As Thanksgiving approaches, be thankful that Week 13 is a pretty good week for waiver wire adds. Rashaad Penny headlines this list after his surprise breakout against the Eagles, but most of my other recommendations are based on multi-week trends. And since we’ve got just a handful of games left this year, it’s easier to target players based on their matchups. You should scrutinize each player’s schedule before you commit to them, especially as we head into the fantasy playoffs.
Note: All players have less than 30% ownership in Yahoo leagues.
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup advice 
Running Back
Rashaad Penny (SEA): 17% owned
The long-awaited breakout game from Penny has finally come. After he had logged just 36 carries for 167 yards and one score on the season, the former first-round pick exploded for 129 yards and a score on 14 carries. Penny hadn’t gotten more than seven touches since Week 8, so his big Week 12 came as a surprise. While you shouldn’t chase the points and start him next week, you should add him in case his usage increases. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chris Carson’s fumbling issues cause Penny to get some more work.
Next three weeks: MIN, @LAR, @CAR
Darrel Williams (KC): 5% owned
In case you forgot, Damien Williams exited Monday Night Football last week with a rib injury. Not much has come out about its severity during the Chiefs’ bye week, but I expect him to miss at least one game. LeSean McCoy took over for Damien, but he got concussed late on Monday. Although he’ll probably be back for Week 13, Darrel has looked good even when splitting touches with McCoy. In the two games that Damien missed earlier this year, Darrel logged 165 yards, eight receptions, and two touchdowns. He’s even got a nice Week 13 matchup against Oakland.
Next three weeks: OAK, @NE, DEN
Benny Snell (PIT): 4% owned
Snell logged the bulk of Pittsburgh’s work on the ground this week. He turned his team-high 21 carries into 98 yards, adding one reception for five yards. Although rookie Kerrith Whyte looked good on his handful of snaps, his six attempts aren’t comparable to Snell’s control of the backfield. The running back’s value will depend upon whether James Conner can return next week, but if he can’t, Snell is a surefire RB2 in a run-heavy Pittsburgh offense.
Next three weeks: CLE, @ARI, BUF
Wide Receiver
Cole Beasley (BUF): 29% owned
Today marks Beasley’s fifth appearance in this column this year. In Week 12, he logged an impressive six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. The Buffalo receiver is more attractive in PPR than in standard, however, because much of his floor comes from receptions, not yardage. He’s caught at least four passes in all but four of his games, but he hasn’t topped 90 yards in any of them. While he doesn’t have many attractive matchups left, his excellent game this week came against a strong Denver defense. He’s a WR3/flex in PPR leagues.
Next three weeks: @DAL, BAL, @PIT
A.J. Brown (TEN): 16% owned
Brown has emerged as Ryan Tannehill’s leading receiver. He caught four of his five targets for 135 yards and a touchdown this week. Since Tannehill became the starter in Week 7, Brown has earned 17 receptions, 308 yards, and two touchdowns. Tannehill has looked his way 27 times, which translates into 5.4 targets per game. And while Corey Davis missed some time in that span, he was back this week, so Brown’s production isn’t just because of Davis’ injury. Look for him to keep stretching the field as the Titans take on the Colts.
Next three weeks: @IND, @OAK, HOU
Anthony Miller (CHI): 12% owned
The Bears and Mitchell Trubisky are struggling, but Miller has played well during the last two weeks. In Week 11, he caught six of his 11 targets for 54 yards. Miller kept the ball rolling this week against the Giants, catching six of his nine targets for 77 yards. He’s got an appealing matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving if you need an emergency starter, but he takes on three of the top-ten defenses against wide receivers to end the year.
Next three weeks: @DET, DAL, @GB
Russell Gage (ATL): 7% owned
Since Mohamed Sanu’s departure, Gage has played the slot receiver role for the Falcons. He hadn’t put together a solid fantasy day since Week 8, but he came through in a big way this week. Gage earned 10 of Matt Ryan’s 46 passing attempts, turning them into eight receptions and 76 yards. While Devonta Freeman and Austin Hooper will be back soon, Sanu was able to produce with both of them in the lineup. After four games as Sanu’s replacement, I think it’s safe to say that Gage can do that too.
Next three weeks: NO, CAR, @SF
Tight End
David Njoku (CLE): 30% owned
Njoku returned to practice this week, even though he wasn’t activated from the injured reserve before the game against Miami. The Browns and Baker Mayfield have started to improve in recent weeks (despite Myles Garrett’s helmet-hitting shenanigans), so Njoku could have some low-end TE1 appeal once he comes back. Value is few and far between at tight end, and Njoku’s string of matchups against bottom-half tight end defenses boosts his appeal. He’ll even have a matchup with the league-worst Cardinals in Week 15!
Next three weeks: @PIT, CIN, @ARI
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill (TEN): 25% owned
Tannehill has looked electric since he replaced Marcus Mariota as the starter in Week 7. This week, he threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for 40 yards and another two scores. He’s completing 71 percent of his passes, and he is averaging 250-plus yards per game. His upcoming matchup with Indianapolis could be better, but his games against Oakland and Houston give him some upside during the fantasy playoffs. If you need a quarterback, Tannehill should be your guy.
Next three weeks: @IND, @OAK, HOU
Kyle Allen (CAR): 18% owned
I dunked on Allen in my fantasy fallout column last week — only for the sophomore quarterback to recover in New Orleans with 250-plus yards and three touchdowns. Although I stand by my argument that Allen has regressed as a passer since his bye week, even I won’t turn down a quarterback streamer in a good matchup, which is what he’s got up next. The ‘Skins travel to Carolina next week, so look for Allen to produce some more solid numbers at home.
Next three weeks: WAS, @ATL, SEA
Defense
New York Jets: 23% owned
The Jets’ defense has earned double-digit points in four games this season, and they’ve logged five touchdowns as a unit. They have a pair of easy matchups coming up against the Bengals and the Dolphins. While they’re a prime streaming option through that span, they’ve got Baltimore in Week 15, so you’ll need to look elsewhere for that game.
Next three weeks: @CIN, MIA, @BAL
View your league’s top available players with My Playbook
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
Isaiah Sirois is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Isaiah, check out his archive and follow him @is_sirois.
