Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Fantasy fallers: Don't trust these players in Week 13

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated Nov 29, 2024 7:23 PM ET

Players like Chicago Bears' Rome Odunze and Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb dropped the ball in early games, and these players could do the same later in Week 13.

Points and projections via Yahoo Sports.

Ricky Pearsall (WR) San Francisco 49ers

Pearsall hasn’t had a catch in two weeks despite playing 67% of the team’s offensive snaps against Green Bay last week. He failed to see a single target from backup quarterback Brandon Allen in Week 12 after getting only two looks from starter Brock Purdy the week before.

Purdy is listed as questionable for the second week with a shoulder injury and was limited in practice Wednesday. That’s not good for a team about to face a 9-2 Buffalo Bills squad fresh off a bye, giving up the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game (29.2) to wide receivers.

On the other hand, Buffalo is nowhere near as good against the run, allowing the third-most fantasy points per game (27.6) to ball-carriers. Expect San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey to be busy on Sunday night, Pearsall not so much.

Dalton Schultz (TE) Houston Texans

Thanks to a top-10 fantasy finish in 2023, Schultz remains rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues in 2024. Impressive, considering he’s failed to score a touchdown all year and hasn’t posted double-digit fantasy points in a single game.

Most targets without a receiving TD this season:

1. #AZCardinals Trey McBride (80)
2. #Cowboys Jake Ferguson (58)
3. #Texans Dalton Schultz (57)

Fantasy owners look away

(h/t @Ihartitz) pic.twitter.com/CB6Qx1b1b0
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 27, 2024

The Texans get a favorable matchup against the Jaguars in Week 13. Schultz had three catches for 34 yards and 6.4 fantasy points against Jacksonville in Week 4 and two for 20 yards against the Titans last week.

Unlike last year, Schultz has become an afterthought in Houston’s passing game, and now that wide receiver Nico Collins has recovered from the hamstring injury that cost him five games, things could get even worse for the 28-year-old tight end.

Javonte Williams (RB) Denver Broncos

Williams leads Denver with 445 yards, which ranks 34th-most among running backs. Quarterback Bo Nix has more touchdowns (4) than Williams (3) at this point, which is an embarrassing total for any lead back.

Second-year running back Jaleel McLaughlin led the team with 44 yards on seven carries against the Raiders last week, while Williams ran for -2 yards on eight. Williams would have taken points away from fantasy managers if not for two catches for six yards.

This week, the Broncos hosted a Browns team that upset the Pittsburgh Steelers and allowed the seventh-fewest yards to running backs this season. Williams had 65 yards on 18 carries against Cleveland last year and four carries for 20 yards against them in 2021.

If Denver is content to split carries between Audric Estime, McLaughlin and Williams, all three should be kept out of starting lineups.

Bruce Ewing

Bruce Ewing is 183 pounds of twisted steel and Happy Meals. His work has appeared on Yardbarker, 5th Down Fantasy, Inside the Iggles and MSN. Give a Philly fan a break and follow him on Twitter/X at @fantasybruce.

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