Here are this week’s top Waiver Wire players who are owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues. Our favorite players are broken down in Top Targets and the best secondary options are in our Going Deeper sections. We’ll also list any players at the top of each position who are above the 50% threshold — or are household names — and are still widely available for those who might be in smaller leagues.
Be sure to check out our weekly Waiver Wire podcast for more analysis. We’ll also have Streaming articles every Tuesday that focuses on the top quarterbacks, tight ends, and defenses for the upcoming week(s).
Note: The initial Waiver Wire article writeup will be posted every Monday evening, followed by in-depth updates Tuesday, and continued additions/updates Wednesday.
Teams on Bye in Week 13
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers
Tennessee Titans
Hansen’s Top-15 Options
Note: For these rankings, John Hansen leans on players who are available in at least 40-50% of Yahoo leagues and who also saw a favorable development for their fantasy values last week. Some players are better long-term pickups, and some are better for just this week or the short term.
- Alexander Mattison (Min, 49%) — Dalvin likely out at least two weeks, and Mattison is an RB1 while he’s out.
- Chuba Hubbard (Car, 37%) — Not going to be a true bellcow and 3-down back, but 15 opportunities per game are likely.
- Jamaal Williams (Det, 39%) — D’Andre Swift likely out at least Week 13, and 20+ opportunities are coming.
- Taysom Hill (NO, 5%) — Legit top-12 upside due to the cheatcode (running).
- Foster Moreau (LV, 0%) — Very good red zone guy, could easily be top-15 option if Waller is out.
- Sony Michel (LAR, 27%) — Henderson is banged up again, so huge upside if he ends up missing a game.
- Gerald Everett (Sea, 20%) — Firmly in the top-15 TE convo no.
- Dontrell Hilliard (Ten, 28%) — Jeremy McNichols will complicate this backfield, but Hilliard is not just a receiving back.
- Boston Scott (Phi, 19%) — He might actually be the safest bet in this backfield.
- Matt Breida (Buf, 23%) — Has clearly carved out a decent role in the run and pass game.
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB, 26%) — Hard to trust, but Randall Cobb is banged up, and MVS just missed a big play last week.
- Kendrick Bourne (NE, 23%) — He’s been steady with a solid floor and an actually high ceiling.
- Russell Gage (Atl, 17%) — Boring as hell, but he’s led this receiving group the last two weeks.
- Jack Doyle (Ind, 1%) — He’s back! And Mo Alie-Cox is a non-factor.
- Josh Reynolds (Det, 1%) — He did look good Week 12 and looks like their new #1.
Quarterbacks
Higher-owned Options
Carson Wentz (Ind, 57%), Matt Ryan (Atl, 48%)
Top Targets
None of note.
Going Deeper
Taysom Hill (NO, 5%) — Sample Size Siemian has done it again. After initially playing well and showing some hope, as the sample size increased, Trevor Siemian he got worse and worse, just like he did in Denver. Hill has been dealing with a foot injury that was probably more serious than anyone knew, but it’s feeling better now and Hill is in line to start Week 13 provided the foot holds up in practice this week, where he is getting first-team reps ahead of their TNF game against the Cowboys. It’s long past time to give Taysom a chance as the starter before their playoff hopes are officially dashed, and Siemian has been so bad that it’s unlikely that this situation could turn into a messy two-QB timeshare. The schedule should be decent for fantasy (vs. Dal, @NYJ, @TB, Mia next). The Saints posted a 3-1 record in Hill’s starts and he averaged 7.3 YPA and he completed 72% of his passes. He also added 209/4 rushing and his production on the ground propelled him to rank as the QB7 in Weeks 11-14 with 22.3 FPG. Hill’s presence in the lineup expands the offense and he has much better second-reaction skills, and since they really have no passing offense, he can create some offense on his own with his legs. If things go well, he could be a locked-in top-15 QB for the fantasy playoffs.
Tua Tagovailoa (Mia, 33%) — Tua has played fairly well this season despite the Dolphins’ organization undermining him at every turn, and despite a receiving corps that can’t stay intact this season. The Dolphins are suddenly riding a four-game winning streak and Tua’s efficient QB play has been a major reason why. He completed 27/31 passes (87.1%) for 230 yards (7.4 YPA) and one TD in a three-score victory over the Panthers. He’s a volume-based, mid-QB2 moving forward (NYG, bye, NYJ, @NO), and he’d have even more potential if DeVante Parker (hamstring, IR) and Will Fuller (finger, IR) would ever get healthy this season. HC Brian Flores had an update on Fuller on 11/29, and it wasn’t particularly positive. Parker is at least eligible to return from IR this week if he’s ready.
Taylor Heinicke (Was, 15%) — Heinicke had cooled off since he threw for multiple TDs in his first three starts in Weeks 2-4, failing to throw 2+ TD passes in five straight games until he finally did it again in Week 11. He completed 16/22 passes for 206 yards and three TDs against the Panthers, and he added 6/29 rushing for 23.1 FP. With Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip, IR) unlikely to play again this season, Heinie will likely be leading the offense for the rest of the season (@LV, Dal, @Phi, at Dal vs. Phi, at NYG), and he’ll be a serviceable low-end QB2 while he’s in the starter. Heinicke is clearly not a high-level talent, but the real problem is a lack of weapons, so his prospects are improved with TE Logan Thomas back and wideout Curtis Samuel actually looking at possibly playing football in Week 12. If Heinicke has three solid weapons to throw to, that could make him a “safe” play with some upside.
