Fantasy Football Lineup Landmines: Start/Sid Advisory (Week 13)

On November 29, 2024By Littum

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 lean towards starting this week, but can end up being a landmine that blows up and destroys your starting lineup, potentially costing you your matchup.

Prepare and cover. These six players could blow up in your face in Week 13.

Fantasy Football Lineup Landmine: Week 13

Brock Purdy (QB – SF) vs. Buffalo Bills

Unfortunately, Purdy missed the Week 12 contest with a shoulder injury. But according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, the star quarterback made some easy throws Monday and had no issues. He was playing well before the injury, averaging 21.9 fantasy points per game. game over his last five contests. Still, fantasy players should be concerned about starting Purdy this week. He doesn’t play until Sunday night, potentially leaving fantasy players scrambling for a last-minute replacement. Also, the former Iowa State star has a terrible game against the Bills.

Buffalo has held quarterbacks to 13.7 fantasy points per game. game, the eighth fewest in the NFL. They have thrown one or fewer passes in 54.6% of their games, including in matchups against Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray and CJ Stroud. Furthermore, quarterbacks not named Patrick Mahomes have struggled when facing the Bills in Buffalo, averaging 1.3 passing touchdowns and 12.5 fantasy points per game. match in four road games against the AFC East division leaders. Don’t be surprised if Purdy struggles in the cold in his first game back from injury.

James Conner (RB – ARI) vs. Minnesota Vikings

Last week, Conner struggled against the Seattle Seahawks, totaling eight yards on seven rushing attempts. The veteran running back has averaged 2.4 yards per carry. rushing attempts and 31.3 yards per game over his last four contests outside of the game against the Chicago Bears. While scoring 13.4 or more half-point PPR fantasy points in two of those three matchups, Conner needed a rushing touchdown to score in double figures. More importantly, the veteran has struggled against top run defenses, scoring 4.7 fantasy points against the Detroit Lions earlier this year.

After struggling in Week 12, Conner faced an elite Vikings run defense this week. Minnesota has held running backs to 14.6 fantasy points per game. game, the second furthest in the NFL. They have given up fewer than 9.3 fantasy points in three of their last four games, and have held running backs to 52 or fewer rushing yards in four consecutive matchups despite facing more talented rushers. More importantly, the Vikings have surrendered four rushing touchdowns to running backs, the third-fewest in the NFL, allowing just one over the past five contests.

D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI) vs. Detroit Lions

The three-game Thanksgiving slate kicks off with an NFC North matchup between the last-place Bears and the first-place Lions. Furthermore, it’s Swift’s first game against the team that drafted him in 2020. The veteran is this year’s RB18, averaging 12.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. match. However, he has been wildly inconsistent. Swift has scored 18.9 or more fantasy points in 36.4% of games. By comparison, the former Georgia star has scored eight or fewer fantasy points in 45.5% of games, including two of the past three.

Also, Swift has been in a slump lately. He has averaged 3.6 yards per carry. rushing attempts and 10.4 fantasy points per game over the past four weeks, totaling one touchdown. More importantly, Swift has played fewer than 58% of the snaps in both games under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. Meanwhile, Detroit has held running backs to 14.7 fantasy points per game. They have given up 9.7 or fewer fantasy points to running backs in 45.5% of their games, including 3.5 to Jonathan Taylor last week.

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Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) vs. Philadelphia Eagles

While Diontae Johnson hasn’t had any fantasy impact since joining the Ravens, Flowers’ production has regressed sharply of late. The second-year star was WR10 through the first nine weeks, averaging 7.4 targets and 12.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. match. He had double-digit scoring in 44.4% of those games and scored 15 or more fantasy points in all but four contests. However, Flowers have been struggling lately. He is WR29 over the last three weeks, averaging 6.7 goals and 8.3 fantasy points per game. game, totaling 8.7 or fewer fantasy points twice.

More importantly, the Eagles secondary has been excellent of late. Last week, the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver core had 233 receiving yards, two touchdowns and 46.8 fantasy points against Philadelphia, with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp each scoring 16 or more fantasy points. However, the Rams arguably have the best 1-2 punch at wide receiver in the NFL. By comparison, Philadelphia had held wide receivers to 73.3 receiving yards and 12.6 fantasy points per game. game over their previous six contests, yielding single-digit fantasy points in nearly half of those matchups.

Deebo Samuel Sr. (WR – SF) vs. Buffalo Bills

Many thought Samuel would turn into a top-10 wide receiver and a plug-and-play option for fantasy players after Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury. However, the Starwide recipient has only averaged just 6.9 half points per game. game in the four contests without Aiyuk, and scored 4.1 or less in back-to-back weeks. Also, Samuel has one touchdown since Week 1 and fewer than 72 receiving yards in all but two contests this year. More importantly, the star receiver is losing targets to Jauan Jennings since the Aiyuk injury.

Jennings did not play in the team’s first game without Aiyuk. However, he has seen 12 more goals than Samuel in the other three games (29 vs. 17), a total of 11 looks in two contests. Meanwhile, the Bills have held wide receivers to 23.6 fantasy points per game. game, the eighth fewest in the NFL. More importantly, Buffalo has shut down opposing no. 1 wide receivers recently, and surrendered 59.6 receiving yards and 9.7 fantasy points per game. game over the last five weeks, and surrendered 10.7 or fewer in all but one contest.

TJ Hockenson (TE – MIN) vs. Arizona Cardinals

Fantasy players who have kept Hockenson all year on their injured reserve spot couldn’t be happier with the star tight end’s performance in Week 12. He had seven receptions on nine targets for 114 receiving yards and 14.9 half-point PPR fantasy points, which set season highs in yards and fantasy points. However, the Chicago Bears did everything they could to shut down Justin Jefferson so everyone else could thrive. More importantly, Hockenson averaged 4.3 receptions on 5.3 targets for 37.3 receiving yards and 5.9 fantasy points per carry. match in his other three contests this year.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals defense has quietly played well this season, giving up the 11th fewest points per game (21.5). They have given up just one offensive touchdown over their last two contests. More importantly, Arizona has held tight ends to the seventh fewest fantasy points per game. match this year (7.5). Also, George Kittle is the only tight end to score a touchdown against the Cardinals this season. By comparison, they have had tight ends at 6.6 fantasy points per game. contest in their other 10 matchups, and surrendered 7.3 or fewer in 80% of those games.

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