Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! The holiday season reminds us to be grateful for what we have, and fantasy football owners will have a plethora of lineup options this week with no scheduled byes. You probably won't need streamers this weekend, but you would be wise to scour the free agent wire and prepare for your Week 13 and 14 byes now — not to mention the fantasy playoffs starting in Week 15. Our Week 13 waiver wire watchlist will help you spot players like Deshaun Watson, Kyren Williams, and Jameson Williams who could very well end up as the most heavily added pickups next Wednesday.
Don't wait until under-the-radar players explode this weekend or a stud comes off the IR at the start of next week. You could very well find yourself getting outbid by an owner with more FAAB or a higher waiver priority. Instead, anticipate the breakouts, recognize your Week 13 needs, and grab the best available streaming options for free right now.
This time last week, we specifically featured Bills rookie RB James Cook (17 percent owned at the time), and he proceeded to net 86 yards on 11 carries against Cleveland. We also highlighted Chiefs rookie RB Isiah Pacheco, Broncos RB Latavius Murray, Colts WR Parris Campbell, and Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, among many other hits. And two weeks ago, we were on top of the Rachaad White emergence in Tampa Bay.
Doing your due diligence is crucial for success in any endeavor, and fantasy football is no different. If you have a "dead spot" in your roster, then use that open space to invest in a player who you expect to see a usage spike, breakout opportunity, or return from injury. It's also important to monitor upcoming bye weeks and grab a guy you can stream in place of your bye-week studs. We have no byes to worry about in Week 12, but pay close attention to Weeks 13 and 14 as your competition fails to prepare. It's best to grab your fill-ins now when most owners aren't thinking about byes.
WEEK 12 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Unfortunately, some shallower leagues don't have enough roster spots for "planning ahead," but for those in relatively deep leagues, our week-ahead watchlist will continue to be a helpful resource. Even though you won't pick up most of these players, it's worth watching their snap counts, target shares, and weekly production trends to file away for later.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 12, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver-wire targets ahead of Week 13. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free-agent options you could grab early to beat next week's waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo, unless otherwise specified.
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB
WEEK 13 BYES: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Deshaun Watson, Browns at Texans (53 percent rostered)
We've been on this train for weeks, but Watson's ownership level only went up nine percentage points between last week and today. Considering how many quarterbacks are banged up or producing mediocre fantasy lines, it's hard to believe Watson can be found on 47 percent of waiver wires. If you're hurting or constantly streaming at QB, Watson could be your answer come next week (no more dealing with Russell Wilson's bad cooking!). The Browns have a very favorable schedule in the fantasy playoffs (Ravens, Saints, Commanders), and both Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones have looked great for the much more limited Jacoby Brissett. Stash Watson now before it's too late — he won't be cheap next week ahead of a matchup with the lowly Texans.
Kenny Pickett, Steelers at Falcons (10%)
Pickett obviously makes his fair share of rookie mistakes, but he also flashes glimpses of brilliance that show fantasy owners what the Steelers saw in him when they took him 20th overall in the NFL Draft. Perhaps most intriguing to Pickett's development is his confidence in the pocket and his budding chemistry with fellow rookie George Pickens. The Pickett-to-Pickens connection could be one we see on highlight reels for years to come. For now, just stash the 24-year-old signal-caller and see if he continues to improve this weekend. He has some juicy matchups the rest of the way — including the Falcons' league-worst pass defense next week — so the pickup could pay off handsomely down the home stretch.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 13 STREAMERS WITH FAVORABLE MATCHUPS: Jared Goff, Lions vs. Jaguars (47%); Marcus Mariota, Falcons vs. Steelers (40%)
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
WEEK 13 BYES: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Kyren Williams, Rams (29 percent rostered)
We like the rookie Williams a lot, and at this point, we have to think the Rams do, too. They waived Darrell Henderson earlier in the week, and Williams played 10 more snaps than Cam Akers last week. Akers doubled him up in carries, but Williams has been more impressive with the ball in his hands, posting 5.6 yards per carry, an 80-percent catch rate, and 9.5 yards per reception. Williams should be very high on your watchlist, regardless of league size or format.
Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs (25%)
McKinnon's stats have been underwhelming so far this season, but he could be due for a mini-breakout soon. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is headed to the IR with a high-ankle sprain, and it's unclear if the Chiefs fully trust rookie Isiah Pacheco on passing downs. Pacheco is destined to experience some growing pains, and McKinnon provides good hands and strong burst, especially in the red zone. We like his chances to become a fringe flex play again in the not-so-distant future.
MORE WORTHWHILE RB ADDS: Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (48%); Samaje Perine, Bengals (44%); Cam Akers, Rams (39%); James Cook, Bills (25%) Trestan Ebner, Bears (2%); Marlon Mack, Broncos (3%)
WEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
WEEK 13 BYES: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Jameson Williams, Lions vs. Jaguars (38 percent rostered)
Williams has been designated by the Lions to return from IR, a little over 11 months after he tore his ACL in the NCAA National Championship game. You don't need college stats to know the Ohio State-turned-Alabama product is explosive — just check out a highlight reel and you'll soon learn why Detroit selected him 12th overall. Jared Goff will love having a second wideout with elite playmaking ability. Lining up outside with Amon-Ra St. Brown commanding the slot, Williams should have plenty of opportunities to prove himself when he's activated in Week 13 (vs. Jaguars) or Week 14 (vs. Vikings). Either way, he'll return to a favorable matchup.
