Week 13 Waiver-Wire Pickups: Best Fantasy Sleepers to Target on ESPN and Yahoo

Desperation time in the fantasy football season often leads to desperation with your lineup. Although this isn't ideal, there are always ways to survive.

Whether you need immediate help to plug and play in Week 13 or are just trying to get a head start on potential sleepers for the playoffs, there are still plenty of options that might have been overlooked by others in your league. David Johnson, Scott Chandler and Alex Smith might have been the top options on the waiver wire this week, but even if you missed on these guys, you can still succeed.

Here is a look at some players who can help you out this week and beyond, all of whom are available in at least 70 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.

Pos.	Player	Team	ESPN Ownership	Yahoo Ownership
QB	Brock Osweiler	Denver Broncos	14.4	19
QB	Matt Hasselbeck	Indianapolis Colts	16.1	12
RB	Bilal Powell	New York Jets	12.4	7
RB	Jay Ajayi	Miami Dolphins	14.8	17
RB	Stepfan Taylor	Arizona Cardinals	0.7	0
RB	Terrance West	Baltimore Ravens	2.1	1
WR	Dontrelle Inman	San Diego Chargers	9.1	11
WR	DeVante Parker	Miami Dolphins	8.7	7
WR	Keshawn Martin	New England Patriots	5.2	9
WR	Marquess Wilson	Chicago Bears	4.2	9
TE	Vance McDonald	San Francisco Giants	4.8	5
TE	Will Tye	New York Giants	1.9	1

Brock Osweiler, QB, Denver Broncos

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Although he hasn't put up huge fantasy numbers in his first two starts, Brock Osweiler has been impressive in a pair of wins for the Denver Broncos. He has thrown for at least 250 yards in each game and is looking good doing it, as noted by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus:

Meanwhile, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller was also impressed by the quarterback's poise:

The run game was certainly a big part of the success in the upset win over the New England Patriots, but Osweiler made big plays when needed and showed he can handle the starting job. This was also in a game where Demaryius Thomas had one of the worst performances of his career.

Looking forward, the Broncos' schedule certainly eases up over the next few weeks. The San Diego Chargers have struggled mightily on the defensive end this year, while the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of question marks in the secondary.

If Osweiler gets a chance to retain his job, he could be a factor in fantasy for the rest of the season.

Terrance West, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Jason Miller/Getty Images

When you get this deep down the list, there aren't going to be any starting running backs available on the free-agent list. The best you can hope for is a quality handcuff who would be great after an injury to the starter, or a backup who could see an expanded role in a good matchup.

The latter is a good description of Terrance West, who had seven carries for 37 yards in his debut for the Baltimore Ravens. Javorius "Buck" Allen has gotten the first crack at the starting job with Justin Forsett out for the year, but it's clear West will have a role if he keeps up his solid play.

Head coach John Harbaugh was quick to praise both running backs after the game. 

"I think they both showed they’re capable of being top-notch NFL running backs," Harbaugh said of Allen and West, per Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com. "I thought they both did a good job."

While the Cleveland Browns aren't exactly the toughest matchup for an opposing running back, they are actually no longer the worst run defense in football. That honor now goes to the Miami Dolphins, which happen to face the Ravens in Week 13. West and Allen can both keep up their solid performances, and West certainly has a chance to take over with a breakout game.

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

Steven Senne/Associated Press

According to Rand Getlin of NFL Network, Dolphins starting receiver Rishard Matthews could miss extended time with multiple broken ribs. This could lead to a lot more playing time for DeVante Parker, who took advantage of the starter's absence in Week 12, per Adam Levitan of DraftKings:

Parker made these snaps count with four catches for 80 yards and his first career touchdown. He also was targeted 10 times by Ryan Tannehill.

As the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 draft, the talent is obviously there for Parker. A foot injury limited him in training camp and he never quite got caught up, causing him to stay hidden on the depth chart. However, this opportunity could finally give him a chance to show what he can do.

Jarvis Landry is still the top dog in Miami, but against a poor Ravens secondary, Parker has a chance to build off the best game of his career and put in some more big numbers.

Vance McDonald, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The most important factor for a good fantasy tight end is usage rate. Obviously talent and quarterback play help, but getting involved in the offense is a big key to putting up consistent stats.

Vance McDonald has gotten this chance over the past few weeks with Blaine Gabbert at the helm.

The former second-round pick got a boost in playing time after Vernon Davis was traded midseason. He finally scored his first career touchdown in Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks, finishing with four catches for 65 yards and the score. He then built on that performance with six catches for 71 yards and another touchdown in Week 12. Only Anquan Boldin had more than McDonald's seven targets.

Although the third-year player isn't going to wow you with his play, Gabbert now clearly trusts him, and this could lead to more yards and scores in the future. 

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