Scott Engel of RotoExperts.com previews every NFL matchup from Fantasy perspectives to help you make those critical decisions during an all-important week.
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
The Patriots pass defense is the worst in the league, but the Colts haven't shown that they have the ammunition to take advantage. When you consider the Patriots also have an AFC-best 16 interceptions, the defense looks like a very strong start against Dan Orlovsky. You should try to avoid all Colts players in a very crucial week. BenJarvus Green-Ellis faces the worst run defense in the AFC and should reach 100 yards while scoring. Tom Brady should throw more than two TD passes. Expect Wes Welker to score, and Rob Gronkowski seems destined to find the end zone yet again. You can also roll with Aaron Hernandez or Deion Branch for pretty good yardage totals.
Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings
Tim Tebow is a great fantasy start this week, because not only will he generate his usual rushing yards, he also faces Minnesota's 29th-ranked pass defense. Eric Decker returns home to Minnesota and should be fired up to play well. He's likely to catch more than one sizable gainer and score again. Willis McGahee should see a lot of open running lanes and could also score. Don't expect the Vikings to muster much offensively behind Toby Gerhart and Christian Ponder. Percy Harvin is the only Viking worth using, but he probably won't have an outstanding game against Champ Bailey.
Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills
The Bills are allowing 123.8 rushing yards per game, and Chris Johnson has recently shown us he can take advantage of a friendly matchup. Johnson is one of the best starts of Week 13 and should soar past the 100-yard mark again. The Buffalo secondary is also vulnerable, so look for Nate Washington to perform well as Damian Williams, a quality WR3, starts to command more respect. The Bills haven't generated much of a running game behind C.J. Spiller, who is strictly a desperation option. Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely throw often with mixed results. Stevie Johnson could face physical coverages, yet should produce well enough to start him again.
Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins
Miami ranks seventh against the run, and Michael Bush might have to work hard for his yardage. He should still be started as long as he is getting regular work, though. Carson Palmer is dealing with injuries at WR, yet he should continue to be efficient, even as he is not outstanding this week. The Raiders rank 27th against the run and Reggie Bush is a terrific flex play this week for all-around yardage and a TD. Matt Moore will try to use play-action effectively and is a good option if you cannot turn to a top-level QB. Look for Brandon Marshall to use his size to haul in several catches that boost PPR leaguers in Week 13.
New York Jets at Washington Redskins
Shonn Greene is not running with a lot of authority and should be reserved. The Jets might struggle on the ground in this one, and Mark Sanchez will have to attempt to carry the New York offense. Expect varied results, with a two-TD, two-interception type of performance. Plaxico Burress could fare well, while Dustin Keller should also provide a good return. Santonio Holmes is unreliable and you can find better options. Roy Helu could be an effective flex, although one turnover could get him pulled at any time. Santana Moss might be locked up by Darrelle Revis, but Fred Davis and Jabar Gaffney could come through with good PPR stats.
Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans
The Falcons are dealing with some key offensive injuries that could limit their offensive output. The Texans rank fourth in the NFL against the run and Atlanta will struggle to generate an optimum running game. Matt Ryan is in danger of being hit often and could sputter. Roddy White already has a tough matchup with CB Johnathan Joseph, and could see his production limited. Tony Gonzalez should be busy as a safety receiver for Ryan. The QB situation and knee issues make Andre Johnson a very risky start. Expect Arian Foster to get his 100-plus yards from scrimmage, but Ben Tate should be reserved, as Houston no longer has the opportunity to use him to help milk leads.
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears
The Chiefs have nearly nothing to offer fantasy owners, except for Dwayne Bowe and a good matchup for the opposing defense. Despite the instability at QB, Bowe continues to produce no matter who is throwing the ball. If Kyle Orton plays extensively, he should minimize turnovers, but the Bears defense is still a fine start. The Chiefs have looked sturdy on defense as well, and face a very shaky Bears passing attack. Matt Forte should get a lot of touches and could make some plays in the open field, but he is the only Bear worth starting for sure. Johnny Knox will likely be kept under wraps by CB Brandon Flowers. Marion Barber, however, is worth flex consideration in larger leagues. The Bears will try to run a lot in an effort to ease pressure on Caleb Hanie.
