Week 13 is shaping up to be a showcase for up-and-coming superstars, as emerging talents across the league look ready to shake up the fantasy landscape. With playoff races tightening and veterans battling injuries, these rising players are poised to seize bigger roles and deliver season-defining performances. From potential breakout volume spikes to young playmakers on the verge of national attention, Week 13 could be the moment they fully arrive. Here are your Week 13 Fantasy Headlines.
GP3
George Pickens is having a very strong 2025 season from a fantasy perspective. Through Week 12, he’s racked up about 58 catches on 83 targets for 908 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 90.8 yards per game. That’s a solid target share (around 22.4% of his team’s pass attempts) and a high yards-per-target rate — roughly 10.9 yards per target, which ranks among the better marks in the league. Fantasy analysts note that he’s been especially efficient, with 2.56 yards per route run and a deep-threat profile (he leads his team in deep targets).
In Week 12, Pickens faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles — a tougher matchup given Philly’s pass defense — but leading into the game his projections still looked favorable. Projected him for about 11.2 PPR fantasy points, based on ~66.6 receiving yards and a decent chance at a touchdown. While he had struggled earlier against the Eagles (in Week 1 he managed only 3 catches for 30 yards), his season-long target volume and role provided him a real shot to break out this time.
From a fantasy outlook standpoint, Pickens is looking like one of the more reliable and high-upside wide receivers ROS (rest of season). He’s carved out a strong role in the Cowboys’ offense, commands a large share of targets, and isn’t just a deep threat — he’s producing consistently. Analysts (like FantasyPros) point out that, despite some volatility from his past, his current usage (including red-zone looks) supports him being a WR1/WR2 option in many formats.
If you roster Pickens, you’re riding a very fantasy-productive player who has already delivered solid volume, and barring injury or a major scheme change, he’s positioned to continue being a major contributor the rest of the season.
Jahmyr Gibbs is LOOSE
Jahmyr Gibbs has been a dynamic force for the Detroit Lions in 2025, combining his rushing explosiveness with receiving ability to create a high-floor, high-upside fantasy profile. Through his first 10 games of the season, Gibbs has carried the ball 140 times for 732 rushing yards (about 5.2 yards per carry), and he’s found the end zone 8 times rushing. On the receiving side, he’s hauled in 37 receptions on 43 targets for 334 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns, averaging around 9.0 yards per catch. These numbers speak to his dual-threat nature — not just a workhorse back, but also a weapon in the passing game.
One of his season’s biggest highlights came in Week 7 (versus Tampa Bay), when Gibbs exploded for a career-best 218 total yards and 2 touchdowns. He rushed 17 times for 136 yards, including a long, game-breaking 78-yard touchdown run, and added 82 receiving yards on three catches. That game served as a reminder of the kind of game-changing plays he’s capable of, and showed just how dangerous he is when given a high workload.
His Week 12 performance was perhaps even more impressive from a fantasy standpoint. Gibbs carried the ball 15 times for 219 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, and added 11 receptions for 45 more yards and another score. He became just the second player in NFL history to rush for over 200 yards and catch at least 10 passes in a single game, joining the legendary LaDainian Tomlinson. That kind of stat line is fantasy gold — elite yardage, multi-touchdown production, and true three-down utility.
From a fantasy outlook, Gibbs remains one of the most valuable running backs in the league. According to PFF, he’s not just efficient — he’s among the best in yards per attempt and consistently produces positive value when he touches the ball. His role in Detroit’s offense continues to grow, and despite sharing backfield duties with David Montgomery, most projections expect Gibbs to remain the lead back. Fantasy analysts see his floor as exceptionally safe (because of his involvement both on the ground and through the air), while his ceiling remains that of a true RB1 — especially in leagues that reward total touches or PPR formats.
Gibbs’s 2025 season is shaping up to be a fantasy manager’s dream. He’s producing consistently, making big plays, and serving as a cornerstone of Detroit’s offense. Barring injury or a major change in how the Lions manage their backfield, he’s set up to be one of the most reliable and explosive running backs the rest of the way.
