Most fantasy football leagues will have their final week of the regular season in Week 13. From there, it's on to the fantasy playoffs for some while other owners hide in shame. That means that one final waiver wire pickup can be the difference between more fun and more anger. As we've been doing all season, the Week 13 waiver wire watch list comes to you ahead of Week 12 in an effort to help you beat your leaguemates to the waiver wire on free agents with good matchups, players returning from injury, or those looking at a usage increase.
That starts with John Ross (clavicle), a player started in a lot of leagues early in the season who had to go on Injured Reserve. He's eligible to return in Week 13, and from what we can tell, that seems plausible. It's not obvious if his value takes a hit with Ryan Finley, but the only cost to find out is a simple free agent pickup -- and you might still be able to stash him in your IR spot for another week.
WEEK 12 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
There's also potential for you to pick up a starting running back who you can root for on Thanksgiving in Bo Scarbrough. The Lions might continue throwing us curveballs, but you can't just ignore a strong-running starting RB.
Of note heading into Week 13 is that bye weeks are officially over. All 32 teams will be in action from here on out. That means that you might be in less precarious positions than earlier this season, in terms of needing to fill a spot in your starting lineup. But with all your studs active, you should also have more disposable players on your bench. It's the perfect time to try and grab some late-season upside.
WEEK 12 DFS LINEUPS:
FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP | Y! cash | Y! GPP
Maybe that upside comes in the form of Jeff Driskel's legs, or James Washington's deep-ball ability, or Sam Darnold's friendly schedule, or another return from injury in David Njoku (wrist). If you're only picking up these guys for a useless player on your bench or maybe a sixth WR or backup tight end, it's unlikely to come back to bite you. You might never have to use these players if you have a good enough starting roster, but the more good players on your team, the better (and that holds doubly true if your league plays through Week 17 because you don't want to get screwed just because players rest that week).
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 12, looking forward to the players that could be waiver-wire targets in Week 13. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are options you could pick up early to beat the waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified.
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch List: Quarterback
Nick Foles, Jaguars (31 percent ownership)
Foles didn't look good throwing to anyone not named DJ Chark in his first game back, but you've gotta like his matchup against Tampa Bay's brutal pass defense in Week 13. That just kicks off a good stretch of games for Foles heading into the fantasy playoffs.
Sam Darnold, Jets (28)
The Jets' good stretch of games just keeps on going into Week 13 when New York travels to Cincinnati. Darnold has proven that the Jets can have solid offensive days against bad defenses, and that should hold true in Week 13.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins (9)
With no one on bye, I don't envy you if you have to rely on Fitzpatrick, but at least in Week 13, it should work out fine. The Dolphins host the Eagles, one of football's most maligned secondaries, and Fitzpatrick has started to show enough chemistry with DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant to believe he'll put up some numbers against Philly.
Jeff Driskel, Lions (7)
Driskel's Thanksgiving matchup against the Bears isn't a great one, although Chicago hasn't been the top defense it was last year. This is more of a plea to realize that Driskel's running ability makes him a high-floor QB, just as we've often mentioned with Josh Allen. He's not as good a thrower as Allen, so the floor isn't that high, but if you're in a serious pinch, you can use Driskel once or twice going forward. That's especially true in Week 15 when Detroit takes on Tampa Bay, assuming Matthew Stafford (back) remains out.
MORE WEEK 12:
Waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Stock watch | Snap counts | Fantasy playoff SOS
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch List: RB
Jonathan Williams, Colts (38) | Jordan Wilkins, Colts (7)
Williams only matters if Marlon Mack's broken hand forces him to miss multiple weeks and he plays over Wilkins on Thursday. But Williams showed in his Week 11 cameo (with his 116 rushing yards) that he can matter for fantasy owners if things break his way. If Wilkins plays over Williams, he would be the guy to own.
Kalen Ballage, Dolphins (37)
After assuming that 24 touches for 45 yards would be the deepest depths of Ballage's inefficiency, he had 14 touches for 17 yards in Week 11. But he catches passes, stays on the field, and is the Miami goal-line back. If Fitzpatrick can move the ball in Week 13 against Philadelphia, Ballage should have a chance at the end zone. The Dolphins also have a great fantasy playoff schedule if Ballage keeps the job.
Bo Scarbrough, Lions (21)
Scarbrough's ownership rise is smaller than what I expected. Sure, Detroit could change it up again, but this could also be the Lions' starting RB for the rest of the season. He's a strong runner with an Alabama pedigree who, at the very least, won't ever come out near the goal line. And if we assume he stays the starter, that's a dozen-plus carries a week.
Raheem Mostert, 49ers (11)
Mostert is half handcuff, half boom-or-bust FLEX play. If Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida (ankle) miss time at any point going forward, it's Mostert who benefits the most, and he's a big-play threat to the point that he doesn't need a lot of touches to reward you. This could be a more useful bench spot at this point for you than a backup QB or backup TE.
