Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: High-Reward Pickups for Your Playoff Push

The NFL playoffs are still five weeks away, but the fantasy playoffs are going to be here much sooner than that. If you haven't yet clinched a spot in your league's playoffs, you had better be on high alert, my friend.

No doubt at least some of you are just now remembering that you even have a fantasy team. The rest of you might be wondering what you can do to help put your team in the playoffs.

I'm here to help all of you. There aren't many studs to be had out on the waiver wire, but there are five pickups that I think have the potential to be standouts in the closing weeks of the season.

Let's get down to brass tacks.

Note: Names are arranged in alphabetical order.

Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins

This must be the ninth or 10th time I've sung Roy Helu's praises. Every time I do, he lets me down.

Well, actually it's Mike Shanahan who lets me down. He tends to play games with his running backs, and fantasy owners always lose these games.

But even Shanny can't ignore what Helu was able to do for him this past Sunday. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Helu carried the ball 23 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. For good measure, he added seven receptions for 54 yards.

Pretty good numbers, and a pretty good display of Helu's skill set. He may not be an every-down back, but he's a back who can do pretty much anything you ask him to.

Shanahan merely needs to ask Helu to do things more often. If he does, Helu will be a fantasy goldmine.

Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints

I'll clarify right away that Moore might already be owned in your league. He's owned in 54 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and about 67 percent of ESPN leagues.

If Moore is available in your league, you need to jump on him right away. He's caught touchdown passes in three of his last four games, and what I like about him is that none of his recent touchdown grabs have been from more than 20 yards out.

The indication there is that Jimmy Graham isn't Drew Brees' only option when the Saints are in the red zone. He'll look Moore's way too, and the recent results speak for themselves.

Expect plenty more from Moore.

Kyle Orton, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Yup, I'm going here.

No, Todd Haley hasn't named Orton his starter just yet. But he will. A man can only put up with Tyler Palko's uselessness for so long. The Chiefs didn't pick up Orton just so he could languish on the bench.

Once Orton earns the starting job, you have to consider what he's working with. The Chiefs have a halfway decent rushing attack, and Orton will have two good targets to throw to in Dwayne Bowe and rookie Jonathan Baldwin.

Keep in mind that Orton threw 20 touchdown passes and just nine interceptions last season. He sucked this year, but so would you if everybody in the world wanted you to be replaced by a third-stringer.

With the Chiefs, Orton can only get better.

Marcel Reece, RB, Oakland Raiders

Marcel Reece is just like any other fullback.

Well, except for the fact that he can catch. In his last four games, Reece has caught 10 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Is it any surprise that he was actually a wide receiver in college?

Much of Reece's recent success can be chalked up to Darren McFadden's absence and the numerous injuries that have afflicted the Raiders' wide receiving corps. It doesn't sound like McFadden is going to return any time soon, and there will be work for Reece as long as Oakland's receivers are banged up.

Reece won't be worth much in an ordinary league, but he has the potential to be a big addition in PPR leagues.

Tennessee Titans Defense

It strikes me as a little odd that the Titans' defense hasn't gotten more love in the twisted world of fantasy football. Statistically, the Titans are one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Down the stretch, Tennessee's defense should look even better. The Titans have to play the Saints in a couple weeks, but other than that they have games remaining against Buffalo, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Houston.

Two of those teams can't play offense to begin with, and the other two have been destroyed by injuries.

Advantage: Titans.