Mac Jones (NE, 38%) — Coming out of Week 12, Jones is throwing a catchable pass 85% of the time, which is tops in the league (per Cris Collinsworth), and better than old man Tom Brady. The Patriots passing game has been more aggressive as of late, but this is still a run-heavy offense with a stout defense, which often caps Mac’s fantasy upside. But if you’re looking for a low-end option, it’s always nice to roll with a guy whose actually playing great, and Mac did also come through in Week 12 with a little extra volume, completing 23/32 passes for 310 yards (9.7 YPA) and two TDs for 21.5 FP against the Titans. New England’s offense has vastly improved since the first five weeks of the season, but they’ve been blowing out teams, which has led to just 24.8 attempts per game in Weeks 9-12. He should at least play in some competitive upcoming games (@Buf, bye, @Ind, Jax) where he’ll be forced to throw a little more, as we saw last week against Tennessee. He’s moved into the mid-QB2 range for the rest of the season, and he could move even higher if the passing game continues to play more aggressively.
Jimmy Garoppolo (SF, 28%) — Jimmy G is playing his best football of the season with San Francisco riding a three-game winning streak, and he’s bought himself some time as the team’s starter for as long as they’re in playoff contention. He’s attempted just 67 passes over the last three weeks with five scores in that span, but he’s averaged 8.0 YPA or better in five straight games with George Kittle returning to the lineup and with Brandon Aiyuk coming back to life in a big way. The 49ers running game has taken over lately, but he has the chance to be a fringe top-12 option if he’s ever forced to throw the ball 35 times or more. He will be without Deebo Samuel (groin) for 1-2 games, which is a massive loss, but he at least could have some more competitive matchups looming (@Sea, @Cin, Atl, @Ten) that should force him to the air and Aiyuk has stepped up lately.
Teddy Bridgewater (Den, 24%) — Teddy hung 16.1 FP in Denver’s first game out of their bye despite playing just three quarters in their victory over the Chargers because of a lower-leg injury. He completed 11/18 passes for 129 yards and one TD and he added 2/10/1 rushing in the victory. Teddy threw for multiple TDs in five of his first seven games, but he’s cooled off since with just three TD passes overall in his last four games. He’s still a serviceable low-end QB2 with a solid upcoming schedule (@KC, Det, Cin, @LV). There’s no shortage of weapons here, that’s for sure, but Teddy needs his offensive line to get healthy and things to fall completely right for him, which has been fairly rare this year and throughout his career.
Tyrod Taylor (Hou, 11%) — Taylor played well to start the season before his hamstring injury, totaling 40.1 FP in just six quarters of action. His performances since returning to the lineup have reminded everyone that Taylor is a slightly above average starting quarterback leading an offense with limited weapons behind a terrible O-line. At least he’s been serviceable for fantasy over the last two weeks with 19.1 FP in Week 11 against the Titans and 16.3 FP against the Jets in Week 12. Taylor will be a low-end QB2 most weeks (Ind, Sea, @Jax, LAC), but he should at least have plenty of garbage-time opportunities moving forward. HC David Culley did confirm on 11/29 that Tyrod is still the clear starter, which is nice to know.
Andy Dalton (Chi, 3%) and Justin Fields (Chi, 22%) — Fields was trending in the right direction for a number of weeks before Chicago’s Week 10 bye, but he took a step back in Week 11 with just four completions before a rib injury knocked him out in the third quarter against the Ravens, which caused him to miss Week 12. He’s dealing with a few cracked ribs so there’s a chance he misses at least one more game against the Cardinals in Week 13, so he’s back to being a bench stash for the time being. Dalton has stepped into the lineup and posted 518/3 passing and 32.8 FP in six quarters of action against the Ravens and Lions. Dalton has given Darnell Mooney and this passing attack some life, and he’ll be a low-end streamer if he plays against the Cardinals for those playing in two-QB/Superflex leagues.
Daniel Jones (NYG, 34%) — Jones is once again dying behind a porous OL that cannot block up the interior, and some pretty craptastic play calling — but at least they fired Jason Garrett. Jones himself isn’t helping matters by making poor decisions and turning the ball over. He’s now fallen below 18 FP in seven straight games and he’s thrown for 2+ TDs just twice in 11 games. He can’t be trusted against anything close to a good defense at this point, which makes him a volatile low-end QB2 despite some beatable matchups (@Mia, @LAC, Dal, @Phi) in the future. Getting Kadarius Toney and/or Sterling Shepard back would help, obviously.
