Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire
By Brandon Lane
QUARTERBACK
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 6%
IT’S TAYSOM TIME! While it took a while to get here, likely due to a variety of injuries (head/neck & foot) it looks like the Saints will finally give Hill a shot at the starting Quarterback gig. Hill has proven to have QB1 upside in his four starts last season. He averaged over 21 PPG and QB13 or better in all of those games. In those previous starts he averaged 52 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown per game. In the Thursday night game the Saints take on a Dallas defense that has given up the 10th most fantasy points to Quarterbacks this season. (A late report surfaced that Hill needs to test his foot tomorrow before the Saints annouce their starting QB.)
Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team
Roster Percentage: 35%
With a healthy Antonio Gibson we have seen the WFT rely heavily on the run game. But Taylor Heinicke has continued to be a serviceable QB2 or Bye week fill in. On Monday night he completed 27-of-35 passes for 235 yards, one touchdown and what appeared to be a second TD that was overturned. WFT heads the Las Vegas to take on the Raiders this week.
Others to Consider:
Mac Jones (38% @ BUF) Jimmy Garoppolo (33% @ SEA)
RUNNING BACK
If available:
Alexander Mattison (52%)
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions
Roster Percentage: 41%
In the Week 12 Thanksgiving match-up vs the Bears D’Andre Swift was ruled out with a shoulder injury. Williams took over as the lead back seeing 79% of the rush share and 20% of the target share resulting in 15 attempts for 65 yards and five receptions for 18 additional yards. Although Swift has yet to be ruled out for the Lions Week 13 match-up vs the Vikings it seems likely Williams will get the start this week making him a solid RB2 play.
Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles
Roster Percentage: 20%
In Week 12 Scott lead the Eagles with a 62% rushing share although this was without Jordan Howard (out) and Miles Sanders who hurt his ankle in the second quarter. Scott rushed 15 times for 64 yards and a touchdown while adding eight more yards through the air. Monitor the Eagles injury report to see the status of both Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard. If they are both out Scott should see a heavy workload when the Eagles take on the Jets.
Chuba Hubbard/Ameer Abdullah, Carolina Panthers
Roster Percentage: 46%
Christian McCaffrey suffered an ankle injury landing him on IR and is out for the year. When McCaffrey was out previously it was Hubbard who saw 82% of the running back rush share and 10% of the target share, although when Ameer Abdullah was signed he became the pass catching back. Since Week 8 Abdullah has seen double digit targets in four straight weeks (14%) and in those games Abdullah out-snapped Hubbard. I would go ahead and make Hubbard the priority here although you shouldn’t be surprise if we see a timeshare with these two backs and also see newly signed QB Cam Newton stealing those goal-line carries. Neither back will help you this week as the Panthers have a Bye and then have some rough match-ups coming up in Weeks 15 thru 17 with Buffalo, Tampa Bay and New Orleans.
Matt Breida, Buffalo Bills
Roster Percentage: 23%
Prior to Week 12 there were rumblings that Matt Breida would see a larger workload moving forward and at game-time it was announced that Zack Moss would be a healthy scratch. Breida went on to lead the Bills backfield with nine carries for 26 yards along with two catches for 29 yards and a touchdown. Although the Bills don’t rely heavily on the run game Breida should be considered an add in most leagues. The Bills take on the Patriots in Week 13.
D’Onta Foreman/Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans
Roster Percentage: 46%/29%
After Adrian Peterson was waved we saw the emergence of both D’Onta Foreman & Dontrell Hilliard. Foreman rushed 19 times for 109 yards and Hilliard rushed 12 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. The Titans are going with a run heavy game script and both backs are worth an add. Foreman will likely see a larger workload when the game is in hand, while Hilliard should see more work in a negative game-script. The Titans are on Bye this week but return to a great match-up against the Jaguars in Week 14.
Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans
Roster Percentage: 7%
After rushing 18 times in Week 11 Burkhead continued to see volume in Week 12 rushing 12 times for 27 yards and catching all three of his targets for 27 additional yards. Burkhead lead the team with a 61% snap share over fellow veteran David Johnson who seemed to be struggling with minor injuries along the way. It’s not the sexiest pick and the upside is limited, but if you are in need of a low-end Flex-play you could do worse than Burkhead.
Others to Consider:
Ty Johnson (39%) Sony Michel (28%) Tevin Coleman (19%) Phillip Lindsay (12%) DeeJay Dallas (10%) Samaje Perine (5%) Tony Jones Jr. (4%) Kene Nwangwu (0%) Jermar Jefferson (0%)
WIDE RECEIVER
If available: Darnell Mooney (76%)
Van Jefferson Jr., Los Angeles Rams
Roster Percentage: 49%
I am surprised to see Jefferson still rostered in under 50% of leagues but he squeaks in once again to make our list. He caught 3-of-9 targets for 93 yards. It wasn’t a flawless performance but there is weekly upside with the Rams offense. And while we are on the subject of upside, the Rams take on a Jaguars defense which has lead to a LOT of fantasy goodness this season.
Cedrick Wilson, Dallas Cowboys
Roster Percentage: 23%
It looks doubtful that Amari Cooper will return for Thursdays match-up in New Orleans. This gives Wilson another week of relevance. In Week 12 Wilson caught 7-of-10 targets for 104 yards. If you need a fill-in this week look no further than Wilson when the Cowboys take on the Saints who have given up the 5th most fantasy points to Wide Receivers this season.
Tre’Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 5%
I mentioned stashing Smith on your bench last week as he was facing the Bills defense in Week 12. As one might expect against the number one defense he did little, catching 4-of-5 targets for 31 yards. The Saints now turn to Taysom Hill at Quarterback which should further unlock the upside of Smith moving forward. The Saints play this Thursday and take on a Dallas team that has given up the 8th most fantasy points to Wide Receivers this season.
Others to Consider:
Kadarius Toney (47%) DeVante Parker (30%) Sterling Shepard (29%) Russell Gage (17%) Kendrick Bourne (24%)
TIGHT END
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Roster Percentage: 24%
Routinely on this list the past few weeks Kmet came back alive catching 8-of-11 targets for 65 yards. The Bears have struggled to find play-makers and last week Kmet was game-scripted into relevance once again. The talented second year Tight End is worth rostering in most leagues although temper your expectations this week when the Bears take on the Cardinals that have given up the second fewest points to fantasy TEs this season.
Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks
Roster Percentage: 27%
Seattle came out prior to Week 12 saying they need to get the ball to Gerald Everett and they did just that. He caught five of his 9 targets for 37 yards and a touchdown. Everett has now seen 31 targets over the past 3 weeks. If you are struggling at TE it looks like Everett is back on the roster list.
Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders
Roster Percentage: 30%
Darren Waller strained his IT band and is considered week-to-week. Cue Foster Moreau who put up a 6–60–1 line the last time he filled in for Waller. Moreau can be considered a solid streamer this week when the Raiders take on Washington in Week 13.
Others to Consider:
Tyler Conklin (33%) Jack Doyle (1%) James O’Shaughnessy (0%) Nick Vannett (0%)
DEFENSE
Minnesota @ DET
Kansas City @ DEN
Miami @ NYG
Washington vs LV
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