NFL

10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 13

Don't let your foot off the gas now. A year ago, guys like Rashaad Penny and Amon-Ra St. Brown were off the radar at this time of the season before going on to be league-winning players. Stick with the grind. You never know what move will propel your team to the next level.

Here are some of the best additions you can make to your squads this week. (I'll stick to players rostered on no more than 60% of Yahoo teams and also list some other viable pickups who may be available in shallower leagues or relevant only in deeper leagues).

Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson, Browns

Roster Percentage: 56%

Deshaun Watson is set to return in Week 13, and he's coming back to a superb matchup versus the Houston Texans. Our schedule-adjusted metrics have Houston with the fourth-worst defense, including the fifth-worst pass D.

It's fair to wonder how sharp Watson will be in his first game back. But with solid weapons around him and an elite dual-threat skillset, Watson has the ability to go off in this soft matchup.

Rostered in only slightly more than half of leagues, Watson works as a Week 13 streamer but can also be a QB1 the rest of the way if he looks the part in his debut.

Others to Consider:
Trevor Lawrence (61%; at Lions), Jared Goff (46%; vs. Jaguars), Kenny Pickett (11%; at Falcons)

Running Backs
Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs

Roster Percentage: 38%

Jerick McKinnon should be rostered in more than 38% of leagues, especially if you're in a PPR or half-PPR format. It's just him and Isiah Pacheco right now with Clyde Edwards-Helaire on IR.

McKinnon is serving as the Kansas City Chiefs' pass-game back, resulting in him playing at least 34% of the snaps in seven straight games. While that's not a huge role, the best spots for McKinnon will be when Kansas City isn't a big favorite. We have one of those matchups in Week 13 as the Chiefs are just a 3.0-point favorite versus the Cincinnati Bengals in a game with a juicy 51.5-point total.

The AFC title game rematch will be one of the best fantasy environments of the week, and it makes McKinnon -- who has seen at least six targets in three of the previous four games -- an RB3/flex play.

Zonovan Knight, Jets

Roster Percentage: 1%

James Robinson was a healthy scratch on Sunday, so when Michael Carter had to leave due to injury, it was Zonovan Knight as the next man up. Knight hogged early-down snaps in Carter's absence, turning 14 carries into 69 yards. Ty Johnson operated as a receiving back.

The New York Jets' offense came to life under Mike White, and if Carter has to miss time, Knight looks like the Gang Green back to have -- although it's certainly possible Robinson would have a role sans Carter.

Rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues, Knight is a top pickup this week.

Jordan Mason, 49ers

Roster Percentage: 0%

Jordan Mason is an interesting speculative add.

In Week 12, Elijah Mitchell left injured, and Christian McCaffrey spent some time on the sidelines with a knee issue, although CMC went back into the game. If Mitchell misses time, Mason is in line to be -- at worst -- a change-of-pace back.

But there's upside for more. McCaffrey has had his workload managed in recent weeks, playing between 63% and 66% of the snaps in each of the past three games. It resulted in Mitchell garnering 27 total carries across Weeks 10 and 11.

Mason got extra run in Week 12, logging five carries. If Mitchell goes on the shelf, Mason is worth a look.

Kyren Williams, Rams

Roster Percentage: 36%

Kyren Williams has been a mainstay in this article in recent weeks, and if you've already added him, you saw what you've been waiting for in Week 12. But Williams is rostered in just over one-third of leagues, so I'm going to write him up once more.

In a negative game script against the Chiefs this past Sunday, Williams played 70% of the snaps and led the Los Angeles Rams in carries (11) while adding three targets. Williams was far from efficient, but volume is volume at running back.

With the Rams' season all but over, it makes sense for them to play their rookie back and see what he can do. Williams could end up being a solid fantasy contributor the rest of the way, particularly in any kind of PPR format.

JaMycal Hasty, Jaguars

Roster Percentage: 3%

Early reports on Travis Etienne have been positive, but it's still worth having JaMycal Hasty on your radar just in case the news on Etienne turns south this week.

Hasty got 17 total touches (12 carries) on Sunday in a game in which Etienne exited early. It sure looks like it'll be a lot of Hasty if Etienne misses any time, although Darrell Henderson -- who the Jags picked up -- could work his way into the mix.

Jacksonville has a stellar matchup in Week 13, playing indoors at the Lions. If Etienne winds up having to sit, Hasty will be startable in fantasy lineups.

Others to Consider:
J.K. Dobbins (58%), Gus Edwards (56%), Tyler Allgeier (47%), Khalil Herbert (42%), James Cook (25%), Jaylen Warren (15%), Matt Breida (1%)

Wide Receivers
Treylon Burks, Titans

Roster Percentage: 51%

Treylon Burks' ascension continued in Week 12.

After going for a career-best 111 yards in Week 11, Burks totaled four grabs for 70 yards and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in Week 12. He played 67% of the snaps in Week 12, up from a 50% clip in Week 11.

The arrow is clearly pointing up on Burks, and the Tennessee Titans' rookie has the upside to be a league-winning piece down the stretch if he can get on the field in more two-receiver sets.

Zay Jones, Jaguars

Roster Percentage: 25%

This feels like point-chasing after Zay Jones went nuts on Sunday, but hear me out.

In Week 12, Jones probably had the best game he'll have all season, racking up 11 catches for 145 yards and adding a two-point conversion. It's highly unlikely he repeats that kind of showing again in 2022.

But with that said, Jones' overall outlook is promising. He's recorded a snap rate of at least 90% in six straight games, including a snap rate of at least 98% in three of those outings. He's seen 24 total targets over the past two weeks, and the Jags' next two games are against the Lions and Titans, two defenses that struggle to slow down receivers.

Others to Consider:
Donovan Peoples-Jones (50%), Michael Gallup (48%), Isaiah McKenzie (33%), Nico Collins (24%), DeVante Parker (13%)

Tight Ends
Foster Moreau, Raiders

Roster Percentage: 39%

I'm pretty baffled that Foster Moreau is on the waiver wire in roughly 60% of leagues. Here are Moreau's snap rates over the last six games -- 96%, 100%, 97%, 96%, 100% and 100%. Yes, please.

Moreau is averaging 5.5 targets per game over that six-game span, and he's found paydirt in two of the last three weeks.

He has a fantasy-friendly matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13. Not only are the Bolts giving up the 10th-most half-PPR points per game to tight ends (10.6), but the game has a 50.5-point total and 2.5-point spread, making it perfect for fantasy.

Others to Consider:
Gerald Everett (77%), Hayden Hurst (65%), Greg Dulcich (52%), Evan Engram (40%), Hunter Henry (30%)

Defenses
Cleveland D/ST

Roster Percentage: 7%

The Cleveland D/ST is in a great spot in Week 13 as they go up against the Texans. Houston helped the Miami D/ST come through in Week 12, and their offense has been very kind all year long, giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to D/STs.

Deshaun Watson's return helps matters, too. Cleveland's offense should put up points, forcing Kyle Allen -- or maybe Davis Mills -- to have to air it out.

Others to Consider:
Minnesota D/ST (38%; vs. Jets), Seattle D/ST (18%; at Rams), Atlanta D/ST (6%; vs. Steelers)