Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 13: If You Haven't Already, Pick Up Colts RB Jonathan Williams
By Matt Citak
(CBS Boston/CBS Local)- Well folks, we have reached the end of the road.
Week 13 represents the final week of the fantasy regular season. For many fantasy owners, it will be a make-or-break week, as a win could mean a spot in the playoffs while a loss could mean a premature end to the season.
The waiver wire advice piece is here to try to help you reach the fantasy promised land.
Here are the top adds heading into Week 13.
QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets: I can't even remember the last waiver wire piece that didn't include Darnold atop the list of quarterbacks, yet his ownership numbers continue to stay way too low. After throwing for four touchdowns against the Redskins last week, the second-year QB followed that up with a 315-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Raiders in Week 12, while adding a rushing touchdown as well. Darnold has topped 20 fantasy points in three consecutive weeks, and will be facing the Bengals and Dolphins over the next two weeks. If you need a QB to help you reach the fantasy postseason this week, Darnold is your guy.
QB Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars: If you are desperate for a QB this week and Darnold is unavailable, then Foles could be your best option. Foles didn't have the best outing against the Titans on Sunday, throwing for 272 yards but zero touchdowns, but things are looking up for the veteran quarterback. The Jaguars will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home this week, and if we know anything about fantasy football, it's that you want to be starting a quarterback facing off against the Bucs. The Jaguars also take on the Raiders and Falcons in Weeks 15 and 16, both of which are plus matchups. Foles is a streaming QB that can help you in the immediate future, as well as further down the road.
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RB Jonathan Williams, Indianapolis Colts: I'm assuming that he was picked up in most leagues last week, but if he is somehow still available, then Williams should be your top priority. The football world was uncertain how the Colts would divvy up backfield touches in the absence of Marlon Mack, who is out indefinitely with a broken hand. But on Thursday Night Football, Indianapolis seemed determined to feed Williams the rock, over and over again. Williams got 26 rush attempts against the Texans, gaining 104 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and a touchdown while catching three passes for 17 yards. Williams appears to be a bonafide RB2 for as long as Mack is out, which appears to be for at least one more game, if not more. Coming off back-to-back 100-yard performances, Williams is the top waiver wire add this week.
RB Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers: James Conner missed Sunday's game against the Bengals, and while everyone assumed it would be Jaylen Samuels who would benefit the most, it instead turned into the Benny Snell show. Snell carried the ball a whopping 21 times against Cincinnati, gaining 98 yards (4.7 yards per carry), and more importantly, out-touched Samuels 22 to 5. Conner could be back for this week's game against the Browns, which would obviously put a significant dent into Snell's fantasy value. However, Conner's return is far from a sure thing, and if he can't go, Snell is looking at another opportunity for 15+ touches. Grab Snell now and check the injury report throughout the week to see Conner's status for Week 13.
RB Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs: If the Chiefs hadn't been on bye this past week, Williams' ownership numbers would have spiked big time. For those of you that don't remember, Damien Williams left Kansas City's Week 11 MNF showdown in Mexico with a rib injury, while LeSean McCoy suffered a concussion. Of course, both guys could return for the team's Week 13 game against Oakland, as the bye week gave both backs extra time to heal. However, if one or both are sidelined, than Williams would be looking at extended action in a Patrick Mahomes-led offense. Yes please. Similar to Snell, grab Williams now while the Chiefs' backfield situation is still a bit murky.
RB Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks: Perhaps the biggest surprise performance of Week 12 came in Philadelphia, where Penny took 14 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles' stout run defense. Let's not overreact here- Chris Carson is still the lead back in Seattle's offense. However, the Seahawks spent a first-round pick on Penny only a year ago, so they clearly have some plans for him. In addition to Penny's breakout game, Carson lost yet another fumble, something that has been affected him all season. Penny isn't going to suddenly take over Seattle's backfield. Not yet at least. But Pete Carroll isn't going to keep turning to Carson if he can't stop fumbling the football, which makes Penny a fascinating bench stash with very high upside if he becomes the lead back in the coming weeks.
WR Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills: Believe it or not, Beasley has quietly become one of the league's more consistent wide receivers. Since Buffalo's bye, Beasley has scored a touchdown in four of six games, and went for 74 yards in one of the other two. The shifty slot receiver offers solid value in PPR leagues serving as Josh Allen's security blanket. In Week 13, Beasley has a chance to get revenge on his former team, as the Bills head to Dallas for a Thanksgiving showdown against the Cowboys. Dallas has been great against opposing receivers, so Beasley is somewhat of a risky play this week. But in a revenge game on national television, I think Beasley comes through yet again.
WR Randall Cobb, Dallas Cowboys: Speaking of slot receivers, welcome back to fantasy relevance, Randall Cobb! Cobb has put together three consecutive strong outings now, reaching double digit fantasy points in each game while totaling 14 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns during that span. This past Sunday, the veteran reeled in four receptions for 86 yards against New England's elite defense in awful field conditions. This week, Cobb and the Cowboys welcome the Bills to Jerry's World. Amari Cooper will see shadow coverage from Tre'Davious White, which could mean another huge day for Cobb, who should offer WR3 value (at least) for the rest of the season.
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WR A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans: The Ryan Tannehill buzz in Nashville is real. Tannehill had a monster game against the Jaguars in Week 12, and Brown was the biggest beneficiary. The rookie receiver caught four of five targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. While many attributed Brown's recent success to the absence of Corey Davis, Davis was on the field for Brown's explosive outing Sunday. Brown has become Tannehill's favorite receiver, a constant deep threat who could bust out a 50-yard touchdown at any time. I can't believe I'm putting faith in Tannehill and the Titans, but facts are facts. This passing offense is no longer one to avoid.
TE Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts: All season, Doyle and Eric Ebron have taken some fantasy value away from the other. It's hard for more than one tight end to succeed on the same team, especially on a team that prefers to run the ball down opposing defenses' throats. But the news out of Indianapolis on Monday was that Ebron is heading to injured reserve, which means Doyle has a real chance to be a strong fantasy play for the rest of the season. Jacoby Brissett loves targeting his tight ends, and with upcoming matchups against the Titans and Buccaneers, Doyle could be a solid TE1 for the final few weeks of the fantasy season. At a position that has struggled to provide consistent fantasy options all year, Doyle could be the answer over the final month.
TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: This one is more speculative, but the Browns designated Njoku for return last week. While he didn't suit up in Week 12, a return to action this week seems likely. Cleveland has fantastic tight end matchups over the next three weeks with games against the Steelers, Bengals and Cardinals coming up. Starting a guy who hasn't played since Week 1 certainly comes with some risk, but considering the state of the TE position this season, Njoku seems worth a speculative add.
Matt Citak is a contributing writer for CBS Local. Follow him on Twitter here for all things fantasy football, New York Giants and more.