Trevor Lawrence (Jax, 30%) — The first overall pick from last spring’s draft has struggled mightily for most of the season playing with limited weapons under a first-time NFL coach who is in over his head. Lawrence actually had his best fantasy performance since Week 5, completing 23/42 passes for 228 yards (5.4 YPA) for one TD and one INT against the Falcons in Week 12. He added 5/39 rushing to finish with 18.0 FP. Lawrence’s receivers have been coming up extremely small, and he will be without Dan Arnold (knee) the next 4-6 weeks and after losing slot receiver Jamal Agnew (hip, IR) in Week 11. But hey, he’s got Laquon Treadwell as a weapon! He can’t be trusted in lineups right now but his upcoming matchups are pretty solid (@LAR, @Ten, Hou, @NYJ), so he’s not hopeless.
Ben Roethlisberger (Pit, 24%) — Big Ben hadn’t hit 18+ FP in each of his first eight games, but Roethlisberger got there in Week 11 with 22.9 FP against the Chargers. His play has slightly improved in recent weeks, but it all came crumbling down against the Bengals in Week 12 with three turnovers on his way to 11.5 FP. Big Ben should hang in there as a decent desperation play in at least a Superflex/two-QB leagues, thanks to a solid upcoming schedule (Bal, @Min, Ten, @KC), but he’s shown almost no ceiling potential this season.
Baker Mayfield (Cle, 38%) — Mayfield is playing through a fracture in his non-throwing shoulder in addition to his torn labrum and, to make matters worse, he looked clearly hobbled last week playing through a knee injury he suffered in Week 10. He completed 15/29 passes for 176 yards (6.1 YPA), one TD, and two INTs in an embarrassing “victory” over the Lions. He’s finished with fewer than 10 FP in three of his last four games. Mayfield’s tough to go to battle with due to his mounting injuries and due to the fact that he’s in a run-heavy offense with limited passing-game weapons. With just one performance with 19+ FP through 11 weeks, Mayfield is a desperation option in Superflex/two-QB formats (@Bal, bye, Bal, LV). It’s getting so bad in Cleveland that HC Kevin Stefanski has to be seriously considering a switch to Case Keenum.
Jared Goff (Det, 5%) — Goff is back in the lineup after missing one contest for an oblique injury, and he had his best showing in quite some time with 171/2 passing against the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. Goff has been pretty miserable with three TD passes over his last six games, so he’s only a desperation option in two-QB/Superflex leagues moving forward (Min, @Den, Ari, @Atl).
Zach Wilson (NYJ, 6%) — Wilson took back the starting job in Week 12 after missing four games for a knee injury, and he looked like the same quarterback from before his injury. He completed 14/24 passes for 145 yards (6.0 YPA) and one INTs and he added a rushing TD in New York’s victory over the Texans. New York’s upcoming schedule is mixed with easy and difficult matchups (Phi, NO, @Mia, Jax) and they do have a strong receiving corps, but Wilson has yet to show much progress so keep expectations in check.
Running Backs
Higher-owned Options
Jeff Wilson (SF, 48%), Alex Collins (Sea, 53%), J.D. McKissic (Was, 53%), Nyheim Hines (Ind, 56%), Kenyan Drake (LV, 59%), David Johnson (Hou, 52%)
Top Targets
Alexander Mattison (Min, 49%) — Dalvin Cook went down in a heap with a dislocated shoulder late in Minnesota’ loss to the 49ers, and the injury was serious enough that he needed to be carted off the field. He may or may not miss time, but we are looking at Cook missing multiple games. Mattison is owned in most 12-team leagues and deeper formats with his ownership hovering around 50% in Yahoo leagues, and he’ll be a must-own across all formats if Cook is looking at missed time. Cook previously missed action in Weeks 3 and 5 because of an ankle injury, and Mattison racked up a combined 51/225 rushing and 13/99/1 receiving for 50.4 FP against the Seahawks and Lions. Now is the time to use your top waiver priority or any remaining FAAB for a potential league-winning option, who has some juicy matchups against the Lions and Steelers over the next two weeks.
Chuba Hubbard (Car, 37%) — Here we go again. Christian McCaffrey picked up an ankle injury coming out of Week 12, and he’s now done for the season. Hubbard has proven this year that he’s a merely average player, but he managed a solid but unspectacular 12.8 FPG in Weeks 3-8 with CMC out of the lineup. He’s not a slam dunk now, though, since he now has more competition for playing time now with Ameer Abdullah emerging over the last month. The Panthers haven’t fully trusted Hubbard in pass-protection all year, so Abdullah will likely play in passing situations with Hubbard working as the lead runner.
Jamaal Williams (Det, 39%) — D’Andre Swift suffered what HC Dan Campbell called a sprained shoulder in the second quarter of Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day game, which knocked him out after just six touches for nine yards against the Bears. Swift will be in a race to play against the Vikings, and Campbell’s remarks on 11/29 were not encouraging (Campbell said "it’s hard to say that you’d see" him playing Week 13. It doesn’t help that shoulder injuries are more difficult for running backs to come back from since they invite more contact than other positions. For as long as Swift misses time, Williams will step into a bellcow role after he played 63% of the snaps against the Bears. He finished with 15/65 rushing (4.3 YPC) and he caught all of his team-best five targets (20% share) for 18 yards. Williams has the chance to see enough volume to be a high-end RB2 if Swift is out of the lineup. Williams will have a role with likely 10+ opportunities a game even when Swift returns, and they have nice matchups upcoming vs. Min, at Den, vs. Ari, at Atl, and at Sea.
