Updated: Tuesday, 11/29 at 2:30pm ET

It would appear that last week was to be defined by injuries and irrelevant touchdowns. Travis Etienne, Michael Carter, Darnell Mooney, Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Allen Robinson, and others were all impacted with an injury in some fashion on Sunday. And touchdowns to tight ends like Ko Kieft, MyCole Pruitt, John Bates, Josh Oliver, etc. didn’t exactly make the afternoon any more enjoyable. But alas, we find ourselves scouring the waiver wire for the best acquisitions of the week and while the quality isn’t the greatest we’ve seen this season, it’s a player pool that offers depth and at worst, might save you some of your remaining FAAB budget, if you have any left over.

It’s been a while since I’ve covered the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire article so I’ll re-establish my approach to this piece. You may ask yourself why certain players such as Trevor Lawrence, Rachaad White, George Pickens, Rondale Moore, and a few others aren’t in the article. The reason is two-fold. I don’t want to re-hash on players we already know are contributors. By all means if they’re still available, yes please target them on the waiver wire especially a pass-catching running back like White. But additionally, I don’t like going overboard mentioning players rostered in more than 60% of leagues because I know most of you don’t play in shallower leagues. So while there are some shallow league players mentioned below, I try to acknowledge players that may be available for a majority of managers.

 

 

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups Week 13

NFL Waiver Wire Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns, FAAB Bid: 10-12%

It’s not often I would suggest spending this much on a free agent quarterback, but Watson’s suspension is officially up and after a dramatic win on Sunday against the Bucs, the Browns are sitting at 4-7 with an outside chance at making the playoffs. Watson’s likely only available in shallower leagues, but the return comes against his former team, the Houston Texans, and it’s on the road. The Boo Birds will be awake and ready to rain down on Watson and Co., but we should also keep expectations in check. It’s been roughly 23 months since Watson played a regular season football game and we don’t quite know how he’ll look, but the matchup is great against a Houston Texans defense that gives up about 390 yards of offense per game and the Dolphins hung 30 points on this group in the first half in Week 12.

Mike White, New York Jets, FAAB Bid: 5%

Mike White kicks off our barrage of Jets players in the waiver wire column heading into Week 13. It’s hard to imagine the Jets going back to Zach Wilson given how much better the offense looked on Sunday, and no, New York won’t have the luxury of playing the Chicago Bears every week. The volume wasn’t tremendous, but they also didn’t need to lean on him too heavily, and yet, he still threw for 315 passing yards on 28 pass attempts for three touchdowns. He got everyone involved that needed to be and he seems to have the locker room’s full support heading into a road trip to Minnesota…

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions, FAAB Bid: 3%

The Lions host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13 and this shapes up to be one of the better matchups to target for offensive production. The Jaguars come to town following an impressive come-from-behind victory over the Ravens. The Lions put up a fight against the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving and with some extended rest ahead of this matchup we could see fireworks at Ford Field between these two teams. We’ve only seen Goff throw for over 300 yards twice this year, but he’s due for a strong performance and could reward those who stream him with 20+ fantasy points.

 

NFL Waiver Wire Running Backs

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs, FAAB Bid: 12-13%

He likely isn’t available in 12-team leagues, but in shallower formats he’s potentially the running back to grab if you’re a Michael Carter or Travis Etienne owner. If you aren’t inclined to pick up their handcuffs, then Pacheco could be your guy. But he comes with some a caveat or two. For starters, he’s hardly involved in the passing game. He has just four receptions all season. The next is that he wasn’t overly efficient in the run game on Sunday, but the volume was certainly there as it marked the third straight game he had at least 15 carries and he found the end zone for the first time in his career.

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers, FAAB Bid: 10-11%

I'm adding Warren as a late addition to the Waiver Wire article given the news surrounding Najee Harris who may have a hernia that could result in surgery and shutting him down for the year. Warren was inactive for last night's game as he's dealing with a hamstring injury. If this abdominal/hernia injury does prove to be a long-term issue for Harris then Warren becomes a running back with some low-end Flex appeal and Benny Snell could be considered for deeper leagues.

JaMycal Hasty, Jacksonville Jaguars, FAAB Bid: 6-7%

Your FAAB bid for Hasty will depend on the severity of the injury to Travis Etienne. Per reports from Monday, Etienne was cleared to return against the Ravens but he didn’t want to risk it. We’ll see if he’ll take similar precautions this week. Either way, Hasty played a big role in Jacksonville’s stunning win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday as he had 17 total touches including five catches and a touchdown. It is worth noting that Darrell Henderson could be looked at as well, but if Etienne is forced to miss Jacksonville’s Week 13 matchup in Detroit, then I expect Hasty to get most of the run based on his familiarity with the Playbook. The Jags will likely have some packages drawn up for Henderson, but the offense likely runs better with Hasty in the event Etienne is inactive.

Zonovan Knight and Ty Johnson, New York Jets, FAAB Bid: 6-7%

We will all need to keep an ear to the ground this week regarding the Jets backfield heading into Week 13. James Robinson was inactive (healthy scratch) against the Chicago Bears and Michael Carter had to leave with an ankle injury. So the Jets leaned on Zonovan Knight a good amount. Knight finished with 14 carries for 69 yards and he added three receptions as well. Johnson only had six touches but he did find the end zone and was very efficient when given the ball. If the 7-8% FAAB recommendation is a little too high for your liking, then I understand. Hence why we need to monitor the practice reports throughout the week because we should plan on Robinson being active as well.

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams, FAAB Bid: 4-5%

Things are ugly for the defending Super Bowl champions and Williams isn’t the only Ram mentioned in the article. It is entirely up to you, the beloved Family, to determine if you want exposure to anybody on this offense right now. It’s possible that Matthew Stafford returns from concussion protocol but it’s still early in the week. His presence would boost the offense, but without him, Williams fared just fine with Bryce Perkins under center. Williams has been a frequent topic in the season-long NFL Discord recently and he managed to collect 14 touches on Sunday. He only turned that into nine fantasy points in PPR formats, but he did outplay Cam Akers at least.

Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers, FAAB Bid: 2-3%

A player that was touched on in Britt Flinn’s article (linked in the Treylon Burks section below) was Christian McCaffrey as Britt expressed some concerns regarding his usage. While I’m not as bearish on CMC, I do think it’s worth considering Jordan Mason in deeper leagues. CMC likely won’t miss time in Week 13, which hopefully leads to a better game since the game script will be there. But he was very inefficient on Sunday and Mason might have a larger role with Elijah Mitchell dealing with a MCL sprain that will sideline him for six-to-eight weeks. Add in the kicker that CMC is experiencing “knee irritation” and we have ourselves a deep league waiver wire target to provide some RB depth.

 

NFL Waiver Wire Wide Receivers

Darius Slayton, New York Giants, FAAB Bid: 7-8%

With all the injuries to the New York Giants, Slayton is basically the top option in the passing game if Saquon Barkley isn’t involved. He has at least three catches for 58 yards in each of his last five games, which may not sound like much but that’s an okay floor to establish in PPR formats especially if he can find himself in the end zone. The Giants close the schedule out with a gauntlet of divisional games and it started this last week on Thanksgiving against Dallas. New York will be well rested for Week 13’s matchup against Washington and this is a defense you can throw on although you wouldn’t have guessed it last week against Atlanta. 

Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans, FAAB Bid: 7-8%

Britt Flinn covered Burks as a waiver wire target on Monday and I tend to agree with her sentiment. The rookie wideout continues to trend in the right direction with at least six targets in three straight games. That isn’t earth shattering, but he lucked into his first career touchdown on Sunday after recovering a fumble in the end zone. The matchup in the upcoming scoring period is a tough one against Philadelphia, but he should garner flex consideration in Weeks 14-16 against the Jaguars, Chargers, and Texans with the divisional matchups coming at home in Nashville. 

Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams, FAAB Bid: 5-6%

With Cooper Kupp out for the next few weeks and Allen Robinson done for the year with a foot injury, Jefferson could become WR1 in Los Angeles by default. But take that with a grain of salt because this offense looks horrendous. The Rams lost their fifth straight game on Sunday and seventh in their last eight games. This is by far one of the worst 180’s we’ve seen from a defending Super Bowl champion. If Matthew Stafford clears concussion protocols ahead of LA’s Week 13 matchup against Seattle then we can feel a little better about this matchup, knowing this coaching staff still really likes Jefferson. If not, and Bryce Perkins gets another start, then take comfort knowing Jefferson saw seven targets from Perkins in Week 12 on just 23 pass attempts.

Elijah Moore, New York Jets, FAAB Bid: 5-6%

Elijah Moore may have only had two targets on Sunday, but he made the most of them as he connected with Mike White on a nice 42-yard gain and then again for a 22-yard touchdown. It’s been a frustrating year for Moore in his second season with the Jets after he reportedly tried to request a trade earlier in the season. But with the change at quarterback, the entire Jets offense looked revitalized on Sunday and the locker room seemed excited about Moore’s emergence on Sunday.

Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars, FAAB Bid: 5%

It is worth mentioning that it’s not worth trying to chase the Week 12 production of 11 catches on 14 targets for 145 yards. But for what it’s worth, the Jaguars visit the Detroit Lions in Week 13 and Jones does have 42 targets in his last five games. Vegas opened the game as arguably a Pick ‘Em and the projected total is at 51.5 points. A matchup against a weak secondary should provide plenty of opportunities for this whole offense to thrive so Jones makes for a nice waiver addition and potential Flex play in Week 13.

Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs, FAAB Bid: 3-4%

In each of his last two games, Moore has posted five catches on six targets after totaling just seven catches through the team’s first nine games. Now injuries did need to pave the way for this role as Mecole Hardman is on IR, Kadarius Toney missed the game with a hamstring injury, and JuJu Smith-Schuster was limited despite being active. And it wasn’t a great start for Moore after he muffed a punt early in the game, but Moore had two red zone plays drawn up for him and rookie Isiah Pacheco found the end zone for the first time on Sunday. Perhaps in Week 13 the Chiefs make it a point to get their second-round rookie wide receiver in the end zone.

Odell Beckham Jr., Free Agent, FAAB Bid: 3-4%

There’s no analysis here really. And I’d try to get him for as cheap as you possibly can. But Beckham is going to start meeting with teams later this week which means he could see action in Week 14, but truthfully, I don’t think he makes any sort of impact until Week 15, if he were to make one at all. We don’t know where he’ll sign but he’s going to be meeting with the Cowboys, Giants, and Bills (among others) so at least he has the attention of contenders. I’ve avoided stashing him the last few weeks but as more signs point to him signing with a team, then I’m more comfortable stashing him if you are in a position where you can hold on to him. That means you are comfortable with your place in your league’s standings and you have an open spot on your bench for him.

 

NFL Waiver Wire Tight Ends

Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders, FAAB Bid: 6-7%

Moreau’s workload had been concerning in previous weeks, but he saw seven targets on Sunday and he rarely comes off the field. As is the case with most tight ends you’re hoping for a touchdown to at least give you some semblance of production. Moreau’s done that in two of the last three weeks, but the matchup this week against the Chargers isn’t ideal. The Chargers defend the tight end position pretty well as long as they aren’t tasked with defending Travis Kelce. Either way, Vegas likes this game from a scoring perspective and with Moreau running plenty of routes, he’ll once again be in play as a streamer.

Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars, FAAB Bid: 5-6%

If you’ve stuck with me this long in the article, then let me reward you by speaking a touchdown into existence for this guy. Ever since Engram came back from his lone touchdown of the season (in London of all places) he’s been held to just five catches on seven targets in his last three games. But a trip to Detroit, a city some consider to be the London of Michigan, might do him favors. And just a two-hour drive up the 401 will take you to… LONDON, ONTARIO! The stars are aligned. If you’re looking for nonsensical analysis you came to the right place. But in all reality the matchup favors Engram and plenty of other Jaguars this week. The Lions have surrendered seven touchdowns in 11 games to opposing tight ends so if this is a shootout, I look forward to Engram getting some attention in the end zone. Whether he catches it or not is out of my hands… And potentially out of his too!

Tyler Conklin, New York Jets, FAAB Bid: 2-3%

The volume wasn’t tremendous on Sunday, but Conklin did catch all three of his targets from Mike White for 50 yards. Sunday’s blowout win over the Bears didn’t call for an abundance of targets through the air, but White was accurate in his distribution. The upcoming matchup for Conklin shapes up well as the Vikings aren’t great at defending opposing tight ends. Even on Thanksgiving the Vikings gave up a touchdown to Hunter Henry and it could’ve been two if you’re a bias Patriots fan such as myself. Don’t expect a slate-breaking performance from Conklin in Week 13, but the Jets may need to throw a little more to keep pace with Minnesota.

 

NFL Waiver Wire Defense/Special Teams

Washington Commanders

The Commanders play the Giants in their next two games with a Bye week sandwiched in there in Week 14. We’re all still awaiting the return of Chase Young after he was inactive once again, but per usual he’s inching closer and closer to a return. Despite sitting in last place in the NFC East, the Commanders are 7-5 and they’ve won six of their last seven games. In their last three wins against the Eagles, Texans, and Falcons they’ve yielded just 44 total points and five total touchdowns. They draw the Giants in week 13 who have lost three of their last four games and they’ve had some struggles on offense lately. If the Commanders are able to get Chase Young back for this matchup then I’ll feel even better about this recommendation come Sunday. The Commanders opened as slight favorites (-1.5) and the over/under opened at around 40.5 points.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns go on the road to visit the Texans and there will be plenty of eyes on this game. There is a bit of a “trap” aspect to this game as the Miami Dolphins got out to a 30-0 lead and then pulled their starters and allowed Houston to collect 15 pity points. The Texans still gave up five sacks and turned the ball over three times as well. Martin Emerson has been emerging as a reliable defensive back and if they can get Greg Newsome II back from concussion then this secondary is shaping up nicely against whoever the Texans go with at quarterback.

Seattle Seahawks

Pretty quick and easy right here. They visit the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 and after a disappointing loss at home to Vegas in Week 12, Seattle needs a “get right” game and this matchup is perfect as the Rams allow the most fantasy points to opposing defenses. In eight of 11 games this year the Rams have allowed at least eight fantasy points to D/ST’s so scoop them up and stream them if you can.

 

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