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
In this intense rivalry matchup, you have to expect both sides to generate some significant offense no matter what the pregame stats and outlooks may dictate. Start all top Steelers with confidence. Ben Roethlisberger will try open things up and throw often, even if it means a three-TD, two-interception day. Look for Mike Wallace to get deep for a score and Antonio Brown to deliver very good PPR totals. Rashard Mendenhall should score even if his yardage totals are disappointing again. Andy Dalton shouldn't be intimidated by the Steelers defense and is a decent start. A.J. Green has proved he can contend with any matchup and should be locked into lineups. Cedric Benson might only post mediocre rushing totals, yet should get some opportunities to score from short range.
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is a game that should feature the running game, with both teams having trouble stopping opposing RBs. LeGarrette Blount is an outstanding start, since the Panthers awful defensively and he is rapidly improving as an all-around player. If Josh Freeman cannot play or is limited, though, you cannot start Mike Williams and get the hoped statistical return. Tampa Bay will probably give up big chunks of yardage to Cam Newton as a rusher, and Steve Smith should re-emerge from a mini-slump. DeAngelo Williams has the ability to rip off some sizable gainers, and Jonathan Stewart could at least post respectable totals even if he does not get in the end zone again.
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland offense probably isn't going to do much, as Peyton Hillis likely still does not have the proper rhythm with his linemen. Do not use any Browns, but the Ravens probably aren't going to enjoy any offensive outbursts, either. Joe Haden should severely limit the production of Anquan Boldin, and while Torrey Smith may catch a TD pass, his reception totals could be low. Ray Rice might be the only player to shine in this game, and even he may not score more than once.
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Aaron Rodgers might start slowly, but he should still finish with at least three TD passes. Expect Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson to catch one each, while James Jones catches a few deep passes and Jermichael Finley hauls in some important grabs. Eli Manning will try to keep pace and could come through with another big fantasy day. Victor Cruz should soar past 100 yards again and Hakeem Nicks has a great chance to score. Both teams could struggle to run the ball effectively, so expect this to be a passing slugfest.
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals
Kevin Kolb is expected to return to action, and he can at least keep the Dallas defense honest against the passing game. Larry Fitzgerald remains a top start even as the QB situation fluctuates. Beanie Wells likely will not see nearly as much running room as he did last week, yet should still be a threat to score. Dallas simply has too much weaponry for the Cardinals to keep up, though. Expect a big day for Tony Romo, another Laurent Robinson TD and some big plays from Dez Bryant. DeMarco Murray should see a lot of open space and score more than once.
St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Steven Jackson doesn't figure to perform at a high level against an excellent run defense, but the Rams will probably still give him the ball enough to ensure he provides decent all-around numbers. Expect Brandon Lloyd to be double-teamed and only post adequate totals. Look for a big day for Frank Gore against a terrible run defense. The Niners should spread the ball around effectively in the passing game, and you can utilize Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis in larger leagues.
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints
Matthew Stafford faces a very vulnerable pass defense, but the Detroit running game still looks unreliable. Predictability leads to lack of offensive continuity, but you should still expect Stafford to go for over 250 yards and two TDs even if he makes more than one turnover. The Saints could have a ton of trouble handling Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Pettigrew should see some important red zone targets. Drew Brees is rolling right now, and look for him to get Marques Colston in the scoring crosshairs again this week while Lance Moore has re-emerged as a very good WR start. Darren Sproles is slowing down a bit compared to his early-season pace, yet he is still a great flex option this week. Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas should only be used if you are scraping for help, as Ingram cannot be trusted yet to score or come through with adequate numbers on a frequent basis.
San Diego Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are dealing with some secondary injuries that could expose them to the Philip Rivers-Vincent Jackson combo this week. Do not expect a stellar performance from Rivers, yet he should connect with his top WR for more than one big play. Expect two TD passes and two interceptions. Ryan Mathews faces a run defense that allows 109.1 rushing yards per game, so look for another quality outing in terms of rushing yardage. Maurice Jones-Drew takes on all comers and usually still gets his numbers, but the ineptitude of the rest of the Jaguars offense makes the Chargers defense a very nice Week 13 option.
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