If I could use one word to describe this week's slate, it would be weird. Lamar Jackson still looks injured, and the Jets game stayed uncomfortably close for far too long. Jahmyr Gibbs delivered a fantasy performance for the ages as he single-handedly broke the Giants’ defensive coordinator. Michael Wilson continued his run as one of the hottest wide receivers in football, turning in another game with more than one hundred yards. There were also several injuries that will definitely affect this week's waiver wire.
Tee Higgins exited with what appeared to be a pretty serious concussion. New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara left the game after only five touches due to a knee injury. Baker Mayfield was ruled out of the Sunday night blowout with a shoulder issue. After a devastating loss, Mike Tomlin reported that Aaron Rodgers will be good to go next week against the Bills.
That’s all the news for the week.
For additional Week 13 pickups, check out ASL Chris Hexter's Injuries & Opportunities - Week 13 or ASL founder Leonard LaPadula's Streamers For The Desperate - Week 13
Now let’s jump into the waivers.
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence (49% Rostered, Yahoo)
Lawrence put together a very solid fantasy performance this week. The former Clemson Tiger went 18 of 30 for 256 yards and three touchdowns against an Arizona defense that hasn’t been terrible. Next week he gets a desirable matchup against Tennessee. Their pass defense has been weak, and there’s a chance Brian Thomas Jr. will be back in the lineup.
One thing most people overlook with Trevor is that he currently ranks first in the league in on-target passes that were dropped. I still believe in him as a quarterback and as a good fantasy asset. If you need a reliable start this week, pick him up and don’t be afraid to put him directly into your lineup.
Kirk Cousins (9% Rostered, Yahoo)
This one is rough, but I actually think he can do alright for you if you need a deeper start. Kirk quietly played well this week, going 16 of 23 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. That is a very serviceable line from someone you can grab off the waiver wire. We also have to consider that there’s a chance Drake London plays next week. If I had to put a percentage on it, I’d say about fifty percent, but even that possibility only helps Kirk’s case to be in your lineup.
The Falcons get a great matchup against the Jets, a team that offenses have been having success against. It’s only a one-game sample with Kirk, but if you need someone under center who can give you fifteen to twenty-two points, he’s your guy.
Running Backs
Devin Neal (7% Rostered, Yahoo)
There were questions all week about whether Alvin Kamara was going to play. They probably should have held him out, and he ended up exiting after only five total touches. Now we meet Neal, a twenty-two-year-old rookie out of Kansas who might be able to help your squad push for the playoffs. The scouting reports said he does everything well, even if nothing at an elite level. If he ends up as the lone back, I’m completely fine with that. He looks confident running the football and should catch five to seven passes a game. This week he gets a great matchup against Miami, and I expect him to find the end zone at least once. If you need a flex option, you could do much worse than Neal.
Dylan Sampson (32% Rostered, Yahoo)
This guy has some serious burst. Every time he gets even the smallest bit of space, it looks like he was shot out of a cannon. Quinshon Judkins is still the lead back, but it appears the Browns may have found a true two-headed monster in their backfield. Sampson went seven for twenty-three on the ground and added another fifty-nine yards through the air. The bubble screen he took to the house is an unbelievable play to watch if you feel like grinding some Raiders and Browns film this week. That’s a joke, but still.
The matchup isn’t great with San Francisco this week, but hear me out. If the Browns fall behind by a decent margin, Sampson is going to be on the field catching passes. I think he’s a safe play who may not wow you, but he also won’t leave you stranded.
Wide Receivers
Jayden Higgins (22% Rostered, Yahoo)
All I am going to say is one thing: nine targets. I have been waiting to put this guy in an article all year, and I think it's finally time. He was one of my favorite wide receivers in the draft coming out of Iowa. He looks like a basketball player who can beat cornerbacks in a flat-out sprint. During his first few games, I kept yelling at my TV saying, “Play big.” I think he is finally figuring out how to use his size at the NFL level.
At six foot four and two hundred fifteen pounds, he makes difficult catches look easy. His line this week, four for thirty-nine and a touchdown, didn’t blow me away, but I believe the big games are coming. This is the kind of player you stash for a week and suddenly he turns into rookie-year Christian Watson in the fantasy playoffs. If you have an empty spot, go pick him up everywhere.
Andrei Iosivas (20% Rostered, Yahoo)
For the second straight week I am pounding my fist on the table for Iosivas. It is now being reported that Joe Burrow will play on Thanksgiving. With such a quick turnaround, I think it’s highly unlikely that Tee Higgins clears concussion protocol. That leaves Ja’Marr Chase and Iosivas to absorb nearly every available target.
This week, without Chase, he went four for sixty-one receiving, and they even gave him a carry. The former Princeton Tiger truly looks like a player who can develop into something special. This week the Bengals face the Ravens in a massive divisional game, and although Baltimore’s defense has looked solid, Burrow is capable of throwing for five hundred yards on any defense at any time. I would like to formally make Andrei Iosivas my Waiver Wire Touchdown Guarantee for the week. If you need a flex in a deeper league, this is your guy.
Tight Ends
Dalton Schultz (47% Rostered, Yahoo)
The tight end landscape this year is as bad as I have ever seen. Schultz had one catch for eight yards and is still my number one pickup of the week. On a serious note, the Texans need Schultz, and their offense moves the ball far more effectively when he is involved. Next week they face Indy, a team that consistently gives up points to the tight end position. Schultz has been excellent this year and I don't think this past week is anything to worry about.
Go pick up Schultz and start him with confidence.
Brenton Strange (13% Rostered, Yahoo)
After such a long absence, a lot of people ended up dropping Strange. That turned out to be a big mistake, because this week he went five for ninety-three. This offense truly needs him, and so does Trevor Lawrence. We already talked about how much I like Trevor this week, and I feel the same way about Strange.
They get an excellent matchup against Tennessee, and if Brian Thomas Jr. doesn’t play for some reason, Strange becomes a must-start option. If you need a tight end for the rest of the season and your trade deadline hasn’t passed, try to acquire him cheaply from the current manager.
