NFL Week 13 RoundUp

Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup. As always, we will be highlighting this past week’s injury report, top performers, underperformers, and surprise producers. There was no shortage of stunning storylines during Week 13 of the 2023 NFL Season, so let’s recap the action.

INJURY ROUNDUP

Tank Dell (HOU) - Leg

• Tank Dell suffered a fractured fibula in the Texans Week 13 outing. The sensational rookie wideout will undoubtedly miss the next few games in recovery, leaving Nico Collins as a bonafide league-winning asset.

Kenny Pickett (PIT) - Ankle

• Kenny Pickett is likely to miss the next 2-4 weeks after undergoing minor ankle surgery. The Steelers will reportedly not place Pickett on injured reserve with the hope that their starting quarterback can return to action as they stay firmly in the hunt for a Wild Card playoff spot.

Marquise Brown (ARI) - Heel/Ankle

• Marquise Brown failed to catch a single target before suffering a lower-body injury that forced him out of the Cardinals Week 13 matchup. The veteran speedster will be re-evaluated in the coming days with his Week 14 availability in jeopardy.

Amari Cooper (CLE) - Head/Concussion

• Amari Cooper was quickly ruled out of the game after being evaluated for a concussion. The veteran wideout will need to clear the league’s concussion protocol to play in Week 14.

Tyler Higbee (LAR) - Head/Concussion

• The veteran tight end was evaluated for a concussion after a forceful collision and was ruled out shortly thereafter.

Derek Carr (NO) - Head/Concussion/Shoulder/Back/Midsection

• Derek Carr picked up a laundry list of injury designations after being battered by the Lions' defensive front. Carr is now in concussion protocol while also dealing with a recurring AC joint sprain to his throwing shoulder as well as lower back and midsection injuries.

Christian Watson (GB) - Hamstring

• Chrisitan Watson left the Packers Week 13 contest with an apparent hamstring injury after catching two big touchdown passes from Jordan Love. Watson was beginning to trend upward as a high-upside fantasy asset until his most recent injury derailed his season-best performance.

Dallas Goedert (PHI) - Forearm

• Dallas Goedert remained sidelined in Week 13 with a forearm fracture but had practiced in limited fashion leading up to the game. Goedert has the opportunity to suit up in Week 14 but will need to be monitored during this week’s practices.

Brian Robinson (WAS) - Hamstring

• The Commanders leading running back was forced out of their Week 13 contest early with a hamstring injury. Robinson was unable to return to action and will enter this week with a questionable tag attached to his name.

Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) - Ankle

• Rhamondre Stevenson was pulled from the game after suffering an ankle injury that resulted in a fumble on the same play.

Jonathan Taylor (IND) - Thumb/Hand

• Jonathan Taylor suffered a UCL tear in Week 12 and will now miss the next 3-5 games in recovery.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN

Seattle Seahawks (6-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (9-3)

Final Score: Cowboys 41 - Seahawks 35

• The Cowboys extended their home turf winning streak to 14 games as Dak Prescott continued his MVP campaign with 299 yards and three touchdowns.

• Both offenses were rolling throughout the contest with neither team recording a punt, marking just the 5th time in NFL history in which that has occurred.

• DK Metcalf and CeeDee Lamb put on a show with several highlight-worthy grabs and two top-tier fantasy outings.

• Metcalf took his first target of the day 73-yard to the house, reaching a top speed of 22.23 mph on his touchdown reception, marking the fastest speed by a ball carrier since Week 2, 2020 (Raheem Mostert, 23.09 mph). The veteran wideout finished with six receptions on eight targets for 134 yards and three touchdowns.

• Lamb saw a season-high 17 targets, collecting 12 catches for 116 yards and one touchdown while adding 30 yards of rushing production on two carries – including a long 24-yard scamper that helped seal the win for the Cowboys.

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the Seahawks in targets for the first time this season, earning 11 targets with seven catches for 62 yards. Smith-Njigba’s biggest play of the game was a monstrous touchdown grab in traffic that was ultimately negated by a Seahawks offensive penalty.

• Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is rapidly developing into one of the best players at the position. Ferguson hauled in his fifth touchdown of the season, finishing with six catches on eight targets for 77 yards and the aforementioned score.

• Tony Pollard has now scored a touchdown in three consecutive contests after an eight-game scoreless streak.

Denver Broncos (6-6) @ Houston Texans (7-5)

Final Score: Texans 22 - Broncos 17

• The Texans snapped the Broncos' five-game winning streak with a resounding defensive performance and a game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter.

• Nico Collins was targeted on a career-high 42.9% of routes against the Broncos, with 58.3% of targets being of at least 10 air yards or more, per NextGen Statistics. Collins caught four of his seven targets of 10 air yards or more, producing 153 yards and one touchdown. He finished with a career-high 191 yards on nine receptions, benefiting greatly from an unfortunate injury to Tank Dell.

• Dell will be sidelined indefinitely as he recovers from a fibula fracture.

• Stroud exited the game briefly, allowing for a single Davis Mills pass attempt but was ultimately able to return to the game. 

• Stroud completed 16/27 attempts for 274 yards with no turnovers. Stroud has now thrown for 1740 yards in his last five games, the most by any rookie in a five-game span.

• Russell Wilson was unable to ride the successes of late, throwing three interceptions while amassing a mere 186 passing yards and one touchdown. Wilson added 44 rushing yards on ten carries with one touchdown.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-7) @ New England Patriots (2-10)

Final Score: Chargers 6 - Patriots 0

• The Chargers were able to slide past a hapless Bailey Zappe-led Patriots squad in Week 13, needing a pair of field goals to get the job done.

• Justin Herbert failed to mount a single touchdown drive against an up-and-down Patriots defense, completing 22/37 attempts for 212 yards.

• A change at quarterback did nothing to help spark the Patriots' offense as the team failed to score while producing just 257 yards of total offense. The Patriots were 4-14 on third-down attempts, 1-3 on fourth-down attempts, and were forced to punt seven times on 11 possessions.

• The Patriots are the first team in the Super Bowl era to record three consecutive losses while giving up ten or fewer points to their opposition.

Detroit Lions (9-3) @ New Orleans Saints (5-7)

Final Score: Lions 33 - Saints 28

• Sam LaPorta had a career-best outing as the Saints looked to key in on Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions rookie tight end caught all nine of team-leading targets for a career-best 140 yards and one touchdown.

• LaPorta became just the second rookie tight end in NFL history to have 140-plus receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in the same game.

• St. Brown was limited to just two catches for 49 yards on six targets but was able to find the end zone to keep his fantasy managers happy. 

• Derek Carr was bludgeoned by the Lions' defensive front, picking up a litany of injury designations with a concussion, shoulder, back, and midsection injuries.

• Taysom Hill was the team’s leading rusher, earning a season-high 13 attempts for 59 yards and one touchdown.

• Chris Olave suited up after clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol, hauling in five of his eight targets for 119 yards.

• Alvin Kamara broke free for two rushing touchdowns but managed just 51 yards on 14 carries. Kamara also hauled in six receptions for 58 yards, tying Olave with a team-high eight targets.

Arizona Cardinals (3-10) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

• James Conner took full advantage of the revenge narrative, scoring two touchdowns against his former team. The Cardinals leading back had a season-best 105 rushing yards on 25 carries to go along with his two scores.

• Trey McBride is showcasing excellence on a weekly basis – this time by hauling in eight of his team-high nine targets for 89 yards and one touchdown.

• Only one other member of the Cardinals offense had more than one reception (Geoff Swaim: 2 Receptions/10 Yards). 

• No other member of the Cardinals offense, save for McBride, recorded more than 25 receiving yards.

• The Steelers' 2023 outlook has now shifted with Mitch Trubisky expected to helm the offense for the next few games as Kenny Pickett recovers from an ankle injury.

• Despite his starter status, Jaylen Warren remains locked in a timeshare with Najee Harris with the opportunities seemingly swinging to favor the latter of the two teammates.

• Harris handled 16 rush attempts for 63 yards while Warren saw nine carries for 59 yards. Both players were targeted three times but only Harris found positive yardage, recording 2 receptions for 14 yards whereas Warren’s only reception came with a net negative loss of four yards.

Atlanta Falcons (6-6) @ New York Jets (4-8)

Final Score: Falcons 13 - Jets 8

• Desmond Ridder did nothing more than play mistake-free football with an ugly 13-8 victory over a struggling Jets squad.

• Ridder managed 121 yards and one touchdown, completing 12/27 attempts.

