There are just two games left in the fantasy football regular season. Whether you have a playoff spot locked up yet or not, there are a few names worth targeting on the Week 13 waiver wire depending on your team’s needs. You may be dealing with injuries, bye weeks, or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 13 waiver wire.
Week 13 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Running Back
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Amongst available running backs on the Week 13 waiver wire, Roschon Johnson has the best chance to break out. In nine games prior to Week 12, Johnson averaged just 5.9 fantasy points and 32 total yards on seven touches per game. However, without D’Onta Foreman active on Monday night, Roschon logged a season-high 15 touches for 75 scoreless yards totaling 12.5 fantasy points, his second-highest score of the season. Johnson offers upside in the passing game, as well, hauling in all five of his targets in Week 12 for 40 yards.
The Bears will enter their Week 13 bye with a chance to get their backfield healthy. Adding Johnson on the waiver wire now is more for a playoff run than anything else. I’m specifically eyeing up a Week 16 semi-final home matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. If Johnson proves to be the lead back out of the bye, fantasy managers can benefit from his flex-worthy floor each week thereafter. He’s hardly a must-start, but nice insurance at this point in the season.
Jeff Wilson, Miami Dolphins
Without rookie De’Von Achane active this past week, Jeff Wilson stepped up, playing the second-most running back snaps behind Raheem Mostert. On just 23 snaps, Wilson logged 14 touches for 73 total yards including an impressive 5.09 yards per carry. Wilson remains a matchup-dependent, low-end RB2 and that’s if Achane continues to miss time. He’s worth stashing on your bench as Achane’s knee proved to be a problem in his first game back from the Injured Reserve.
Other Running Backs to Consider
- Zack Moss remains a name to keep in mind when looking to add a running back on the Week 13 waiver wire. Yes, Jonathan Taylor had the vintage 21.1 fantasy point day in Week 12. However, Moss played just 12 fewer snaps and rushed eight times for a noteworthy 55 yards. Moss doesn’t have much standalone value but is an RB1 if Taylor were to go down.
- Tyjae Spears has a really great fantasy playoff matchup regardless of Derrick Henry playing in front of him. With two games against the Houston Texans in Weeks 15 and 17, Spears could have value if given more opportunities down the stretch. He’s a must-add to stash on benches.
- Handcuff Running Backs are those that serve as the obvious backup on their own team, as well as the stud on your team’s roster. With just four weeks left in the fantasy football regular season, it may be time to start adding key handcuffs if you haven’t yet done so. Players like Elijah Mitchell (SF), Kenneth Gainwell (PHI), and Ezekiel Elliott (NE) come to mind.
Wide Receiver
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
The Week 13 waiver wire is the last call to add Jayden Reed this season. Whether you need him or not, he shouldn’t be available to the rest of your league. Reed’s production since the Packers’ Week 6 bye is what we hope for from rookie wide receivers. He’s averaging 14.0 points over that span with an average of 17.9 in his last three.
Reed now has a touchdown in each of his last three games. More importantly, the Packers continue to find ways to get the ball in his hands. Especially with Aaron Jones sidelined with a knee injury, Reed has five rush attempts in his last two games. It’s not that hot of a take to say Jayden Reed is the Packers’ WR1. That debate alone is enough to add him from the Week 13 waiver wire.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots
Over his last five games, Douglas has scored double-digit fantasy points in all but one of them. That’s all without having scored a touchdown. He has come alive since Kendrick Bourne tore his ACL in Week 8. Coincidentally, with nine targets in Week 12, Douglas is now tied with Bourne for most targets amongst all Patriots this season. He did exit Sunday with a head injury but is worth adding on the Week 13 waiver wire for when he does return. Douglas is a high-volume, high-floor WR3 option each week.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
- Curtis Samuel‘s 12 targets in Week 12 lead all Washington Commanders. That’s good enough for a 27% target share. While that’s all well and good, Samuel had just 12 total targets from Weeks 8 through 11. His inconsistency is the only thing stopping fantasy managers from plugging him into lineups each week. In case the 12 targets are a sign of things to come, add Samuel on the Week 13 waiver wire.
