Thanksgiving week is here, and it brings some quietly interesting options at tight end, a couple of running backs who could have big roles down the stretch, and some exciting rookie receivers potentially primed for late-season breakouts.
Let's look at all of those and more as we get ready for Week 13 on the fantasy football waiver wire.
As a reminder, recommended adds are available in at least 60% of ESPN leagues, and the watch list consists of players worth monitoring.
The deep cuts section for running backs and receivers highlights players who are rostered in fewer than 5% of ESPN leagues, for all you “not in my league” degens.
I will not list recommended FAAB percentages for every player because there is a much better resource for researching what you need to bid, thanks to our friends at FAABLab.
Finally, I will not be ranking kickers and defenses because, frankly, I don’t care about them and would like to see them disappear from the game.
With those caveats out of the way, let’s get to it.
Contents
Best Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback
- Tyrod Taylor
- Trevor Lawrence
Best Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: Running Back
- Devin Neal
- Chris Rodriguez
- Bhayshul Tuten
- Jaleel McLaughlin
- Devin Singletary
- Raheem Mostert
Best Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: Wide Receiver
- Jayden Higgins
- Luther Burden
- Parker Washington
- Tez Johnson
- Andrei Iosivas
- Chimere Dike
- AD Mitchell
- John Metchie
Best Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends
- Darren Waller
- Mike Gesicki
- Brenton Strange
- Taysom Hill
Quarterback Waiver Targets, Week 13
1. Tyrod Taylor, Jets — Available in 96.8% of ESPN leagues
Luckily, there are no byes this week, because the streaming landscape is less than ideal. Taylor did not have a big game against the Ravens, but Baltimore's defense has been a tough test as of late. The Jets were at least not dead last in neutral dropback rate with Taylor, and the matchup this week against the Falcons is more appealing. We are not expecting a big game for Taylor, but he will add some points with his legs.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars — Available in 71.2% of ESPN leagues
Lawrence threw multiple touchdowns for only the third time this year against the Cardinals, but he also threw 3 interceptions and continues to not look great. That said, he has been adding points with his legs this year, the Titans are a beatable defense, and Cam Ward played well enough against the Seahawks to suggest he could push the Jaguars to throw more this week. Again, it is not a great week for streaming.
Watch List: Never again, Bryce Young…Marcus Mariota should get another start this week, but he is going up against the Broncos…Cam Ward played well against the Seahawks and has over 30 yards on the ground in each of the last two games. We are also not scared of this Jacksonville defense. I would like to see more, but there is a real case for Ward as a streaming option…Tua Tagovailoa gets the Saints, who, aside from being shredded by Matthew Stafford, have not really been a defense to target of late. We also have to worry about the overall game environment in that matchup…Kirk Cousins looked better than expected against the Saints, but that was still only good for 199 yards and 2 passing touchdowns…Shedeur Sanders did enough to keep the starting job, but we need to see a lot more before he is a fantasy option…Miami's defense remains a question mark, and Tyler Shough got some work as a runner in Week 12, including a few carries around the goal line.
Running Back Waiver Targets, Week 13
1. Devin Neal, Saints — Available in 98.2% of ESPN leagues
Alvin Kamara‘s injury opens the door for Neal to take over as the lead back, but I have serious questions about how much fantasy value he will have. First, Taysom Hill actually had more carries than Neal over the final three quarters in Week 12 and is always going to be a threat for touchdowns. Second, the Saints have not been able to run all year. Third, it remains possible the Saints look to add someone. Neal did run 35 routes on Sunday, which is great, and the schedule sets up well for the rest of the year. The Dolphins this week are not the good matchup they once were, but the Bucs, Panthers, Jets, and Titans make for a solid finishing run. Neal is an add because he is likely to be a starting running back, but I am not going to go wild in FAAB bidding.
2. Chris Rodriguez, Commanders — Available in 91.2% of ESPN leagues
I would be much more excited for Rodriguez if not for his finishing schedule. He does get the Giants in Week 15, which is as good a matchup as possible, but otherwise he has the Broncos, Vikings, Eagles, and suddenly good Cowboys run defenses the rest of the way. On the bright side, he has been working as the lead back in recent weeks, and it looks like Jayden Daniels will return at some point this season. If we continue to see Rodriguez pull away as the No. 1 back, he will be a real option against those Giants in the first week of the fantasy playoffs.
3. Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars — Available in 70.3% of ESPN leagues
Things did not go quite as hoped with Tuten in Week 12. After evenly sharing time with Travis Etienne the week before, Tuten was limited to just 13 snaps against the Cardinals, turning 7 carries into just 17 yards. Tuten was dealing with an injury during the week, so maybe that played a role, but Etienne was on the injury report, as well. Tuten remains a stash, but the late-season breakout might not be coming.
4. Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos — Available in 99.3% of ESPN leagues
Ahead of the bye, McLaughlin earned 6 carries to 11 for RJ Harvey, although Harvey played a ton more snaps (37 to 8) thanks to his role in the passing game. On Monday, Sean Payton said McLaughlin is “going to be important for us” moving forward. The most likely outcome is that McLaughlin more eats into the fantasy value of Harvey than creates enough of his own, but he is worth a speculative add to see what happens.
