Week 13 Waiver-Wire Pickups: Top 5 Pickups To Catapult Your Squad

It's getting toward that magical time of this fantastical fantasy football season, folks.

With just a couple weeks left before the fantasy playoffs in most leagues, a lot of fantasy owners are in a dead sprint for the end zone, some races proving to be just as tight as the races in the NFL.

This is the time of year when a waiver-wire wonder can be the difference between winning and losing.

It also helps to have Aaron Rodgers on your team.

Here are the top five waiver-wire wonders of Week 13.

Good luck out there, fantasy football fanatics.

5. Kevin Smith/Maurice Morris, RB, Detroit Lions

As of this writing, Kevin Smith is questionable after the injury-prone back suffered a high ankle sprain in the Lions' 27-15 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 12.

But he exploded in his first week of action since November 2010 in Week 11 when he went off for over 200 total yards and three total touchdowns.

If he isn't able to go, Maurice Morris, who has proven to be a serviceable player in his career averaging 4.2 yards per carry, will shoulder the load for the Lions.

He can help on the ground or through the air as he racked up 120 total yards in place of the injured Smith in Week 12.

Starter Jahvid Best was just placed on the injured reserve with a concussion, effectively ending his season.

4. Rex Grossman, QB, Washington Redskins

I'm not saying Rex Grossman is a star quarterback by any means, but he has played well the last two weeks, racking up over 43 fantasy points in that time.

In Week 12, Grossman passed for a season-high 314 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The emergence of rookie running back Roy Helu will also help keep defenses guessing.

Grossman plays the New York Jets in Week 13, so I wouldn't start him then, but he does have favorable matchups against the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings in Weeks 14-16.

3. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

The No. 21 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft proved in his rookie season that he could be a factor in the passing game, and while he hasn't been as good fantasy-wise as expected this season, he has racked up five touchdowns.

In Week 12 against the Cleveland Browns, Graham caught five balls for 68 yards and a touchdown, scoring the third most fantasy points among tight ends.

He faces the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, who are in the middle of the pack defending tight ends this season.

2. Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears

You may have thought with the loss of starting quarterback Jay Cutler, Bears receiver Johnny Knox's fantasy production would go down.

But it's actually shaping up to be quite the opposite.

We already saw what happened to Pierre Garcon this season when the Indianapolis Colts' Curtis Painter took over for Peyton Manning.

The truth is, sometimes quarterbacks just like certain receivers better.

That appears to be the case with Knox and backup Caleb Hanie. They both spent the season practicing on the second team together, and they showed a clear connection in Week 12 when Knox racked up a whopping 145 yards and a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders.

Knox has favorable matchups against the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings coming up.

1. Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins

I had Roy Helu as my No. 5 pickup in Week 12.

I should have had him as the No. 1 pickup.

Helu, a rookie, continues to prove that he belongs in the NFL and deserves to start over Ryan Torain for the Washington Redskins. He finally received a significant amount of carries in Week 12, rushing for 108 yards on 23 rushes.

Helu, who can deliver through the air, also caught seven passes for 54 yards in that game and Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan has now conceded he will start in Week 13.

Helu faces a tough Jets defense in Week 13, but beyond that he has some pretty nice matchups.

Not to mention that he had an awesome touchdown run in Week 12.