Before I start, happy belated Thanksgiving to anyone reading from the western side of the Atlantic.

With only two weeks left for most fantasy managers to secure a place in the playoffs, the pressure on every start/sit decision is greater than ever. The extra games played over Thanksgiving and Black Friday are offset by the lack of bye weeks, so there are still 12 games across Sunday and Monday.

For those looking to stream a QB, TE, Kicker, or Defense this week, my weekly streamers article for PFSN is available here. A quick note, though, Cade York is yet to be named the starting kicker for the Saints, so keep an eye on that situation if necessary.

And now, here are my starts and sits for NFL Week 13.

START: Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

This was originally a Jaylen Warren take, but Kenneth Gainwell is getting enough opportunities, and doing enough with them, to earn a mention. The Buffalo Bills have allowed 5.3 yards per carry this season, the second-most of any team in the NFL.

Warren and Gainwell are sharing work, and both are getting enough looks to produce flex value at the very least this Sunday.

SIT: Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers

Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard totaled just nine carries between them against the 49ers on Monday night. They’ll need a lot more than that to make an impact against the Los Angeles Rams defense, which has allowed just 3.9 yards per carry this season.

The Rams have also allowed just four rushing touchdowns, tied for the fewest in the NFL, and the chances of a positive game script are incredibly slim.

START: RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos

I can’t promise you that Sean Payton is going to stop using Jaleel McLaughlin and just commit to RJ Harvey; in fact, I can pretty much guarantee the opposite. That shouldn’t matter, though, against one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Only six teams have allowed more yards allowed per carry (4.7 – tied) than the Commanders, who also rank 32nd in passing yards allowed per attempt (8.9). As a hybrid back, Harvey should profit from both of those stats, and despite McLaughlin’s continued involvement, is the primary runner in Denver’s offense.

START: Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos

If you’re rostering Troy Franklin, you’re probably already starting him this week, but his starting percentage is difficult to translate after a bye week. Again, the Commanders have been awful against the pass this year, and Franklin has been the Broncos’ leading receiver in recent weeks.

Franklin leads the team in red-zone targets with 14. Seven of those have come inside the 10-yard line, where only 10 players across the league have been targeted more often.

Franklin should provide middling WR2 value at the very least this weekend.

SIT: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

Playing indoors, Jerry Jeudy was targeted just three times against the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend. This week, the Browns welcome the 49ers on a weather-impacted afternoon in Cleveland.

Winds are expected to hit 27 mph, while there is a significant chance of heavy snow. Snow or not, the high winds should see Cleveland lean more on the run game, and Jeudy isn’t trustworthy after last week.

START: Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills

After the Cincinnati Bengals’ win on Thursday night, the Steelers defense now ranks 32nd in passing yards allowed per game this season (258.7). According to Yahoo, Shakir is starting in only 50% of leagues, but he is the primary receiver in line to take advantage of the Steelers’ defensive frailties this week.

The reliable receiver has tallied 37 targets in his last five games, and had seven or more in four of those five. Dalton Kincaid could return this week, but Shakir should be busy regardless.

START: Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints

Shockingly, I’m still not a believer in Tyler Shough, but New Orleans’ hapless rookie quarterback hasn’t prevented Juwan Johnson putting up some big fantasy weeks.

Johnson was targeted seven times in the Saints’ last game, and that volume should result in better production this weekend. Only five teams have allowed more passing yards per attempt than Miami this season, while the Dolphins have allowed the fourth-most FPPG (16.9) to opposing tight ends.

Last-Minute Waiver Add of the Week

This is a new feature, and admittedly is only a feature because I happen to want to push a certain player this week. Nevertheless, I like the idea, and will endeavor to continue it on a weekly basis moving forward.

Dylan Sampson is a player I picked up wherever possible this week, after seeing the images of the Cleveland Browns practicing in the snow on Friday. The 49ers played the Bills in the snow last year, and the teams combined for 373 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

If there isn’t snow, you can probably leave Sampson on your bench, but if the weather is as bad as feared, the explosive back could have a huge week. Quinshon Judkins will dominate carries, but Sampson will get enough to make a mark in a run-heavy approach in the snow.

That’s me done for the week. I’ll be back with my waiver article on Tuesday. Again, for those streaming QB, TE, Kicker, or Defense this week, my weekly streamers article is available here.

For all of my writing, including my work for PFSN, you can follow me on X, BlueSky, and LinkedIn. You can also subscribe to this blog, for free, to receive an email notification every time a new article is published.

Thanks, as always, for reading!