Benny Snell Jr., Steelers (1)
With James Conner (shoulder) consistently injured and Jaylen Samuels not proving himself as an early-down back, Snell would presumably assume those duties upon his return from a knee injury. Pittsburgh will need to ride its running game down the stretch, so if you have Conner and no handcuff, now might be the time to add Snell.
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch List: WR
Sterling Shepard, Giants (44) | Darius Slayton, Giants (26)
Shepard (concussion) is close to back, which could mean the end for Slayton's value. It could also mean that Shepard takes a back seat to Slayton. We'll have to see how it shakes out, but one of these guys should have value going forward against a very friendly fantasy playoff schedule.
Hunter Renfrow, Raiders (14)
Across Oakland's past four games, Renfrow has averaged 5.5 targets, 4.8 catches, 62.5 yards and 0.5 TDs. That comes with at least four catches in all four of those games, proving he's consistent enough to have at least PPR value.
Anthony Miller, Bears (13) | Taylor Gabriel, Bears (8)
Both of these players received double-digit targets in Week 11 as Jalen Ramsey shut down Allen Robinson. That probably won't be the case much going forward, but Chicago has been going three-wide a ton, especially with Trey Burton done for the season. Gabriel should continue to see more snaps than Miller and be the more valuable PPR option, but Miller provides a high-upside nature if you really need to pop in standard leagues.
James Washington, Steelers (12)
This is more about the potential for injuries to JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion, knee) and Diontae Johnson (concussion) to elevate Washington to the No. 2 or even No. 1 WR role in Pittsburgh for a short stretch. Mason Rudolph has revitalized this Oklahoma State connection, to an extent, showing a willingness to try to pick out Washington down the field.
N'Keal Harry, Patriots (11)
Harry could benefit if Phillip Dorsett's concussion keeps him out. If not, Harry is just a talented rookie that you'd be hoping New England decides to utilize more as the season winds down.
Alex Erickson, Bengals (9) | John Ross, Bengals (7)
Ross can return from Injured Reserve in Week 13. With Auden Tate (neck) likely to miss time, Erickson is at least temporarily the Bengals' No. 2 WR, but Ross' return would relegate him back to No. 3. Cincinnati should have an easy enough time of it throwing the ball around against the Jets in Week 13.
Allen Lazard, Packers (5)
It continues to look like Lazard might be the Packers' No. 2 WR. You're taking a chance if you have to play him, but he also could put up good numbers against a vulnerable Giants' secondary in Week 13.
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers (1)
Bourne has topped double-digit fantasy points in two straight weeks, so it's worth taking notice. If Emmanuel Sanders (ribs) can get fully healthy, Bourne becomes less important, but even when Sanders was healthy, Bourne was at least on the field.
Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch List: TE
Noah Fant, Broncos (30)
Fant's 11 Week 11 targets have us taking notice, but the fact that he and Brandon Allen only connected for four completions is a bit discouraging. Fant, like Hollister, is a talented dude, but Denver's offense isn't as good as Seattle's.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles (23)
This wouldn't be the watch list without at least one player taking on the Dolphins next week, so here's Goedert. He's also proven as the season has gone on to be a legitimate second weapon in the Philly passing game behind Zach Ertz.
David Njoku, Browns (19)
Njoku should return from his wrist injury over the next week or two. If it happens in Week 13, he gets a fantasy friendly matchup against the Steelers.
Ryan Griffin, Jets (17)
Griffin has randomly become a solid pass-catching tight end, and we know how the Jets just keep playing cupcake defenses. The Bengals won't slow down the surging Griffin in Week 13.
Dawson Knox, Bills (5)
When the Bills take on Dallas on Thanksgiving, Knox will be looking at a great fantasy matchup for tight ends. Our early-season favorite has leaped back over Tyler Kroft in the Bills' pecking order at TE, so he could be looking at a tasty workload Thursday.
Jaguars TE
Tight ends put up numbers against the Buccaneers in basically every game. The problem is that Jacksonville's tight end situation is falling apart. It might be a Nick O'Leary/Ben Koyack combination in Week 13 with so many guys dinged up. But if even Seth DeValve or Geoff Swaim made it back from injury, there would only be deep-league appeal in this matchup.
Week 13 defense streamers and sleepers
Los Angeles Chargers (38) | Week 13 opponent: @ Broncos
Philadelphia Eagles (35) | Week 13 opponent: @ Dolphins
Indianapolis Colts (34) | Week 13 opponent: vs. Titans
New York Jets (33) | Week 13 opponent: @ Bengals
Kansas City Chiefs (28) | Week 13 opponent: vs. Raiders
Green Bay Packers (23) | Week 13 opponent: @ Giants
Denver Broncos (20) | Week 13 opponent: vs. Chargers
Detroit Lions (15) | Week 13 opponent: vs. Bears
Washington Redskins (12) | Week 13 opponent: @ Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2) | Week 13 opponent: @ Jaguars
Well, you won't be lacking streamers in Week 13. That's literally a 10-team league worth of D/ST streams. Those matchups basically all benefit from turnover-prone QBs, save for the Chiefs against Oakland, which is more remembering that KC put up double-digit fantasy points the first time those teams played. These teams probably aren't all available in your league, but at least a few should be.