• Bijan Robinson handled the lion’s share of backfield opportunities for the second week in a row, earning 18 carries to Tyler Allgeier’s eight carries. Robinson was also targeted five times and was the Falcons' second-leading receiver with three receptions for 26 yards.

• Kyle Pitts led the team with eight targets, catching four for 51 yards but had a potential touchdown vultured by MyCole Pruitt.

• Tim Boyle received yet another start despite being inarguably the worst quarterback in the NFL. Boyle was, however, eventually benched for Trevor Siemian.

• Breece Hall struggled on the ground, gaining just 16 yards on 13 carries (1.2 YPC). Hall tried to supplement his poor rushing production with a decent PPR outing but managed just 29 yards on six receptions.

• The Falcons' back-to-back wins in Week 12 and Week 13 make them the sole leaders in the NFC South.

• The Falcons' defense has gone 24 consecutive possessions without allowing a touchdown, marking the longest active streak of any team in the NFL.

Indianapolis Colts (7-5) @ Tennessee Titans (4-8)

Final Score (OT): Colts 31 - Titans 28

• Gardner Minshew played the role of the hero in Week 13, throwing for an overtime touchdown on a must-score possession after the Titans took a 28-25 lead on the opening possession following their overtime berth.

• Minshew had a stellar outing, completing 26/42 attempts for 312 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He did, however, lose one of his two fumbles.

• Zach Moss received the start for an injured Jonathan Taylor but was not his usual week-winning self.

• Moss handled a team-high 19 rushing attempts as the only running back on the roster to see a carry. He gained 51 rushing yards (2.7 YPC) while catching two of his three targets for a menial six receiving yards.

• Michael Pittman continues to thrive as one of the league’s most talented and underrated receivers. The Colts star wideout collected 11 of his team-high 16 targets for 105 yards and one touchdown.

• Pittman’s 11 receptions and 105 receiving yards mark the second consecutive game in which the big-bodied receiver has collected at least 10 receptions and at least 100 receiving yards. The only other player in Colts history to accomplish a two-game streak of such heights is Marvin Harrison.

• Alec Pierce had an unsuspecting breakout, hauling in three of six targets for 100 yards, including a lovely 33-yard touchdown grab and 55-yard catch-and-run to set up the game-winning score.

• Will Levis has yet to put together any semblance of his debut successes and has yet to post a QB1 outing since tossing for four touchdowns in his first-ever NFL game.

• Derrick Henry smashed through a susceptible Colts defense for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts.

• Rookie running back Tyjae Spears was equally as effective with his groundwork, putting up 75 yards on 16 carries.

Miami Dolphins (9-3) @ Washington Commanders (4-9)

Final Score: Dolphins 45 - Commanders 15

• The Dolphins' offense made easy work of a struggling Commanders defense, posting 20 first downs, 406 total scrimmage yards, and 38 offensive points.

• De’Von Achane returned to the starting lineup, securing a team-high 17 rushing attempts for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

• Raheem Mostert maintained a solid stat line, rushing for 43 yards on 11 attempts with one touchdown of his own.

• Tyreek Hill continues to pace towards the single-season receiving yards record with 157 yards on five receptions in Week 13. Hill also hauled in two touchdowns of 50-plus yards. Per NextGen Statistics, Hill now has 20 scores of at least 60 yards in his career tied for fourth all-time.

• Sam Howell attempted fewer than 40 passes for just the second time in 10 games, completing 12/23 attempts for 127 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

• Howell has been sacked a league-leading 58 times for a net loss of 400 yards combined.

• The second-year quarterback continues to be a reliable fantasy asset despite his incredible propensity for turnovers, supplementing a poor passing day with two rushing touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers (1-11) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)

Final Score: Buccaneers 21 - Panthers 18

• Mike Evans surpassed 1000 receiving yards for the 10th consecutive season, becoming the only player in NFL history to begin the first 10 years of their career with 1000 or more receiving yards in each season.

• Evans' historic night ended with seven receptions for 163 yards and one touchdown, including a 75-yard score to open up the second half.

• Rachaad White is slowly developing into a more efficient runner to go along with his incredible receiving profile. White managed just three receptions for 22 yards on five targets but had a respectable rushing performance, garnering 84 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.

