Week 13 Waiver Wire: Breakout Pickups, Targets and Tips for Fantasy Football

Are you worried about Kyler Murray after his lackluster Week 12 performance considering his shoulder injury? Does Tom Brady's Week 13 bye leave a void in your starting lineup? Well, this week's fantasy football pickups include solid streamer options at quarterback.

Leading up to Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, Murray battled a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 11 versus the Seattle Seahawks. Although he's usually an automatic starter, the Los Angeles Rams' second-ranked scoring defense poses a tough challenge for him in Week 13. You may want to consider another quarterback with a better matchup.

Managers atop the standings should strengthen their bench in preparation for the playoffs. The waiver wire still has a few gems available in more than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Based on that threshold, we'll highlight eight players who can break out down the stretch or draw favorable matchups for Week 13. Also, take note of a fantasy tip for a running back rostered in 100 percent of leagues.

Top Pickups and Breakout Candidates for Week 13

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QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. JAX (40 percent rostered)

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins vs. CIN (20 percent rostered)

RB Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers vs. WAS (34 percent rostered)

WR Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders at NYJ (43 percent rostered)

WR Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles at GB (29 percent rostered)

WR Breshad Perriman, New York Jets vs. LVR (12 percent rostered)

TE Trey Burton, Indianapolis Colts at HOU (19 percent rostered)

TE Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks vs. NYG (3 percent rostered)

QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

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Since Week 9, Kirk Cousins has performed at the level of a QB1. Over the last four contests, he's thrown for 11 touchdowns and just one interception. With at least two passing scores in each of those games, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback provides the consistency that appeals to fantasy managers who need a fill-in option in their starting lineups.

Even more impressive, Cousins finished top-three in fantasy points (26.78) without starting wide receiver Adam Thielen (reserve/COVID-19 list) in Week 12. He threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Chad Beebe with 46 seconds left in regulation.

Even if Thielen isn't cleared to play next week, Cousins has a great matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks going into Sunday's games. He'll likely have a significant spike in adds because of his opponent and string of productive outings.

WR Breshad Perriman, New York Jets

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Breshad Perriman built a strong rapport with quarterback Joe Flacco in recent outings, scoring three touchdowns over the last two weeks. Sam Darnold (shoulder) made his first start under center since Week 8, and still, the 27-year-old wideout saw a fair number of looks in the passing game.

Perriman tied rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims for a team-leading eight targets Sunday. He hauled in four passes for 79 yards. Now healthy, he's a key component to the New York Jets offense.

When Perriman suits up, he can stretch the field, so the fifth-year veteran doesn't need seven or eight receptions to make a significant fantasy impact. He's recorded a catch of at least 37 yards in each of the Jets' last three outings.

In Week 13, Perriman will line up across from the Las Vegas Raiders' 28th-ranked pass defense—a club that allowed 43 points to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He's a WR3 or flex option next week.

TE Trey Burton, Indianapolis Colts

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In a 45-26 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Trey Burton extended his touchdown streak to consecutive games. Typically, that's not stable fantasy ground for a player with under 43 receiving yards in three straight contests, but tight end production off the waiver wire doesn't come easy at this point in the season.

Nonetheless, Burton has seen 11 targets over the last two contests. He's hauled in two touchdown passes inside the 20-yard line, which shows quarterback Philip Rivers' trust in the pass-catching tight end while operating within the red zone.

With consistent looks in the passing game, especially in scoring position, Burton can reach pay dirt next week. The Indianapolis Colts will go on the road to face the Houston Texans, who field the 23rd-ranked pass defense and allow the 13th-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.

Fantasy Tip: Be Wary of Ezekiel Elliott's Matchups Going Forward

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If you selected Ezekiel Elliott in the first round of the draft, his Week 12 performance should sound off some alarms. He finished with a season-low 32 rushing yards, caught one pass for seven yards and lost his fifth fumble for the year.

Elliott is no longer an automatic starter in the RB spots. He hasn't scored a rushing touchdown since Week 5. Even though he reached pay dirt on a reception in Week 11, the All-Pro tailback has caught just one or two passes in each of his last five outings. To make matters worse, two of his offensive linemen, All-Pro guard Zack Martin (calf) and offensive tackle Cam Erving (knee) went down with injuries.

For the season, Elliott has failed to reach his projected fantasy point total in eight out of 11 games. The Cowboys' 32nd-ranked scoring defense could force the offense to rely more so on an aggressive approach with the passing game while the ground attack takes a backseat.

In summary, managers have a handful of reasons to swap Elliott out of their lineups for a running back with a better matchup in any given week. Three of his next four opponents rank outside the top 20 in fantasy points allowed to running backs. He's an RB2 or flex option for the rest of the season.

Fantasy points info via FantasyPros.