Bye is back with a vengeance this week after six teams went on hiatus, but we’re making waiver recommendations to accommodate all fantasy football needs and accommodate all budgets. Each week, we identify a collection of priority fantasy pickups that are available in at least 50% of leagues and approved for immediate use. Act fast, everyone, because these incredible Cyber Monday sales won’t last long.
running back
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts (49%)
I’m not going to second-guess the players who recently dropped Moss. That’s because A) he came out on a bye and B) he barely saw the field the past two games. Moss played just nine snaps in Week 10 and just 13 the week before that. Such people are usually selected as candidates.
However, Moss unexpectedly bounced back against the Bucs on Sunday, playing 41% of the offensive snaps and gaining 70 yards on 10 touches. Although he still lost on and off to Jonathan Taylor, his playing time was strikingly similar. We learned on Tuesday that Taylor injured his thumb during the game.There are doubts about his future position.. ” Wow.
Six teams received byes in Week 13, so Moss was already back on the flex radar. However, with Taylor’s availability this week (and beyond) uncertain, the priority is now to add Moss whenever possible. He was incredibly efficient this season, averaging 4.8 YPC and 7.7 yards per catch.
FAB: Depending on the circumstances, anything is possible.
Dernest Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars (1%)
It’s been pretty clear for weeks now that Johnson would jump over rookie Tank Bigsby to replace Jacksonville in the backfield. On Sunday, we received further confirmation on Travis Etienne’s status when he briefly left the game against Houston with a chest issue (he eventually returned). Johnson finished the game with eight touches for 61 total yards and did most of his damage with a 42-yard reception. His career average YPC is his 5.0, and he had some great moments during his time in Cleveland, whenever injuries paved the way for significant touches. If you have fantasy hopes for Etienne this season, find a spot for Johnson on the bench.
FAB: $6
Additional RB on the line
-
Ty Chandler He entered Monday night’s matchup against Chicago coming off a productive stretch of games in which he tallied double-digit touches. Chandler only had five touches for 11 yards in the loss to the Bears, but Josh Dobbs’ four picks definitely affected the flow of the game. This is still an elusive runner with 4.3 speed and has earned a strong rotation role in Minnesota’s offense. His team received a bye in Week 13, but is scheduled to return for road friendlies against the Raiders and Bengals. It’s incredible that he remains available in 52% of his Yahoo leagues.
-
antonio gibson Now that he’s back from missing one game due to injury, he deserves consideration for deeper league action. He has caught 18 passes in the past four games, and his receiving services will be needed in the upcoming game against Miami. Gibson matched Brian Robinson’s snaps on Thanksgiving, playing nearly every third down.
-
Roshon Johnson But on Monday night, he looked like his usual versatile bulldozer, splitting backfield touches with Khalil Herbert. He should maintain a key role in the final weeks.
-
Rico Doodle He made the most of a light workload on Thursday, gaining 26 yards on four touches and scoring his first touchdown of the game against Washington. He remains the preferred understudy RB behind Tony Pollard.
-
Ezekiel Elliott He handled 11 touches on Sunday, which would give him 26 touches compared to New England’s previous two games. The Pats have two favorable matchups (LAC, PIT), so if Sieg is putting in a significant amount of work, it could be worth keeping an eye on.
-
Samaje Perine He had a little fun Sunday, rushing for an early 3-yard score and racking up 66 scrimmage yards on eight touches. He will be neutral against Houston in Week 13. Perine has some PPR appeal as he is quietly on pace for a 60-catch season.
wide receiver and tight end
Jaden Reed, Green Bay Packers (48% enrollment)
In a game notable for the long-awaited return of Christian Watson, Reid actually led all Green Bay receivers in targets (eight) and reached the end zone for the sixth time this season. Ta.
Reed never takes a week off. The fact that he is still widely known is, frankly, a huge fantasy scandal. Reid is probably the most heavily rostered of the Packers’ receivers, but here we are again hyping him. He currently leads the team in receiving yards (497) and is second in catches (36) and touchdowns (6). He’s good at soccer, guys.
If the lead is not yet in your league, address the situation immediately. He has some intriguing games scheduled, including games against the Giants, Bucks and Panthers from Weeks 14-16.
