FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast: Week 13 QB & TE Rankings — Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1869)
Date: November 27, 2025
Hosts: Chris Welsh, Pat Fitzmaurice, Andrew Erickson

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Week 13 quarterback and tight end rankings for fantasy football, spotlighting the main options, best streamers, and risky fades. Chris, Pat, and Andrew grade positional depth, debate essential starts, highlight hidden gems, and offer critical matchup-based insights. The friendly banter keeps things lively as they analyze lineup decisions that could shape fantasy playoff destinies.

Quarterbacks: Grading the Depth and Top 12 (03:26–16:02)

Positional Comfort Check (01:23–02:25)

• Pat’s Grades:
  • QB: C+ (“Top options look pretty solid but I get real uncomfortable outside the top 14 or so.” — Pat, 01:24)
  • TE: B (“Some decent streaming options and two or three high-end guys.” — Pat, 01:45)
• Andrew’s Perspective:
  • Excited for Taysom Hill's continued TE eligibility and unpredictability.

Week 13 Top 12 QB Rankings (03:29)

• 1. Patrick Mahomes
• 2. Josh Allen
• 3. Lamar Jackson
• 4. Jalen Hurts
• 5. Drake Maye
• 6. Matthew Stafford
• 7. Joe Burrow
• 8. Justin Herbert
• 9. Dak Prescott
• 10. Jacoby Brissett
• 11. Bo Nix
• 12. Jared Goff
• Hosts note: Matthew Stafford is surging but sits at #6 due to gameflow risk — “He just throws three touchdowns in the first 18 minutes…and then they just run the ball.” — Chris, 03:59

Streamer Spotlight: Jacoby Brissett (05:08–07:11)

• High on stream appeal due to massive passing volume.
  • “In his last three games he has thrown a ton of passes. 44, 57, and 49 pass attempts…” — Pat, 05:34
  • Facing tough Tampa Bay run defense; Arizona likely to throw.
• Both Pat and Andrew prefer Bo Nix slightly over Brissett for Week 13.

Dak Prescott vs. Bo Nix (07:11–08:04)

• Pat: Favors Dak for weapons and projected shootout versus KC (“Dak is ten times the quarterback Bo Nix is.” — Pat, 07:48)
• Andrew: Playfully pushes back, recalling past debate when Dak flopped vs. Denver.

Quarterback Fade: Brock Purdy (08:04–11:14)

• Both hosts urge managers to “avoid Brock Purdy this week” (Andrew, 09:03).
  • Terrible form (“…looked like a remake, a rerun of Jimmy Garoppolo.” — Chris, 08:19)
  • Bad matchup (@ Cleveland in November, Miles Garrett looming)
  • “This is an awful, awful matchup…” — Andrew, 09:03
• Pat drops Purdy even further in live rankings due to weather and performance concerns.

Additional QB Insights (11:43–13:47)

• Brief mention of Jordan Love: “A little bit overranked for how the Packers want to play…” — Pat, 11:23
• Kirk Cousins: Not a starting option due to low passing volume.
• Sam Darnold: Fitzy positions Darnold just ahead of Purdy/Love, but concerns about game script (Vikings may not push Seahawks, potentially limiting Darnold's stats):
  • “My fear is that we get like 22 pass attempts for Sam Darnold in a game that the Seahawks win by three touchdowns.” — Pat, 12:46

Sam Darnold — High Upside Pick? (14:56–16:02)

• Andrew’s view: Darnold a sneaky QB1 streamer vs. his old team.
  • “Let's go down narrative street. Sam Darnold facing his old team, the Minnesota Vikings… let's get JSN three touchdowns and 200 receiving yards…” — Andrew, 15:04
• Chris: Playfully jumps on board: “Alexa, turn right at narrative street… let’s go, baby.” — Chris, 16:02

Tight Ends: Rankings & Streamers (16:02–24:00)

Top 12 TE Rankings (16:02–16:56)

1. Trey McBride
2. George Kittle
3. Brock Bowers
4. Travis Kelce
5. Tyler Warren
6. Mark Andrews
7. Ronny Gadsden
8. Jake Ferguson
9. Hunter Henry
10. Dallas Goedert
11. Kyle Pitts
12. Juwan Johnson

• Mark Andrews debated (see below)

Debate: Mark Andrews In/Out of Top 6? (16:56–18:37)

• Pat: Locks Andrews into TE6 due to Bengals matchup
  • “Everyone just rocks the Bengals… every tight end eats against Cincinnati.” — Pat, 16:57
• Andrew: Predicts multi-TD explosion
  • “He might catch three touchdowns, to be honest. This is so obvious of a smash spot for Mark Andrews… I have him four.” — Andrew, 17:28

Matchup Matters: Hunter Henry & Others (18:57–19:58)

• Bengals’ defense is described as a “welcome mat” for TEs.
  • “Has there ever been a bigger welcome mat for tight ends than the Bengals this year? … It's skyline chili and Grater’s Ice Cream for everyone…” — Pat, 18:37
• Candidates like Hunter Henry with good matchups considered.

Depth Options: Brenton Strange (19:58–21:38)

• Streaming appeal after strong Week 12 (5/93).
  • “Brenton Strange is Trevor Lawrence’s safety net… It's a good matchup against the Tennessee Titans…” — Andrew, 20:23
• Both hosts peg Strange in TE1/streamer territory.

How Low Can You Go? Colston Loveland (22:14–24:00)

• Cooled enthusiasm for Loveland vs. Philly (“Philly is giving up the second fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends…” — Pat, 22:38)
• Viewed as a “floor play” — consistent receptions but limited upside in Week 13.
  • “He has three or more catches in six straight games… once he gets fully unlocked… that's a 2026 guy.” — Andrew, 23:13

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He’s a quarterback and tight end who’s actually a running back, sometimes a kick returner, occasional wide receiver, and also sometimes doesn’t do any of it. So he is the weirdest, weirdest player in the NFL.” — Chris, on Taysom Hill (02:20)
• “Every year, there’s the team that just can’t cover tight ends. Like last year it was the Panthers. But has there ever been a bigger welcome mat for tight ends than the Bengals this year?” — Pat, 18:37
• “If you’re going to throw the ball 50 times, it’s really hard not to be fantasy QB1—even if you don’t necessarily play the quarterback position in real life.” — Andrew, on Brissett, 06:34

Key Timestamps

• 01:23: Pat’s positional depth grades
• 03:26: Start of top 12 QB rankings
• 05:08: Jacoby Brissett streamer analysis
• 07:11: Dak Prescott vs. Bo Nix
• 08:04: Brock Purdy fade discussion
• 12:18: Sam Darnold ranking and narrative
• 16:02: Transition to TE rankings
• 16:56: Mark Andrews matchup debate
• 19:38: Streaming Brenton Strange
• 22:14: Colston Loveland analysis

FantasyPros’ Week 13 Wisdom

• QBs: Start your studs, but know where the cliff is. Streamers like Brissett and Darnold have high ceilings due to volume or narrative. Avoid Purdy in dicey matchups; don’t trust the floor.
• TEs: Mark Andrews is a smash—even if he’s underwhelmed, the matchup is elite. Brenton Strange is an under-the-radar play, while Loveland is a floor-safe, ceiling-capped choice for needy rosters.

For complete rankings updates and personalized advice, check out fantasypros.com and the FantasyPros app.