Free agents: Kyle Monangai, Bam Knight are essential pickups

The 13th Sunday of the NFL season was a relatively quiet one for fantasy purposes, with so many outstanding performances occurring in games earlier in the week, as Patrick Mahomes, A.J. Brown and a pair of Chicago Bears running backs starred. Still, on Sunday we were entertained by the Carolina Panthers upsetting the Los Angeles Rams and fantasy managers enjoyed standout outings by Bijan Robinson, Davante Adams and lesser-rostered wide receivers such as Adonai Mitchell and Devaughn Vele.

Welcome to December! With the fantasy playoffs beginning in Week 14 for many managers, an unfortunate wrinkle is added this season with fantasy's top option among those serving a far-too-late bye week. Yep, Christian McCaffrey is not playing in Week 14, through no fault of his own this time. Plus, we will miss the excellent quarterbacks from Monday's New York Giants-New England Patriots tilt along with the valuable Panthers running backs. Good luck with lineups!

Each Monday, before the current NFL weekend ends, we will identify players available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues worthy of your attention, from standard formats to deeper options. The NFL is a weekly league, and player valuation and roles seldom remain stagnant. It does not matter how you acquire players for your fantasy rosters, just that you acquire them!

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (50.2% rostered in ESPN leagues): Brissett continues to deliver top-10 fantasy efforts on a weekly basis, scoring 19.64 points in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brissett has made seven starts, and his worst performance featured 18.68 points. Sure, the Cardinals step up in class to face the Rams in Week 14, but Bryce Young scored 22.54 points to beat the Rams on Sunday. It sure looks as if we can trust Brissett in the fantasy playoffs.

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (33.9%): Lawrence scored 21.66 points in the easy win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, though facing the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14 should be tougher. The Colts permit 16.2 points per game to quarterbacks in fantasy, which nearly matches what Lawrence has averaged this season. While it's a different Colts defense than in past seasons, Lawrence has enjoyed much success versus the franchise, including last season, when he passed for 371 yards in a win.

Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts

Kyle Monangai, Bears (56%): The Bears embarrassed the Philadelphia Eagles with 281 rushing yards Friday, as the rookie Monangai and the veteran D'Andre Swift combined for 39.8 fantasy points. Monangai is the one available in myriad leagues. The Bears might not reproduce this rushing effort this week against the Green Bay Packers (or ever), but Monangai, with double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games, certainly deserves more attention.

Bam Knight, Cardinals (36.8%): We're done guessing about when Trey Benson (57.6%) will finally return from his knee injury. Benson, who last played in Week 4, has been eligible to return for a few weeks but remains a limited practice participant. Perhaps Knight, who scored 16.8 points in Sunday's loss and has scored double digits in three consecutive games, makes it four in a row against the Rams. Michael Carter (10%) is a reasonable deep-league flex if Benson sits, too.

Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts

Adonai Mitchell, Jets (2.7%): A week after we discussed relatively new Jet John Metchie III (10.1%), Mitchell (a former Colt) starred with 24.2 points, catching 102 yards worth of passes and scoring his first touchdown. Tyrod Taylor is a passing upgrade over Justin Fields at QB. Which Jets WR should you want? Well, Metchie is more of a short-yardage option, which caps upside. Go with Mitchell, the younger, faster deep threat averaging 14.0 yards per reception, against the Dolphins and beyond.

Christian Watson (52%) and Dontayvion Wicks (1%), Packers: Wicks was the Thanksgiving Day star with 28 points, his first game all season with double-digit points. Watson enjoyed 10 targets in that game. Perhaps all three Packers WRs, including Romeo Doubs (72%) are worth a look for a critical Week 14 game against the surprising Bears, but one will never know which receiver to play.

Alec Pierce, Colts (53.7%): Pierce scored 17.8 points in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans, but he continues to make his case as the top option for QB Daniel Jones, who is suddenly not so reliable. Michael Pittman Jr. caught only one pass Sunday, and he last surpassed 30 receiving yards in Week 9. Blame Jones if you desire, downgrade Pittman some, and get the undervalued Pierce into lineups for Week 14 against the Jaguars.

Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts

Brenton Strange, Jaguars (22%): Strange scored 13.5 points Sunday, including the first touchdown of his abbreviated, seven-game campaign. Strange faces a Colts defense in Week 14 that is among the leaders in permitting fantasy points to tight ends. This tight end is surging to TE1 territory.

Dalton Schultz, Texans (51.6%): Schultz scored 12.5 points Sunday, the sixth time in eight games he reached double digits -- and he hasn't been TD-dependent, since he has only one score this season. He is doing it with volume and receiving yards.

Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts