Week 13 didn’t give us a ton of nuclear box scores, but it did give us something even more valuable: clarity. We saw true alpha performances from guys like A.J. Brown and Bijan Robinson, “this is real” usage spikes from backs like James Cook and Kimani Vidal, and some genuinely ugly moments from the Vikings, Ravens, and a few formerly auto-start fantasy names.
Below are 21 stat-based takeaways you need to know as we head into the fantasy playoffs.
Tier 1 – Actual Week-Winning Hammers
1. A.J. Brown reminded everyone he’s that dude (35.2 PPR)
Brown absolutely cooked Chicago: 10 catches on 12 targets, 132 yards, 2 TDs for 35.2 PPR points. That’s now back-to-back 100+ yard games with three total touchdowns in that stretch. The formula is exactly what you want: volume, red-zone dominance, and YAC. He’s a locked-in top-18 WR rest of season. There’s nothing to overthink here — you just ride it.
2. Bijan Robinson finally got true workhorse treatment (30.3 PPR)
Bijan turned in one of the cleanest elite RB lines of the season:
- 23 carries, 142 rushing yards, 1 TD
- 5 receptions, 51 yards
- 30.3 PPR points
That’s 28 touches and over 190 total yards. Even with Tyler Allgeier stealing some goal-line snaps, the combination of usage and efficiency screams league-winner. Treat him as a top-3 RB the rest of the way.
3. Patrick Mahomes + Rashee Rice stack smashed (29.4 & 28.0 PPR)
The Chiefs’ passing game finally looked like something you’re excited to stack again:
- Mahomes: 23/34, 261 yards, 4 TDs, 30 rush yards → 29.44 PPR
- Rashee Rice: 8/12, 92 yards, 2 TDs → 28.0 PPR
Rice now has 7+ targets in every game since returning, and Week 13 showed the full ceiling. He’s a set-and-forget WR1/WR2, and Mahomes is back in the “can win you a week any time” tier, even if the floor has been a little spiky this year.
4. CeeDee Lamb stays elite even in a balanced Dallas attack (24.2 PPR)
Lamb did it again: 7 catches, 112 yards, 1 TD on 9 targets for 24.2 PPR points. He’s seen 7+ targets in six straight games and is still the clear engine of this passing game, even with George Pickens (6–88) and Javonte Williams (80 total yards + TD) getting their touches too. He remains a top-5 WR rest of season — no adjustments needed.
5. De’Von Achane’s workload finally matches his efficiency (24.4 PPR)
Achane’s line vs the Saints:
- 22 carries, 134 rushing yards, 1 TD
- A 29-yard score, plus another touch through the air
That’s 22 carries in a game where Miami was perfectly content to lean on the run. Achane now has 10 TDs in 12 games, and volume was the only thing ever holding him back. With this kind of role, he’s an RB1 every single week, regardless of matchup.
6. James Cook is a full-on bellcow now (with Ray Davis lurking as insurance)
Cook absolutely buried Pittsburgh:
- 32 carries, 144 rushing yards
- 3 catches, 33 receiving yards
- 177 total yards on 35 touches
That’s old-school workhorse usage. Ray Davis chipped in 9 carries for 62 yards and clearly profiles as the direct handcuff. With his recent passing-game work (14 catches for 136 yards and a TD over his last four), plus this rushing load, Cook is a locked-in top-8 RB. Davis should be rostered anywhere Cook is.
Tier 2 – Big Roles, Real Signals
7. Bryce Young quietly posted a legit streamer line
The raw fantasy total wasn’t insane, but the profile matters:
- 15/20, 206 yards, 3 TDs
- 23 rushing yards, 75% completion rate
Three passing touchdowns on just 20 attempts is wild efficiency, and he led Carolina to a big upset over the Rams. You’re not ready to start him weekly in 1QB leagues yet, but in 2QB/superflex or as a deep streamer, this is exactly the type of stat line that keeps him on the radar.
