The Week 13 NFL DFS Yahoo main slate begins Sunday at 1 p.m. EST and features 10 games. There are no teams on bye this week, but teams playing on Thanksgiving Day (Packers-Lions, Chiefs-Cowboys and Bengals-Ravens), Black Friday (Bears-Eagles), Sunday Night Football (Broncos-Commanders) and Monday Night Football (Giants-Patriots) are excluded from the main slate.
Playing in guaranteed prize pool (GPP) Yahoo DFS football contests is about chasing upside, while lineups geared toward head-to-head, 50/50 or double-up formats should prioritize high floors. The players you want to target for these different contest types aren't mutually exclusive, but winning a GPP tournament usually requires finding a hidden gem or going against the grain in a spot or two while building a solid base of the same chalk plays you would use anywhere. Against-the-grain plays typically consist of big-name players in tough matchups or boom-or-bust types with uncertain roles.
Keep in mind that Yahoo DFS football contests use 0.5 PPR scoring rather than full PPR, which lowers the comparative value of wide receivers and running backs (in that order) while especially affecting high-volume pass-catchers. NFL DFS Yahoo lineups consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one D/ST unit. Suggested Yahoo DFS picks for Week 13 include a QB-WR stack of players that have broken out in recent weeks, as well as an affordable rookie RB lined up for his first NFL start.
QUARTERBACK
Jacoby Brissett, ARI at TB ($34): Brissett has been outstanding since taking over as Arizona's starting QB, recording at least 18.68 fantasy points in each of his six outings while throwing for 315 yards per game. He's working in an ideal situation for passing production, as Arizona's reeling defense hasn't been getting stops and the team's injury-riddled backfield has been an unreliable source of offense on the ground. Brissett should continue to cook against a Buccaneers defense that has allowed eight passing TDs and three rushing TDs to QBs during the team's current three-game losing streak while surrendering 35.3 points per game during that stretch. He's a strong play regardless of whether Baker Mayfield (knee) or Teddy Bridgewater is the opposing QB.
Honorable Mentions: Josh Allen, BUF at PIT ($42); Justin Herbert, LAC vs. LV ($37); Sam Darnold, SEA vs. MIN ($33)
Against the Grainers: Tua Tagovailoa, MIA vs. NO ($30); Kirk Cousins, ATL at NYJ ($22); Shedeur Sanders, CLE vs. SF ($21)
RUNNING BACK
Travis Etienne, JAC at TEN ($31): Etienne has seen high workloads throughout the season, falling short of 15 touches only once. He has played his best football of the campaign recently, with 381 scrimmage yards and four TDs across his last four games, and Etienne figures to see another significant workload with the 7-4 Jaguars expected to play from ahead against the 1-10 Titans. Tennessee's 15 total TDs allowed to RBs are tied for second-most in the NFL through Week 12. Etienne's rookie backup Bhayshul Tuten ($15) has shown some flashes, but Tuten has exceeded 10 touches only once.
Devin Neal, NO at MIA ($13): Neal took over as the Saints' primary RB after Alvin Kamara hurt his knee in the Week 12 loss to Atlanta, and Neal's poised to work as New Orleans' lead back for this juicy matchup with a Dolphins defense that's yielding 153 scrimmage yards per game to RBs. Audric Estime and Evan Hull are the only other healthy RBs on the roster, and neither has recorded a carry this season. Neal demonstrated some pass-catching aptitude after Kamara's injury in an offense that calls plenty of passes to RBs, complementing seven carries for 18 yards with five catches for 43 yards on seven targets against the Falcons. The rookie sixth-round draft pick has at least three receptions in three of his last four games.