Recommended FAB, assuming $100 budget: $20
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers (48%)
As everyone expected, the OC changes in Pittsburgh immediately resulted in a significant increase in employee workloads. jalen warren george pickens Freiermuth. Freiermuth, who saw only a modest workload in his first game back from IR a week ago, became a mainstay in the Steelers’ passing game against the Bengals. He completed nine of 11 targets for 120 yards, all of which were team-highs in a game that (as expected) was light on fantasy production. With no away games remaining on Pittsburgh’s schedule, Friarmuth will be back in the top 10 at his position for the remainder of the season.
FAB: $15
Other preferred WR and TE
-
Curtis Samuel On Thursday against the Cowboys, he had nine receptions for an even 100 yards on 12 targets, a season-high in every game that mattered. Volume isn’t usually a concern, as this is the fifth time he’s had at least six targets in the past eight games.
-
Another week, six more catches on a scoreless afternoon. Demario Douglas. Despite the team’s terrible QB situation, he’s been playing solidly in a full PPR league.
-
Gerald Everett He has battled injuries this season, but being healthy will definitely help. Everett caught all four targets Sunday night and scored the team’s only touchdown. Next is Pat.
-
Jarin Hyatt He’s headed for a bye, so he won’t be helped right away, but his first 100-yard performance as a pro is definitely worth watching. Hyatt was an excellent receiver at the collegiate level and was the 2022 Biletnikov winner. Once targets finally start streaming in his direction, he’ll make a fair amount of fantastic noise.
-
If you’re in a touchdown chase with a tight end, keep these things in mind: tyler higbee I made two house calls on Sunday. However, the upcoming matchups against Cleveland and Baltimore are so brutal that I can’t be prepared to overhype Los Angeles’ secondary weapons at this point.
-
All Saints receivers in front AT Perry The 6-foot-5 Wake Forest rookie will likely find some targets against the Lions, as he is currently on the Saints’ roster struggling with injuries. Use this information to do what you think is best. Please proceed with caution.
-
juwan johnson He just finished with a season-high seven targets, but given the current state of New Orleans’ receiving corps, he’ll likely have an even bigger workload over the coming week.
quarterback
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts (16%)
You better believe we’re getting back at it with the Minshew player we touted last week. This man is [expletive] party. Whenever Minshew eventually retires, he’s looking to be inducted into the hall of fame of bye-week fantasy streamers. There is no waiting period.
Minshew had 251 passing yards and his third rushing score of the season in Sunday’s friendly against the Bucs. Another intriguing matchup is coming up against Tennessee in Week 13. If you need him as a QB in the short term, you don’t have to think about it too much. Minshew is a guy who can throw to Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, and that’s a decent way to make a living.
FAB: $5
Additional QB usage approved
-
Matthew Stafford He completed 25 of 33 for 229 yards in a four-touchdown game against the Cardinals. The matchup against Cleveland is a bit scary, but keep in mind that game-breaking Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is out for Week 12 with a shoulder injury. Stafford can produce multi-score games any time his receiving corps is at or near full strength.
-
kenny pickett He’s thrown just two touchdown passes since September, so it’s fair to consider him less than a high-ceiling fantasy option. Pickett is most likely to record something like 165 scoreless yards in a given week. But it’s worth acknowledging that in the first game of the Matt Canada era, Pittsburgh gained 421 total yards, including 268 through the air. Pickett will be playing against a user-friendly Arizona defense next week, so maybe he can… [shrugs sheepishly] … do something Something of a positive nature.
-
jake browning With Ja’Marr Chase on their side, they can expect a decent matchup against Jacksonville, which ranks 29th in the league in pass defense. He is a fair flyer for the truly desperate. I hope it’s not you.
Defense/Special Teams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31%)
While Tampa Bay’s defense certainly has its flaws in reality, this group has actually forced a significant number of takeaways (16) this season while also producing 29 sacks. For fantasy purposes, the Bucs D is situationally useful. Over his next two weeks, this unit will host Carolina and then travel to Atlanta for his two district friendlies against the clumsy quarterback. Include the Bucs in your streaming/DFS plan.
FAB: $1
The Rams came away with a four-sack win and are preparing to face whatever sketchy quarterback the Browns throw at them in Week 13. This is clearly a setup for multiple takeaways and another 3-5 sacks. However, they don’t need to keep this D of his after their next matchup as they travel to Baltimore in Week 14.
FAB: $1