Waiver Wire Week 13: Top Pickups, Drops and Expert Analysis
There are five weeks left in the NFL season, which means we’re getting extremely close to the fantasy playoffs. Where you are in the standings may alter how you prioritize your waiver-wire maneuvers.
If you’re on the outside looking in on the playoff picture, Week 13 is all that matters. You’re not worried about schedule for the next month as much as you’re worried about the best matchups for this week. Someone like New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick becomes an attractive option with a favorable matchup against the New York Giants on Sunday.
For the teams with a playoff spot locked up, this might be a week to use the waiver wire for bench improvement. You’re likely set with most if not your entire starting lineup, but someone like San Diego Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman looks appealing because he has one of the best schedules in Weeks 14 through 16 after a tough matchup with the Denver Broncos in Week 13.
As you might expect, the best options available don’t really jump off the page, so it may come down to your necessity. If you’re hurting at running back, David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals has emerged as a potential starter thanks to injuries in their backfield. Wide receiver could be important, in which case Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks might be the way to go.
I’ve said it all year, but no matter where you are in the standings, you should always be looking to make your team better by perusing the waiver wire. With one or possibly two weeks left in the fantasy regular season, either you’re making desperate efforts to play in the postseason or finalizing what could be a championship roster.
Quarterbacks
1 of 6
Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets
Percent Owned: ESPN – 26.3, Yahoo – 23
The New York Jets needed a big win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 12 and got it thanks to Fitzpatrick. In one of his best games as a Jet, Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 37 attempts for 277 yards with four touchdowns and no turnovers. He added 21 yards on five carries. That strong performance in both fantasy and reality makes him an intriguing option for Week 13.
The Jets face the New York Giants in Week 13, and while it’s technically a home game for the Giants, there’s obviously no travel involved, which makes it a pretty favorable “road” game. The Giants have given up at least 300 yards to opposing quarterbacks in three of their last four games, including 302 yards and a touchdown against Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins last week.
Fitzpatrick’s worth a look for this week as one of the better streaming options, and he’s not a bad player to keep on the roster with the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots coming up on the schedule after this week’s battle of MetLife Stadium tenants.
Week 13 Projection: 265-275 passing yards, two touchdowns, 18-24 rushing yards
Brock Osweiler, Denver
Percent Owned: ESPN – 12.8, Yahoo – 18
In front of a prime-time audience on Sunday Night Football, Osweiler and the Denver Broncos became the one in 10-1 for the New England Patriots following a thrilling overtime victory to end the defending Super Bowl champions’ undefeated season. And he’ll try to win his third game as a starter when the Broncos travel to San Diego to face the Chargers in Week 13.
With snow falling and low temperatures, Osweiler managed to throw for 270 yards with a touchdown and an interception by completing 23 of 42 attempts against the Patriots. In his two starts, Osweiler is 43-of-69 for 520 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Those aren’t good fantasy numbers, but it shows he’s more than capable of handling this offense.
If he has a chance at fantasy production, it could come this week against the Chargers and/or in coming weeks against the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. The next three games are his best chances to have fantasy-relevant outings, so he could be a starting option in deeper leagues.
Week 13 Projection: 260-270 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception
Droppable Players: Tony Romo, Brian Hoyer
Running Backs
2 of 6
David Johnson, Arizona
Percent Owned: ESPN – 22.7, Yahoo – 27
Last week provided us with an abundance of starting NFL running backs on the waiver wire thanks to an unfortunately high number of injuries. Johnson is the only widely available potential starter this week following the injuries to Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington in the Arizona Cardinals’ backfield.
According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Chris Johnson has a fractured tibia that will keep him out for extended time. Ellington has turf toe, according to head coach Bruce Arians, so his status is up in the air for Week 13 against the St. Louis Rams. That puts David Johnson in a prime position to start in a decent matchup.