Dontrell Hilliard (Ten, 28%) and D’Onta Foreman (Ten, 46%) — The Titans’ backfield had devolved into a fantasy quagmire, but it cleared up some last week with Adrian Peterson being released and Jeremy McNichols (concussion) missing his second consecutive game. The Titans split the work in this backfield essentially right down the middle in Week 12 with Hilliard posting 12/131/1 rushing with a two-yard catch on two targets on a 51% snap share. Foreman finished with 19/109 rushing while catching his only target for three yards on a 49% snap share against the Patriots. Both players could hang in there as low-end RB2s if this backfield remained untouched, but McNichols will eventually return to the lineup, which will make this backfield a little messier. We prefer Hilliard in this backfield for the time being since he’s been the more impressive player over the last two weeks, but this backfield could be a week-to-week proposition for the rest of the season and the return of McNicholas is probably an issue for both but especially Hilliard.
Boston Scott (Phi, 19%) and Jordan Howard (Phi, 16%) — Miles Sanders returned to the lineup off of his ankle in Week 11 and he was immediately elevated back to the top spot on this depth chart, but he clearly doesn’t have the full trust of the coaching staff. With Howard out of the lineup with a knee injury in Week 12, Sanders was stuck in a two-man committee with Scott before losing significant snaps to him in the second half after tweaking his ankle on his best run of the day. Scott finished with a backfield-best 15/64/1 rushing and 2/8 receiving on 51% of the snaps. Howard was used as the 1B runner behind Sanders in Week 11, racking up 10/63 rushing before a knee injury knocked him out of the game in the third quarter. HC Nick Sirianni is committed to rotating his backs, and Howard was used ahead of Scott before his injury. Howard should return in the near future, but it looks like Howard could miss another game with his knee injury after missing practice all of last week. Scott is the better add for this week (13) while Howard has slightly more potential for the rest of the season. In short, you basically want to use anyone but Sanders in this backfield.
Going Deeper
Sony Michel (LAR, 27%) — Darrell Henderson is being used as a workhorse back most weeks, leaving Michel as a bench stash. But he has RB1 upside with the potential for 20+ touches in any game that Henderson would miss in the future, and Henderson is now dealing with a quad injury that could keep him limited or even out of practice. Henderson’s injury could be of minimal concern, but it could also go the other way and escalate to the point where Michel is a must-start with 20+ touches likely. UPDATED: 11/30
Matt Breida (Buf, 23%) — The Bills pulled the plug on second-year RB Zack Moss on Thanksgiving Day, electing to make him a healthy scratch in favor of veteran Breida. Devin Singletary led the backfield with a 68% snap share against the Saints, turning his 16 opportunities into 48 scrimmage yards. Meanwhile, Breida continued to make the most plays in the backfield, catching both of his targets for 29 yards and a touchdown while posting 9/26 rushing on a 32% snap share. Moss has been trending in the wrong direction for over last month with fewer than nine FP in four of his last five games, while Breida has done a lot on limited opportunities over the last three weeks. He’s scored three times in that span while averaging 6.2 YPC and 11.2 YPR so OC Brian Daboll should cook up more touches for him moving forward.
Rex Burkhead (Hou, 8%) — Chasing fantasy production in this Houston backfield has been a fruitless endeavor this season, but it’s at least notable that HC David Culley pared down the backfield to a two-man committee between Burkhead and Johnson coming out of their Week 10 bye — they released Phillip Lindsay before Week 12. Burkhead led the backfield with 12/27 rushing and 3/27 receiving on a 61% snap share in Week 12, while Johnson managed 10/39 rushing and 2/16 receiving on a 39% snap share against the Jets. Burkhead hasn’t been effective at all, but it’s notable that he saw the most rushing and receiving work. Royce Freeman didn’t play a snap last week, but he could eventually be thrown into the mix to make this backfield even more useless.
Ty Johnson (NYJ, 41%), Tevin Coleman (NYJ, 18%), and Austin Walter (NYJ, 0%) — The Jets had been primarily rolling with Michael Carter as the lead back and Johnson as the passing back since their Week 6 bye, but they went back to an ugly three-man backfield with Carter hitting the injured reserve before Week 12. Coleman led the backfield with 45% snap share and 18/70 scrimmage in a rare mostly positive gamescript against the Texans in Week 12. Johnson followed him with a 34% snap share and 6/42 rushing without a catch, while the previously unknown Walter saw a 24% snap share and 9/38/1 rushing. The Jets backfield will remain a mess for at least two more weeks while Carter is out of the lineup, and Johnson still has the most fantasy potential since he boosts his value as a receiver and the Jets are typically playing in negative gamescripts. The problem is that Zach Wilson is back under center so this passing game is pretty worthless. These backs have a chance for touches while Carter is out of the lineup, but they’re setting up to be risky fantasy options in a bad offense with a three-back rotation.
Brandon Bolden (NE, 24%) — Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson are the clear top runners in this offense, but the veteran Bolden still has a pulse as the clear receiving back in this passing attack. He caught all four of his targets for 54 yards against the Titans in Week 12, which gives him 9+ FP in four of his last six games. The Patriots could be forced to throw a little more over the next month with some tougher matchups looming (@Buf, bye, @Ind, Buf) so he’s a viable option in deeper PPR formats.
Latavius Murray (Bal, 37%) — Devonta Freeman has established himself as the best option in this Ravens’ backfield, but OC Greg Roman is still spreading the rock around in this backfield. Murray finished with 10/32 rushing and 2/1 receiving on two targets with a solid 37% of the snaps in his first game back in Week 11 after a four-week layoff for an ankle injury. Murray actually played more snaps in Week 12 (44%) but he had only 8/14 rushing and 0 targets in an ugly game against the Browns. Murray should sit around 10 opportunities a game with a chance to score a goal-line TD most weeks, but he’s also a guy who could get you only a handful of points, as he did in Week 12.
Ameer Abdullah (Car, 0%) — With Christian McCaffrey done for the season, rookie Chubba Hubbard is back in as the lead runner and early-down back, but Abdullah would likely play in passing situations because they do not trust Hubbard in pass-pro, and they have been very impressed with Abdullah, who looks fast and explosive in Carolina. He’s a deserpation play only, but considering how the Panthers check it down to CMC so much and how Cam Newton can’t throw a football very well, AA could actually hold some low-end PPR value with 7-10 FPG.
DeeJay Dallas (Sea, 1%) — Contract year veteran Rashad Penny ripped off an 18-yard run on his first carry in Week 11 and looked like he was shot out of a cannon - until he tweaked a hamstring. Penny cannot be counted on for anything at this point. The veteran Alex Collins continues to lead this backfield, but he also continues to do next to nothing. Over the last four weeks (3 games), Collins is the RB69 in PPG. Dallas is actually the RB54 in that span despite seeing half as many touches/opportunities. Due to gamescrip, Dallas had 28 snaps in Week 12 compared to Collins’ 19, and he managed 8 FP thanks to the fact that he caught all five of his targets, most of them very late. The team is done in terms of making the playoffs, to they should really take a long look at Dallas, and he’s talented and versatile enough to grab hold of a solid role here. For now, he’s just a stash guy. UPDATED: 11/30
Phillip Lindsay (Mia, 12%) — The Texans released Lindsay before Week 12 and he landed on his feet with the Dolphins claiming him and getting him into the lineup immediately. He played just 15 snaps (20%) in a four-man backfield led by Myles Gaskin, but he saw a healthy 12 carries for 42 yards against the Panthers, with much of his work coming as the team’s closer in a lopsided victory. He’s worth a stash in non-PPR formats since it wouldn’t be surprising to see Lindsay eventually become the primary runner for the Dolphins since Gaskin has been mostly ineffective with his 3.5 YPC average.
Jermar Jefferson (Det, 0%) — Jefferson got hurt at the end of his 28-yard TD run in Week 10, but the play showcased the talent that we’ve seen in him that has prompted us to list him here despite being only the #3. D’Andre Swift picked up a shoulder injury in Week 12 and he should miss some time moving forward, and Jefferson would serve as the #2 RB. Jefferson saw the rock twice after Swift left against the Bears (he had 10% snap share), but both of his carries were negated by holding calls on consecutive plays. Jefferson is worth a stash just in case he gets a chance to play in December with Swift nursing a shoulder injury and with Jamaal Williams just getting over a quad injury.
Best Handcuff Stashes
Khalil Herbert (Chi, 20%) — David Montgomery is back and dominating touches and playing time in Chicago’s backfield, but Herbert asserted himself as his handcuff during Montgomery’s four-week absence. He averaged 21.8 touches and 97.0 scrimmage yards per game in Weeks 5-8 so he’s a viable RB2 if Montgomery misses more time. They are somewhat stupidly not using him with Montgomery back the last three weeks and have unsurprisingly lost two games and nearly lost in Week 12 to the Lions.
Ronald Jones (TB, 19%) — RoJo has fallen out of favor in Tampa Bay and, despite scoring the last two weeks, he’s yet to reach double-digit FP in any game this season. His only path to real fantasy reliability is if Leonard Fournette would miss time in the future and, even then, Giovani Bernard would take on a bigger role as a passing back next to RoJo.
Carlos Hyde (Jax, 10%) — Hyde has been buried behind James Robinson in Jacksonville’s backfield since early in the season, but he was thrust into a bigger role in Week 9 with J-Rob missing for a heel injury. He has a path to RB2 production with the chance for 15+ touches whenever Robinson is out of the lineup.
Samaje Perine (Cin, 8%) — Perine is the primary handcuff for Joe Mixon, who already had an injury scare this season when he went down with an ankle injury. He’s also seeing some time playing behind Mixon on a weekly basis but it’s not quite enough to be fantasy relevant.
Marlon Mack (Ind, 4%) — Mack is nothing more than a decent handcuff for Jonathan Taylor. He’s not really a must-have due to the presence of Nyheim Hines, but Mack would certainly be in line for 12+ touches if JT’s out.
