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Waiver Wire Rankings: Expert Pickups for Week 13

Waiver Wire Rankings: Expert Pickups for Week 13
David Johnson could be a solid short-term pickup with the injuries to Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington

David Johnson could be a solid short-term pickup with the injuries to Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington

Week 13 is here and the fantasy playoffs are very much in sight for those of you who still have skin in the game. Unfortunately, some of you may have had bad luck with the loss of Rob Gronkowski (may miss just one game) for possibly a crucial week 13 matchup. On the flip side, there are plenty of tight end waiver options that should provide the boost you need.

Of course, there are other options beyond tight end that will prove useful, but knowing who to pick up may not be so clear-cut. To help navigate the waiver wire, we’ve asked our featured experts to rank their top pickups ahead of the deadline. Need a defense to stream? They’ve answered that question as well.

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Featured Pros

Zach Wilkens (RotoBaller)
Scott Whitfield (RotoRankings)
Vincent Frank (eDraft)
James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

Waiver Wire Rankings (Standard Scoring)

Player Position Team Consensus Rank Best Rank Worst Rank Yahoo
Ownership %
David Johnson RB ARI 1.3 1 2 25%
Shaun Draughn RB SF 2.8 2 4 28%
Theo Riddick RB DET 6 3 13 24%
Marquess Wilson WR CHI 6.8 3 14  9%
Scott Chandler TE NE 7 1 13 8%
Dontrelle Inman WR SD 7.5 2 15 10%
Devin Funchess WR CAR 8.3 4 12 51%
Kyle Rudolph TE MIN 9 3 14 46%
Jay Ajayi RB MIA 9.3 6 15 17%
Vance McDonald TE SF 9.5 7 15 1%
Jacob Tamme TE ATL 10.5 9 13 22%
Luke Willson TE SEA 11 5 17 1%
Markus Wheaton WR PIT 14 10 18 13%
J.J. Nelson WR ARI 14.3 7 18 9%
Tyler Lockett WR SEA 14.5 12 22 19%
Rueben Randle WR NYG 15 11 20 37%
Cecil Shorts WR HOU 17.5 9 24 11%
DeVante Parker WR MIA 18.5 14 24 4%
Seth Roberts WR OAK 18.5 6 24 1%
Jermaine Kearse WR SEA 19 14 23 4%
Harry Douglas WR TEN 19.3 17 24 1%
Kenny Britt WR STL 19.3 18 21 3%
Dwayne Harris WR NYG 19.8 13 23 24%
Jerricho Cotchery WR CAR 21.8 20 23 1%

Week 13 Waiver Wire Advice

Each expert was asked to share the reasoning behind their waiver rankings as well as what D/ST they like as a rental for Week 13. Here’s what the experts had to say.

Q1: Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

Zach WilkensRotoBaller
“I really like Dontrelle Inman as a WR that can provide decent flex value. He saw 9 targets in Week 12 and turned that into a 5-65-1 line. I definitely plan on avoiding him in Weeks 13 and 17 against Denver, but otherwise he can definitely match his Week 12 numbers weekly. I also think Vance McDonald is still overlooked, but he and Blaine Gabbert seem to have nice chemistry. If you lack a top ten TE, I think McDonald is a really nice pickup.”

Scott WhitfieldRotoRankings
“Despite recent reports of Rob Gronkowski likely to not miss any action, Scott Chandler’s upside may be worth the gamble with the #1 waiver priority due to a possible setback in recovery. Considering injuries, I’m also keeping a close eye on Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington, because if they miss time, David Johnson will be a stud. Similarly, the status of Carlos Hyde should be monitored, because if he continues to miss time, Shaun Draughn has proven serviceable as an RB3 or Flex play. Dontrelle Inman and Seth Roberts have carved out roles going forward but will be hit or miss, just like Cecil Shorts with Nate Washington in the mix. Luke Willson and Vance McDonald are good TE streaming options.”

Vincent FrankeDraft
“While the San Francisco 49ers have been irrelevant in the fantasy football world this year, there is one player that should be on the radar of all fantasy owners looking for a jump start at running back. Signed just four weeks ago, veteran running back Shaun Draughn has quickly taken over the primary ball-carrier duties in San Francisco after injuries to the team’s top-three running backs. He’s responded by putting up 20 touches in all three games with the 49ers, tallying 259 total yards in the process. This past Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Draughn played every single offensive snap for the 49ers. In fact, no other running back on the roster has attempted a run over the past two games. With 17 receptions on 21 targets in three games, Draughn also provides some solid PPR value. Based purely on opportunities and touches, this under-the-radar running back should be a target on the waiver wire.”

James HatfieldHatty Waiver Wire Guru
Shaun Draughn needs to be stashed if you are looking for an RB to fill the gap for an injury or spot-start. He has upside in PPR leagues as well, but the real issue is finding the end-zone. David Johnson is another player who needs to be targeted this week; not only does he get goal-line carries, but with potential injuries to Ellington and Chris Johnson, he could wind up starting for a week or more.”

Q2: For owners renting a D/ST in Week 13, what readily available option should they target and why?

Scott WhitfieldRotoRankings
“For defensive streamers in Week 13, owners should look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are hosting the Atlanta Falcons who gave up 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery for 12 fantasy points to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12. In Week 8 against the Falcons in Atlanta, the Buccaneers defense put up 10 fantasy points. In a conference battle in Tampa, against a struggling Matt Ryan, the Bucs should come up with double-digit fantasy points for owners in Week 13.”

Vincent FrankeDraft
“With a game coming up against the turnover-prone Atlanta Falcons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers become a solid streaming option in fantasy football this week. Tampa Bay has forced 11 takeaways over the past five games. Meanwhile, the regression of one Matt Ryan has helped lead the Falcons down a rabbit hole recently. They have turned the ball over a whopping 19 times over the course of the past seven games, including four against the Buccaneers back in Week 8.”

Zach WilkensRotoBaller
“The Miami Dolphins have been incredibly up and down this season, but I will gladly take my chances on them versus a team of mostly backups in the Baltimore Ravens. Matt Schaub, Javorius Allen, and Kamar Aiken are the top players at each of their positions. I have to think almost any defense can put up points versus that lack of talent.”

James HatfieldHatty Waiver Wire Guru
“The Miami Dolphins had a terrible game this weekend, but could bounce back as they face the Ravens in Week 13. Alternatively, you could flip the switch and go with the Ravens against a Dolphins team who just fired their offensive coordinator.”

Thanks to the experts for ranking their top waiver pickups for Week 13. For more advice from them, please follow them on Twitter.

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