Doing your weekly waivers in fantasy football can be more stressful than performing life-saving surgery on a loved one without any professional tools or medical knowledge. While that might be a slight exaggeration, deciding which players to add off the waiver wire each week can be stressful.
Finding and adding the right guys in shallow leagues is simple, as there are plenty of appealing options, and the waiver wire is full of talent. Unfortunately, making your waiver wire claims in deeper leagues can be a massive pain in the neck.
However, I’m here to help by giving fantasy players eight waiver wire targets they should add in deeper leagues in Week 13.
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Deep League Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets
All the players in this article are rostered in under 25% of ESPN leagues.
Cam Ward (QB – TEN): 5.2% Rostered
Ward has struggled this season, averaging only 10 fantasy points per game. However, the former Miami star has had the best performance of his short career in back-to-back weeks. After totaling 13.1 fantasy points in Week 11 against an elite Houston Texans defense, the rookie was outstanding despite facing a talented Seattle Seahawks unit on Sunday. Ward completed 66.7% of his 42 pass attempts for 256 yards, a touchdown, and 23.9 fantasy points, setting a career high in fantasy points. Hopefully, he finishes his rookie year on a high note.
Shedeur Sanders (QB – CLE): 5.2% Rostered
Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn’t name a Week 13 starting quarterback following Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Therefore, Sanders could keep the job after starting for an injured Dillon Gabriel in Week 12. The former Colorado star had a solid fantasy points in Cleveland’s 24-10 win, totaling 209 passing yards, a touchdown, and 10.3 fantasy points on only 20 attempts. More importantly, the rookie has a fantasy-friendly matchup in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, making him a solid streaming option in superflex leagues.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – WAS): 8.8% Rostered
Many had high hopes for Jacory Croskey-Merritt this season. However, the rookie has been outplayed by Rodriguez lately. He has taken over as the Commanders’ lead running back, averaging 11 rushing attempts for 53.3 yards, 0.7 touchdowns, and 9.9 PPR fantasy points per game over the past three contests, totaling at least 7.6 in every outing. Furthermore, Rodriguez has averaged at least 5.3 yards per rushing attempt in two of those games. More importantly, he has a fantasy-friendly playoff schedule with matchups against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.
Devin Neal (RB – NO): 1.8% Rostered
Reportedly, Alvin Kamara suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons after getting awkwardly tackled. Meanwhile, Neal was productive against the division rivals, totaling seven rushing attempts for 18 yards, five receptions for 43 receiving yards, and 11.1 PPR fantasy points, a career-high. The rookie has averaged 9.5 touches for 46 scrimmage yards and 8.6 fantasy points per game over his past two contests as a part-time player. Neal has an excellent matchup next week against the Miami Dolphins, which will likely be his first career start.
Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU): 23.3% Rostered
While Nico Collins remains Houston’s go-to guy in the passing game, Higgins has taken over as the No. 2 wide receiver. He has averaged 3.6 receptions on 6.4 targets for 34.6 receiving yards, 0.6 touchdowns, and 10.7 PPR fantasy points per game over the past five weeks. Furthermore, Higgins had at least seven targets and 9.5 fantasy points in every game during that stretch, except the matchup against the Denver Broncos. Last week, he had four receptions on nine targets for 38 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 13.8 fantasy points.
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI): 7.5% Rostered
Fantasy players should stash Burden for the final five weeks of the fantasy season. The rookie has been on and off waiver wire articles all year. However, he has started to show signs of a breakout since returning from a concussion in Week 10. Burden has averaged three receptions on 4.3 targets for 41.3 receiving yards and 7.6 PPR fantasy points per game over the past three weeks. Furthermore, the rookie has averaged 10.4 fantasy points per game in the five contests with three or more targets this season.
Brenton Strange (TE – JAC): 10.9% Rostered
Strange returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing the past five games because of a hip injury. The veteran caught all five of his targets for 93 receiving yards and 14.3 PPR fantasy points, leading the Jaguars in receptions and receiving yards while finishing third in targets behind Parker Washington (seven) and Jakobi Meyers (six). More importantly, he has averaged 55 receiving yards and 10.3 fantasy points per game in the five contests with four or more targets, totaling 9.9 or more in all but the Week 2 matchup.
Gunnar Helm (TE – TEN): 0.3% Rostered
Tennessee had several rookies step up in Week 12, including Helm. The former Texas star had six receptions on seven targets for 51 receiving yards and 11.1 PPR fantasy points in the Titans’ near-upset victory over the Seattle Seahawks, leading the team in every category. Furthermore, the rookie has averaged 3.3 receptions on four targets for 29.5 receiving yards and 7.7 fantasy points per game over his past four contests, totaling 10.3 or more twice. The former Texas star should continue having an increased workload as the season winds down.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