Jaret Patterson (Was, 2%) — It’s very clear that if Antonio Gibson is out, Patterson, a UDFA out of Buffalo, would take over as the team’s lead runner with J.D. McKissic working in passing situations while getting more opportunities as a runner. Washington doesn’t look poised to pull the plug on Gibson any time soon after a strong Week 10, but they did bench him in favor of Patterson in Week 11 after Gibson fumbled deep in enemy territory.
Peyton Barber (LV, 2%) — This is a different regime running the show in Las Vegas now, and they don’t hate the (Kenyan) Drake like Jon Gruden did, so Barber shouldn’t be expected to average 19.5 touches per game as he did in Weeks 2-3 with Jacobs out. But Barber is well in the mix to be their top runner in Las Vegas if Jacobs misses more time this season. Barber went off for 142/2 scrimmage back in Week 3 against the Dolphins when Jacobs sat out with foot/ankle injuries.
Wide Receivers
Higher-owned Options
Van Jefferson (LAR, 48%), Kadarius Toney (NYG, 47%), Rashod Bateman (Bal, 56%), Robby Anderson (Car, 47%), AJ Green (Ari, 45%), Kenny Golladay (NYG, 58%)
Top Targets
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB, 26%) — MVS garnered some preseason hype and he looked potentially primed for a mini-breakout early in the season before a hamstring injury sidelined him for five weeks. He’s been slow out of the gates since he returned to the lineup in Week 9, but he finally exploded in Week 11 with 22.3 FP against the Vikings. He backed it up 4/50 receiving on a team-high nine targets (20% share) against the Rams in Week 12, and he just missed a big play as well. It’s tough to trust any of these Packers’ secondary receivers behind ball-hog Davante Adams, but MVS is worth a look since he’s seen a team-best 19 targets over the last two weeks. It also doesn’t hurt that Randall Cobb could be out of the mix in the future after he left Week 12 early with a groin injury. MVS is capable of exploding for a massive fantasy performance in any matchup playing with Aaron Rodgers, who has shown trust in MVS. He’s also capable of posting a dud in any matchup, so he’s a true boom-or-bust fantasy option.
Kendrick Bourne (NE, 23%) — Bourne has been a viable PPR option since Week 3 with 4+ receptions in seven of his last 10 games. He’s also gone for 23+ FP in two of his last three games after hanging 5/61/2 receiving on six targets against the Titans in Week 12. He’s still playing behind Nelson Agholor (83% snap share) after seeing a 55% snap share last week, but he has the most chemistry with Mac Jones out of all the Patriots receivers. He’s now averaging career-best in YPR (14.8) and in catch rate (79.2%), and he’s become a viable fantasy option in 12-team formats with his play this season.
Going Deeper
Russell Gage (Atl, 17%) — Atlanta is trotting out the second-worst receiving corps in the league, ahead of only Detroit, and Gage is the top option in this sad group while Calvin Ridley is away from the team, ahead of Olamide Zaccheaus and Tajae Sharpe. Gage paced this pathetic passing attack for a second straight game in Week 12, posting 6/62/1 receiving on seven targets (24% share) for a season-best 18.2 FP. Gage has a rock-bottom floor with two goose eggs since their Week 6 bye, but he’s been a viable PPR option in his other four games in that span with a combined 22/242/2 receiving. Scordarrelle Patterson’s presence in the lineup lifts up the floor for this entire offense, and Gage should remain involved with defenses focused on wiping out Kyle Pitts most weeks.
Josh Reynolds (Det, 1%) — Reynolds has been on Detroit’s active roster for just two weeks, but he’s already been elevated into the #1 WR role. He also has more chemistry with Jared Goff than the rest of these receivers since he spent the first four years of his career (2017-20) playing with the Rams. Reynolds posted team-highs in targets (5, 20% share) and routes (22) against the Bears in Week 12, and he turned his chances into 3/70/1 receiving with a 39-yard touchdown. Goff has been groping for any kind of help on the perimeter all season long with Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman flaming out, and he has plenty of experience playing with Reynolds. He’s a boom-or-bust type of player, especially in one of the league’s worst passing attacks, but he looked good on Thanksgiving and will get downfield and end-zone targets, so there are worse options if you’re looking for help in deeper formats.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Ten, 20%) — The Titans are an abject mess at their skill positions with Julio Jones, A.J. Brown, and Marcus Johnson are each currently on the injured reserve. Westbrook-Ikhine has been forced into a prominent role with Tennessee's top three receivers each nursing injuries, and he finished with one of the more pathetic leading receiver lines of the season. He posted 2/25/1 receiving on five targets (24% share) to pace the Titans against the Patriots in Week 12. Westbrook-Ikhine will be viable on the low end for as long as Tennessee’s top three receivers miss time. We’ll also keep an eye on Dez Fitzpatrick, whose college tape our Greg Cosell reviewed positively heading into the 2021 draft.
T.Y. Hilton (Ind, 28%) — It’s mostly been a lost season for Hilton after needing neck surgery before the start of the season, but he’s still hanging around as the #2 WR behind Michael Pittman in Indianapolis. He’s yet to see more than five targets in a game this season, but he’s coming off his best fantasy performance with 4/28/1 receiving on five targets (11% share) against the Buccaneers in Week 12. The Colts do get a matchup with the Texans this week, who he’s historically crushed throughout his career, so maybe he can build some momentum late in the season after scoring for the first time last week. TY has quickly returned to see some downfield targets, so there’s a speck of upside.