• Chuba Hubbard rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, recording a season-high 48.0% success rate (minimum 10 carries) on his attempts, per NextGen Statistics.

• Bryce Young continues to struggle with sustaining drives and ball security, completing 15/31 pass attempts for 178 yards with one interception.

• Rookie receiver Jonathan Mingo broke out as the Panthers' top target in Week 13, surpassing Adam Thielen with six receptions for 69 yards on ten targets.

• Thielein, on the other hand, caught three of six targets for a lowly 25 yards.

Cleveland Browns (7-5) @ Los Angeles Rams (6-6)

• The Rams have now won three straight games as Matthew Stafford’s unsuspecting three touchdowns helped propel the NFC West hopefuls over the NFL’s top-ranked defense in the Browns.

• Stafford played turnover-free football, completing 22/37 pass attempts for 279 yards and three touchdowns, including a 70-yard strike to Puka Nacua for six points.

• Nacua topped all members of the offense with 105 receiving yards on four receptions and seven targets.

• Nacua now has 1029 receiving yards in 2023, passing Mike Williams of the Buccaneers (964 Yards) for the second-most receiving yards by a rookie who was selected outside the top 100 picks in their respected draft class. Nacua trails only Marques Colston, who had 1,038 for the Saints in 2006.

• Cooper Kupp saved a relatively pedestrian outing with a touchdown grab but managed just 39 yards on six receptions otherwise.

• Joe Flacco made his debut as the Browns starting quarterback, throwing for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

• A familiar favorite target from their time together on the Jets, Flacco looked to Elijah Moore early and often, targeting the wideout 12 times.

• The loss of Amari Cooper undoubtedly helped increase Moore’s target totals.

San Francisco 49ers (9-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)

Final Score: 49ers 42 - Eagles 19

• Brock Purdy is making his name heard in the MVP race, throwing for four touchdowns against a struggling Eagles secondary in a lopsided 42-19 victory over the current NFC leaders.

• Purdy completed 19/27 pass attempts for 314 yards, throwing touchdowns to Deebo Samuel (4 Receptions/116 Yards/2 Touchdowns), Brandon Aiyuk (5 Receptions 46 Yards/1 Touchdown) and Juan Jennings (3 Receptions/44 Yards/1 Touchdown).

• Christian McCaffrey extended his touchdown total to 17 scores in 2023, adding his 12th rushing touchdown of the season against the Eagles in Week 13.

• McCaffrey added to his Hall of Fame resume, joining Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore as the only players in NFL history with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 25 touchdown catches in their careers.

• Jalen Hurts supported two high-end wide receiver performances, connecting with A.J. Brown on eight of his 13 targets for 114 yards while finding DeVonta Smith nine times on 11 targets for 96 yards and one touchdown.

• Hurts added his 12th rushing touchdown of the season, finishing with a team-high 20 yards on seven attempts.

• D’Andre Swift was bottled up by the 49ers defensive front, gaining a mere 13 yards on six carries while catching just two of his six targets for a lowly seven yards.

Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) @ Green Bay Packers (6-6)

Final Score: Packers 27 - Chiefs 19

• Jordan Love shined under the spotlights of Sunday Night Football, completing 25/36 attempts for 267 yards and three touchdowns while recording his third consecutive game with no turnovers.

• Week 13 marked Love's fourth game of the season with at least three passing touchdowns and no turnovers. Brock Purdy is the only other player in the NFL this season to record as many such games as Love. Love is also just the fifth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to have four games with three or more touchdowns and no turnovers in his first 13 starts.

• Christian Watson exploded for 71 yards and two touchdowns, catching seven of his team-high nine targets before being forced to exit with a hamstring injury. 

• The Chiefs usually stout defense recorded a season-low 47.6% defensive success rate, allowing 6.1 yards per play (their second-most in a game this season).

• Patrick Mahomes was unable to overcome his early blunders and miscues, completing 21/33 attempts for 210 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

• Isaih Pacheco was the most productive fantasy asset on the roster, taking 18 carries for 110 yards with one touchdown before being ejected after a scuffle ensued in the fourth quarter.

• Rashee Rice continues to thrive as the Chiefs top-target at the wide receiver position. The rookie wideout saw a team-high nine targets on which he caught eight for 64 yards.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at Broto Fantasy Football.

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By Matt Ward