Fantasy Football Week 13 Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Joe Burrow vs Dak Prescott
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We must all be very excited for some Thanksgiving football. This has to be one of the better slates that we have had over the years. The Packers vs Lions, Chiefs vs Cowboys, and Bengals vs Ravens are three very intriguing matchups. They also add some high-level quarterbacking. Today, we will evaluate a Start 'Em, Sit 'Em of Joe Burrow vs Dak Prescott. Let's dive into some numbers.
The Case for Joe Burrow
Fantasy Sports On SI Week 13 Ranking: QB8
This certainly may carry some risk as it will be Burrow's first game played since Week 2. However, we can still consider some numbers.
As a team, the Bengals have fielded three Quarterbacks this season. In aggregate, they are averaging 222 Passing Yards per Game. The team is averaging 22.5 Points per Game.
The Bengals will be without Tee Higgins on Thursday Night, but they do add back Ja'Marr Chase from suspension. In 10 Games Played without Higgins, Burrow does average 262 Yards per Game. I would suggest that he may perform just fine without his star WR2.
The risk at hand will be with the injury of Burrow. Will he be fully healthy? According to Deepak Chona, a respected medical analyst, Burrow should be back to pre-injury form. This bodes well for the offense.
#NFL Injury Updates #Bengals Joe Burrow - Turf toe. All signs point to playing this week. He logged real full practice sessions last week. Project near pre-injury form. #Commanders Jayden Daniels - Elbow dislocation. Week 13 seems less than likely. Most players can return…
— Deepak Chona, MD. SMA (@SportMDAnalysis) November 26, 2025
The Ravens are 24th in Passing Yards Allowed. They are right in the middle of NFL teams regarding Defense versus Quarterbacks. The Ravens are a tad worse versus Wide Receivers, marking 23rd in the NFL. We can expect a moderately beneficial matchup for Burrow.
The Case for Dak Prescott
Fantasy Sports On SI Week 13 Ranking: QB9
Two players are vying for the Comeback Player of the Year Award — Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott. Both are very deserving of it.
Prescott has played all 11 Games for the Cowboys. He is averaging 250 Yards per Game on top of 23 Touchdowns and 7 Interceptions. Prescott is the QB6, outperforming his ADP of QB11.
Dak Prescott remains SUPER underrated this season:
— Kalshi Sports (@KalshiSports) November 20, 2025
• #1 in NFL in QBR
• #2 in NFL in Passing TD
• #2 in NFL in EPA
• #4 in NFL in Completion %
• #5 in NFL in Passing Yards
If the Cowboys had a decent defense, Dak would be a real MVP contender. https://t.co/NzDJkC4C4D pic.twitter.com/IZ6W40Elzr
On Thanksgiving, Prescott is playing host to the Chiefs. They are 2nd in the NFL in Passing Yards Allowed per Game. The Chiefs are also 9th versus Quarterbacks, 4th versus Wide Receivers, and 9th versus Tight Ends. By all accounts, Prescott will have a very tough matchup.
Where the Cowboys may save face is in their pass-protection. The Chiefs are only 22nd in Sacks per Game while the Cowboys are 5th in Sacks Allowed per Game. I consider this a moderately difficult matchup for Prescott.
Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Joe Burrow vs Dak Prescott
Burrow is a player with high upside, but also high risk. He would expect that he can play well, but he has lacked any reps since mid-September. This would scare me a bit. If the Ravens can double-team Chase, they can shutdown this offense.
As for Prescott, the matchup is difficult, but his playmakers offer optimism. I would trust Lamb and Pickens to get their own, even against a tough coverage.
I would rather trust a top-tier Quarterback to get the job done as he has proven all year long. Prescott is also quite likely to enter a beneficial pass script as they are very unlikely to get up in this game.
Start Dak Prescott for proven ability with elite playmakers.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.