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Richie’s Fantasy Booms, Busts & Sleepers: Week 13

Richie DiMarzo

Quarterback Booms

Tom Brady: Brady came out this season absolutely red hot and he has been firing up points every week. Now people may think he slowed down a little bit, he has a great opportunity to get back on track this week. He is facing off against the #30 ranked defenses this season in the Atlanta Falcons. Last time he faced this team he put up nearly 30 fantasy points and I feel he can repeat that performance.

Derrick Carr: This week sadly Carr will be without his number one target Darren Waller, but this does not mean Carr will not produce. He has an outstanding matchup against the Washington Football Team who are ranked as the worst defense against quarterbacks this season. Carr should be able to find the endzone multiple times in this contest and he will definitely produce for your fantasy team.

Justin Herbert: Justin Herbert has been on fire this season and I don’t see any signs of him slowing down now. He faces off against the Bengals who have been a good team this season, but with Herbert being the #3 ranked quarterback this season, I have to go out on a limb and predict he will play well. I can see Herbert finding the endzone multiple times on Sunday and having a huge day for your team.

Quarterback Busts

Kyler Murray: Now Murray coming off a tough injury, nobody knows how ready he will be for his return to the field. He is going up against a pretty tough Chicago defense who loves to go after the quarterback and I think he may struggle. This is obviously more due to the fact he is coming off of an injury, but I just can not see him putting up huge numbers in this game.

Josh Allen: Allen has been lights out in fantasy this season, but this week he probably has his biggest game of the season. He is facing off against the New England Patriots who are ranked #2 against quarterbacks this season for a chance to take first place in the division. I think Allen will fold in this game and the Patriots defense is just so good they will not give him any room or opportunities to put up numbers.

Patrick Mahomes: Patrick Mahomes has been producing at a high level this season, but he has been inconsistent in his stretch of games. This week he has a rough matchup against the #4 ranked defense against quarterbacks this season in the Denver Broncos. Denver is a defense nobody wants to play against and this is also a huge divisional game that will cause Denver to be all over Mahomes.

Quarterback Sleeper

Kirk Cousins: Cousins has quietly been having an amazing season and this week how could you not expect him to play well with his matchup. He is going against the winless Lions who haven’t been able to stop anyone this season and I think Cousins will absolutely shred them. Cousins also isn’t a popular quarterback in fantasy football and I feel this factor makes him perfect to be on my sleeper list. Expect Cousins to go off this week.

Running Back Booms

Jonathon Taylor: Taylor has put the whole league on notice this season as he is currently making a MVP campaign and I think he will have another huge week. He is facing off against te dreadful Houston Texans who are ranked #22 against running backs this season and I think Taylor will run all over this team. I expect Taylor to have some huge runs and find the end zone multiple times in Sunday’s contest.

Austin Ekeler: Ekeler has been absolutely outstanding this season and I feel like there hasn’t been any team in the NFL to stop him. This week going up against the Cincinnati Bengals who are ranked #25 against running backs this season I think he will have a field day. This defense is going to get run over by Ekeler, and I expect him to find the endzone multiple times and blow up for your fantasy team.

Joe Mixon: Mixon has been a top running back this season and I think in a great running back duel versus Austin Ekeler he will also perform great. The Chargers are ranked #27 against running backs this season and the Bengals have been trying to get Mixon as involved in the offense as possible. Last week he had 32 touches and I feel he will be involved this week and get the job done for your team.

Running Back Busts

James Robinson: Robinson has been up and down this season, but this week he is certainly set up for a down week. Any time any running back has to go against Aaron Donald and the Rams, you can never have high hopes for them. Robinson is going to be smothered in this contest and I think it is going to be hard for him to produce on Sunday. Do not expect Robinsons to be a big factor for your team this week.

James Conner: Conner has been surprisingly solid this season after stepping in for the injured Chase Edmonds, but this week he has a tough matchup. He is going up against the Bears who are a tough run defense to face and I think they will not allow Conner to live in the endzone like he is used to. He is overall set up to be a bust this week.

Saquon Barkley: Saquon is a guy that I have learned you can never trust because he is so inconsistent. Especially when you see he has a tough matchup, how can you trust him to produce for your team? He faces off against #6 ranked run defense in the NFL in the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have been a very hot team and I think they will absolutely smother Saquon this week and not allow him to produce any numbers.

Running Back Sleeper

Alexander Mattison: Now it is looking like Mattison will be getting the start this week with the injury of Dalvin Cook and the last time Mattison received the start for the Vikings he produced 26 fantasy points. He has currently been picked off the waiver wire by a high majority of fantasy managers and I think he will blow up this week. He is a perfect sleeper option as well with a great matchup against the Detroit Lions who are ranked #28 against inning backs this season.