Honorable Mentions: Bijan Robinson, ATL at NYJ ($38); Breece Hall, NYJ vs. ATL ($30); Jaylen Warren, PIT vs. BUF ($29)
Against the Grainers: Bucky Irving, TB vs. ARI ($29); Quinshon Judkins, CLE vs. SF ($28); Kimani Vidal, LAC vs. LV ($18)
WIDE RECEIVER
Jaylen Waddle, MIA vs. NO ($31): Waddle has been excellent since Tyreek Hill's season-ending knee injury. In seven subsequent games, Waddle has recorded at least five catches and 82 receiving yards five times while working as the top target in Miami's passing game. Playing at home coming off a bye against the 2-9 Saints, the speedy Waddle is poised to make some big plays against a New Orleans secondary that's allowing 12.7 yards per catch to WRs and is tied for the fifth-most TDs allowed to WRs (13).
Michael Wilson, ARI vs. TB ($22): Wilson and Brissett have demonstrated tremendous chemistry over the past two games, during which the breakout WR has caught 25 of 33 targets for 303 yards. That massive target share has come in part thanks to the absence of Marvin Harrison due to an appendectomy. Harrison has resumed practicing in limited fashion, but the 3-8 Cardinals don't have much incentive to rush the 2024 first-round pick back. Regardless of Harrison's availability, Wilson's poised for another busy outing against a Buccaneers defense that's surrendering 164 receiving yards per game to WRs, which is sixth-most in the NFL. Wilson offers excellent value as a standalone option, even if you don't opt for an Arizona stack with Brissett.
Khalil Shakir, BUF at PIT ($21): Shakir is the clear No. 1 option in a Bills passing game that doesn't give Josh Allen much to work with; Keon Coleman has been a healthy scratch the past two games and Dalton Kincaid hasn't played since Week 10 due to a hamstring injury. The shifty Shakir leads Buffalo with 54 catches and 564 receiving yards after easily leading the team in both categories last season. Short passes to Shakir are a staple of Buffalo's passing game, and the Bills will likely dial up plenty of those against a Steelers defense that has allowed the most catches (164) and receiving yards (2,029) in the NFL to WRs.
Honorable Mentions: Brian Thomas, JAC at TEN ($24); Darnell Mooney, ATL at NYJ ($19); Keenan Allen, LAC vs. LV ($17)
Against the Grainers: Justin Jefferson, MIN at SEA ($27); Emeka Egbuka, TB vs. ARI ($27); Chimere Dike, TEN vs. JAC ($16)
TIGHT END
Dalton Schultz, HOU at IND ($15): Schultz's $15 valuation is at its lowest since Nov. 2, creating a nice buy-low opportunity following a disappointing one-catch performance in Week 12 against a Bills defense has been the stingiest in the league against TEs. He had 19 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown on 28 targets across the preceding three games, and Schultz's dud against Buffalo marked only the second time in the last nine games that he failed to catch at least five passes. Regardless of whether the Texans get C.J. Stroud (concussion) back or roll with Davis Mills for a fourth consecutive start, Schultz is likely to play a prominent role against a Colts defense that's giving up 72.2 yards per game to TEs, second-most in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Trey McBride, ARI at TB ($28); Juwan Johnson, NO at MIA ($18); Brenton Strange, JAC at TEN ($15)
Against the Grainers: Brock Bowers, LV at LAC ($25); Tyler Warren, IND vs. HOU ($19); Gunnar Helm, TEN vs. JAC ($10)
DEFENSE
San Francisco 49ers at CLE ($10): It's tempting to pay up for one of the pricier defenses facing inept offenses Sunday, but San Francisco offers a nice mix of affordability and matchup, taking on a Cleveland offense that's averaging the second-fewest yards (258.5) and fourth-fewest points (16.9) per game. The 49ers are dealing with numerous injuries but have started to see some previously unheralded contributors step up, scoring 15.0 fantasy points over the past two games while snagging four interceptions and allowing just 15.5 points per game. Shedeur Sanders put forth a commendable performance to win his first NFL start against the 2-9 Raiders in Week 12, but an 8-4 San Francisco team that's battling for a playoff spot presents a far stiffer challenge for the rookie fifth-round draft pick.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks vs. MIN ($19); Atlanta Falcons at NYJ ($17); Jacksonville Jaguars at TEN ($16)
Against the Grainers: Los Angeles Chargers vs. LV ($16); Miami Dolphins vs. NO ($13); Buffalo Bills at PIT ($12)
