How many times have you heard someone telling you to “stream” a position? Whether it be quarterback, tight end, or defense, the idea of streaming is great, provided you get the players you want off the waiver wire. The issue with streaming week-to-week is that everyone knows who you’ll be targeting in those good matchups and you might have that player swiped from underneath you, or even worse, your opponent that week may snag a player just to ensure you don’t get them.
We started this article so you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Each Saturday morning, you’ll head over to your waiver wire and snag the players who are lined up for good matchups the following week. They may have a brutal matchup for that current week. Great, even better. That just means they’re more likely to be available for you. By snagging them a week prior, you eliminate the need to spend a lot of FAB dollars on the top tier defense that everyone is chasing. Here are the players who have solid Week 13 matchups on tap, or have breakout potential in Week 12, and are less than 40 percent rostered.
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Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones (NYG) at SEA in Week 13
After a disastrous start to the season, Jones and the Giants have turned things around a bit. Jones is averaging 18 points per game over his last four appearances, and he’ll play Seattle in Week 13. Their defense gives up the second-most points per game to quarterbacks (24.5), and they’ve allowed the most passing yards per game (343.7). Their defense will remain one to target for the rest of the season. If you’re looking ahead to the fantasy playoffs, the Seahawks get the Jets (Joe Flacco/Sam Darnold) in Week 14, the Football Team (Alex Smith) in Week 15, and the Rams (Jared Goff in Week 16). All of those quarterbacks should be decent streamers when they take on Seattle.
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) vs. CIN in Week 13
I’ll admit that this is a shaky call here. The Dolphins designated Tagovailoa as questionable due to a thumb injury suffered at practice, and there’s a chance that Miami will roll with Ryan Fitzpatrick this week. That said, Tagovailoa will have a great chance to rebound in Week 13. The Dolphins will play the Bengals in Miami, far away from the risk of winter weather, and Cincinnati is tied for the 11th-most points surrendered to quarterbacks (19.1). The Bengals will be a lot less competitive now that Joe Burrow is out, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tagovailoa roll all over them next week.
Running Backs
Alexander Mattison (MIN) vs. JAC in Week 13
Why add Mattison? Well, Dalvin Cook has a long history of injuries, and he is yet to play a full regular season. Cook made a career-best 14 appearances in 2019, a record he’s on pace to break by one game this year. But there’s always a chance that something happens to Cook, and if it does, Alexander Mattison would be the next man up. He would inherit a fantastic rest-of-season schedule that includes the Jaguars in Week 13. Jacksonville gives up the sixth-most PPR points per game to running backs, and since Minnesota attempts 29.7 rushing plays per game, Mattison would be in line for a huge day. Of course, he won’t see much work if Cook stays healthy, but few waiver wire players offer RB1 upside.
Brian Hill (ATL) vs. NO in Week 13
Hill isn’t a matchup-based stash. He’ll face the Saints next week, and they have the best defense against running backs in terms of PPR points per game. That said, he’s worth adding because we don’t know what’s going on with Todd Gurley. The star running back failed to practice this week with a knee issue, and it’s unclear if it’s related to his arthritic left knee. If Gurley misses extended time, Hill would be the next man up, and he’s worth a speculative add despite the questionable Week 13 matchup. He’ll get the Chargers (Week 14), Buccaneers (Week 15), and Chiefs (Week 16) before the end of the fantasy playoffs.
Desperation option: Jordan Howard (PHI) at GB in Week 13
Wide Receivers
Keelan Cole/Laviska Shenault (JAC) at MIN in Week 13
These two are both in a breakout spot, and they’ll both have an easy matchup next week — that’s the perfect storm for a weekend waiver stash! With both D.J. Chark and Chris Conley sidelined, Mike Glennon will have to target the two remaining receivers, and they’ll have a chance to make plays against a Cleveland secondary without Denzel Ward. Even better, Jacksonville will play Minnesota next week, and their defense gives up the third-most PPR points per game to wide receivers. They could get Gardner Minshew back, too, which would make these wideouts even more reliable. Either could be a decent WR4/FLEX play against Minnesota, especially if Chark and Conley were to miss another week.
Jalen Reagor (PHI) at GB in Week 13
Reagor plays the Seattle Seahawks this week, and that’s an absolute breakout spot if I’ve ever seen one. The rookie wideout could take the world by storm, and if he does, you’ll need the top waiver priority in your league to get him. If you have a roster spot to burn, get ahead of the line and snag Reagor before he blows up the Seahawks. He may not have a fantastic Week 13 matchup, as the Packers give up the ninth-fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, but the Eagles will play two bottom-eight defenses against receivers (Arizona, Dallas) before the end of the fantasy playoffs, and Reagor could easily pop off again in those games.
Desperation option: Golden Tate (NYG) at SEA in Week 13
Tight Ends
Jordan Reed (SF) vs. BUF in Week 13
Reed should be on more rosters. The backup tight end has the job on lock — sure, George Kittle could be ready to go soon, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he would only return if the 49ers were still in the playoff hunt. With San Francisco at 4-6, we may have seen the last of Kittle. Since 25.5% of San Francisco’s targets have gone to tight ends, Reed should have a sizeable role moving forward, and he’ll have a smash spot in Week 13. His opponent, the Buffalo Bills, give up the second-most PPR points per game to the position, and he’ll make a fantastic streaming option.
Desperation option: Kyle Rudolph (MIN) vs. JAC in Week 13
DSTs
Las Vegas Raiders at NYJ in Week 13
It’s always wise to stream against the Jets, but it’s even wiser now that they’re without La’Mical Perine. It’s clear that Adam Gase is on his way out of New York, and whoever he features under center will struggle to generate yards with a weak supporting cast. The Jets’ offensive line also ranks 27th in adjusted sack rate, and even though the Raiders rank 31st in sacks per game, they should have a much easier time generating pressure against the Jets. New York also scores the fewest points per game (14.9). They’re 4.2 points per game behind the next-worst Bears (19.1) — the 4.2-point gap between them is wider than the one between the Bears and the 20th-worst 49ers. Even bad defenses are fantasy-viable against Gase.
Desperation option: Detroit Lions at CHI in Week 13
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Isaiah Sirois is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Isaiah, check out his archive and follow him @is_sirois.