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Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 13

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Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

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Taysom Hill, Saints

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs. DAL 5% $4

Hill seemed like the Saints' best option at quarterback when Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending injury. However, Hill wasn't 100% at the time, and Trevor Siemian did just enough to hold onto the job ... until now.

New Orleans has reportedly seen enough of Siemian and is giving Hill more first-team reps in practice with a plan to start him Thursday against the Cowboys.

Remember, Hill made four starts last year while filling in for an injured Drew Brees and was the QB8 in fantasy points per game during that time.

His rushing ability puts him in the mix as a low-end fantasy QB1, and it should cause problems for Dallas' defense on the short week.

Streaming options: Taylor Heinicke at LV (36% rostered), Tua Tagovailoa vs. NYG (33% rostered), Jimmy Garoppolo at SEA (34% rostered)

Streaming options (if healthy): Justin Fields vs. ARI (21% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Tyrod Taylor vs. IND (11% rostered), Teddy Bridgewater at KC (21% rostered), Daniel Jones at MIA (28% rostered), Matt Ryan vs. TB (47% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger vs. BAL (24% rostered)

Long-term stashes: Trey Lance (14% rostered)

Running backs

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Alexander Mattison, Vikings

Next Up Rostered FAB
at DET 50% $100

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer denied reports that Dalvin Cook suffered a torn labrum and will miss time. Instead, Zimmer is calling Cook day-to-day and isn't ruling him out for Week 13.

However, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Cook is expected to miss at least two weeks.

That makes things difficult when projecting Mattison, but he's still worth a significant amount of your remaining budget. The 23-year-old is among the best backup running backs in the league, and there's a good chance he gets multiple starts while Minnesota allows Cook to heal.

Mattison was the RB6 and RB7, respectively, in the two games in which he saw extensive volume this season, and he posted over 150 yards from scrimmage in each contest.

Jamaal Williams, Lions

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs. MIN 39% $24

Lions head coach Dan Campbell strongly suggested that D'Andre Swift wouldn't be available for this week's game against the Vikings due to a shoulder sprain.

That would put Jamaal Williams in the lead back role against a team that just gave up 168 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown to Elijah Mitchell.

Williams doesn't have Swift's elite skills, but he's a well-rounded back capable of handling a three-down role. He can be started as an RB2 in fantasy lineups this week.

Dontrell Hilliard/D'Onta Foreman, Titans

Next Up Rostered FAB
on Bye 29%/46% $19/$19

The Titans' backfield duo had a surprising amount of success against the Patriots' defense, with Hilliard turning in 133 yards from scrimmage and a score on 13 touches, while Foreman compiled 112 yards on 20 touches.

Both players were on the field for around 50% of Tennessee's snaps, and each fumbled once.

The Titans are on a bye, but this should give fantasy managers hope that the offense can still generate rushing production even in Derrick Henry's absence.

Though Jeremy McNichols will likely return for Tennessee's next context, Hilliard and Foreman deserve another shot. The Jaguars, the Titans' next opponent, should provide a positive game script, making Hilliard and Foreman intriguing RB3s with RB2 upside.

Matt Breida, Bills

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs. NE 23% $19

Breida went from third on the Bills' depth chart to the pretty clear starter in a matter of a couple of weeks.

Zack Moss was a healthy scratch on Thanksgiving, and it paved the way for Breida to amass 55 yards and a touchdown while serving as the lead back. Most of Devin Singletary's work came when the game was out of reach for the Saints.

This is still the Bills' backfield, which means multiple running backs will be involved and Josh Allen is a threat to steal goal-line touches. Buffalo's schedule also does Breida no favors, with matchups against the Patriots, Buccaneers, and Panthers over the next three weeks.

Regardless, Breida needs to be rostered everywhere to see if he can continue to produce as a fantasy RB3 with an RB2 ceiling.

Ameer Abdullah/Chuba Hubbard, Panthers

Next Up Rostered FAB
on Bye 0%/37% $14/$14

Christian McCaffrey is out for the year after suffering an ankle injury Sunday, but things are different in the Panthers' running back room this time around.

While Hubbard stepped into a dominant role during McCaffrey's last injury stint, Abdullah saw more snaps recently as the complementary option.

That'll likely lead to a committee with both backs splitting time in a rushing attack capped by Cam Newton's goal-line prowess.

They should both be solid RB3/flex options in their Week 14 contest versus the Falcons, but be wary of playing them in the fantasy playoffs when they go up against three tough run defenses in the Bills, Bucs, and Saints.