Treylon Burks, Titans (43%)
This is more of a stash, as we don't necessarily envision Burks going off against the Bengals this week or Eagles next week, but we do want him on our bench in case he continues to trend upward. He enjoyed a breakout in Week 11 at Lambeau, catching seven-of-eight targets for 111 yards. That's no small feat against a Packers secondary that includes Jaire Alexander. We know how strong and talented the Arkansas product can be when he turns it on — just check out his college highlight reel. If he can continue to take steps forward, he could win you some important matchups down the line.
Odell Beckham Jr., free agent (46%)
I've been writing about OBJ in this column for weeks, so I won't say much here except for this: You're silly if you're one of the 54 percent of fantasy owners leaving him on the wire. He's a difference-maker, so let him make a difference on your squad in the fantasy playoffs or he will on somebody else's.
MORE SOLID WEEK 13 WR STREAMS: DJ Chark, Lions vs. Jaguars (11%); Zay Jones (21%) and Marvin Jones (5%), Jaguars at Lions; Elijah Moore, Jets at Vikings (25%); Damiere Byrd (1%) and Olamide Zaccheaus (1%), Falcons vs. Steelers (1%); Kendall Hinton, Broncos at Ravens (1%); Isaiah Hodgins, Giants vs. Commanders (0%)
MORE SAVVY WR STASHES: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns (48%); Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs (49%); Van Jefferson, Rams (24%); Parris Campbell, Colts (44%); Jarvis Landry, Saints (22%); Robert Woods, Titans (37%); Julio Jones, Buccaneers (18%); DeAndre Carter, Chargers (24%)
WEEK 12 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel | Values
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
WEEK 13 BYES: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Evan Engram, Jaguars at Lions (38 percent rostered)
Engram has logged respectable double-digit PPR performances in four of Jacksonville's past nine games, and he has a ridiculously TE-friendly schedule remaining. After the surprisingly poor Ravens secondary this weekend, the Jags draw the Lions and Titans. That sounds like three top-10 TE performances to me.
Juwan Johnson, Saints at Buccaneers (43%)
We featured Johnson here last week, and he shot up just 20 percent since then despite catching a TD for the fifth time in his past five games. He's clearly a heavily involved fixture of New Orleans' offense, so any owners ruing the loss of Zach Ertz, Darren Waller, or Dallas Goedert would be smart to stash him before he continues to put up numbers. Tampa Bay has surrendered the fifth-most catches and 10th-most receiving yards to tight ends this season.
POTENTIAL WEEK 13 STREAMERS WITH FAVORABLE MATCHUPS: Foster Moreau vs. Chargers (36%); Tyler Conklin, Jets @ Vikings (18%)
WEEK 12 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Week 13 Defense Streamers and Sleepers
WEEK 13 BYES: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Seattle Seahawks at Rams (15 percent rostered)
The Rams have been an abject failure their entire Super Bowl-defending season, but the one thing they do better than any team is give up D/ST fantasy points. Seattle's underrated defense should have a field day in Week 13 against an offense that could be without Matthew Stafford (neck) in addition to Cooper Kupp (ankle).
Minnesota Vikings vs. Jets (35%)
Don't judge the Vikings solely by Weeks 10 and 11. They played two of the best offenses in the NFL in Buffalo and Dallas. In plus-matchups, Minnesota can still bring it with a solid pass-rush and opportunistic secondary. The Jets' woes at QB continue and will remain a fantasy gift to each D/ST they encounter. It's not that they turn the ball over constantly — they just don't move the chains and cannot handle any kind of pocket pressure. Go eat, Danielle Hunter.
Cleveland Browns at Texans (6%)
The Browns draw a fantastic Week 13 matchup with the Texans, who lead the league in interceptions and don't quite know who they are or what they are doing. Regardless of who's under center for the Texans, Cleveland will devour Houston's terrible O-line. Beyond rookie RB Dameon Pierce, the Texans have no semblance of an offensive identity. Brandin Cooks is checked out, Nico Collins is always banged up, and Houston's defense can't stop the run so the games are always over before they start.
Green Bay Packers vs. Bears (40%)
The Packers have quietly enjoyed a very solid defensive season, but it's been overshadowed by their struggles on offense. We like our chances for some sacks and takeaways against Chicago in Week 13 no matter who is playing QB for the Bears. Heading into Week 12, Chicago was tied with Indy as the most-sacked team in the NFL.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Steelers (7%)
Kenny Pickett may be steadily improving as an NFL QB, but he's still getting sacked 2.9 times per game and throwing an average of one interception per contest. The Falcons aren't world-beaters by any stretch, but they've had some nice games in favorable matchups this season, so we think they can have value again in Week 13.
New York Giants vs. Commanders (23%)
Sandwiched between tough matchups against Dallas and Philly, New York has a juicy Week 13 matchup with Washington. Taylor Heinicke may be the man in D.C., but he's still quite limited as an NFL QB. He's thrown picks in all but one of his five games this season, and he hasn't found the end zone through the air in three games. He has also been sacked three times in two of the Commanders' past three games.
Washington Commanders at Giants (54%)
Washington's D has been balling out this season, and nobody's noticing! The Commanders haven't allowed over 21 points since Week 4, and they're racking up the sacks and takeaways. And now Chase Young is back! This team plays like it truly believes it has a chance at the postseason. How wholesome. Enjoy this feel-good story while it lasts and get them before they face Daniel Jones and the injury-plagued, turnover-prone Giants in Week 13.