- Jalin Hyatt led all New York Giants in Week 12 with six targets. He also led them in receiving yards with 109 on a team-high five receptions. Hyatt is proving to be a deep-threat option for quarterback Tommy DeVito each week. He is a must-add in 12-team leagues with boom-or-bust potential in starting lineups.
- Joshua Palmer cannot return soon enough to the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense. In Week 12, we saw rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnston find a spot on the bench, a decision made by his coaches. Meanwhile, Keenan Allen drew 16 targets (31%) as the only reliable option for Justin Herbert in the passing game. Palmer is eligible to come off of the Injured Reserve in Week 13. He could step into a massive role upon his return.
Tight End
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
After a troubling start to the season, it’s time we welcome Pat Freiermuth back into the weekly TE1 conversation. In five games prior to Week 12, Freiermuth logged 27.0 total fantasy points on nine catches. He then logged nine catches in Week 12 alone scoring 21.0 fantasy points. That’s the most of any tight end in Week 12. It’s worth noting in a game in which the Steelers racked up 431 total yards of offense, Freiermuth accounts for 120 (27.8%) of them. We shouldn’t expect this sort of production every week. However, he’s the most obvious Week 13 waiver wire pickup amongst all tight ends with a newly established ceiling.
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
So, Isaiah Likely’s Week 12 left a lot to be desired after scoring just 8.0 fantasy points. However, his usage is exactly what we needed to see in place of Mark Andrews. In a game where Lamar Jackson targeted his receivers just 30 times, Likely drew six (20%) of them, second amongst all Ravens. His 40 receiving yards led the team, as well. Isaiah Likely will be on bye in Week 13, so if he’s not on the waiver wire now, he could be as soon as tomorrow if released. His Week 14 and 15 matchups against the Rams and Jaguars are both favorable for opposing tight ends. They both rank third and seventh respectively in points allowed to the position.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
With six teams on bye in Week 13, you may be looking for a one-week streaming option at tight end on the waiver wire. Look no further than Juwan Johnson. The New Orleans Saints look like they’ll be without their top three pass catchers. Michael Thomas is on Injured Reserve, Chris Olave is in concussion protocol, and Rashid Shaheed looks doubtful with a thigh injury. That leaves Juwan Johnson and others to fill a massive void in targets. Johnson is an absolute dart throw but was second in targets (7) amongst all Saints in Week 12.
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields, Joshua Dobbs, Tommy DeVito, and Aidan O’Connell are all on bye in Week 13. Depending on your league size and format, you, and a few of your league mates, will be quarterback-hunting for a plug-and-play option. Stafford is coming off of his best fantasy game of the season. His 24.36 points rank him inside the top-eight for the first time providing a boost of confidence for fantasy managers in Week 13.
Stafford and the Rams are hosting a tough Cleveland Browns defense. However, standout defensive end, Myles Garrett, is questionable with a shoulder injury. With Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, and others available in the passing game, Stafford could push for another 20-point performance.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love now has seven passing touchdowns in his last three games and 11 in his last five. Since Week 10, he’s averaging 22.05 fantasy points per game. Jordan Love’s stretch of poor play from Weeks 5 through 9 may make fantasy managers nervous, he has at least 18.0 points in seven of 11 games this season. The Packers often find themselves in negative game scripts playing from behind or winning with narrow victories. I expect the former in Week 13 when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town, but Love should be busy either way. He’s a high-floor option you can plug into your lineup this week if necessary.
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pickett is a desperation pickup off of the Week 13 waiver wire that could exceed expectations. Pickett’s 11.62 fantasy points last week is his fifth-highest total of the season. He hasn’t scored more than 10.3 points in a game since Week 7. What’s encouraging about Pickett’s game is the sneaky rushing upside. Though his running backs, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, do most of the heavy lifting, Pickett has four or more rush attempts in each of his last three games. Even if he doesn’t add much on the ground, the Arizona Cardinals allow the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. I do expect Harris and Warren to both have big days, but those brave, or desperate, enough to start Pickett could be rewarded.
Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty