Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 13

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Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Rostered percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 60% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins, Vikings

Cousins has quietly emerged as a reliable fantasy starter - averaging the 12th most fantasy points since Week 3. He's also thrown for two or more touchdowns in six of his last seven games.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars have been the third easiest matchup for opposing quarterbacks and have permitted multiple passing scores in five straight games, as well as eight of their last 10 outings.

Even without Adam Thielen, Cousins put up 307 yards and three touchdowns on the Panthers this week. Whether Thielen plays or not, Cousins is a quality streamer in Week 13.

Philip Rivers, Colts

Jacoby Brissett's newfound presence in goal-line packages is far from ideal for Rivers' fantasy value, but he's regularly finished inside the top-13 quarterbacks since the Colts' Week 7 bye.

Rivers' weekly results over the last five weeks: QB5, QB28 (tough matchup with Ravens), QB13, QB10, and he's the QB11 in Week 12 prior to the Monday nighter.

Though the Texans defense has recently put up better numbers, some of that success is attributed to a softer schedule. Rivers should have no problem spreading the ball around and putting up another solid fantasy performance.

Taysom Hill and Derek Carr are around the 60% rostered mark and would be the top options if they're still available in your league.

Streamer options: Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. CIN (20% rostered), Mitch Trubisky vs. DET (4% rostered), Baker Mayfield at TEN (35% rostered), Sam Darnold vs. LV (8% rostered)

Injured streamer options (if healthy): Gardner Minshew at MIN (12% rostered)

Running backs

Cam Akers, Rams

As much as we need to stay grounded and not overreact to one big run, it was great to see Akers pour in a career-high 84 yards with a touchdown this week.

The bad news is the rookie was third in the backfield in snaps with 17, behind Malcolm Brown (25) and Darrell Henderson (20). This performance could go a long way toward establishing Akers as the hot hand since Henderson has struggled following his midseason injury and Brown is an average talent.

Akers has another opportunity to showcase his abilities against the Cardinals this week before the Rams get two very winnable games against the Patriots and Jets in the first two weeks of the fantasy playoffs.

This may remain a three-headed committee, but you should want Akers on your roster in case the second-rounder continues to emerge down the stretch.

Benny Snell/Anthony McFarland Jr., Steelers

The Steelers are scheduled to take on the Ravens this Wednesday in a Week 12 game that's been postponed several times already. If that contest is finally played, it's possible my feelings about these backs could change based on performance or injury.

At the moment, James Conner is on the COVID-19 list after testing positive. As a cancer survivor, you can be sure the 25-year-old and team will be very cautious with his health.

That should set the stage for Snell to get at least two consecutive starts after head coach Mike Tomlin identified him as the lead back while Conner is sidelined.

That means Snell needs to be rostered as a low-end RB2 with upside for more if he can find the juice he displayed in the opener when he rushed for 113 yards on 19 carries.

McFarland can be rostered as a stash until we see how this situation plays out with Conner.

J.K. Dobbins, Myles Gaskin, Zack Moss, Jamaal Williams, Latavius Murray, and James White are around the 60% rostered mark and should be rostered in almost all leagues.

High-upside backups Alexander Mattison (32% rostered), Boston Scott (28% rostered), Carlos Hyde (38% rostered), and Tony Pollard (19% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options: Frank Gore vs. LV (25% rostered), Ito Smith vs. No (1% rostered), Brian Hill vs. NO (46% rostered), Devontae Booker at NYJ (9% rostered)

Risky flex options: J.D. McKissic at PIT (59% rostered), Joshua Kelley vs. NE (19% rostered), Gus Edwards vs. DAL (54% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Adrian Peterson at CHI (46% rostered), Royce Freeman at KC (6% rostered), Sony Michel at LAC (20% rostered), D'Onta Foreman vs. CLE, Jordan Wilkins at HOU (17% rostered), Kerryon Johnson at CHI (15% rostered), Devine Ozigbo at MIN (1% rostered)

Injury stash: Tevin Coleman (17% rostered), Rashaad Penny (4% rostered)

Deeper stashes: Peyton Barber at PIT (1% rostered), DeAndre Washington vs. CIN (1% rostered), Jeremy McNichols vs. CLE (1% rostered), Jeff Wilson Jr. vs. BUF (3% rostered)

Wide receivers

Allen Lazard/Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers

Investing in the Packers' passing attack is a wise decision, so acquiring one of these wideouts off waivers should be an obvious move.