5. Devin Singletary, Giants — Available in 65.5% of ESPN leagues
It is time for my weekly soft sell of Singletary. As always, this is a “if you really need someone who is going to touch the football” option. The usage split did go more toward Tyrone Tracy in Week 12, but Singletary did still get 14 carries, including 1 in a goal-to-go situation. The matchup this week against the Patriots is not good, but New York does get the Commanders after their Week 14 bye.
6. Raheem Mostert, Raiders — Available in 99.2% of ESPN leagues
Pete Carroll said Ashton Jeanty‘s ankle injury is not serious, but Carroll has not always been the most reliable when talking about injuries. If Jeanty is forced to sit, Mostert should be the next guy up, but it is not like this is a running game we have been excited about all season, even with Jeanty leading the charge. Perhaps the coordinator change helps, but Mostert would be a low-floor play even if Jeanty sits this week.
Watch List: Brian Robinson has at least 8 touches in each of the last three games. He is that good mix of a high-upside handcuff who also gets weekly touches if you need someone in a pinch…Tank Bigsby, Blake Corum, Ollie Gordon, Ray Davis, and Isaiah Davis stand out as other handcuffs worth keeping around on the bench…It looks like Quinshon Judkins is going to be fine, but we got some insight into how the Browns backfield would work without him. It seems like Dylan Sampson would get a bulk of the work…Michael Carter should have a role in the Arizona backfield until Trey Benson returns, although that could be this week.
Deep Cuts: Samaje Perine was listed as a full participant on Monday, suggesting he will be ready to play on Thanksgiving. Perine had a meaningful role before getting hurt…Keaton Mitchell was still involved in Week 12 even with Justice Hill back from injury, and he would be a good bet for early-down work if something happened to Derrick Henry…Malik Davis continues to serve as the No. 2 back in Dallas…It almost certainly does not matter since it looks like Isiah Pacheco will be back this week, but the Chiefs did add Dameon Pierce to the practice squad.
Wide Receiver Waiver Targets, Week 13
1. Jayden Higgins, Texans — Available in 76.7% of ESPN leagues
Higgins is the easy No. 1 receiver add for the week and the No. 1 add overall. Over the last four games, his route rate has increased from 42.6% to 53.1% to 57.4% to 67.7% against the Bills. He has 23 targets over the last three games with a target on 31.1% of his routes over that span. That is a lofty target rate per route that will likely be difficult to match with Nico Collins atop the depth chart, so we need Higgins to continue getting more playing time, but everything is trending the right way for the second-round rookie, especially if C.J. Stroud can return this week.
2. Luther Burden, Bears — Available in 92.5% of ESPN leagues
Bruden's role continues to grow, and he set a new season high with a 62.2% route rate in Week 12. He now has 5 targets in back to back games. We still need to see more usage for him to be an every-week fantasy starter, and it is fair to wonder if he is near his usage ceiling for this year with Rome Odunze and DJ Moore ahead of him on the depth chart. Even so, he is getting viable targets now, and he has been good when given the opportunity. Burden currently leads all Bears pass catchers with 2.34 yards per route run.
3. Parker Washington, Jaguars — Available in 79.8% of ESPN leagues
Washington had a blip in Week 11, but he got back on track with a 5-71-1 line against the Cardinals. Moving forward, though, we have questions about his role in the offense. Brian Thomas Jr. is coming back at some point, and the Jaguars have consistently leaned on the running game when possible. Since their bye week, the Jaguars are 28th in neutral pass rate.
4. Tez Johnson, Bucs — Available in 73.7% of ESPN leagues
Johnson found the end zone and still ran a route on 83.3% of dropbacks in Week 12, but there are some red flags for him moving forward. First, Baker Mayfield hurt his shoulder and is a question mark for Week 13. From a longer-term perspective, Chris Godwin returned in Week 12 and is expected to see his role increase moving forward. Those routes should come more at the expense of Sterling Shepard, but Godwin is also a bigger threat for targets on those routes. Johnson remains a viable option in deeper leagues, but there are concerns moving forward.
5. Andrei Iosivas, Bengals — Available in 91.4% of ESPN leagues
I would likely have Iosivas ranked ahead of everyone else on this list for just this week, but it should be a one-week situation for him, barring another injury. With Ja'Marr Chase sidelined in Week 12, Iosivas led the team with 7 targets, catching 4 for 61 yards. Iosivas has not always been the most efficient receiver, Chase should command more targets than Higgins did, and we have some stats from last year that suggest Mike Gesciki is the better option with Higgins sidelined. Still, Iosivas is an option this week in a game with a high total.
6. Chimere Dike, Titans — Available in 88.1% of ESPN leagues
Dike was the top receiver in Tennessee with Calvin Ridley sidelined, running a route on 90.2% of the snaps and catching 5 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. Fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor should return, but Dike has been growing into the offense all season. If Cam Ward can continue to play as well as he did against the Seahawks, the Titans offense should score some points the rest of the way.
