Arguably, the most frustrating thing in fantasy football is seeing someone in your starting lineup struggle that week. Therefore, the logic behind this article is simple – identify fantasy football lineup landmines.

These are players you’re leaning towards starting this week but could end up being a landmine that blows up and destroys your starting lineup, potentially costing you your matchup.

Brace yourself and take cover. These six players could blow up in your face this week.

• Pat Fitzmaurice’s Weekly Rankings
• Andrew Erickson’s Weekly Rankings
• Derek Brown’s Weekly Rankings

Fantasy Football Lineup Landmines: Week 13

Jordan Love (QB – GB)

The Love era in Green Bay got off to a terrific start. He was the QB4 over the first three weeks, averaging 218.3 passing yards, 2.3 touchdowns, and 22.5 fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, the former Utah State star struggled over the next several weeks, turning the ball over at least once in five of the following six games after his hot start. Thankfully, Love has played significantly better lately. Over the past two weeks, he is the QB6, averaging 295 passing yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and 23.8 fantasy points per game.

Love has had fantasy-friendly matchups over the past two weeks. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. They have held quarterbacks to 14 fantasy points per game, the eighth-fewest in the NFL. More importantly, Love struggles under pressure. He has the 10th-lowest completion rate (47.5%) among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks under pressure this season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have the 11th-highest pressure rate in the NFL (per Fantasy Points Data). Expect it to be a long and frustrating night for the young quarterback.

Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)

After starting the year on a snap count, Hall was outstanding. He had 177 rushing yards and 26.9 half-point PPR fantasy points in his first game off the snap count in Week 5, both season highs. More importantly, the former Iowa State star was the RB3 from Week 5 through Week 8 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 21 fantasy points per contest. Unfortunately, he has struggled over the past month, averaging only 2.7 yards per rushing attempt and 10.3 fantasy points per game, scoring nine or fewer in all but one contest.

Last week, Hall had fewer than 40 rushing yards for the seventh time this season, including three straight games. More importantly, he faces an elite Atlanta Falcons defense that has surrendered only 14.3 fantasy points per game to running backs, the second-fewest in the NFL. They have held running backs to fewer than 90 rushing yards in six of their past seven matchups. Furthermore, Atlanta is the only team in the league not to give up a rushing touchdown to running backs. New York’s offense is a mess and will keep Hall from reaching his fantasy ceiling.

Joe Mixon (RB – CIN)

Injuries have ruined the Bengals’ 2023 season. Unfortunately, the injury to Joe Burrow has crippled the team’s offense. Last week, Mixon averaged only two yards per rushing attempt and scored seven half-point PPR fantasy points despite a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the team’s first game without the franchise quarterback. Furthermore, his rushing production has declined over the past few weeks. Mixon’s missed tackle forced per rushing attempt and yards after contact per attempt have dropped in three consecutive games. More importantly, his Week 13 matchup isn’t ideal for fantasy players.

The veteran running back faces the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. Jacksonville has surrendered 16.5 fantasy points per game to running backs this year, slightly below the league average. However, they have been outstanding against the run lately. Over their past seven games, the Jaguars have held running backs to 52.1 rushing yards per contest, giving up more than 52 yards only twice. Furthermore, Jacksonville has allowed running backs to have two rushing scores in 2023, including zero since Week 6. Fantasy players can’t trust Mixon Monday night after his poor performance last week.

Mike Evans (WR – TB)

Evans has had one of the best seasons in his career despite losing Tom Brady to retirement in the offseason. The former Texas A&M star is the WR8 for the year, averaging 15.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he has been a touchdown machine, totaling nine receiving scores. The veteran has the second-most receiving touchdowns this season, totaling at least one in 72.7% of the contests. Last week, Evans had 22 fantasy points thanks to two receiving touchdowns. Unfortunately, he will have trouble finding the end zone against the Carolina Panthers.

While the team’s offense has struggled, Carolina’s pass defense has been one of the best in the league. The Panthers have held wide receivers to 22.7 fantasy points per game, the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Carolina surrendered only seven receiving touchdowns to wide receivers this year, the sixth-fewest in the league, including only one since Week 6. More importantly, they’ve shut down opposing No. 1 wide receivers since the bye week, giving up only 45 receiving yards and 8.7 fantasy points per game. Evans’ recent hot streak comes to an end on Sunday.

Christian Watson (WR – GB)

Green Bay’s passing attack and Watson have been hot and cold all season. The second-year wide receiver missed the first three games this season with a hamstring injury and has finally gotten 100% healthy. However, he has played better lately, totaling seven or more targets in two of the past three games, scoring a touchdown in two straight. More importantly, Watson broke out of his slump on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions, totaling five receptions on seven targets for 94 receiving yards, one touchdown, and 17.9 half-point PPR fantasy points, all season highs.

Unfortunately, the former North Dakota State star faces an elite Kansas City Chiefs defense on Sunday night. The Chiefs have held wide receivers to 24.3 fantasy points per game, the eighth-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they have shut down opposing No. 1 wide receivers. Over their past three games, Kansas City has held Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, and Davante Adams to an average of 4.7 receptions for 47.7 receiving yards and 6.5 fantasy points per contest. According to PFF, Watson will face L’Jarius Sneed plenty in this game. That’s bad news for the second-year receiver.

Tyler Higbee (TE – LAR)

Anyone with Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua on their fantasy team vomited after Matthew Stafford had two passing touchdowns to Kyren Williams and two more to Higbee. The veteran tight end caught all five targets for 29 receiving yards, scoring 17.4 half-point PPR fantasy points in Week 12. Yet, he hadn’t scored a touchdown this season before last week and had 28.4% of his fantasy points for the year on Sunday. By comparison, Higbee scored fewer than 9.7 fantasy points in every other game this season, totaling seven or fewer in 72.7% of the matchups.

More importantly, he faced an Arizona Cardinals defense that had given up three receiving touchdowns to tight ends in their previous four games before facing the Rams. Unfortunately, Higbee faces the Cleveland Browns this week. They have surrendered only one touchdown to tight ends not named Mark Andrews this season. Furthermore, the Browns have held tight ends to only 4.8 fantasy points per game, the fewest in the NFL. Fantasy players shouldn’t chase the points with Higbee. He will be lucky to score five fantasy points against Cleveland.

Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.