf (WR – Seahawks) ($7,600) has a good matchup against a bad Rams pass defense in Week 13. Metcalf has produced four consecutive double-digit PPR outings, hauling in at least 70 receiving yards and six receptions on a healthy target share. The Rams are the ninth-best matchup for fantasy wideouts, so against a downgraded Rams offense, expect the Seahawks to air it out to expose the vulnerability in Los Angeles’ defense.

Tight Ends

DraftKings

Travis Kelce (TE – Chiefs): $7,900
How can we pivot off of Travis Kelce? Yes, he’s the top-priced tight end in Week 13, but he’ll be heavily involved in a playoff rematch against the Bengals. Cincinnati is middle of the pack against tight ends at 15th, and since Kelce has yet to fall below 15 PPR points since Week 2, he’s worth every penny in DraftKings lineups.

Honorable Mention: Pat Freiermuth (TE – Steelers) ($4,300) is a massive piece of Pittsburgh’s offense and he’ll continue to produce without the certainty of a touchdown against Atlanta in Week 13. It’s a top-12 matchup for the second-year tight end, who is benefitting from slowly improved play from rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett (QB – Steelers).

FanDuel

Gerald Everett (TE – Chargers): $5,400
Gerald Everett has taken a bit of a backseat to Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer (WR – Chargers), and Austin Ekeler in the Chargers’ passing attack lately, but he’s still a big-bodied target for Justin Herbert to seek out against the Raiders in Week 13. The Raiders are a top-seven tight-end matchup on FanDuel, so if you’re looking to save a few bucks but maintain a floor play in lineups at tight end, Everett is a solid candidate.

Honorable Mention: Tyler Higbee (TE – Rams) ($5,300) has been bad without Matthew Stafford (QB – Rams) but against Seattle in Week 13, he gains a lot of appeal in DFS lineups. The Seahawks are the best matchup for tight ends this year. It’ll be Higbee’s first matchup against Seattle this season, so shoot for the upside here.

Defense/Special Teams

DraftKings

Commanders D/ST: $3,300
Washington is playing its brand of hard-nosed, physical football on defense. It’s keeping the Commanders in games, even without star edge rusher Chase Young (DE – Commanders), so going up against the Giants’ one-dimensional offense bodes well for their outlook in Week 13.

Honorable Mention: 49ers D/ST ($3,100) is discounted due to the high-flying passing attack Miami has been displaying over the past few games. The competition is much higher against Nick Bosa (DE – 49ers) and Fred Warner (LB – 49ers) on the 49ers’ defense, so at $3,100, I’m willing to invest in them at home to potentially shut down the Dolphins’ offense.

FanDuel

Browns D/ST: $5,000
Cleveland showed a lot of grit shutting down Tampa Bay in a 23-17 overtime win during Week 12. The Browns’ D/ST is expensive solely based on the matchup against Houston’s one-dimensional offense that has not seen rookie running back Dameon Pierce (RB – Texans) sustain his production from earlier in the season. The lack of a stable quarterback and underwhelming receiving options will allow the Browns’ bad run defense to load the box and force the Texans to pass, which could result in a big day for Cleveland’s defense. They are worth the high salary.

Honorable Mention: Broncos D/ST ($3,700) will travel to Baltimore in hopes of ending its losing slump. Lamar Jackson has not been playing well lately, so if the Broncos defense can force him to pass it and contain his rushing ability, they are a sneaky D/ST to target at under $4,000 on FanDuel in Week 13.