Week 13 Game Scripts to Target in Daily Fantasy Football

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

Over/Under: 56.0

Panthers Implied Team Total: 29.75
Buccaneers Implied Team Total: 26.25

Chasing a second-match divisional game always adds a bit of risk, but this is about a high of a total as we've seen this year in games not involving the New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs. These teams combined for 70 points when they met just four weeks ago. The Carolina Panthers have given up 102 points in the three games since, while Tampa recently gave up 38 points to the New York Giants.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
FanDuel Price: $8,800

How could we lead with anyone but Christian McCaffrey? Coming off a historic performance, he is a comfortable chalk play against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that gives up the seventh-most running back points per game. Tampa also allows the 10th-most running back receiving yards per game, convenient for a guy leading the running back position in receptions per game (6.5). McCaffrey will likely end up the highest-owned player this week and I don't care, he'll still be a lock in my lineups.

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FanDuel Price: $7,500

Even in a week full of great quarterback options (we'll get to Cam shortly), Jameis Winston stands out as egregiously under-priced. He's averaging 25.9 points per game in games he plays start-to-finish this year. That number would rank him as the QB2 this season, behind just Pat Mahomes. With his job feeling safer than it has all season coming off an 18-point win, Jameis is in a sneaky-great spot in the highest-totaled game of the week against a Carolina defense that quietly allows the sixth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Winston is averaging a career-high 36 rushing yards per game in his starts, helping strengthen his floor in cash.

Others to Consider

Sir Cam Newton ($8,700) is likely to be a cash staple this week. Cam has now thrown for two or more touchdowns in every game since Week 1 and just set a season-high with 63 rushing yards. Now he gets a top-five quarterback matchup.

While everyone looks to play D.J. Moore ($6,400), unfortunately we'll need more injury information before we can play him with confidence. Since either one of Devin Funchess or Torrey Smith has missed one of the last five games, it's hard to know what Moore's target share will be if both are back in the lineup. It feels like a lifetime ago, but Smith actually had 5+ targets in four of the first six games of the season. Curtis Samuel ($5,500) has scored 6 touchdowns on 24 touches this year, suggesting he's still the best GPP option at his price, but his output is also lowered by Funchess' potential return.

I'd rather stack Cam with Greg Olsen ($6,000). Olsen has followed up a three-game touchdown streak with three straight duds. That will keep his ownership depressed in a top-four tight end matchup. Olsen dropped six catches, 79 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers in Week 9.

I was on Adam Humphries ($6,000) as a "sneaky great play" last week and he delivered with six catches, 64 yards and another touchdown, delivering over 2.5x value at his price. Unfortunately, that price has risen $400 and his ownership may spike. Still, at that price, just about everything said about him last week still holds true, making him a nice value again despite likely elevated ownership numbers.

Mike Evans ($7,900) is a tougher sell this week, if only because top Carolina corner James Bradberry shut him down and ate his lunch in Week 9. While that should keep his ownership lower than normal, it confines him to GPP lineups only.

DeSean Jackson's ($5,500) continues to plummet as he deals with a thumb injury. He's seeing a specialist this for a second opinion this week. If he sits, Chris Godwin ($5,400) becomes a legitimate GPP option with a likely near full-time snap count at a reduced price.

Cameron Brate ($4,900) and Peyton Barber ($5,800) are thin touchdown-or-bust options, like most weeks. Brate is in a great matchup and is priced below his ceiling, but his target share is still below where we'd want it to be.