Wide Receiver Booms

Justin Jefferson: Jefferson has been exploding in fantasy this season. I think it is impossible to not have him in the lineup as I see him torching this Lions defense. This week he goes against the Detroit Lions who are winless this season and I expect the Vikings to blow them out. I also expect Jefferson to tear up this weak secondary and even find himself in the endzone multiple times this Sunday.

Chris Godwin: Godwin has emerged as the number 1 receiver on this Buccaneers offense and I think he is going to have a huge day on Sunday. He faces off against the Atlanta Falcons who are ranked #27 against wide receivers this season and I think Godwin will have a field day. Expect Godwin to be dancing in the endzone this week and putting up big points for your fantasy team.

Cooper Kupp: Kupp has been one of the greatest sights to watch out of players all season and I can’t see any team slowing him down. Especially the Jaxsonville Jaguars who are ranked #21 against wide receivers this season and I think Kupp will be able to wreak havoc on this defense. They haven’t been able to stop anyone this season so I expect Kupp to find the endzone often this Sunday.

Wide Receiver Busts

Ja’Marr Chase: Chase has been slowing down his production this season and it was almost expected he wasn’t going to constantly keep up those old numbers. This week he plays against a good Chargers secondary who is ranked #2 against wide receivers this season and I think they will keep Chase’s production to a minimum. Even though they are coming off of a big win I still see Chase struggling this week.

Marquise Brown: Brown’s quarterback is coming off of a dreadful four interception game and I think Brown will struggle again this week due to quarterback play. Also, he has a tough matchup against a strong Steelers defense who loves to rush the quarterback and disrupt passes. This Steelers defense will be all over Brown as well and it will be hard for this receiver to produce many points.

De’Andre Hopkins: Hopkins is coming off a bye week along with being inactive for a few weeks. I feel he will have the same struggles as his quarterback who has been questionable to play this week. We never know how healthy these players actually come back and especially since he has a tough matchup against a strong Bears defense I think he may struggle. He also may be eased back into the lineup, so he won’t see the volume we are used to seeing.

Wide Receiver Sleeper

Odell Beckham Jr.: Odell finally scored his first touchdown as a Ram this past week and I feel his stat line looked very promising for another good week. He received 10 targets which is an elite number of targets and that is something all fantasy owners should love. The hype hasn’t started yet though as he is only being started in 23.8% of leagues, but with a great matchup against the Jaguars this week I think he has the opportunity to have a huge game.

Tight End Booms

Logan Thomas: Thomas returned from injury last week and after being slowly eased into the lineup, his stat line looked pretty productive. This week where I expect him to get more volume I think he can have a huge game. He faces off against the Raiders who are ranked #31 against tight ends this season and I think Thomas can tear them apart. I expect to see Thomas in the endzone at least once.

George Kittle: Kittle is coming off an embarrassing week, but I am here to say I am not giving up on him. He is too good to be given up on and with a great matchup against the Seahawks who are ranked #23 against tight ends this season I think Kittle can have a day. I expect him to get very involved with this offense and I find the endzone at least once in Sunday’s contest. This is also a huge game the 49er’s need to win for any playoff hope.

Mark Andrews: Andrews has surprisingly been one of the only consistent tight ends this season and I think he will have another big week. Going against the Steelers who are pretty banged up right now I think Andrews can find some holes in that defense and put up some crucial numbers for your fantasy team. I expect a touchdown out of Andrews this week as well.

Tight End Busts

Mike Gesicki: Gesicki has been inconsistent this season especially in the past few weeks and I think this will be another down week for the Dolphins tight end. He faces off against the Giants this week who are a pretty solid defense and I think they will give Gesicki some problems. Especially since they like to deflect and hawk the ball down, this will make it very difficult for Gesicki to produce any type of points.

Jared Cook: Cook is a guy who isn’t a solid option any week and you kind of just have to depend on him catching a touchdown, but I think this week he will not find the endzone. Cook is a guy who doesn’t get much volume either and I think the Bengals will take away mostly any opportunity he may see in Sunday’s contest. The Bengals are also ranked around the middle of the pack of defenses against tight ends this season.

Travis Kelce: It’s hard for Kelce to have a bad game, but in this instance I think he has a chance to struggle. He faces off against a very hungry division rival in the Denver Broncos who are ranked #5 against tight ends this season. I feel this may cause Kelce to struggle and not see as many opportunities as he is used to in this Chiefs offense. I feel they will also be targeting Kelce and making sure that he does not get going.

Tight End Sleeper

Kyle Pitts: As my sleeper this week I decided to go with the rookie tight end Kyle Pitts who has had a pretty good season thus far. This week he faces off against the Buccaneers who will force the Falcons to throw the ball with their high powered offense. Also the Bucs are banged up in the secondary and I think Pitts will have a great opportunity to produce. The Buccaneers are ranked #26 against tight ends this season as well, so I can see Pitts finding the endzone in Sunday’s contest.