Fantasy Football Week 13: Late Waiver Wire Additions Who Will Score Big

Week 13 of the NFL season got an early start with three games on Thanksgiving. That forced fantasy owners to set their starting lineups earlier than normal, though there's still time to make some last-minute changes that will pay off big. 

This is a critical weekend for your team, as it's the last regular season matchup before the playoffs start in most fantasy leagues.

If you are still fighting for playoff positioning, this is your last chance to make a move. If you are on the outside looking in, there's no more time to waste searching for answers. 

Fortunately, you still have two things working to your advantage. First, the waiver wire never goes away, and there are plenty of points floating around. Second, here's some free advice to tell you which players specifically to target because of their value in Week 13. 

Here are the key names to keep an eye on who are still available in most fantasy leagues. 

Note: Owned percentages via ESPN.com leagues.

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

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Percentage owned: 49.5

Let's not sugarcoat the fact that Eli Manning is maddening to watch. He has had three games this season with fewer than 10 fantasy points, per ESPN scoring, and he is just as likely to throw three interceptions as he is four touchdowns. 

However, when you examine how Manning has fared in favorable matchups, he's been one of the best fantasy quarterbacks. Against Washington, Indianapolis and Dallas (twice), the Giants quarterback has thrown for 1,245 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. 

This week, Manning has a matchup with Jacksonville. If you haven't been paying attention, or just need a reminder, here's how the Jaguars defense has fared this season, via StatMilk:

Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports also wants to alleviate any concerns you may have about Manning this week based on two criteria:

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Jacksonville also has allowed six quarterbacks to throw multiple touchdowns, including two in the past three games, and six have scored at least 18 Fantasy points. My concern with Manning is the Jaguars did just hold Andrew Luck to 16 Fantasy points on the road, and Manning has three road games with 13 points or less. He has a tendency to melt down with seven interceptions in his past three games, and consistency is always an issue with him. But there's more positive than negative for Manning this week, especially with how well Odell Beckham is playing, and we anticipate another 20-point outing in this matchup. 

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If you went into Week 13 questioning whether to start, say, Colin Kaepernick, and you opted for someone on your bench or the waiver wire, grab Manning and don't look back. He's going to have one of those games that remind us why it's so hard to completely abandon him, even if it is against Jacksonville. 

Daniel Herron, RB, Indianapolis Colts

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Percentage owned: 38.7

If you need a flex player for one week, Daniel Herron has the most upside of any available running back. The Colts opened up the lead running back spot after Ahmad Bradshaw's season ended due to a broken leg against New England. 

While Trent Richardson seemed likely to get first crack at the gig, Herron wound up being the most impressive performer last week against Jacksonville. The second-year back had 65 yards on 12 carries. 

According to Mike Wells of ESPN.com, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano made Herron the starter in Week 12 because he was simply better than Richardson in practice:

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Colts coach Chuck Pagano actually started Daniel "Boom" Herron at running back against the Jacksonville Jaguars because he outperformed Richardson in practice last week. 

Pagano didn’t say who will start at running back against the Washington Redskins on Sunday, but if he goes off performance against the Jaguars, Herron will continue to start. 

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The Colts do have a more difficult matchup, at least when it comes to run defense, in Week 13. Washington allows the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game and allows the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. 

However, let's examine the entire spectrum of this game. Indianapolis is playing at home, where it averages 26.3 points per game. The Colts are going against a Washington team that is starting Colt McCoy at quarterback. 

While McCoy may be an upgrade over Robert Griffin III, that says more about how bad Griffin has been than it offers praise for McCoy. 

If this game turns into a blowout, as it easily could given the talents of Andrew Luck and the Colts offense, there are going to be a lot of garbage yards. Herron needs touches to grow as a running back if he's going to be the starter, so another game with 90-100 total yards seems reasonable. 

It also wouldn't be a surprise to see Herron find the end zone, though the Colts tend to give the goal-line carries to Richardson because he's bigger. 

Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Percentage owned: 26.4

If you feel comfortable at running back and want another option for your flex spot, Jarvis Landry is worthy of your attention. He's not a game-changer on the outside, but he has quickly become one of the better slot receivers and Ryan Tannehill's go-to target in the red zone. 

Since Week 9, Landry has four touchdown receptions. That's as many as Anquan Boldin, DeSean Jackson and A.J. Green have all year. 

As Brandon Funston of Yahoo Sports pointed out, the Dolphins' Monday night matchup against the Jets provides ample reason to believe Landry's red-zone presence will continue to show up:

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Not only have the Jets allowed the most TD passes per game, but Miami also leads the league in trips to the red zone per game (4.9). That's been a big reason why Landry is finding the end zone on a regular basis. The rookie possesses good hands and route running ability, which should keep him on QB Ryan Tannehill's red zone radar this week.

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For the points-per-reception crowd, Landry also has value for you. He's had at least five receptions in each of the last four games and been targeted 32 times during that stretch. The rookie wideout is only averaging 9.2 yards per reception, so his total value is limited. 

However, if you like receptions and touchdowns, Landry is an emerging star who should continue to get better with a favorable matchup in Week 13. 

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Follow @adamwells1985.