Week 13 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds

Top-40 RB Rankings - Week 12

5 Starts & 5 Sits - Week 12

Week 13 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds

Alex Ciulla

Even with six teams on bye in Week 12, the 26 that were active put on an absolute show. This week they kicked off with the Pittsburgh Steelers falling 24-19 to the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Stadium in the middle of a blizzard. If you have not seen the highlights, you should at least check out quarterback Jameis Winston's pre and post-game antics. That dude is fantastic television. Aside from the snow game, Sunday's early slate was chock-full of action. Four of the seven early-window games came down to one score -- including a wild ending in the Washington Commanders/Dallas Cowboys matchup that featured a whopping 38 combined points in the final eight minutes of regulation. The remaining three games were blowouts but still provided some fantasy fun. 

If it isn't yet apparent, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is this season's fantasy MVP, and it isn't that close. The Penn State product continued to light the league on fire, rushing for 255(!) yards on the back of 70- and 72-yard touchdowns. It was the ninth-most rushing yards in a single game of all time, and he racked up 302 yards from scrimmage. After Week 12's incredible performance, he's on pace for 2,151 rushing yards in 2024. If that holds up, he would effectively shatter Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old record (2,104). Astounding!

Week 12 was another kind one regarding injuries, though some are worth noting as we inch closer to the fantasy playoffs. Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (neck) had a scare on Sunday. He was released from the hospital, but head coach Dave Canales said he'll still be evaluated. It'd be surprising if he suited up this week. Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (shoulder) was forced from his team's victory over the Indianapolis Colts and did not return. Head coach Dan Campbell doesn't appear to be too worried about Monty's shoulder, but with a game on Thanksgiving Day, don't be surprised if he misses some practice time. Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (concussion) exited Sunday's blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers. His team also plays on Thanksgiving, and it's doubtful that he will suit up for that contest. Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (shoulder) did not return to the loss against the Lions after exiting in the second half. Keep an eye on his status. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (clavicle) will unfortunately miss the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone in the team's loss to the Denver Broncos. Interestingly enough, Aidan O'Connell (thumb) was designated to return to practice on Monday. It's unclear if he will start when his team takes on the Kansas City Chiefs this Friday. Finally, both Washington Commanders starting running backs Brian Robinson Jr. (ankle) and Austin Ekeler (concussion) picked up injuries in Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, failing to return after their exit. Robinson Jr. actually left the game, reentered, and then promptly re-exited after re-aggravating his ankle injury. Ekeler, on the other hand, was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. I expect both to miss at least one week.

As always, this column assumes PPR scoring and will only highlight players around or under 50% ownership on Yahoo!. Let's dive into this week's waiver adds.

Also, for those interested in deep league waiver gems, don't miss "Streamers For The Desperate - Week 13" by ASL Founder Leonard LaPadula!

Streaming Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (36% Owned)

Steelers QB Russell Wilson has been disappointing in back-to-back games. One I can forgive him for (the snow game on Thursday in Cleveland), but the other I'm having a tough time grappling with. Wilson put up a dud in Week 11's victory over the Baltimore Ravens, which was quite the head-scratcher considering the Ravens' defense has given up a ton of fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. However, he'll get an opportunity to redeem himself in Week 13.

The 35-year-old will get another exploitable matchup against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that allows an average of 23.3 fantasy points per contest to QBs. Additionally, QB Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense will be fresh off a bye, and looking to put up some points to stay in the playoff race. I understand that Wilson is tough to trust, but he's been decent, and the other options are downright scary. The former Seattle Seahawk has a robust 8.1 yards per attempt on the year, and WR George Pickens feels overdue for a long bomb touchdown. Fire up Russ with confidence if you need a streamer with a high ceiling.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (19% Owned)

As I said, the streaming options this week could be better. Still, Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye has been better than advertised. The North Carolina product may not be grabbing headlines like fellow rookie QBs Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels, but he's been good in his own right and is doing the best he can without lauding a solid No. 1 wideout. Maye is completing 65.5% of his passes -- half a tick better than Nix. He also isn't a zero in the rushing department, averaging 35.75 yards on the ground. That includes the two games in which he played 31% or fewer of the team's snaps.

The 24-year-old also gets a dynamite matchup this weekend at home against the Indianapolis Colts. Through 11 games, Indy has let up 19.5 fantasy points per game to their opponent's signal callers. Additionally, they've allowed a solid 6.6 yards per pass attempt. Maye isn't the sexiest option, but I feel good about his chances of having a decent game. New England's defense could be better, too, so if the Colts put up points, Maye will be forced to respond.

Running Backs

Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commanders (1% Owned)

Aside from a friendly PSA to check your waiver wires for either your primary handcuff or other premiere handcuffs that may have been dropped -- Washington RB Jeremy McNichols could be an excellent multi-week rental for your fantasy squad. I mentioned that his backfield mates Austin Ekeler (concussion) and Brian Robinson Jr. (ankle) exited their Week 12 outing. It's Ekeler's second concussion in two months, and Robinson's ankle injury looked like it could have been bad. The team is taking a wait-and-see approach at this time, but it looks like they'll both miss at least one game.

That leaves the bulk of Washington's backfield work to McNichols, who has been solid when given the opportunity. The Commanders run the ball 48.81% of the time, and he's involved in the passing game, running routes on 12% of plays, compared to teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s 0.7%. Rodriguez would be the only obstacle in the way of McNichols having a productive day. While the matchup isn’t ideal (Tennessee Titans), Washington’s offense is solid.

Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers (25% Owned)

Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins (knee) injured his knee in Monday's game and was ruled out in the fourth quarter. With uncertainty surrounding his Week 13 status against the Falcons, consider adding teammate Gus Edwards as a potential replacement. Edwards, who missed four games earlier this season with an ankle sprain, has had limited involvement due to Dobbins’ workload. However, that could quickly change. While his 18-yard performance against the Ravens isn’t impressive, they have one of the top rush defenses in the league. If Dobbins sits out, Edwards should see more opportunities and be more productive.

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Wide Receivers

Demario Douglas, New England Patriots (31% Owned)


New England's passing game hasn’t been a fantasy powerhouse, but WR DeMario Douglas is the top receiver with TE Hunter Henry sidelined, and it’s not close. While his stats aren’t eye-popping, the second-year wideout has provided low-end WR3/FLEX value in PPR formats. While he's currently not a must-add (especially with a touch schedule ahead), Week 13 brings a favorable matchup.

Douglas faces a weak Colts defense and should see plenty of targets, as he’s had at least four catches in six of his last eight games and has topped 50 yards in five of them. If you need a reliable FLEX option in a 12-team league, despite the poor New England offense, Douglas offers a solid fantasy floor, making him worth considering.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (12% Owned)

Tennessee Titans WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has been a consistent, under-the-radar route-runner. While his reception and target numbers have been modest, he’s on an impressive touchdown streak, finding the end zone in six of his last seven games, including a 98-yard score in Week 11 against the Vikings. Though I don’t usually chase touchdowns, which aren’t always reliable, this streak is hard to ignore. Additionally, there are some intriguing underlying numbers here.

Westbrook-Ikhine has four receptions and four touchdowns on five targets inside the 10-yard line. No other Titans wideout has more than two targets in that area of the field, and fellow wideouts Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley have combined for four receptions inside the opponent's 20-yard line with a single touchdown. NWI is the clear favorite target of quarterback Will Levis around the goal line, and they'll likely need to score points in Week 13 against a Jayden Daniels-led Washington Commanders squad. A solid stash if you need help.

Devaughn Vele, Denver Broncos (5% Owned)

Broncos WR Devaughn Vele is the wide receiver I'm most excited about. I mentioned this earlier in the season, but the 26-year-old was one of the most talked-up players in Broncos' camp during the preseason, and his production has started to tick up over recent weeks. Additionally, with the emergence of rookie quarterback Bo Nix, Denver's passing attack has been getting better every week. Additionally, their running game has been terrible, and I wouldn't be surprised if they shy away from it moving forward.

Vele has been outstanding in recent games, but his performance in Sunday’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders was his best yet. The former seventh-round pick registered a career-high nine targets, catching six for 80 yards. Both his target and receiving totals were season bests, and I don’t expect him to slow down. Only teammate Courtland Sutton, who led the team in receptions, yards, and targets, outperformed him, and Vele has been the second-leading snap-getter since Week 10. With QB Bo Nix playing at a high level and protecting the ball, this offense is one I want pieces of. Additionally, Sutton is likely to face standout cornerback Denzel Ward when Denver takes on the Cleveland Browns, which could leave Vele to take advantage of a defense that’s allowed 15 touchdown passes with only two interceptions through 11 games.

Tight Ends

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (48% Owned)

Commanders TE Zach Ertz hasn’t exactly excited me this season, but with his current ranking as the TE7, I can’t overlook him any longer. The 12th-year veteran has been a consistent, reliable target for rookie QB Jayden Daniels, producing even in tough matchups. In Week 12, Ertz hauled in six receptions and caught his second touchdown in as many weeks. Additionally, he’s seen seven or more targets in four of his last five games, and while his YAC isn’t what it used to be, the volume is undeniable.

By now, you’ve probably solidified your TE position, but if not, the 34-year-old Ertz is worth considering. With both starting Commanders running backs likely out, the team may rely more on the passing game, and Ertz should be one of the primary beneficiaries.

Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys (11% Owned)

Dallas TE Luke Schoonmaker has stepped up as a solid fill-in while teammate Jake Ferguson (concussion) works through protocol. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned in a Monday report that Ferguson is still making progress. With Dallas facing the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day, Ferguson may need more time before he's cleared to play. That means another week of Schoonmaker as the team's TE1.

The 26-year-old has posted at least 55 receiving yards in his last two games and should keep producing against a struggling Giants defense if he starts. Despite catching only three passes in Week 12, the second-year tight end scored a touchdown and ranked second on the team in receiving yards, receptions, and targets, behind only WR CeeDee Lamb. While the Giants have allowed the fewest fantasy points to TEs, I'm not concerned about Schoonmaker if Ferguson misses another game.

Week 13 is shaping up to be another exciting and unpredictable week in fantasy, with plenty of waiver wire opportunities to explore. While injuries continue to shake up rosters, several players are stepping up and proving they can be trusted for the final push toward the fantasy playoffs. Keep an eye on these emerging players, especially in the wake of injuries to key contributors, as they offer valuable upside heading into a crucial stretch. Whether you need a reliable flex option or a high-ceiling streamer, there are several players available who could provide the boost your team needs.

As the fantasy season moves into its final weeks, make sure you’re staying ahead of the competition. By adding the right players from the waiver wire and making smart roster decisions, you can set yourself up for victory. Don’t wait too long to make your moves, and keep an eye on key matchups and player news throughout the week. With the playoffs just around the corner, now is the time to make every move count and ensure your team is primed for success.