Lazard reached the end zone again Sunday - the third time he's done that in five games this year.

Valdes-Scantling was shut out in the boxscore this week after suffering a mild Achilles injury in practice, but he's still taking the field for SNF. In the previous three games, MVS delivered stat lines of 2-53-2, 4-149-1, and 3-55-0.

Don't overthink this. Scoop these guys up now and consider using them as WR3/flex plays during their favorable upcoming schedule, which features the Eagles, Lions, Panthers, and Titans over the final month.

Breshad Perriman/Denzel Mims, Jets

The Jets' outside receivers remain available in the vast majority of leagues, but that shouldn't be the case based on their recent play.

Consider their last three stat lines:

With Sam Darnold healthy and matchups with the Raiders and Seahawks on deck, Perriman and Mims are flex options with significant fantasy upside.

Deebo Samuel, Sterling Shepard, Curtis Samuel, Cole Beasley, Corey Davis, Michael Pittman Jr., and Jakobi Meyers are around the 60% rostered mark and should be rostered in almost all leagues.

Flex options: Jalen Reagor at GB (29% rostered), TY Hilton at HOU (38% rostered), Sammy Watkins vs. DEN (44% rostered), Gabriel Davis at SF (3% rostered), Tim Patrick at KC (22% rostered), Keke Coutee vs. IND (1% rostered), Keelan Cole at MIN (27% rostered), Laviska Shenault at MIN (18% rostered), Henry Ruggs at NYJ (28% rostered), Nelson Agholor at NYJ (43% rostered), Emmanuel Sanders at ATL (46% rostered)

Risky flex options: Russell Gage vs. NO (8% rostered), Darnell Mooney vs. DET (7% rostered), Josh Reynolds at ARI (9% rostered), KJ Hamler at KC (4% rostered), Damiere Byrd at LAC (5% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Michael Gallup at BAL (42% rostered), Rashard Higgins at TEN (11% rostered), Hunter Renfrow at NYJ (17% rostered), Collin Johnson at MIN (0% rostered), David Moore vs. NYG (4% rostered), Olabisi Johnson vs. JAX (0% rostered), Chad Beebe vs. JAX (0% rostered)

Injury stashes: Julian Edelman vs. ARI (26% rostered)

Deep bench stashes: Isaiah Coulter vs. IND (0% rostered), Kenny Stills - free agent (1% rostered), Mohamed Sanu at CHI (1% rostered), Demarcus Robinson vs. DEN (1% rostered), Steven Mitchell Jr. vs. IND (0% rostered)

Tight ends

Trey Burton, Colts

Burton isn't even playing the most snaps among the Colts' tight ends, and yet he's still the one we're targeting.

That's because the Colts have gone out of their way to get the ball in his hands in scoring position and it's resulted in touchdowns in back-to-back weeks.

Now Indy has a three-game stretch against the Texans, Raiders, and Texans again. The Colts should find themselves in the red zone often against those defenses, and that means opportunities for Burton to come through as a fantasy streamer.

Jordan Akins, Texans

Akins had a quiet Week 12 with no catches on two targets, but the news of Will Fuller's six-game suspension means changes are coming for the Texans' offense.

Akins is only one week removed from catching five passes for 83 yards and displaying the kind of yardage upside most tight ends don't possess.

Since the receiving corps is limited behind Brandin Cooks, Akins might be the best option to see an expanded role in Fuller's absence, making a worthwhile stash this week.

Robert Tonyan and Mike Gesicki are around the 60% rostered mark and would be the top options if they're still available in your league.

Streamer options: Logan Thomas at PIT (41% rostered), Jordan Reed vs. BUF (25% rostered), Dalton Schultz at BAL (22% rostered), Kyle Rudolph vs. JAX (15% rostered)

Injury stashes: Irv Smith Jr. vs. JAX (6% rostered), Zach Ertz at GB (59% rostered)

Risky streamer options: Will Dissly vs. NYG (4% rostered), Jacob Hollister vs. NYG (2% rostered), Tyler Eifert at MIN (6% rostered), Darren Fells vs. IND (3% rostered)

Defenses

Week 13 streamers

Favorable fantasy playoff schedules: Seahawks DEF (60% rostered), Cowboys DEF (21% rostered), 49ers DEF (38% rostered)