While Johnson has seven offensive touchdowns on the season (four rushing, three receiving), he hasn’t rushed more than eight times in any game and has topped two receptions just twice. He gets the immediate boost with an increased role, but he’ll have to be re-evaluated on a week-to-week basis to determine his fantasy value.
Week 13 Projection: 14 carries, 66 rushing yards, one touchdown, three receptions, 20 receiving yards
Theo Riddick, Detroit
Percent Owned: ESPN – 33.9, Yahoo – 25
The season may already be lost for the Detroit Lions, but they can still contribute useful players to your fantasy teams, including Riddick, who had one of his best games of the year in Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Riddick racked up 62 receiving yards and a touchdown thanks to five receptions on five targets.
Detroit has been locking into a backfield committee for most of the season, but Riddick and rookie Ameer Abdullah have started to separate themselves from veteran Joique Bell. Riddick played 36 percent of the snaps in Week 12 (Abdullah 39 percent, Bell 24 percent) and 51 percent in Week 11 (Abdullah 34 percent, Bell 18 percent).
Riddick has at least five receptions in seven games, including three times in the last four games. He’s yet to carry more than seven times in any contest, but that’s not really expected since he’s a receiving specialist. He’ll face the Green Bay Packers this week and follows that with the St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, which should be a favorable slate.
Week 13 Projection: Six receptions, 69 receiving yards, three carries, 12 rushing yards
Shaun Draughn, San Francisco
Percent Owned: ESPN – 35.1, Yahoo – 28
Draughn has been the perfect example of how volume can be enough to boost fantasy value, or in his case, create fantasy value where it didn’t exist. The San Francisco 49ers lost again in Week 12, but Draughn remained fantasy-relevant.
With 51 yards on 15 carries and five receptions for 35 yards on five targets, Draughn posted at least 13 fantasy points in PPR formats for the third straight game. He has at least 12 carries in each of those three games, but no more than 58 yards. He’s supplemented that with 21 targets and 17 receptions over that span.
The journeyman back’s snaps have increased in each of those three games, including 58 of 58 snaps in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals. With Carlos Hyde still battling a foot injury, Draughn should remain busy and productive against the Chicago Bears in Week 13.
Week 13 Projection: 14 carries, 48 rushing yards, six receptions, 36 receiving yards
Droppable Players: Chris Johnson, Jay Ajayi, James Starks, David Cobb
Wide Receivers
3 of 6
Doug Baldwin, Seattle
Percent Owned: ESPN – 33.9, Yahoo – 36
The Seattle Seahawks have taken advantage of some favorable matchups over the last two weeks and have turned around a season that looked like it may be derailed by a sputtering offense. Instead, they’re looking dangerous coming down the stretch, and Baldwin is in the middle of it all.
In a wild victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baldwin made their weak secondary look foolish by catching six of his eight targets for 145 yards and three touchdowns. Baldwin now has at least six receptions in each of his last three games. He’s scored four times over that span and has at least 134 yards in two of the last three weeks.
Banking on any Seahawks receiver to come through as a consistent fantasy option is never easy, but Baldwin is rolling right now, and tight end Jimmy Graham (leg) is out for the season, so Baldwin could be even more important to the offense. He’ll get a tougher test against the Minnesota Vikings this week.
Week 13 Projection: Five receptions, 72 yards
Dontrelle Inman, San Diego
Percent Owned: ESPN – 7.7, Yahoo – 10
The San Diego Chargers aren’t going anywhere this season with a 3-8 record after 12 weeks, but luckily, they continue to provide fantasy owners with decent production thanks to an active passing game led by a great quarterback in Philip Rivers. Rivers has made a career of improving everyone around him, and Inman is the latest beneficiary.
With Malcom Floyd limited by a shoulder injury, Inman welcomed an increased role and took advantage of his opportunities. He wound up hauling in five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown on nine targets against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Inman was the only offensive skill player besides Rivers to play every snap. Floyd played just 76 percent of the snaps.
