Even though Week 12 isn’t fully in the books, it’s time to cast an eye over your Week 13 waiver wire pickups for the 2021 season.
We continue having to deal with bye weeks, with four teams on bye this week
- Carolina Panthers
- Cleveland Browns
- Green Bay Packers
- Tennessee Titans
All of these pickups are written in percentage, not priority. For a player to be eligible they have to be owned in less than 50% of leagues. The rostered percentage is taken from ESPN. Now, let’s get into them!
Carson Wentz (IND) @HOU 44.3% rostered
Wentz might’ve thrown two INTs against Tampa Bay, but he managed to have a decent fantasy performance. This week the Colts face Houston, and they might return to just running the ball down the Texans’ throat, but Wentz should still have the opportunity to air it out in this game.
Teddy Bridgewater (DEN) @KC 19.4% rostered
King of the waiver wire, Bridgewater is back for another week. The concern is if he is ready to play for this week, after missing time through injury. The matchup against the Chiefs is one to target, with the team giving up an average of just under 20 points per game to the position.
Taylor Heinicke (WAS) @LV 21.1% rostered
Heinicke is yet to play this week, so this might look really foolish come tomorrow, but currently, he is an effective streaming option. The Washington attack has been effective the past few weeks, with Heinicke being a big part of that. A matchup against the Raiders isn’t one to avoid either.
Others to Consider
- Matt Ryan (ATL) v TB 36.8% rostered
- Daniel Jones (NYG) @MIA 27.9% rostered
- Tyrod Taylor (HOU) v IND 26.5% rostered
- Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) @SEA 15.7% rostered
Jamaal Williams (DET) v MIN 46.1% rostered
Given his level of ownership, he may well not be available in your league. But check! Williams stepped in as the lead back with D’Andre Swift forced to the sidelines due to injury. Currently, that injury looks to be a shoulder sprain, so Swift may not miss that much time. But, Williams is worth picking up just incase.
D’Onta Foreman (TEN) BYE 40.2% rostered
Foreman might not be picked up in a wave, given that the Titans are on a bye. But after his performance on the weekend, he looks to be a starting RB which means he needs to be picked up.
Chuba Hubbard (CAR) BYE 33.8% rostered
Hubbard is going to be picked up in alot of leagues, even though he is on a bye. Christian McCaffrey left the game against Miami early, and was then seen in a walking boot. With the injury history being what it is, he could miss more time, giving Hubbard immediate fantasy value.
Alexander Mattison (MIN) @DET 33.6% rostered
Dalvin Cook is another starting RB who went down last week, and is due to have an MRI on his shoulder. That makes Mattison another great pickup this week, given the matchup. Mattison hasn’t always performed well when he has needed to step in for a big workload, but even so against Detroit you can’t look past it.
Ty Johnson/ Tevin Coleman (NYJ) v PHI 27.6/ 23.8% rostered
Who is going to be the lead back for the Jets? I thought it would be Johnson, but based on the carries from last week, Coleman is in with a shout. Well, one of them is going to do it. What we do know is Michael Carter isn’t going to be the guy.
Others to Consider
- Boston Scott (PHI) @NYJ 17.3% rostered
- Matt Breida (BUF) v NE 5.6% rostered
- DeeJay Dallas (SEA) v SF 2.2% rostered
- Jermar Jefferson (DET) v MIN 0.3% rostered
Van Jefferson (LAR) v JAX 42.3% rostered
In a game where Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham had 10 targets each, Jefferson still managed to have 9 against Green Bay! He has been used as a deep target throughout the season, and there should still be enough in this offense to give him an outside chance of performing well for fantasy.
A.J. Green (ARI) @CHI 31.6% rostered
Green hasn’t met the heights of his early season, with Kyler Murray missing some time through injury. However, he still managed to catch four passes for 78 yards last time out against Seattle. DeAndre Hopkins has missed a few weeks with a hamstring injury, so Green could be the leading receiver against a Bears defense that has really struggled to defend receivers this season.
Russell Gage (ATL) v TB 18.6% rostered
Gage had another game with a good number of targets and receptions. Excluding the game against the Cowboys, that’s now been three games where Gage has had at least 7 targets and five receptions in. With the Falcons offense being what it is, Gage is a flex consideration in deeper PPR leagues for the time being.
Tre’Quan Smith (NO) v DAL 7.5% rostered
Smith is a big part of the Saints receiving corps, although it is a weaker offense admittedly. There are better games on the horizon for the team, which could give Smith more fantasy value moving forwards.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (TEN) BYE 3.5% rostered
The wheels are coming off for the Titans aren’t they? They are being battered with injuries, which has left Westbrook-Ikhine as the leading receiver for the team. I’d pick him up as a depth piece and see how it shakes out.
Others to Consider
- Rashod Bateman (BAL) v TB 45.6% rostered
- Rondale Moore (ARI) @CHI 21.7% rostered
- Josh Reynolds (DET) v MIN 0.3% rostered
C.J. Uzomah (CIN) v LAC 13.7% rostered
Uzomah is the typical TE. Has a few big games, then disappears. The Chargers are one of the worst units against TEs, giving up a joint-high 9 TDs conceded to the position this season. If you are in need of a TE this week, Uzomah could be a streaming option for you
Foster Moreau (LV) v WAS 0.6% rostered
This could well be dead in the water later this week, or it’s going to be a steal. Moreau has popped up at times when star Darren Waller has been on the sidelines. Waller suffered a few injuries during his Thanksgiving day game against Dallas, and has by all reports avoided a major injury. Moreau will therefore have a chance to be an effective streaming option for a few weeks.
Others to Consider
- Evan Engram (NYG) @MIA 31.2% rostered
- Jonnu Smith (NE) @BUF 29.9% rostered
- Jack Doyle (IND) @HOU 1.0% rostered
Miami Dolphins v NYG 43.7% rostered
The Dolphins defense had the best of Carolina last time out, which has now been three out of the last four games that they’ve been great for fantasy. The next game is against a Giants offense that always has a chance of stalling and coughing up the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles @NYJ 42.8% rostered
The Eagles might be owned in your league, but given the hype for them this week that didn’t materialize, they could be dropped. Thing is the Eagles have another good matchup against the Jets this week. That Jets offense is so bad, Houston were an effective streaming option last week.
Others to consider
- Denver Broncos @KC 41.3% rostered
- Minnesota Vikings @DET 14.5% rostered
- Cincinnati Bengals v LAC 13.3% rostered
Younghoe Koo (ATL) v TB 45.5% rostered
With how this season is going, this might be the last time I recommend picking up Koo. This week, he managed to kick all of his attempts, but they were all PATs. Against the Tampa defense, there are going to be some FG attempts surely?
Evan McPherson (CIN) v LAC 16.6% rostered
McPherson has been great the past two weeks, with FG and PAT attempts, and has been really accurate all season. There have only been a few kicks that he has missed this season, which makes him a good pickup for you this week.
Others to consider
- Greg Zurelein (DAL) @NO 39.6% rostered
- Robbie Gould (SF) @SEA 16.0% rostered
- Michael Badgley (IND) @HOU 12.5% rostered
There you have it! Any questions, or want some more specific help for your league on who to drop, just reach out. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. And checkout out rankings for each Week.
Image Credit: Brad Rempel – USA TODAY Sports
