Week twelve of the 2021 NFL season is over and it turns out there was never anything we should be thankful for. If you didn’t know it before, now you know that everything you love will die one day. If you play fantasy football, they probably died this week. Even the healthy guys found ways to screw you over! Maybe you can’t count out Touchdown Tom, but in week twelve, you couldn’t count on him either. When all hope is gone, the only place left to look is the waiver wire! If I don’t mention someone whom you think I should be talking about, just know there are many reasons why I overlooked them. Maybe they are owned in most leagues. Or maybe they are so bad I don’t even consider them. Maybe it’s because your opinions cannot be trusted. After all, you are here. So let us examine the best week thirteen waiver wire players for your championship run…
Week Thirteen Waiver Wire Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts (51% rostered)
We are at the point in the season where you aren’t going to find a miracle unless you take a flier on Justin Fields. If you are looking for someone to get you through the bye weeks, Carson Wentz is likely the best option available. In week twelve, Wentz had 302 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions and finished with a top-five fantasy performance. In week thirteen, Wentz will be facing a Houston Texans defense that has given up the tenth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Week Thirteen Waiver Wire Running Backs
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings (42% rostered)
With Dalvin Cook expected to miss at least one week, Alexander Mattison has to be the number one waiver claim in week thirteen. In the two games Dalvin Cook missed this year, Mattison saw over 25 carries in each game. Mattison is a talented running back on a high-powered offense. If you need running back help, you’d be a fool not to target Alexander Mattison.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (37% rostered)
With Christian McCaffery expected to miss the rest of the season, Chuba Hubbard is the number two waiver claim for week thirteen. The only reason he isn’t number one is that even when CMC was injured, Hubbard’s usage and production were inconsistent this year. However, inconsistent usage for a lead running back is better than the alternatives at this point in the season. You can’t do much better, but you could do considerably worse.
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions (43% rostered)
With D’Andre Swift exiting the game early on Thanksgiving, Jamaal Williams took over the lead back duties to the tune of 83 total yards. With Swift expected to miss at least one more week, the good news is that Williams is the clear lead back in Detroit. The bad news is that Williams is the clear lead back in Detroit. Why would anyone want anything to do with that offense. While Swift has been successful this year, he is the only player who has been worth a damn in Detroit. Expecting Jamaal Williams to duplicate Swift’s production is optimistic to the point of lunacy, but there is no denying that Williams is one of the few offensive weapons the Lions have. God help us all.
Dontrell Hilliard/D’Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans (29%/44% rostered)
If it weren’t for the deaths of every running back in week twelve, we would be spending the week thirteen waiver wire article trying to convince ourselves that Dontrell Hilliard is a good idea. With 131 yards and 1 touchdown, it makes sense why Hilliard would seem like a good idea. However, D’Onta Foreman also had a decent game with 109 rushing yards. It also bears mentioning that 68 of Hilliard’s yards came on one run. Hilliard only had 12 carries to D’Onta Foreman’s 19, yet both were on an equal snap count. Truth be told, it is hard to tell who will be the lead back in Tennessee. The one thing you can be sure of is whichever one you decide you should grab, it’ll probably be the wrong choice.
Week Thirteen Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams (46% rostered)
All the talk out of LA is that Odell Beckham Jr. is just going to slide into the number two role on a prolific Los Angeles Rams passing game. However, I think people are really underselling Van Jefferson. Just like ODB, Van Jefferson saw 98% of the team’s offensive snaps in week twelve. Jefferson also had 3 catches for 93 yards and 1 touchdown. His target share was almost identical to Beckham, plus Jefferson has the advantage of being more familiar with the Rams’ offense. It would not surprise me at all if Jefferson finishes the season a better fantasy wide receiver than Odell Beckham Jr.
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots (19% rostered)
I’m sure Kendrick Bourne seems like a good idea if you need wide receiver help. In two of his last three games, Bourne has scored over 20 points in half-PPR leagues. In week twelve, Kendrick Bourne had 5 catches for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns. The problem is that Bourne is the clear number three receiver on a run-first offense. Bourne only saw 55% of the team’s offensive snaps in week twelve, a distant third to Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor. Bourne also got his numbers against a Titans defense that has given up the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Simply put, Kendrick Bourne is fools gold.
Week Thirteen Waiver Wire Tight Ends
Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts (1% rostered)
Since I have to recommend a tight end, I will talk about the TE1 of week twelve. This week, Jack Doyle led all fantasy tight ends with 6 catches for 81 yards and 1 touchdown. Over the last four weeks, Jack Doyle ranks as the TE6 over that span. Doyle is averaging top ten tight end numbers over his last four games. None of this is meant to convince you to burn your waiver priority on him, it is just meant to let you know that he is probably your best option. That doesn’t make him a good one though.
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