Fantasy Fallout: Vernon Davis is capable of a passable Jordan Reed impression

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Here are the fantasy implications of Washington Redskins TE Jordan Reed (shoulder) being doubtful to play in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals:

Despite having missed two games earlier in the season with a concussion, Reed leads all tight ends with 59 receptions and ranks fifth in yards (630). He's tied with four others at the position with five touchdowns; only Tennessee's Delanie Walker (six) has made more trips to the end zone.

Reed suffered a separated shoulder during a 31-26 loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but was able to return to the game, hauling in 10 of 11 targets for 95 yards and two touchdowns. The injury doesn't seem to have improved. With his range of motion compromised and after having been unable to practice all week, Reed looks unlikely to play.

Reed certainly needs to be held onto in all fantasy leagues, as his absence doesn't look like it will keep him out past Week 13, and Washington has a friendly schedule down the stretch, at least after facing Arizona. The Cardinals haven't allowed a touchdown to a tight end all season, with single-game highs of five receptions and 53 yards given up to the position.

Veteran Vernon Davis has enjoyed a bounce-back campaign in his first year in Washington, contributing a 31-450-2 receiving line mostly as Reed's backup. He caught five passes on seven targets for 68 yards against Dallas in that Thanksgiving contest, and recorded eight catches for 129 yards and a touchdown over Weeks 6 and 7, which Reed missed.

The Redskins' passing game has been in fine form in the season's second half, with QB Kirk Cousins throwing for eight touchdowns and 1,086 yards in three games since the team's Week 9 bye. While the receiving corps has no shortage of capable pass-catchers, the tight end position has been heavily utilized, with Reed and Davis combining for 1,080 yards and seven touchdowns, identical marks to New England's duo of Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett.

With the Redskins piling up passing yards (314.8 per game, behind only the Saints) and Davis' success with Reed out of the lineup, his fantasy prospects look solid, despite a difficult matchup on paper.

Waiver wire targets

For anyone swayed by the Cardinals' success against opposing tight ends this season, other realistically-available alternatives to Davis include:

• Vance McDonald, 49ers (at Bears): Showing some chemistry with QB Colin Kaepernick, McDonald has seen six or more targets in five straight games, scoring twice and averaging 52.8 yards per contest in that stretch. He also possesses rare explosiveness for a tight end, having scored 65- and 75-yard touchdowns this season.

• Lance Kendricks, Rams (at Patriots): Kendricks has been targeted seven times in each of rookie QB Jared Goff's two starts, catching eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. The Rams' offense is admittedly far from explosive, but significant garbage time production could be in the offing on the road against New England.

• C.J. Fiedorowicz, Texans (at Packers): Fiedorowicz is tied with DeAndre Hopkins for the team lead in receiving TDs (3), and has the second-most catches (39) and the third-most yards (429). Given QB Brock Osweiler's conservative tendencies, the third-year tight end is a safe (if unexciting) fantasy play who has seen no fewer than five targets in each of his last eight games.