8. Tyrod Taylor is keeping the Jets fantasy-relevant
His Week 13 line vs Atlanta:
- 19/33, 172 yards, 1 passing TD
- 8 rushes, 44 yards, 1 rushing TD
Two total touchdowns and 44 rushing yards is fantasy gold. More importantly, he revived the entire offense:
- Adonai Mitchell: 8/12, 102 yards, 1 TD (23.3 PPR)
- Breece Hall: 19 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 34 yards
Tyrod is a legit streaming option over struggling names in bad matchups, and Mitchell is now a priority WR3/FLEX add/hold thanks to 12 targets and a clear alpha role with Garrett Wilson sidelined.
9. Jordan Love and the Packers WRs are peaking at the right time
Thanksgiving vs Detroit gave us a fully functional Green Bay passing attack:
- Love: 18/30, 234 yards, 4 TDs (24.2 PPR)
- Christian Watson: 4/10, 80 yards, 1 TD
- Dontayvion Wicks: 6/7, 94 yards, 2 TDs (26.9 PPR)
- Romeo Doubs: 4/4, 20 yards, 1 TD
Love is a strong QB2 with upside. Watson is a classic boom/bust WR2. Wicks is a high-upside FLEX who’s clearly earning more trust. Doubs is now squarely in TD-or-bust territory.
10. Devaughn Vele and Tetairoa McMillan are actually a thing
Two names that started as “wait, who?” now have real stats behind them:
- Devaughn Vele (NO): 8/8, 93 yards, 1 TD (23.26 PPR), 15 targets over his last two games
- Tetairoa McMillan (CAR): 4/6, 74 yards, 1 TD, four straight games with 3+ catches
Vele is the WR2 behind Chris Olave and should be rostered everywhere as a PPR FLEX. McMillan is becoming Carolina’s most dependable wideout and is a solid WR1/WR2 coming out of the bye.
11. Brock Bowers + Trey McBride lead a TE renaissance week
- Brock Bowers (LV): 4/4, 63 yards, 2 TDs (22.3 PPR)
- Trey McBride (ARI): 8/9, 82 yards, 1 TD (22.2 PPR) with Jacoby Brissett feeding him
- George Kittle (SF): 4/5, 67 yards – now 6 straight games with 4+ receptions
Bowers is a locked-in weekly TE1. McBride is still a top-3 tight end by usage. Kittle’s steady target floor keeps him firmly in the TE1 mix even in a lower-volume week.
12. Kimani Vidal and Chase Brown look like league-winner archetypes
- Kimani Vidal (LAC): 25 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD; 1 catch for 11 yards
- Chase Brown (CIN): 15 carries, 78 yards; 7 catches, 35 yards
Vidal just handled 26 opportunities and ripped off a 59-yard go-ahead TD, though Omarion Hampton’s return is a small cloud on the horizon. Brown, meanwhile, showed true dual-threat usage with 22 touches and 7 receptions in a Joe Burrow offense.
If you’re chasing playoff upside at RB, Brown is a priority RB2/FLEX. Vidal is a volume-based RB2 until proven otherwise.
13. The Rams’ offense might support three weekly starters
You could argue four:
- Kyren Williams: Strong workload + TD, still the unquestioned lead back
- Blake Corum: Season-high 81 rushing yards and a TD, trending toward a ~50/50 carry split
- Davante Adams: 4/5, 58 yards, 2 TDs – now 14 TDs in 12 games
- Puka Nacua: 6/9, 72 yards – classic high-floor WR2 line
Adams and Nacua are both WR1s, Kyren is an RB1/RB2 based on usage, and Corum is a high-upside FLEX if this split holds. This is quietly one of the best fantasy environments in the league.
14. Saints and Texans passing games are condensing in the right way
Saints:
- Chris Olave: 4/7, 47 yards, 1 TD – still the clear alpha
- Devaughn Vele: 8/8, 93 yards, 1 TD – emerging WR2
- Juwan Johnson: 5/9, 39 yards – streamable TE1 volume
Texans:
- C.J. Stroud: 22/35, 276 yards, 1 INT – no TD, but still aggressive
- Nico Collins: 5/10, 98 yards – alpha profile remains
- Jayden Higgins: 5/5, 65 yards – efficient WR3/FLEX
- Dalton Schultz: 7/8, 55 yards – low-end TE1/high-end TE2 on volume
In both offenses, targets are condensed enough that the main guys remain startable, even when the box scores aren’t explosive.
