Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 13: Chargers’ Justin Herbert and More

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 13: Thanksgiving football is finally upon us and several players in Thanksgiving games are featured this week.

With three games on Thursday for Thanksgiving, the weekly starts and sits come one day early. It’s a chance to ensure the right players are in your lineup before the festivities begin. Here are the players to pay attention to for Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 13.

Last week’s Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em was about 50/50 on success rates. Starting Tua Tagovailoa and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were the best hits while starting Kareem Hunt and sitting Jakobi Meyers were the biggest misses.

Note: This article is for players who are considered flex options or for matchup-specific reasons. You won’t see players like Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley on here because they should be starting all the time.

Fantasy Football 2024: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 13

Quarterbacks

Start: Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert didn’t have the best game on Monday night against Baltimore, but there’s reason to believe he will bounce back. The Falcons defense has given up 250+ yards and two touchdown passes in three of the last four games. Expect Herbert to bounce back in Atlanta.

Sit: Jared Goff

There’s been two versions of Jared Goff this season: the one on display against the Jaguars in Week 11 and the one on display against the Texans in Week 10. Given how strong the Bears secondary has been this year, Goff is likely to struggle again this week even at home. It’s best to sit him especially in leagues with only one quarterback.

Start: Will Levis

Will Levis is only someone to start if you have no other options or you play in a superflex league. However, he’s thrown for 275+ yards in his last two games and has scored 16+ fantasy points in his last three. Washington has a stingy pass defense, but the Titans are going to give Levis plenty of chances to throw the ball this week.

Running Backs:

Start: Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving is starting to takeover the Tampa Bay backfield as he out-snapped Rachaad White in Week 12 for the first time this season. Irving showed against the Giants that he is useful in the run game and the pass game which boosts his value. He’s a safe play for flex spots or even a RB2 spot if needed against Carolina.

Sit: D’Andre Swift

D’Andre Swift has been inconsistent this entire season (to say the least). He’s been a questionable play for most of the season, and this week is no different. The Lions have one of the best run defenses in the NFL. In the last three games, the Lions have given up less than 50 yards to the three starting running backs they’ve faced (Travis Etienne, Jonathan Taylor and Joe Mixon).

Start: Tyrone Tracy

Don’t let one bad week from Tyrone Tracy stop you from playing him. The Giants offense as a whole wasn’t good against Tampa Bay. With Drew Lock (presumably) starting tomorrow and Tommy DeVito out, New York should have an easier time moving the ball and opening things up for Tracy. He’s shown that he can produce when given volume this year.

Wide Receivers:

Start: Darnell Mooney

Darnell Mooney had an off day against Denver between Pat Surtain and getting injured. Healthy and fresh off of a bye week, he should be back and playing the way he has for most of the season. Mooney recorded 80+ receiving yards in Weeks 8-10 as him and Kirk Cousins have been growing their connection. Expect more of that against the Chargers this week.

Sit: Jordan Addison

Jordan Addison had the best game of his NFL career last week against Chicago, but take it with a grain of salt. He’s disappointed more often than not this year with four games where he’s scored less than four fantasy points in standard leagues. Until he puts together good performances on a consistent basis, he’s not someone you want to be taking a risk with in your lineup.

Start: Jameson Williams

Jameson Williams hasn’t had the best performances lately, but this is the perfect week for him to bounce back. The Bears are going to focus defensively on Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta which opens the door for Williams. Williams has been at his best when St. Brown and LaPorta consume most of the defensive attention.

Tight Ends:

Start: Hunter Henry

Drake Maye has relied on Hunter Henry consistently since taking over as the starting quarterback. In the last four weeks, Henry has averaged just under five receptions per game and 7.5 targets per game. The Colts have struggled defending the pass which opens the door for a big game for Henry.

Sit: Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth may have had one of the better games of the season against the Browns, but that was simply due to the weather. The Steelers were forced to find him underneath especially once it got later into the game. With better weather conditions expected against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh will go back to targeting George Pickens and other receivers downfield more than Freiermuth.

Main Photo Courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images

Drew VonScio

As a lifelong NFL fan and fantasy football player, Drew is finding ways to change the game and help you win your league. Coverage doesn't stop in the offseason and neither does he, so expect fantasy football coverage year round. When he's not looking into fantasy football, he's cheering on his Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011