We’ve now entered the final week of the fantasy regular season for the majority of leagues and a couple major injuries are set to inject some new life to the wire for squads looking to solidify their playoff push or claim a high seed. Marlon Mack’s concussion could cause him to miss Week 13, but the major news coming out of Week 12 was Melvin Gordon’s MCL sprain, which could result in a multi-week absence for the elite back. Whether your squad is heavily nicked up or you’re just searching for a guy or two who can step in and contribute, our featured pundits have come to share which late-season pickups can increase your odds of piling up the W’s this December.

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Featured Experts:
Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros
Donald Gibson – Fantasy Fusion
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros
Dan Clasgens – Pro Football Focus
Scott Pianowski – Yahoo! Sports

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

Q1. How much are you willing to spend (FAAB %) on your favorite waiver wire target (or two) and why do you like him?

Adam Humphries (WR – TB) | Justin Jackson (RB – LAC)
“This week depends on the position your team needs most, as both Humphries and Jackson are both fine pickups. I mentioned on Twitter last week that coming into Week 12, Humphries had been the No. 13 PPR receiver since the start of Week 6, ahead of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Alshon Jeffery, and Emmanuel Sanders. He now has a matchup with the Panthers, a team he crushed for 8/82/2 in Week 9. Meanwhile, Jackson is likely to be the leader in carries for the Chargers moving forward. We’re at the point in the season where both of these players are worth your remaining budget.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“For owners looking for WR help (maybe you’ve been forced to rely on Devin Funchess, Doug Baldwin, or Randall Cobb), I’d take a look at Adam Humphries. Over his last five games, Humphries has 26 receptions on 32 targets (81.3% catch rate), an average of 65 yards per game over his last five games, and four touchdowns. Also, the Bucs have the most passing yards on the season and the second-most attempts, so the volume should be there as well. If you’re looking for someone to stabilize an increasingly-shaky WR/flex spot, Humphries is your guy.”
– Donald Gibson (Fantasy Fusion)

Josh Reynolds (WR – LAR)
“If Reynolds is still out there in your league he should be your top priority. With Cooper Kupp out for the season, he has a chance to offer top-25 potential at the position down the stretch. If you need a WR, he’s worth 40+ percent of your remaining FAAB budget to grab. My other top players for each position include Lamar Jackson (20-25%) at quarterback, Theo Riddick (15-20%) in PPR for running backs, and Gerald Everett (10%) at tight end.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

Keke Coutee (WR – HOU)
“Coutee is the No. 2 option in the Houston passing game, clicking with a plus quarterback. Go get him (and while you’re at it, drop Josh Reynolds, even if you don’t have someone to add). I also love getting Reynolds; any piece of Sean McVay’s offense sounds good to me.” Editor’s Note: Since the publishing of this article, Keke Coutee injured his hamstring on Monday Night Football and is currently without a timetable. 
– Scott Pianowski (Yahoo! Sports)

LeGarrette Blount (RB – DET)
“I was confident everyone else would be joining me on team Blount, but apparently I was naive to believe that. It seems that many are buying the report that Kerryon Johnson may return as early as this week, but it makes little sense with the Lions out of contention and doctors all claiming the recovery from this injury is more like three-to-four weeks. With fantasy playoff matchups like the Cardinals and Bills coming up, he could do wonders with 15 to 20 more carries. I’d spend whatever is left in the FAAB bank for him unless Gus Edwards or Josh Adams is also available.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 13, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target and why?

“Not only have the Titans been a solid defense this season, allowing 21 points or less in seven-of-10 games, but they’ll be playing at home against the Jets, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses this year, and they’ve done it in a variety of ways. They’ve allowed two-plus sacks in eight-of-10 games, including seven sacks over the last two games. They’ve scored more than 17 points just three times all season, making the Titans the preferred streamer of the week.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“The Titans are not only the top pickup for this week, but you can use them all three weeks of the fantasy playoffs as well. Their next four matchups are against the Jets, Blake Bortles, Eli Manning, and Colt McCoy. They’ve only given up more than 23 points once since Week 1 and have multiple sacks in six games this season. That combination has me willing to spend about $10 FAAB to make sure I can scoop them up.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“I’m all over the Seattle D/ST in Week 13 at home against the 49ers. Seattle’s defense hasn’t been great this year, but they still rank in the top half in most of the major defensive categories. More importantly, the 49ers have had a multitude of offensive injuries and only scored nine points against the Buccaneers in Week 12 — the league’s second-worst scoring defense. Expect to see a glimpse into the past when using the Seahawks D/ST this weekend.”
– Donald Gibson (Fantasy Fusion)

“Seattle is going to be an intriguing streaming defense for the upcoming week as they welcome the 49ers. San Francisco’s offense sputtered against a hapless Bucs’ D and now they’ll face a Seattle defense that has struggled in its own right. However, given the situation at quarterback for San Fran and the Seahawks’ home-field advantage with their 12th man, I’ll take my chances.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

“When in doubt at the D/ST position, I follow the point spread. The sky-high number with KC and Oakland should point you to the Chiefs. Game script is likely to be where you want it.”
– Scott Pianowski (Yahoo! Sports)

Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.

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