Sterling Shepard (NYG, 34%) — Shepard could return off of his quad injury this week, but he may not stay healthy for long. He’s been active when has been in the lineup, averaging 6.4/64.8/.2 receiving on 8.6 targets per game. He’s viable in PPR formats but his workload could be lightened a bit over the final two months of the season if the Giants ever field a healthy and competent offense. As we saw yet again in Week 12, Kenny Golladay is hopeless.
Laviska Shenault (Jax, 42%) — The Jaguars moved Shenault back into his more natural position in the slot with Jamal Agnew (hip, IR) done for the season, but he continued to underwhelm in Week 12 with his fifth consecutive game with fewer than double-digit FP. Even worse, Laquon Treadwell outproduced him, which is the saddest thing you’ll read today. He finished with 5/33 receiving against the Falcons but he at least saw a team-high nine targets (21% share). It’s tough to trust anyone in this struggling Jaguars’ passing attack, but Shenault has a chance to be the top option for the rest of the season if the coaching staff keeps him in the slot moving forward. We’re not using Treadwell over Shenault just yet, but one more week could do it.
DeSean Jackson (LV, 4%) — The Raiders unleashed D-Jax on the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, and he gave Las Vegas’ stagnant offense so much needed life. He posted 3/102/1 receiving on four targets against Dallas while playing on a season-high 48% of the snaps. Jackson will continue to rotate with Zay Jones and Bryan Edwards on the perimeter, but they’ve generally been disappointments this season, so OC Todd Downing should give D-Jax a couple of chances per game to make plays downfield if you’re looking for help in deep non-PPR formats.
Jauan Jennings (SF, 0%) — Deebo Samuel went down with a groin injury late in San Francisco’s Week 12 victory over the Vikings, and he should be looking at some missed, perhaps just Week 13. Jennings, a second-year WR out of Tennessee, has been moving up in the world recently, supplanting Mohamed Sanu as the team’s #3 WR, while also playing over Trent Sherfield (37% of the snaps vs. 29%). He should be looking at a more prominent role for as long as Deebo is out of the lineup. He had his best game of the season with 2/24/1 receiving on three targets against the Vikings, and he scored on an acrobatic three-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo. Our Greg Cosell liked Jennings’ talent coming out, so he’s a viable guy if he’s starting for Deebo.
Tre’Quan Smith (NO, 5%) and Marquez Callaway (NO, 31%)— Your fantasy team probably isn’t going anywhere if you’re using a Saints WR on a regular basis, but Callaway and Smith are the best options, especially with Deonte Harris set to serve a three-game suspension in the near future. Smith had posted 11+ FP in three of his last four games before managing just 4/31 receiving on five targets against the Bills. Callaway has scored six TDs this season but he had a three-game TD streak snapped in Week 12, with just 2/24 receiving on four targets against Buffalo. These receivers are viable in deeper formats, but Alvin Kamara should be back in the near future to take away some targets.
Rondale Moore (Ari, 22%) — Let’s try this again. After opening the season with back-to-back double-digit PPR games, Moore didn’t hit 10 FP in his next eight games until he went nuts with 11/51 on 11 targets in Week 11. DeAndre Hopkins may play football again at some point, and AJ Green is still among the living, but it’s certainly possible that Moore becomes a more consistent producer when Kyler Murray returns this week. Moore is a decent stash for some upside, but he’ll likely go back to his #5 receiver role against the Bears this week with Hopkins likely returning.
Tight Ends
Higher-owned Options
Pat Freiermuth (Pit, 63%), Logan Thomas (Was, 60%), Jared Cook (LAC, 48%)
Top Targets
Cole Kmet (Chi, 24%) — Kmet has been trending in the right direction since Week 6, but he showed he still has an ugly floor in this volatile passing attack with just a 12-yard catch against the Ravens in Week 11. He got back in the saddle with Andy Dalton at quarterback in Week 12, posting 8/65 receiving on a season-high 11 targets against the Lions. Unfortunately, Jimmy Graham has risen from the dead in recent weeks, stealing a touchdown last week and seeing exactly three targets in three straight games. Kmet has yet to score a touchdown so his ceiling is a bit limited, but he’s seen 6+ targets in four of his last five games if you’re looking for help in PPR formats.
Going Deeper
Foster Moreau (LV, 0%) — Darren Waller picked up a knee injury early in the second quarter of their Thanksgiving Day game, and he could be looking at some sort of absence. He’s considered “week-to-week,” which is another way of saying “he’s probably not playing in their next game,” so Moreau could be in business. Moreau stepped into Waller’s place after the injury, but he managed just a three-yard catch despite seeing five targets. Waller has seen 8.4 targets per game this season, and Moreau went off for 6/60/1 receiving when Waller missed in Week 7. He’s scored a whopping 10 TDs on just 53 career targets, and he’ll be worth a look in (mostly) deeper formats for as long as Waller is out.
