{"id":312261,"date":"2025-11-27T13:35:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T13:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/312261\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T13:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T13:35:09","slug":"key-fantasy-football-questions-for-week-13-k9-unleashed-minnesota-to-the-max","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/312261\/","title":{"rendered":"Key fantasy football questions for Week 13: K9 unleashed? Minnesota to the Max?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week\u2019s edition will be truncated with the holiday and incredibly frontloaded schedule. Five of the top nine (and eight of the top 15) ranked quarterbacks in expert consensus<\/a> will have already played before Sunday. Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, Ja\u2019Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Rashee Rice, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are among other stars who will be missing this weekend. Moreover, the three matchups with the highest totals and the fastest paces all play Thursday. In other words, we may be in for a low-scoring Sunday.<\/p>\n

The 3 Thanksgiving games are the 3 fastest-paced games of the week \ud83d\ude80<\/p>\n

(The Sunday slate is gonna be \ud83d\udca4) pic.twitter.com\/2bNyzSnkT4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jared Smola (@SmolaDS) November 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are the biggest questions entering Week 13. Happy Thanksgiving!<\/p>\n

How legit is Michael Wilson? <\/p>\n

Marvin Harrison was surprisingly back at practice Wednesday<\/a>, two weeks removed from surgery for appendicitis. Just days ago, Jonathan Gannon refused to provide a timeline while ominously saying Harrison wouldn\u2019t return until he was \u201cphysically and mentally healthy<\/a>.\u201d Nevertheless, Harrison appears set to return this week, which clouds Wilson\u2019s breakout.<\/p>\n

Wilson has been fantasy\u2019s WR3 despite not scoring a touchdown over the past two weeks. In that time, he leads the league in targets (33), receptions (25), receiving yards (303) and air yards (393), including a 38.6% first-read target share<\/a>\u00a0and a strong 3.19 yards per route run. Wilson had seven receptions at halftime last week, which matched Harrison\u2019s career high in any game.<\/p>\n

Jacoby Brissett has been a major upgrade for Arizona\u2019s pass catchers, but Wilson has earned a much bigger role<\/a> in the Cardinals\u2019 offense even with Harrison back. Wilson would\u2019ve been a borderline WR1 this week in a highly favorable matchup, but the situation becomes far cloudier with Harrison\u2019s return. Still, there\u2019s a real chance Wilson is Arizona\u2019s most valuable fantasy WR the rest of the season, and Brissett is providing the most catchable air yards per game.<\/p>\n

Is Kenneth Walker finally emerging? <\/p>\n

Walker finished with the highest snap share (67%) by any Seattle running back this season after Mike Macdonald promised more work before last week\u2019s game. Fantasy managers remained frustrated watching Zach Charbonnet steal another short score, but it was his only carry inside the 10. Charbonnet finished with a season-low six touches, while Walker was given 14 in a game Seattle only ran 47 plays. Walker totaled three carries inside the 5-yard line over the first seven games, but he\u2019s accrued five over four games since the Seahawks\u2019 bye. K9 saw 75% of the snaps<\/a> inside the 10 last week.<\/p>\n

Walker has been far more efficient and productive than Charbonnet this year, and he\u2019s also seeing increased work as a receiver (seven targets over the past two weeks). Walker will benefit from opposing defenses focusing on stopping Seattle\u2019s dangerous passing attack, and he\u2019s finally emerging as the team\u2019s lead back.<\/p>\n

What does Tampa Bay\u2019s backfield look like?<\/p>\n

Bucky Irving is practicing fully and expected to make his long-awaited return Sunday, but having not played since Week 4, his usage will be limited. OC Josh Grizzard compared Irving\u2019s potential workload<\/a> to how Tampa Bay handled Chis Godwin\u2019s return last week, when the WR played just 25 of 70 offensive snaps. Sean Tucker had overtaken Rachaad White as the Buccaneers\u2019 lead ballcarrier, so we may see a three-way split this week. Complicating matters is Baker Mayfield\u2019s uncertain availability, as Tampa Bay\u2019s offense would see a downgrade should Teddy Bridgewater start.<\/p>\n

Irving projects as a low-end RB2 given the likely committee this week, while Tucker can be used as an RB3 in a favorable matchup. The Buccaneers have the league\u2019s third-easiest projected schedule<\/a> for running backs the rest of the season, so a healthy Irving can be a fantasy RB1 down the stretch.<\/p>\n

Is Cam Ward figuring it out?\u00a0 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a rough rookie season for Ward, but he\u2019s coming off the best game of his career in a tough matchup against Seattle, leading Tennessee in rushing and finishing as fantasy\u2019s QB4 last week. Ward remains off the fantasy radar outside of being a sneaky DFS play this week<\/a>, but managers should keep note of the No. 1 overall pick\u2019s progress<\/a>. Ward has shown major improvement<\/a> since Brian Callahan was fired, and he\u2019s suddenly starting to run. Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm have become intriguing dynasty stashes, and Ward could be a 2026 fantasy sleeper, especially if he continues to scramble. Ward has faced the league\u2019s most difficult schedule<\/a> for fantasy quarterbacks this season, but he\u2019s a sleeper this week against Jacksonville, the NFL\u2019s most extreme pass-funnel defense.<\/p>\n

How much will Devin Neal help fantasy managers? <\/p>\n

Neal was a popular waiver wire add after Alvin Kamara suffered a sprained MCL last week. The rookie is set to act as New Orleans\u2019 lead back, but he may be splitting work with Taysom Hill on a bad offense. Hill saw eight of New Orleans\u2019\u00a014 designed RB carries<\/a> after Kamara left last week, and the converted tight end has five rush attempts inside the 10-yard line over the past two games. Neal is the RB29<\/a> in ECR this week, so he\u2019ll rightfully be started as a flex in most leagues given his projected workload<\/a>. However, the Dolphins were dramatically improved<\/a> against the run before Miami\u2019s bye, and Neal\u2019s fantasy upside will be limited if Hill retains the Saints\u2019 goal-line role.<\/p>\n

Who starts at quarterback for Minnesota?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a new JJ McCarthy is the worst quarterback in the last 25 years stat out that\u2019s supposed to be nuts pic.twitter.com\/Vo3iKIVlIi<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Brandon Beck (@BrandonBeck4) November 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Max Brosmer took first-team reps in Wednesday\u2019s practice while J.J. McCarthy was held to individual drills as he works through concussion protocol. McCarthy ranks\u00a0851 out of 852<\/a> in EPA per dropback since 2000, with only JaMarcus Russell worse. He\u2019s been an utter disaster in a system that produced the sixth-most QB fantasy points over Kevin O\u2019Connell\u2019s previous three seasons in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Brosmer is an undrafted wild card<\/a>, but any unknown feels like an upgrade to the suffering fantasy managers of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Brosmer had reportedly performed well enough in practice<\/a> for the Minnesota coaches to consider giving him action even before McCarthy\u2019s injury (or \u201csoft benching\u201d \u2014 whichever you prefer). Expect to see batted passes<\/a>, but fewer sacks and hero throws<\/a> and more overall production, should Brosmer start. He\u2019s worth adding in all SuperFlex leagues given his surroundings.<\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s anemic 14.5-point implied team total is one of the lowest of the NFL season, as Brosmer would get a tough first start in Seattle. But the Vikings have the league\u2019s easiest projected schedule for quarterbacks the rest of the season, and fantasy managers of Jefferson and Addison will take any alternative at this point.<\/p>\n