Fantasy football strategy, rankings, and podcasts

The final week of the regular season has arrived and it’s do or die time, unless, of course, you’ve already clinched your spot, in which case, congrats! For the rest of us, we still need to win to get into the playoffs. This late in the year, rookies will play a huge role, so make sure to check out our Weekly Rookie Report.

Derek Carr is a good start this week, facing the Chiefs in Oakland. Crabtree and Cooper have been very good this year and should continue to help Derek Carr to top 10 QB numbers.

Matt Stafford is a good sit tonight. He faces the Packers, and even when he beat them earlier in the year, he only put up a little over 16 points in a standard league.

Matt Jones has a good matchup this weekend when the Cowboys are in town. If you need a flex starter, look for Jones to do well as the Redskins seem to always play well at home, and Dallas is falling apart.

Shaun Draughn might seem like an ok start this week, but the numbers really aren’t there to support it yet. He might be start-worthy later in the season, but leave him on the bench for this week’s game in Chicago.

James Jones should return to the scoring column again this week, as there will be no focus on him by the Detroit defense. He’s still the second best WR on the team, and Rodgers knows he needs to rely on familiarity to break the Packers out of this slump.

Brandon LaFell can remain on your bench this week, with Amendola coming back. Even without Gronk in the lineup, I don’t see LaFell taking on a properly large role – it would have happened by now if it was going to.

For most fantasy leagues, week 13 is the very last chance your squad will have to make the playoffs, spoil it for someone else, or clinch that all-important bye week. Don't underestimate the value of spending some time poring over the available players on the wire this week and/or even picking up some players or a defense to use in the next week of the playoffs. We'll feature some of those plays on this week's podcast - tune in! Listen to or watch the Fantasy Finish Line podcast to stay on top of the latest news and analysis - we broadcast live on YouTube weekly on Wednesdays at 9pm CT.

Guys that jump out to me this week to overperform expectations: Ryan Tannehill, Devontae Booker, Jamison Crowder, Dawson Knox, and Green Bay Packers D/ST.

Pay attention to these rankings throughout the season, as they will continue to evolve based on the latest injury updates, news, and player analysis. Have any specific lineup questions? Feel free to tweet us @drinkfive with any of your questions or comments!

Here we go! For many leagues, this is the last week of the regular season. Make it or break it time! This week, there are a few newcomers to the rankings, and some guys that I expect to perform at a higher level than other fantasy football experts are: Philip Rivers, Tarik Cohen, Kenny Golladay, and Allen Robinson. Pay attention to these rankings throughout the week, as they will continue to evolve based on the latest injury updates, news, and player/matchup analysis. Good luck in Week 13 and remember, you can tweet us @drinkfive with any of your lineup questions!