Tier 3 – Duds, Thuds & Panic Meter
15. The Vikings passing game is a full-blown disaster
Max Brosmer’s line vs Seattle:
- 19/30, 126 yards, 4 INTs, 1 lost fumble
That tanked everyone:
- Justin Jefferson: 2/4, 4 yards
- Jordan Addison: 5/10, 36 yards
- T.J. Hockenson: 6/6, 59 yards
You probably can’t bench Jefferson in most leagues, but Addison should hit your bench, and Hockenson feels more like a volume-based TE1 than a true difference-maker right now. Until the QB situation stabilizes, this whole passing game is “start only the studs, hold your nose, and hope.”
16. Travis Etienne and the Jags backfield showed us the floor
In a 25–3 win:
- Etienne: 12 carries, 28 yards; 1 catch, 13 yards
- Bhayshul Tuten: 8 carries, 17 yards, 1 TD; 1 catch, 2 yards
Etienne still led in carries, but Tuten stole the touchdown, and Jacksonville never needed to push the pedal. This looks more like a game script blip than a true role change, but it’s a reminder: Etienne’s value is heavily tied to TDs and receptions, not pure rushing efficiency. He’s still an RB1/2; Tuten remains a stash/handcuff.
17. Michael Pittman and Oronde Gadsden are ice cold at the worst time
- Michael Pittman (IND): 1 catch, 13 yards on 4 targets – worst game of the year, third straight under 30 yards
- Oronde Gadsden (LAC): another quiet outing after multiple duds
Pittman still has the role and the quarterback play to bounce back, so he’s more WR3 than hard bench, but the timing is brutal. Gadsden, meanwhile, is droppable in shallow formats unless you’re working with very deep benches.
18. Jerry Jeudy and Sean Tucker are clear “Thud” candidates
- Jerry Jeudy: 3/4, 26 yards, just one game over 9 PPR all season
- Sean Tucker: 2 carries, 0 points with Bucky Irving back and Rachaad White involved
Jeudy is a fringe WR5 with no ceiling in this offense — fine to cut in most 10–12 team leagues. Tucker is simply a deep contingency stash and can be dropped if you need usable help now.
Tier 4 – Injuries & Role Shifts You Can’t Ignore
19. Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers and the QB injury carousel
- Justin Herbert (LAC): broke a bone in his left hand, had surgery Monday, still hoping to play Week 14. Line vs LV: 15/20, 151 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT (all out of shotgun).
- Aaron Rodgers (PIT): 10/21, 117 yards, 1 fumble while gutting it out through a fractured left wrist plus a nose issue.
For fantasy:
- Herbert is a high-end QB2 with risk if he’s active. You need a backup plan.
- Rodgers is only viable in deeper superflex formats. Between health and efficiency, he’s not a recommended starter.
20. Key skill-position injuries: Aaron Jones, Marvin Harrison Jr., Parker Washington
- Aaron Jones (MIN): 6 carries, 3 yards; 4 catches, 22 yards, 1 lost fumble before leaving with a shoulder injury.
- Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI): 6/7, 69 yards in his return, but left with a heel issue.
- Parker Washington (JAX): 1/3, 26 yards before exiting with a hip injury.
Action items:
- Jordan Mason becomes a priority waiver claim if Jones misses time.
- If MHJ sits, Michael Wilson gets deeper FLEX appeal; if he plays, he’s a strong WR2/3.
- Washington’s absence tightens the target tree around Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Brenton Strange.
21. Sneaky depth & playoff stashes you shouldn’t ignore
A few lines that don’t pop on the surface, but matter a lot for December:
- Ray Davis (BUF): 9 carries, 62 yards – clearly the James Cook handcuff.
- Malik Davis (DAL): 3 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD – contingency back behind Javonte Williams.
- Brenton Strange (JAX): 3/4, 45 yards, 1 TD – growing TE role, especially with Parker Washington banged up.
- Devin Neal (NO): 14 carries, 47 yards; 3 catches, 22 yards – controlled the Saints’ backfield usage.
If you’re already locked into the playoffs, these are the types of bench stashes that can swing a semifinal if an injury hits at the wrong time.
