In Metal Gear Solid 2, a clearly malfunctioning AI Colonel (wow, the game really was ahead of its time) at some point tells you “Actually, I am in really bad shape financially, I pay money to my ex-wife as part of our divorce settlement, among other bills ... I just had no choice but to make you pay for lunch the other day. I’m really sorry.” The tone on his “sorry” is slightly disturbed, a little overstressed, and makes you feel that the intent is not actually there behind the word.
That’s how I feel about our Week 13 FLEX Finder results. I am (AI Colonel voice) sorry that John Metchie couldn’t corral an easy touchdown catch. And that Lamar Jackson is malfunctioning worse than said Colonel AI and Mark Andrews didn’t get there on account of it. And that Devin Neal couldn’t dominate volume entirely and didn’t score. I’m legitimately sorry that Isiah Pacheco didn’t get more work — that’s an actual misread of the situation by me, at least — but he did still almost get there. Let’s continue on to Week 14, we’re almost free.
As always, the column rules:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — you’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS Slate — I just figured this was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
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▶ Running Backs
Bhayshul Tuten, JAX — $4,800
After taking a step back in Week 12, Tuten returned with a vengeance in Week 13. And what I really mean by that is that he scored a touchdown. But with how poor Travis Etienne Jr. has played this year in short-yardage situations, I sort of feel like that is an area that we should expect Tuten to dominate. He played more than Etienne only in the sense that he got second-half snaps, but his burgeoning goal-line role makes him interesting.
Also interesting? The Texans have scored four rushing touchdowns this year. The Colts allowed two of them last week. DeForest Buckner is missed.
Chris Rodriguez Jr., WAS — $4,700
Is it a bit unsatisfying that we don’t have a real winner in the Rodriguez/"Bill” early-down war for the Commanders? I think it is. Both backs have their pluses, with “Bill” being a shiftier back and Rodriguez providing more power, as we saw on Sunday Night when he bowled right over a Broncos defensive back for Washington’s first touchdown of the game.
I know that the Vikings have been installed as favorites in this game, and that’s great. I watched J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer play the last two weeks. I think there’s a good chance Washington is salting away a lead at some point here. And even if not, Rodriguez has good goal-line equity.
Blake Corum, LAR — $4,500
Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano confirmed on Wednesday that the Corum-Kyren Williams split is expected to keep up. Corum is not a great touchdown bet, despite scoring last week, because the Rams pass so much to their real goal-line back, Davante Adams. But he is a respectable volume play against a Cardinals defense that has been more scrappy than great, and heads into this game as a 7.5-point home underdog.
And in any given game, as shown when Williams suddenly injured his ankle against the Panthers, Corum could suddenly be summoned into workhorse status.
Samaje Perine, CIN — $4,200
Normally when I read these DraftKings DFS lines Wednesday morning, I come to a place of begrudging respect as I look at players who are priced above the column. I try to get in the mindset where I understand the entire situation.
But I didn’t understand the Perine $4,000 price last week, and I don’t understand $4,200 this week either. The Bills have had a terrible running defense all year. Perine immediately returned from an ankle injury to 40 percent of the workload and had a 14/39 rushing line. Now I get to play him into a game with a 52.5 over/under? And the Bengals have a major rest advantage? OK. I mean, maybe it’s just a lack of touchdown equity, but I will pocket this price happily.
▶ Wide receivers
Jayden Higgins, HOU — $4,300
He’s now appeared in three of the last four FLEX finder columns. Higgins has been targeted 28 times over the last four weeks, producing 18/200/2 with a 64.3 percent catch rate. The Chiefs are, notably, a pass funnel as they have the 10th-best run defense and the the 20th-best pass defense per DVOA’s metrics.
And having just done a deep dive on how terrible the Texans are at running the ball in the red zone — this is a team that tried to tush push Cade Stover to a first down twice on Sunday — I think there’s plenty of touchdown equity with Higgins.
Jerry Jeudy, CLE — $4,200
If I may level with you — this is a really bad week to be needing a wide receiver on the FLEX line. Jeudy has a lot of buzz this week — forgot to figure out why, I’m sure someone will let me know online somewhere — but he also has a matchup against the Titans cornerbacks. Let me refresh your memory on what the Titans have right now:
Does this look like a good secondary? They’re washing up Kaiir Elam off the shore here. I don’t exactly love relying on Shedeur Sanders, and yet with four teams on bye for the final time this season, here I am thinking that Sanders could have his best game of the season against this defense.
Luther Burden, CHI — $3,800
What if I told you that Burden led all Bears wideouts in targets and yards last week? What’s that? I’m being subpoenaed? Didn’t even know you could do that to me through a column, fascinating.
And you’re firing him up against the Packers? Potentially one of the best pass rushes in the NFL? Well, I am. I think the Bears might have to throw a bit more this week. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect two running backs to go over 125 yards again. And once those smoke and mirrors fade a bit, I think Burden might do enough with his touches to be a fantasy-interesting play this week. Especially at a bargain price.
Devaughn Vele, NO — $3,700
In the last two games, Vele has gone for 3/37/0 and 8/93/1 on 15 targets. The Buccaneers are surely going to blitz Tyler Shough to smithereens, and after some of the hits I watched Shough take against the Dolphins, it seems like he might welcome that in the same way Jaxson Dart does.
But the Saints absolutely cannot run the ball with a cast of Devin Neal, Audric Estime, and — somehow — Evan Hull against a defense that employs Vita Vea. They managed 48 rushing yards against the Bucs in Week 8. They managed 64 against the Bucs last Week 18. They managed 81 in 2024’s Week 6. You have to go back to 2023 to find a 100-yard Saints running game on Tampa, and even that was just barely there at 108 combined yards. So, clearly, they have to throw, right? And someone has to catch some balls here, yeah? Yeah, that’s what we’re doing.
Pat Bryant, DEN — $3,400
Bryant had already been making a move up the snap counts rankings by vanquishing Marvin Mims to gadget status, but he’s now actually starting to find targets — 13 in his last two games, for 5/82/0 and 3/42/0. He played a season-high 70 percent of the snaps in Week 13.
The Raiders are a lost cause of an NFL team right now, starting career special teamers like Kyu Blu Kelly and Lonnie Johnson in their secondary. Bo Nix somehow was duped by them in Week 10’s Thursday night matchup, but I have to think that the Broncos will find some ways to fix that in Week 14.
▶ Tight ends
Brenton Strange, JAX — $3,900
Since coming off injured reserve, Strange has 5/93/0 and 3/45/1 games. The Colts, on paper, figure to score some points against the jaguars, which should put some more pressure on the passing attack to continue. The Colts — while they aren’t quite the Bengals — have quietly allowed the second-highest boost to opposing fantasy tight ends this year at 5.5 percent per Establish The Run’s DVP calculator.
I’m not going to wax poetic about starting Brenton Strange, but with a 47.5 over/under you’ve got to figure some points are coming and Strange is as in line as any Jags receiver to get fed here.
Harold Fannin Jr., CLE — $3,700
That’s right, I recommended multiple Shedeur Sanders targets. Fannin has actually vanquished David Njoku in to a smaller role as the season winds down, and he’s averaging 6.2 targets a game and 43 yards over his last five starts. Low-end TE1 volume could be here regardless of the fact that the Titans defense is manned by veterans seeing out the season. Add that in and we could have some touchdown equity.
May the FLEX be forever in your favor.
