After a busy Thanksgiving and Sunday of football, the NFL returns to normal with only one Thursday game and 14 total games on Sunday (and Monday night, of course). Typically around Week 13, many teams can be written off. However, the 2017 season is not a typical NFL season as 25 teams are in or within two games of a playoff spot. As so many teams remain in the hunt, this week of football is full of important games.
This week’s list of top waiver wire adds includes a few names from last week, who had big last week and could continue their success in Week 13. Every player on this list is a part of the 25 teams mentioned above fighting for playoff spots and playoff seeding. For Week 13, these are the top players to grab off the waiver wire.
Top Quarterback
Josh McCown – New York Jets
Josh McCown continues to have a career season for the New York Jets and remains one of the more consistent quarterbacks in fantasy this season. Last week, he had 307 passing yards and three touchdowns. Despite his solid play, McCown remains available in the majority of fantasy leagues. McCown gets the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13, who are amongst the 10 worst teams at allowing fantasy points to quarterbacks. The relationship McCown has developed with his receivers is quite impressive, which also helps make him a good option for the rest of the season.
Top Running Back
Jamaal Williams – Green Bay Packers
The Packers may have found their new running back in Jamaal Williams. Williams is coming off a two-touchdown game with over 100 yards from scrimmage. What is more promising for Williams is he has now topped 20 touches (carries + receptions) in three consecutive weeks. Williams is own in just under 60% of Yahoo leagues and should climb to close to 90% after waiver claims for this week go through. If Williams is available, he is a must add.
Top Wide Receiver
Brandon LaFell –Cincinnati Bengals
Veteran Brandon LaFell tops the list for best wide receivers to add on the waiver wire this week. Although he has a tough matchup in Week 13 (against Pittsburgh), he has proven success against the Steelers already this season, catching a touchdown back in Week 7. LaFell is a safer add then some of the other options available, but he also comes with a lower ceiling. However, in these final weeks before the fantasy playoffs start, grabbing someone with LaFell can be a better play than adding a boom-bust candidate (like Kenny Galloway, Martavis Bryant or Josh Gordon).
Top Tight End
Ricky Seals-Jones –Arizona Cardinals
For the second week in a row, Ricky Seal-Jones is the top tight end to target on waivers. Jones now has three touchdowns in his last two games and should be a popular target for whoever is quarterbacking the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams. In a year full of mediocre tight ends, Ricky Seal-Jones could be a savior for someone going into the fantasy playoffs.
Top Defense
Los Angeles Chargers
Once again the Los Angeles Chargers are the top defense to pick up on the waiver wire. The Chargers host the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. The Browns beat the Chargers last season (for their only win of the year), but that game was in Cleveland in the cold weather. This year’s Chargers’ team is better than last, and a win over Cleveland would get them back to .500 (after starting the season 0-4). Owned in only 35% of Yahoo leagues, the Chargers defense is a great add in going into Week 13.
Top Kicker
Graham Gano –Carolina Panthers
Kicking indoors in a game that could turn into a shootout helps make Graham Gano one of the best options to add off the waivers in Week 13. Gano has made 89.5% of his field goals against the Saints and averages 7.9 points (NFL points, not fantasy) scored per game against New Orleans. Keep in mind that the Panthers ran the ball well and moved it fairly well too in the first meeting between the teams. The difference in the game was mostly the three interceptions that Cam Newton threw. If he takes care of the ball, the Panthers should find themselves in scoring position much more frequently in Week 13.
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