Waiver Favors: 2017 Week 13 Fantasy Football Pickups

By Ha Kung Wong  Fantasy Football Pickups

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

As I mentioned last week, I like nothing more than helping all of you make solid waiver pickups in your Fantasy Football league and have some part in your championship run.  That’s just the type of guy I am.  You’re welcome.  Again.

At this point in the fantasy season, where there are no more byes, I tend to use my pickups as insurance as opposed to trying to catch lightening in a bottle.  Don’t stop scouring the waiver wire, but it might be best to handcuff your stud running back or get a solid backup QB instead of trying to find a fifth high upside WR.

With that said, here are some thoughts on RB handcuffs you might want to consider.

Los Angeles Rams – Todd Gurley -> Lance Dunbar (0% Owned)

Kansas City Chiefs – Kareem Hunt -> Charcandrick West (3% Owned)

Pittsburgh Steelers – Le’Veon Bell -> James Conner (4% Owned)

Los Angeles Chargers – Melvin Gordon -> Austin Ekeler (37% Owned)

Buffalo Bills – LeSean McCoy -> Mike Tolbert (1% Owned) (unless he remains injured, in which case consider Travaris Cadet (1% Owned))

Jacksonville Jaguars – Leonard Fournette -> T.J. Yeldon (13% Owned)

San Francisco 49ers – Carlos Hyde -> Matt Breida (5% Owned)

So let’s now get on with fantasy football pickups for Week 13!

As usual, all pickups are available in at least 50% of Yahoo standard fantasy football leagues (with some minor exceptions) as of Sunday evening.

Kerwynn Williams

RB – Arizona Cardinals – 3% Owned

Adrian Peterson may retain the backfield when he comes back from his neck injury, but playing in relief, Kerwynn Williams looked really impressive piling up 97 yards on 16 carries in Week 13.

He only had 28 carries for 69 yards before this game, but if Peterson remains out, he could be a worthwhile pickup in 14-team or deeper leagues, and he should be an insurance stash for all Peterson owners.

Peyton Barber

RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 5% Owned

Continuing along the same theme, Doug Martin sat out with a concussion ceding way to Peyton Barber in Week 13, and Barber also didn’t disappoint with 23 carries for 102 rush yards and snagging 4 of 4 targets for 41 receiving yards.  This was the first 100-yard performance of his career, which was impressive enough to perhaps make his a regular part of the backfield when Martin returns.

But if Martin doesn’t return, go ahead an pick him up in all 12-team or deeper leagues, and as Martin insurance.

Theo Riddick & Tion Green

RB – Detroit Lions – 40% Owned & 0% Owned

And in place of one more injured RB, Ameer Abdullah, both Theo Riddick and Tion Green were effective.  Riddick started and rushed five times for 21 yards and a TD adding 41 receiving yards on 5 receptions, but undrafted rookie Tion Green had more carries with 11 for 51 yards and a TD.  What was even more surprising was that this was Green’s first game action EVER.

If Abdullah continues to miss time, and possibly even if he comes back since he wasn’t all that effective before injury, Riddick is worth a shot in all 14-team leagues (particularly PPR) or deeper and Green is worth being on your radar if desperate.

Giovanni Bernard

RB – Cincinnati Bengals – 12% Owned

Joe Mixon suffered a scary collision in the 2nd quarter that caused him the miss the rest of the game.  It was later revealed to be at least a concussion, but could be shoulder related as well.  Giovani Bernard stepped in carried the ball 13 times for 77 yards, adding 2 receptions for 19 yards.  Mixon doesn’t have much time to clear the concussion protocol and Jeremy Hill is already on IR, which means Bernard could get all he can handle in Week 14.  If you’re in need for an RB2 in 12-team or deeper leagues, Bernard may be a worthy wait-and-see stash.

Dede Westbrook

WR – Jacksonville Jaguars – 28% Owned

Sure, Allen Hurns has been out so that might explain some of the volume, but fourth round rookie Dede Westbrook has impressed over the past 2 games drawing a whopping 19 targets.  In Week 13, Westbrook caught 6 of 9 targets for 78 yards.  As long as Hurns remains out, Westbrook is a decent WR3 in 12-team leagues or deeper.

Ryan Grant

WR – Washington Redskins  – 2% Owned

We all thought that Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson would get all the looks going forward in Washington, but Ryan Grant has been quietly solid as well.  He had a particularly productive Week 11 when he had 3 receptions for 59 yards and a TD.  And he continued this in Week 13 when he managed to catch 5 of 8 targets for 76 yards and a TD.  It sure looks like Kirk Cousins trusts him, so I’d take a look if you’re in need of a WR4/Flex in 14-team or deeper leagues.

Trent Taylor

WR – San Francisco 49ers – 0% Owned

Trent Taylor had been out due to cracked ribs in Week 9, but he returned in Week 12 to catch 2 of 3 targets for 35 yards.  But more importantly, after Jimmy Faroppolo took over in Week 13, he managed to catch all 6 of his targets (tied for second most on the team) for 92 yards.  Looks like Garoppolo likes targeting Taylor, so perhaps you should too, at least as a flyer in 16-team leagues or deeper.

Stephen Anderson

TE – Houston Texans – 0% Owned

Stephen Anderson has always been in the periphery this year, but with C.J. Fiedorowicz (concussion), Bruce Ellington (hamstring) and Braxton Miller (concussion) forced to leave the game, he managed to catch 5 of a whopping 12 targets for 79 yards and a TD.  Prior to this outburst, he’s never had more than 4 catches and 6 targets, so it’s unclear if it was simply opportunity that opened the door, but 12 targets isn’t completely by accident.  He’s worth a look for desperate teams in 16-team leagues or deeper.

UPDATE – With C.J. Fiedorowicz being placed on IR, Anderson will get all the TE snaps he can handle.  He’s now upgraded to a pick up in all 12-team leagues or deeper in light of the underperforming state of TEs this season.

And here are previous pickups I’ve mentioned that are still worthy of your consideration:

10-Team Leagues or Deeper

Devin Funchess, Alvin Kamara

12-Team Leagues or Deeper

Nelson Agholor, Robby Anderson, Martavis Bryant, Jamison Crowder, Orleans Darkwa, Jared Goff, Josh Gordon, Marqise Lee, Dion Lewis, Tyler Lockett, Josh McCown, Jerick McKinnon, Latavius Murray, Samaje Perine, Paul Richardson, Mohamed Sanu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Alex Smith, Jamaal Williams

14-Team Leagues or Deeper

Javorius “Buck” Allen, Jacoby Brissett, Devontae Booker, Rex Burkhead, Alex Collins, Tarik Cohen, Corey Coleman, Jared Cook, Josh Doctson, Kenyan Drake, Marquise Goodwin, Brett Hundley, Dontrelle Inman, Duke Johnson Jr., Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Kroft, Cooper Kupp, Marlon Mack, Elijah McGuire, Adrian Peterson, Ricky Seals-Jones, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Rod Smith, Kenny Stills, Danny Woodhead

16-Team Leagues or Deeper

C.J. Beathard, Austin Ekeler, Eddie Lacy, Blaine Gabbert, Wayne Gallman, Allen Hurns, Jordan Matthews, J.D. McKissic, Josh, Reynolds, Chester Rogers, Tom Savage, Adam Shaheen, Tavarres King, Ben Watson

Pickups Planning for the Future

Teddy Bridgewater

Check back every week for more Waiver Favors! 

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