Fantasy sleepers NFL Week 13: Tyrod Taylor, pair of TEs among eight high-upside lineup plays

Taylor's start last week against the Ravens went about as one would have expected: He wasn't the solution to the Jets' issues, but he didn't compound them, either. Call it a moral victory. Taylor threw for 222 passing yards, marking just the second time since Week 5 that a Jets QB topped 200. Gang Green's offense also found a rhythm in the first half, putting together a few first downs before a long touchdown drive to take the lead in the second quarter. 

It's something to build on heading into this week's game against the Falcons. Atlanta started the season as a defense you didn't want to test. Now it's turned into a fantasy cheat sheet. The Falcons' secondary has been under fire since Week 8, with Atlanta giving up 10 passing touchdowns against just three interceptions. Taylor's newfound rapport with trade acquisitions John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell (combined with some timely Breece Hall targets) could make him a strong QB2 candidate this week. 

When teams run a committee in their backfields, we try to determine which player is the best option. Sometimes the answer is "no one." In the case of the Steelers, maybe it's "both?" Yes, I'm actually asking, because I'm not 100 percent sure. But I'm coming around -- especially when it comes to Gainwell. 

Gainwell has shown his dual-threat ability over the past two weeks. In Week 11 against the Bengals, he did it as a pass-catcher with seven receptions for 81 yards. In Week 12, Gainwell gained well on the ground, with 92 yards on just 10 carries. This week, he gets a Bills defense that ranks 30th in the NFL against the run going into Week 13. In light of Buffalo's above-average pass defense and the lackluster nature of the Steelers' aerial attack, Gainwell and Jaylen Warren could both eat this weekend. 

It's been awhile since we've seen Benson, who went on injured reserve due to a knee injury suffered in Week 4. Since then, the Cardinals have pieced together an uninspiring running game with a trio of backs. The team opened Benson's practice window last week but decided against activating him for the game against Jacksonville. 

He hasn't been activated at the time of this writing, but a matchup with the Bucs would provide a nice welcome back. Over the past four weeks, Tampa has been a top-12 matchup for RBs. For the season, nine different backs have posted a top-24 weekly finish against Tampa, with five players landing in the top 12. If Benson can get back to his large share of the RB pie, he could land among that group. And if Benson can't go, Bam Knight slides in nicely as a deep-league flex. 

When it comes to finding a Jaguars receiver to tout, this team has provided a moving target. We latched on to Brian Thomas Jr. at the start of the season while waiting for Travis Hunter's breakout. Just when we thought Hunter was ready for the next step, he suffered a season-ending injury. Thomas has been underwhelming ... and then he got hurt, too. From those ashes, a new hero has emerged. His name is Parker Washington. 

Okay, "hero" might be too strong a term. But Washington has carved out a nice role recently. Going back to Week 7, he has a 22 percent target share. Even with Thomas potentially returning this week, I'm not convinced Washington loses much, since he was neck and neck with BTJ before the injury. It also helps that he's got a juicy matchup against a Titans secondary that has been the fourth-best option for wideouts this season. For anyone needing a flex in deeper leagues, Washington is a tasty side dish. 

My friend, podcast ally and noted Buffalo Bills honk Michael F. Florio is an unabashed supporter of Drake Maye. He's frequently said that Maye in some ways reminds him of Josh Allen. I feel similarly. But only in the sense that we want to start Maye in nearly all situations -- while also struggling to land on one of his pass catchers. 

This week, however, I'm zeroing in on Boutte. The third-year pro has flashed a few times this season as New England's deep threat, scoring five touchdowns so far, with four of them being 25 yards or deeper. This week, he gets to face the Giants, who have been a good matchup for receivers and even better for field stretchers. Per Next Gen Stats, no team has given up more deep completions. If that trend holds, we could see Boutte land another scoring strike from beyond 25 yards. That's a good thing. 

Schultz has been a frequent guest in this column over the past month and is on the verge of graduating from sleeper status. He's been the TE11 since Week 9, averaging just over 11 points per game -- even with his 1.8-point outing last week against the Bills factored in. Thank Davis Mills. The Texans' backup QB continued the trend of second-string signal-callers figuring out how to unlock their key playmakers. 

Schultz should keep rolling this week against the Colts. Indy has been a plus matchup for tight ends, having allowed the third-most receiving yards to the position, with seven different weekly top-12 finishes. Schultz's 19 percent target share since Week 7 trails only Nico Collins in Houston. That volume of opportunities puts him in line to strengthen his rising standing as a TE1.

Back in 2022 B.K. (Before Kincaid), Knox thrilled fantasy managers as a solid streaming option. That ended in 2023, when Dalton Kincaid was drafted and started taking food off Knox's plate. The veteran subsequently went from TE14 in 2022 to TE41 in 2023, and it's been A Hard Knox Life ever since, with only the slightest flickers of production in the past few years. 

It also doesn't help that the Bills' passing game has been particularly disjointed this year. The team's leading receiver (Khalil Shakir) is on pace for fewer than 900 yards. If you're trusting a Bills' pass-catcher, it's best to play the matchups. In this case, it's a good one, and not just because Kincaid is potentially in line to miss his third straight game. The Steelers have been a top-five matchup for tight ends all season long. Only two other defenses (Cincinnati and Washington) have given up more yards after catch than Pittsburgh. If Josh Allen can get Knox in space, there's a chance for a nice yardage total.  

The last time we saw the Chargers' defense, things weren't going well. The Bolts were mauled by the Jaguars in their most recent outing, giving up 192 rushing yards en route to a 35-6 beatdown. The going was better in L.A.'s previous three games, with Jesse Minter's defense allowing fewer than 225 yards in each contest. If your response is, "They played the Vikings, Titans, and Steelers in those games," then I will respond with ... 

"This week, they're playing the Raiders."

The Silver and Bleak might have hit rock bottom last week against the Browns. Vegas' only whimpers of offense were a second-quarter field goal and a fourth-quarter touchdown when the game had already been decided. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times. That was enough to vault him into second place among the NFL's most-sacked QBs. The Raiders are also riding an eight-game streak with at least one turnover. A rested Chargers defense coming off a bye should feast on Thanksgiving weekend.