The week is nearly wrapped up, and of course there were another round of injuries and surprising performances. As a result, fantasy football managers will be on the lookout for wavier wire additions and replacement options for those injured over the weekend or just to bolster their lineup moving forward. Here are a few players to consider adding via the fantasy football waiver wire this week. And here are all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for NFL Week 13.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target
Devin Neal (RB – NO): 3% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @MIA, @TB, CAR
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Alvin Kamara left the Saints’ Week 12 game against the Falcons with a knee injury. After leaving the field, Kamara visited the medical tent multiple times before officially being ruled out. The fact that he wasn’t ruled out immediately may indicate that it is not a long-term issue. However, if Kamara misses time, Devin Neal would be the next man up in the New Orleans backfield. The sixth-round rookie was projected to be a steady, well-rounded back entering the NFL. On Sunday, Neal did most of his damage in the receiving game, catching five passes for 43 yards. He had seven carries for 18 yards. With some positive matchups coming up, Neal would become a Flex option if Kamara were to miss time.
Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU): 22% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @IND, @KC, ARI
- True Value: $7
- Desperate Need: $10
- Budget-Minded: $5
Analysis: Last week, Jayden Higgins took another step toward becoming a wide receiver who can be a difference-maker in the final weeks of the fantasy season. He has slowly seen his route share growing, and last week the Texans doused it with Miracle-Gro. Higgins had a 67.7% route share while gobbling up a 30% target share and 38.9% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. He finished the Texans’ Week 12 win over the Bills with 38 receiving yards, a touchdown, two red-zone targets and two deep targets. Since Week 10, Higgins’ per-route metrics have been filthy, with a 33% target per route run rate, 1.93 yards per route run and a 22.9% first-read share. He’s quickly becoming a weekly WR3 for fantasy, who should enjoy some spike weeks to close the season.
Christian Watson (WR – GB): 48% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @DET, CHI, @DEN
- True Value: $6
- Desperate Need: $9
- Budget-Minded: $4
Analysis: In Week 11, Christian Watson was the WR6 in fantasy scoring while seeing a 19.2% target share and a 28.6% air-yard share with 46 receiving yards, 2.00 yards per route run and a team-leading 33.3% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Watson didn’t have a monster game in Week 12, but he did lead the Packers with a 31.8% target share and 49 receiving yards. Watson has been stepping into the No. 1 WR chair for the Green Bay offense over the last two games. In addition to the volume bump, Watson owns the downfield role for the Packers, which should prove to be fruitful down the stretch. For the remainder of the season, he has two games against the Bears, a meeting with the Ravens and a rematch with the Vikings. All of those defenses sit inside the top eight for deep ball completion rate allowed. Watson could prove to be the weekly WR3 who can put your team over the top.
Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management
Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:
Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.
Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.
Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.
Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.
Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.
Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.
Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.
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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.