High-upside backups like Sony Michel (27% rostered), Ronald Jones (19% rostered), and Khalil Herbert (19% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options (if healthy): Jordan Howard at NYJ (16% rostered)

Risky flex options: Tevin Coleman vs. PHI (18% rostered), Ty Johnson vs. PHI (41% rostered), Rex Burkhead vs. IND (8% rostered), Boston Scott at NYJ (19% rostered), DeeJay Dallas vs. SF (10% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Brandon Bolden at BUF (24% rostered), Phillip Lindsay vs. NYG (12% rostered), Jaret Patterson at LV (1% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Devontae Booker at MIA (35% rostered), Jeff Wilson at SEA (46% rostered), Latavius Murray at PIT (34% rostered), Samaje Perine vs. LAC (5% rostered), Carlos Hyde at LAR (10% rostered), Eno Benjamin at CHI (3% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell at NYJ (12% rostered), Kene Nwagnwu (0% rostered)

Wide receivers

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Van Jefferson, Rams

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs. JAX 49% $24

DeSean Jackson's departure helped thrust Jefferson into a significant role in the Rams' pass offense.

He's averaging 7.2 targets per contest over the previous five games with stat lines of 4-43-1, 3-88-0, 3-41-0, 3-54-0, and 3-93-1 - the last numbers being his best and most recent performance Sunday.

His comfort in the offense is evident, and it wouldn't be shocking if he outproduces Odell Beckham Jr. for the rest of the season. Treat Jefferson as a WR3/flex option with a lot of upside if Matthew Stafford stays healthy.

Josh Reynolds, Lions

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs. MIN 1% $3

We recently highlighted Reynolds as a stash in Start, Sit, Stash, Quit after the Lions picked him up.

The logic was simple, Detroit lacked a true top option in the receiving corps, and Reynolds has a history with Jared Goff dating back to their time together on the Rams.

It took a couple of weeks, but Reynolds made his mark on Thanksgiving by catching three of the five targets thrown his way for 70 yards and a score.

With very little target competition on the roster, fantasy managers should immediately stash Reynolds to see if this continues.

Long-term upside stashes: Will Fuller (24% rostered), DeVante Parker (30% rostered)

Flex options: Russell Gage vs. TB (17% rostered), Kendrick Bourne at BUF (23% rostered), DeSean Jackson vs. WAS (5% rostered), A.J. Green at CHI (41% rostered), T.Y. Hilton at HOU (28% rostered), Tre'Quan Smith vs. DAL (5% rostered), Laviska Shenault at LAR (41% rostered)

Flex options (if healthy): Kadarius Toney at MIA (47% rostered), Sterling Shepard at MIA (29% rostered)

Risky flex options: Rondale Moore at CHI (22% rostered), Tim Patrick at KC (27% rostered), Marquez Callaway vs. DAL (20% rostered), Byron Pringle vs. DEN (1% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Curtis Samuel at LV (13% rostered), Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. MIN (5% rostered), Quez Watkins at NYJ (1% rostered), Jamison Crowder vs. PHI (24% rostered), Darius Slayton at MIA (5% rostered), Jauan Jennings at SEA (0% rostered), Zay Jones vs. WAS (0% rostered), Laquon Treadwell at LAR (0% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (26% rostered), Donovan Peoples-Jones (14% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (19% rostered)

Other receivers to stash: Nico Collins vs. IND (1% rostered), Cedrick Wilson at NO (25% rostered), Ashton Dulin at HOU (0% rostered), Gabriel Davis vs. NE (2% rostered)

Tight ends

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Cole Kmet, Bears

Next Up Rostered FAB
vs.ARI 24% $1

Kmet gets the featured spot in the tight end section for the second straight week after delivering an eight-catch, 65-yard performance against the Lions on a whopping 11 targets.

He's now seen at least five targets in five of his last six appearances and has two top-six fantasy finishes among tight ends over the last month.

The 22-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, and we're witnessing the start of that ascension. He's still a TE2 who's best deployed as a fantasy streamer, but Kmet could be a starter for you the rest of the way if you're desperate at the position.

Streaming options: Foster Moreau vs. WAS (1% rostered), Jared Cook at CIN (48% rostered), Evan Engram at MIA (34% rostered), Gerald Everett vs. SF (27% rostered)

Risky streamer options: Tyler Conklin at DET (33% rostered), James O'Shaughnessy at LAR (0% rostered), Jonnu Smith at BUF (22% rostered), Jack Doyle at HOU (1% rostered),

Dart-throw streamer options: C.J. Uzomah vs. LAC (18% rostered), Ryan Griffin vs. PHI (1% rostered), Brevin Jordan vs. IND (0% rostered)

Defenses

Week 13 streamers

Team Next Up Rostered
Vikings at DET 17%
Chiefs vs. DEN 26%
Dolphins vs. NYG 43%
Giants at MIA 2%
Raiders vs. WAS 6%

Favorable upcoming schedules: Broncos DEF (35% rostered), Packers DEF (31% rostered), Titans DEF (39% rostered), Seahawks DEF (12% rostered)

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