Gerald Everett (Sea, 20%) — Everett sure is happy to see Russell Wilson back in action, posting a season-best 14.3 FP against the Packers in Week 10. He backed it up with a solid 3/37 receiving on four targets against the Cardinal in Week 11, then a 5/37/1 performance with 9 targets in Week 12. Everett now owns double-digit FP in four his six games played with Wilson this season, and he’s established himself as the third option in this passing attack with Russ at quarterback. Heck, he might even be #2 over D-Koy Metcalf at this point. UPDATED: 11/30
Jack Doyle (Ind, 1%) — Mo Alie-Cox was the Colts’ TE to stream during the month of October, but Doyle has emerged as the top TE target for Carson Wentz in recent weeks. Doyle is coming off a season-best 6/81/1 receiving on seven targets (16% share) against the Buccaneers in Week 12, which gives him 3+ catches, 30+ yards, and 5+ targets in three straight games. He also has TDs in three of his last five games so he’s crept into the streaming conversation if you’re desperate at the position.
Tyler Conklin (Min, 34%) — Conklin has a fantasy pulse at a weak position since he gets weekly targets while seeing a large snap share. Those targets have dried up a bit in the last two weeks as he has 5/60 receiving on only six targets against the Packers and 49ers in Weeks 11-12. Conklin has emerged ahead of K.J. Osborn as the #3 option behind Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, but he’s still a distant third in this passing attack, which makes him a streamer only in favorable matchups.
James O’Shaughnessy (Jax, 0%) — O’Shaughnessy made some noise in Jacksonville’s season opener with 6/48 receiving before going down with a high ankle injury in Week 2. He returned to the lineup at the right time in Week 12 with Dan Arnold going down with a knee injury, as he stepped up with 3/29 receiving on five targets and he added two-point conversion for 7.9 FP against the Falcons. With the Jaguars groping for help at receiver, O’Shaughnessy could be a viable streaming option if Arnold misses some time with his knee injury.
Austin Hooper (Cle, 22%) — The Browns’ WR corps is an absolute disaster with Jarvis Landry (knee) and Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) unable to stay fully healthy, and Hooper is one player who has stepped up a bit in recent weeks. He has 4+ catches and 5+ targets in three of his last four games after posting 4/53 receiving on seven targets in a victory over the Lions in Week 11. Hooper is averaging just 9.3 YPR with two TDs so he’s unlikely to provide you with many big plays, but he’s shaping up as a solid PPR option with the current state of Cleveland’s receiving corps.
Place Kickers
Higher-owned Options
Daniel Carlson (LV, 64%) - Carlson has converted on two or more field goals in five of his last six games. He had five field goals on Thanksgiving Day against Dallas. Carlson has two or more field goals in four of his six home games this year. He has nine field goals from the bonus range (four in the 40-49 range and five from 50 or more yards) and two of his three missed field goals this year have been from the bonus range.
Top Targets
Matt Prater (Ari, 26%) - Since 2014, Prater has attempted and converted on two or more field goals in every game coming off his bye week. In fact, he had five conversions following his bye in 2017, four in 2018, and five in 2019. In his last seven games following a bye week, Prater has converted on 22 of 24 field goals and 11 of 12 extra points. Thus, Prater is averaging 3.1 field goals and 1.6 extra points in his last seven games following a bye week.
Going Deeper
Evan McPherson (Cin, 13%) - In four of his five home outings this season, the rookie kicker has attempted multiple field goals in a game. McPherson has two or more field goals in back-to-back games, as well. Of his 18 field goals made, McPherson has ten from the bonus range and seven of them have been from 50 or more yards. All three of his misses this year have been from the bonus range as well.
Defense/Special Teams
Higher-owned Options
Cardinals (Ari, 62%) — The Cardinals are coming off their bye to one of the softer spots in their schedule (more on that in a minute). Arizona’s D has kept their opponents to under 24 points or fewer in 9 of their 11 games, ranking 4th in PA per game. Their 29 sacks are tied for 5th-most among teams who have played 11 games. They’ve hit 4+ sacks three times and have 11 fumble recoveries. The aforementioned soft spot in their schedule includes games against Chicago in Week 13 and Detroit in Week 15.
Top Targets
Bengals (Cin, 17%) — The Bengals were on the “Going Deeper” list last week as one of the sneakier defenses this season. They made us look smart by dominating the Steelers in a top-5 DST performance of 10 PA, 3 sacks, 2 INTs, and a TD. They have consistently been an above-average DST this season and have an above-average schedule ahead (LAC, SF, @Den).
Going Deeper
Jets (NYJ, 2%) — If you’re in one of those leagues that places a ton of value on defenses (the tell-tale sign being that managers roster two or three defenses at a time), then you may want to consider the until-recently-unthinkable. After being abysmal for the first nine games, Robert Saleh and the Jets have handled their last two opponents admirably, holding the Dolphins to 24 points and the Texans to 14 points. While it’s unlikely they’ve turned a corner to becoming an elite defense, their unit has functioned better as of late. That’s just in time for a slew of under-achieving offenses (Phi, NO, @Mia, Jax) and three-of-four games at home.
