Fantasy ballers: Old faces, new places, big numbers for Week 13

Rather than stay with the hot hand, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans split carries between running backs in the Jacksonville loss. He won’t make the same mistake this week, especially against a Broncos team allowing a league-high 155.2 rushing yards per game.

Adam Thielen (WR) Carolina Panthers

Thielen’s one-catch, three yard performance against the Titans last week was his worst since catching two passes for 12 yards in the season opener. In between, he averaged 8.2 catches, 79.3 yards and 19.1 fantasy points per game.

The former Viking saw just two targets last week, something interim coach Chris Tabor will likely address against the Buccaneers. Head coach Frank Reich was fired this week after leading the team to a 1-11 record.

The Panthers have lots of problems but Thielen isn’t one of them. His 176.4 fantasy points for the season put him just outside the top 10, but ahead of more celebrated players like the Raiders’ Davante Adams and San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk.

Facing the NFL’s second-worst pass defense in Tampa Bay, Thielen should have no trouble bouncing back from last week’s game and beating his projected 11.5 fantasy points.

Dalton Schultz (TE) Houston Texans

Like Thielen, the former Cowboy had a single catch last week, half as many as the week before. That’s bad but among tight ends, only Baltimore’s Mark Andrews has more touchdowns (6) than Schultz who’s tied with five other tight ends with five.

All of Schultz’s scores have come in the last five games. With players like T.J. Hockenson, Dalton Kincaid and Cole Kmet on a bye, Shultz has an excellent chance to finish as the week’s top tight end, assuming he’s healthy.

Schultz popped up on the injury report this week and missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. He fought through it against the Jaguars last week, but keep an eye on the injury report. 

With wide receivers Noah Brown and Tank Dell both questionable for the game, Schultz could have a monster game against a Denver defense giving up the most fantasy points to tight ends this year.