7. AD Mitchell, Jets — Available in 97.2% of ESPN leagues
8. John Metchie, Jets — Available in 99.5% of ESPN leagues
There are players in the watch list (Greg Dortch if Marvin Harrison is still out, Darius Slayton, Cedric Tillman) who I would rank ahead of this pair for just this week, but I continue to be interested in the longer-term upside of New York's passing game because of their schedule and the switch to Tyrod Taylor. To this point, Metchie has been more productive, catching 9 passes for 110 yards and 2 scores in two games, but Mitchell has earned more targets despite running fewer routes. Both are only stashes in deep leagues.
Watch List: It might be more Bryce Young‘s fault than his, but Xavier Legette let us down in a good spot…Greg Dortch got another touchdown, but he is still more of a part-time player and will be tough to trust if Marvin Harrison returns this week…Even with Darius Slayton active, Isaiah Hodgins ran 4 more routes, saw 6 targets, and got into the end zone. I would expect Slayton to be the No. 2 receiver moving forward, but it is worth watching…The Browns offense is probably not going to be a juggernaut with Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, but he does at least open more downfield opportunities for Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond. He connected with Bond on one of those last week…Even with Marvin Mims back, Pat Bryant‘s role in the offense continued to be strong before the bye, and he set a new season high with 6 targets.
Deep Cuts: The Buffalo passing game is one of the more jumbled in the league, and the target tree will become more confusing once Dalton Kincaid is able to return. Josh Palmer and especially Gabe Davis still stand out as upside stashes, though…The coordinator change in Las Vegas opens the door for some changes to the receiver rotation. Tyler Lockett has been getting the most work behind Tre Tucker, but Dont'e Thornton and Jack Bech are worth watching with a new coach in place…Devaughn Vele continued to run a lot of routes in Week 12, and he also drew some targets…Mitchell Tinsley found the end zone in Week 12, and he could get more run again this week with Tee Higgins out…Xavier Restrepo was targeted on 42.9% of his 14 routes in Week 12 and obviously has a history with Cam Ward. I am still more interested in Dike and Ayomanor when he gets back, but there is some narrative push for Restrepo.
Tight End Waiver Targets, Week 13
1. Darren Waller, Dolphins — Available in 82.8% of ESPN leagues
Mike Gesicki (below) is probably a better option for just this week, even assuming Waller is activated, but Waller could be an every-week starter the rest of the way if his health cooperates. Waller was up to an 80.6% route rate the week before his injury, and he had 4 end zone targets in three games before getting hurt. The Dolphins get the Saints, Jets, Steelers, Bengals, and Bucs to close the fantasy season.
2. Mike Gesicki, Bengals — Available in 99.2% of ESPN leagues
Happy Mike Gesicki week to all who celebrate. While Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase will be back this week, Tee Higgins is set to sit because of a concussion. Gesicki saw good usage in his first game back from injured reserve, running a route on 68.4% of the dropbacks and getting 6 targets. More importantly, he was heavily utilized last season when Higgins was sidelined. He was targeted on 26.1% of his routes with Higgins off the field. In a three-game stretch without Higgins in the middle of the season, Gesicki had a 66.7% route rate and finished as the TE4 in receptions, TE3 in yards, and TE2 in touchdowns. The matchup this week is not ideal, but Gesicki is a real option for those looking for a one-week starter.
3. Brenton Strange, Jaguars — Available in 89.1% of ESPN leagues
Strange hit in Week 12, going for 93 yards on 5 targets, but he finished behind both Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers in target share. We also have the potential return of Brian Thomas Jr. on the horizon. I worry about how many targets Strange will see, and he has yet to be targeted in the end zone this season. Still, he has earned targets when active, and that counts for something.
4. Taysom Hill, Saints — Available in 98.8% of ESPN leagues
This only works in leagues where Hill is eligible at tight end, and he very likely will need a touchdown to be fantasy useful. That said, the injury to Alvin Kamara does open up a path for him to get more traditional running back carries moving forward. In fact, he saw 1 more carry than Devin Neal over the final three quarters on Sunday. Quotes from after the game suggest the Saints might not want that to continue, and they could add some help. Hill is just a speculative add in leagues where he has tight end eligibility to see what happens.
Watch List: I have been interested in Mason Taylor because of the Jets' schedule and the idea he would be at worst the No. 2 target in the passing game, but the emergence of John Metchie has thrown that into some doubt…A.J. Barner will always be a threat for touchdowns, but he plays in a low passing volume offense…Brock Wright is going to run routes in what we think is a good passing game, assuming the neck injury he suffered last week does not keep him out…Gunnar Helm had a solid game against the Seahawks, but he is still sharing routes with Chig Okonkwo, who ran a lot more in Week 12…Colby Parkinson got into the end zone, but it is still a three-man committee for the Rams even with Tyler Higbee sidelined.