Inman is worth adding because of his schedule in Weeks 14 through 16 with matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders. He’s not a suggested play for Week 13 with the Chargers hosting the Denver Broncos.
Week 13 Projection: Four receptions, 49 yards
Droppable Players: Leonard Hankerson, Malcom Floyd, Terrance Williams
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Tight Ends
4 of 6
Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota
Percent Owned: ESPN – 21, Yahoo – 46
Rudolph has been very busy over the last two weeks, and at a tight end position that doesn’t have 10 consistent fantasy options, when you’re producing, you’re relevant.
In Week 12, Rudolph caught seven of his 10 targets for 53 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. That came a week after he posted six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown on eight targets in a loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings haven’t gotten a lot out of their passing game this season, so when someone emerges, you take notice.
Rudolph would have been a hot waiver-wire pickup up for Week 13 based on his performances in the last two weeks, but he became even more important with the injuries to Rob Gronkowski (knee), Tyler Eifert (neck) and Jimmy Graham (leg) in Week 12. Rudolph looks like a strong starting option this week, as he faces a Seattle Seahawks defense that’s struggled against tight ends in recent weeks.
Week 13 Projection: Six receptions, 67 yards, one touchdown
Scott Chandler, New England
Percent Owned: ESPN – 2, Yahoo – 9
The abundance of injuries to top talent has been an unfortunate storyline that’s dominated the 2015 season, and Week 12 was no exception. New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski took a big hit to his right knee and was carted off in an eventual loss to the Denver Broncos. And just like that, Chandler saw his fantasy value rise at a critical time in the season.
Reports have varied on the timetable for Gronkowski’s return, but according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Gronkowski will sit out Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles and is likely sidelined for multiple weeks. Chandler, who was already involved more thanks to the other injuries in the New England offense, tops the team’s depth chart as long as Gronkowski is out.
Chandler posted five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets against the Broncos in Week 12. He had more than two receptions in just one other game and never had more than 39 yards in any other contest. Chandler saw a season-high 81 percent of the snaps in Week 12 and should have a pretty active role in Week 13.
Week 13 Projection: Six receptions, 61 yards, one touchdown
Droppable Players: Jimmy Graham, Jacob Tamme, Heath Miller
Defense
5 of 6
Washington Redskins
Percent Owned: ESPN – 3.4, Yahoo – 3
The NFC East might be the worst division in football, and there’s no better evidence of that than the Washington Redskins sitting on top at 5-6 after defeating the New York Giants in Week 12. There’s not much to get excited about from a fantasy perspective except for their defense, which has a good matchup with the Dallas Cowboys this week.
To the Redskins' credit, they’ve been a decent fantasy defense in recent weeks. Over the last three games, the unit has seven sacks and five interceptions. During that span, they allowed 44 points to the Carolina Panthers but held the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants to a combined 28 points.
For the first time this season, the Redskins face the Cowboys and will do so with quarterback Matt Cassel back under center following another collarbone injury to Tony Romo. Dallas has given up 11 sacks and thrown seven interceptions over the last four weeks. With Cassel starting and running back Darren McFadden slowing down, the Redskins are worth a shot in Week 13.
Week 13 Projection: Two interceptions, three sacks, 15-18 points allowed
Kickers
6 of 6
Jason Myers, Jacksonville
Percent Owned: ESPN – 8.4, Yahoo – 6
The Jacksonville Jaguars are clinging to life in the AFC South race, but in the fantasy world, they’ve provided us with relevant options all season long, including quarterback Blake Bortles and wide receiver Allen Robinson. Now, things are going well enough that we can consider Myers yet another Jaguars contribution to fantasy.
Over the last four weeks, no kicker has attempted or made more field goals than Myers. During that span, he’s hit 14 of 15 attempts and added five extra points. Myers has at least three field goals in each of his last four games. A busy kicker is a useful one when it comes to fantasy.
Fantasy leaders provided by NFL.com. Targets provided by ESPN.com. Snap counts provided by ProFootballFocus.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")