AJ’s Day
A.J. Brown’s 2025 season has been noticeably quieter than what fantasy managers have come to expect from one of the league’s most dominant wide receivers. Through Week 12, Brown has totaled 46 receptions for 567 yards and 4 touchdowns, a stat line that reflects a clear dip in efficiency and usage compared to his previous seasons. Averaging just over 12 yards per catch, he has struggled to produce the explosive, game-breaking plays that once defined his role in Philadelphia’s offense. A major factor in this decline has been a reduced target share — Brown is seeing roughly 6–7 targets per game, well below the volume he commanded in past years. Reports have noted a drop in first-read opportunities, and Brown has been vocal about his frustration, publicly saying his 2025 season feels like a “s–t show,” signaling real tension surrounding how the offense has deployed him.
Week 12, however, served as a reminder of what Brown can still be when given meaningful involvement. In a highly competitive matchup against the Cowboys, he delivered one of his best outings of the year, catching 8 of 10 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown. It was a vintage A.J. Brown performance — physical, explosive, and central to the offense — and it offered fantasy managers a glimpse of the elite production he’s still capable of when the game plan leans his way. The double-digit targets were especially encouraging, suggesting that Philadelphia may be re-emphasizing Brown’s role after weeks of inconsistent usage.
Looking ahead to the rest of the fantasy season, Brown remains one of the toughest players to evaluate. His upside is undeniable; when he’s fed targets, he can single-handedly swing matchups and perform like a true WR1. But the floor is shakier than ever due to inconsistent involvement and the visible frustration surrounding his role. Fantasy managers should view him as a boom-or-bust, high-ceiling WR2, capable of erupting in any given week but still carrying risk if the Eagles shift away from him again. If Week 12 was a sign of changing trends, Brown could be gearing up for a strong finish. If not, volatility will continue to define his season.
JSN Season
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a bona fide superstar for the Seahawks in 2025, turning in one of the most efficient and dominant receiving seasons in recent memory. Despite Seattle’s relatively conservative pass rate, JSN leads the league in receiving yards — a remarkable feat given the offense’s pace. According to ESPN, he has posted 72 catches for 1,146 yards and 5 touchdowns so far this season. His average of 15.9 yards per reception underscores his big-play ability and his knack for turning short looks into explosive gains. Moreover, his efficiency is off the charts: according to Next Gen Stats, he’s averaging 4.6 yards per route run, which is among the best in the NFL.
In Week 12, JSN put together his most memorable performance yet. He hauled in 8 catches for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 63-yard bomb to open the game. That performance didn’t just help the Seahawks get a key win — he also broke DK Metcalf’s single-season receiving yards record, setting a new franchise high in only his 11th game. For perspective, JSN became the first player in Seahawks history to open a season with 11 straight games of 75+ receiving yards.
From a fantasy standpoint, JSN’s value this season has been sky-high. Bleacher Nation projected him to be a weekly starter in most formats, noting his 14.6 PPR points per game average (leading all receivers at the time of publication). He’s become Seattle’s clear WR1, commanding a huge portion of Sam Darnold’s targets and making the most of every opportunity — especially downfield, where his explosiveness gives him massive upside.
Looking ahead, JSN’s outlook couldn’t be brighter. He’s locked into a top-tier role in an offense that clearly leans on him, and his efficiency suggests this isn’t a fluke — he’s producing at elite levels while doing more with less. His pace even puts him in the conversation for historic production: Seahawks sources note he’s on track to challenge Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving record. Unless something dramatic shifts, JSN projects to remain a fantasy WR1 for the rest of the season, with the ceiling to finish among the very best at his position.
As Week 13 approaches, all eyes turn to the up-and-coming superstars who could swing fantasy matchups and redefine the playoff picture. Whether they deliver breakout performances or simply tease what’s to come, their impact will be felt across every league. With championships looming and every point mattering more than ever, managers will be watching closely to see which rising talents take the next step—and which storylines carry us into the crucial weeks ahead.
