Welcome to Week 13 of the fantasy football fades and busts of the week! I am your host, Matt Okada, and will be bringing you half a dozen players to avoid each and every week, throughout the fantasy season. Still looking for the perfect six-for-six! Let's get it!
[Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more]
As a note, just because a player earns a "fade" or "bust" designation doesn't automatically mean they should be benched — it depends on the rest of your roster or the options on your waiver wire. But you can expect them to fall short of expectations (when I get them right).
Happy Holidays and, without further ado, here is my list for Week 13 of the 2025 season.
Sam Darnold, QB, Seahawks
While there aren't all that many fantasy managers relying on Sam Darnold week-to-week, there are just enough to make him a reasonable "fade" in redraft leagues and DFS. Despite a lot of hype around his and Seattle's offensive efficiencies, Darnold has logged single-digit fantasy points in three of his last five games. In his four contests against "red matchups," Darnold has averaged an abysmal 9.97 fantasy points per game, with three touchdown passes and six interceptions. He's got another one this weekend, as the Seahawks take on the Vikings coming off a far-too-close-for-comfort win over the Titans. Unless Darnold can hit on multiple deep passes (definitely doable) and avoid another rash of turnovers (perhaps a little less doable) he'll likely be disappointing again in Week 13.
What to do ❓Don't start Darnold outside of 2QB leagues or desperate situations. He's somewhere around QB15-QB20 this week, and you should be able to stream someone like Jacoby Brissett, Trevor Lawrence or maybe even C.J. Stroud instead.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Panthers
The Rico Dowdle rollercoaster has been a fun one this year. His three games with 27+ fantasy points were incredible, and he now carries high-end RB2 expectations most weeks, even with Chuba Hubbard back. Unfortunately, it's not so clear that he should, especially in a matchup like Sunday's against the Rams. He's averaged just 3.2 yards per carry the last three weeks, and has had fewer than 55 rushing yards in all three. The last two, Dowdle's managed viable fantasy days through the air (nine catches for 91 yards combined), but he saw just six carries against the 49ers on Monday night. Against the Rams, he's going to need that receiving work again, as they've surrendered the fourth-fewest yards per carry (3.8) and the fewest rushing scores (just two) to running backs all season. Dowdle is far less "bustable" in full PPR leagues, but his ceiling is likely capped either way, back in a committee against a lockdown defense.
What to do ❓In most situations and most leagues, Dowdle is still a starter. But he's closer to the low-end RB2 range than he has been most weeks, and might be worth avoiding in DFS.
Devin Neal, RB, Saints
Who? If you're asking this question, you likely didn't pick Devin Neal up on the waiver wire, but quite a few people did — he was added in 45% of Yahoo leagues — with quite a bit of excitement. I'm not so optimistic. Yes, Neal played 74.4% of snaps on Sunday, with Alvin Kamara suffering a knee injury and exiting the game, and yes, he managed to scrape together 61 yards on 12 touches (seven carries, five catches). But New Orleans will activate (at least) one other back for Week 13 (probably Audric Estimé), Taysom Hill will likely remain involved in the backfield and Neal will likely end up seeing a troublesome split, as a sixth-round rookie with 10 career carries entering last weekend.
More importantly, this offense is bad. Nay, it's terrible. No New Orleans RB has scored more than 13 fantasy points in a game this season, and I don't expect that to change this weekend.Andthe Dolphins have quietly beenmuchbetter against the position since Week 8, holding Bijan Robinson, Derrick Henry, James Cook and Chris Rodriguez Jr. to a combined 8.5 fantasy points per game on 16.5 touches per game.
What to do ❓A lot of fantasy managers are excited to slot Neal into their lineups after snagging him off waivers. I would not. He's an RB3 at best, with a low flooranda low ceiling in a murky and unproductive offense.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders
It looks like Terry McLaurin will be back in the lineup for the Commanders after sitting out three weeks and the Washington bye. But he should not be back in your fantasy lineup. In the four games he's played this season, McLaurin has scored double-digit fantasy points just once, thanks to a touchdown in Week 8 (his only TD of the year). He's no longer the "clear-cut WR1" even when healthy, will be playing with Marcus Mariota on Sunday night and faces a Broncos secondary that has absolutely erased opposing wideouts all year. Denver has held such names as Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Nico Collins and Rashee Rice to fewer than 12 fantasy points — and McLaurin isn't near that tier right now. Given where you drafted him — if you drafted him — you might be tempted to start McLaurin in his long-awaited return, but that would be a mistake.
What to do ❓Do not play McLaurin. Under (nearly) any circumstances. Feel free to stash him on your bench, rather than leaving him on waivers, but he cannot be started this week.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
Michael Pittman Jr. has been consistently good this season. He's scored 11+ fantasy points in eight of 11 games and 16+ in five of those. He may not have a true WR1 ceiling — with a season high of 19.5 points — but he's put together a WR1 year nonetheless (WR10, to be exact). Still, in a somewhat low-volume passing offense with a wealth of other options, Pittman can disappear a bit in tougher matchups … like the one against Derek Stingley Jr. and the ravenous Texans defense on Sunday. Will Anderson Jr. and the pass rush are likely to make Daniel Jones uncomfortable, and even when he has time, Pittman may not be open against the Houston corners. As a result, he goes from a high-floor WR2 with fringe WR1 potential to a fringe starter, whose lack of a ceiling makes justifying his lower floor a bit difficult.
What to do ❓You can play Pittman in relatively deeper leagues, especially as a flex, but it might be smart to get away from him for "streamier" names like Wan'Dale Robinson, Khalil Shakir or Troy Franklin if possible.
Brock Bowers, TE, Raiders
What oneartham I doing here? Fading Brock Bowers?? Have I lost my mind??? Arguably. And to be clear at the top, you're by no meansbenchingBowers … unless you happen to have Trey McBride or George Kittle as well. But I also believe in honest evaluation, and in two of his last three games, Bowers has not been the elite tight end we expect. He caught just one of three targets in a disaster game against Denver and then had four catches for 36 yards last week against Cleveland before a fortunate garbage time drive produced an extra two for 19.
Now, he draws a difficult matchup with a Chargers defense that's been excellent against tight ends and held (a banged-up) Bowers to just 6.3 points back in Week 2. Geno Smith has been downright abysmal this year and the Raiders have an implied total of just 15.5 points in this game. Bowers has a rare target-based fantasy floor, but I don't envision a high ceiling in this contest.
What to do ❓As noted above, you're starting Bowers in every reasonable redraft league. But you may want to lower expectations and avoid him in DFS.