This is it, folks. Your playoff berth or that coveted first-round bye is at stake this week. The postseason push ends here and even for those close to the top of the standings, almost every fantasy squad has been nicked up and has at least one hole to fill, whether that’s in the starting lineup or on the bench. Fortunately, those who are still competing for a chance at playoff glory were able to witness the rise of a few potential options that can be placed in those gaps. With that being said, our featured pundits have analyzed which players have the best chance to be of use to you either now or during the playoffs. Plus, they’ve got the scoop on which defenses you can employ to further your chance of winning in the fantasy football regular season’s most important week.

Import your team to My Playbook for instant Waiver Wire advice

Featured Experts:
Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros
Dan Harris – FantasyPros
Jon Collins – Fantasy Sports LR
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros
Mike Wright – The Fantasy Footballers

View These Expert’s Waiver Rankings
Mike Tagliere
Dan Harris
Jon Collins
Bobby Sylvester
Mike Wright

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

Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA) | Ryan Tannehill (QB – TEN) 
“With so little time left in the season, the amount of FAAB you should be willing to spend depends on your exact situation. If you’re a running back-needy team, then I’d be willing to spend all of my remaining budget on Penny, who now should combine the ability to be a startable flex play this week after his big performance and Chris Carson’s fumble issues with the addition of being a top handcuff should Carson get injured. If you’re struggling at quarterback, Tannehill’s incredible consistency is worth a significant bid, particularly with his reasonable schedule, and I’d likely spend 75% of what I had left in that situation.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

“If Rashaad Penny is still on your waiver wire, you should be willing to spend whatever’s left in your FAAB budget. It’s important to take a look around and see what other teams have left since there’s no point bidding more than anyone else can afford. Knowing Chris Carson fumbled on back-to-back plays in Week 12, there’s a chance they let Penny run with the job for a little bit, or at least make it a timeshare. There’s absolutely no guarantee he’ll get any more work, but knowing there are just three more waiver wires left in the fantasy season, you’re not certain to find anyone who is a guarantee.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Sam Darnold (QB – NYJ) 
“You’ve got to take a few risks to win a championship at this time of the season, and now is the time for owners who have been clinging to name brand quarterbacks to take a look at recent performance and matchup data and take a leap of faith. In Week 12, I talked myself into Aaron Rodgers in a tough matchup over Ryan Tannehill on waivers this past week and it will likely cost me a playoff spot. Be better than me. Darnold has the Bengals and Dolphins on the docket over the next two weeks and Tannehill doesn’t face a top-16 defense the rest of the way. Grab whichever one of these signal-callers is available and take the leap. At this stage of the season, if I need help at the quarterback position, I’d be willing to spend up to 50% of my remaining budget. The next Rashaad Penny opportunity isn’t necessarily waiting out there.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

Anthony Miller (WR – CHI)
“Assuming everyone else will choose Rashaad Penny, I’ll tell you about my No. 2 pickup of the week, Anthony Miller. He played through multiple serious injuries as a rookie, yet he still managed to be ridiculously efficient and pass the eye test on the game tape, too. We knew he had the upside, but for whatever reason, he wasn’t given the snaps earlier on in the season. Now that he is finally on the field, we’ve seen Miller produce again in back-to-back weeks with 20 combined targets. A great matchup versus Detroit makes him my No. 1 wide receiver streamer for Week 13, but I’d only spend two or three FAAB dollars on him in leagues with a $100 budget.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

David Njoku (TE – CLE) 
“This week, I’d be targeting Njoku. It sounds like he’s very close to coming back. If you haven’t noticed, the tight end landscape continues to be a nightmare. Njoku is a top-level talent and the Browns have a very favorable schedule moving forward. The timing of the schedule is perfect with Baker Mayfield and the offense seeming like they are finally getting back on track. I’d be willing to spend 10+ FAAB dollars on him.”
– Mike Wright (The Fantasy Footballers)

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

“This is a great week for streaming D/STs, but my top pick is the Jets, who travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. The Jets have come alive since they’ve dipped into the soft part of their schedule and they’ve totaled 13 sacks, five turnovers, and two touchdowns over their last three games. They’ll now get a Bengals team that allows the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing D/STs, has a porous offensive line, and a quarterback who does not look ready to lead an NFL team. It should be a big day once against for the Jets’ defense.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

“If you don’t say the Eagles, you’re doing this wrong. Streaming defenses that play the Dolphins has been a winning strategy all season, so why stop now? The worst fantasy performance they’ve allowed to a defense was against the Jets when they totaled four sacks, a safety, and allowed 24 points. Seriously, that was the worst defensive performance against them all year. They were the No. 11 defense that week. Every single D/ST has finished inside the top 12 when playing the Dolphins.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“Like Penny above, the Eagles are the obvious choice, but if you can’t get them, the Jets and Packers both make a ton of sense. New York has one of the best run defenses, plus they have 13 sacks and just 47 points allowed over the last three weeks. They should have no trouble with Ryan Finley and the Bengals. Likewise, Green Bay has a juicy matchup against a rookie quarterback and the New York Giants.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“Given their offensive struggles, two excellent defensive performances by the Eagles’ defense have been overlooked. They just racked up six sacks while limiting the Seahawks to 17 points. Load them up against Miami. Don’t overthink it. The Jets against a Ryan Finley-led offense are attractive and available as well.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

“I’d be targeting the Green Bay DST. Daniel Jones has been much better than #DraftTwitter gave him a chance to be, but he’s still turning the ball over a good amount and taking sacks. I don’t love that the Packers are on the road, but they should see enough of a positive game script to unleash the pass rush.”
– Mike Wright (The Fantasy Footballers)

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.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS