Mike Hubbard Jr here, welcome back to my weekly Waiver HUB. Follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) and Instagram (@fantasyhubbard) for all things fantasy football throughout the season. Feel free to tweet me or message me on either social media with any comments or questions you might have regarding fantasy football.
Week 12 has ended and week 13 starts on Thursday with a matchup between the 7-4 Dallas Cowboys and the 5-6 New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys have 3 of their last 4 but are still sitting pretty atop the NFC East. The New Orleans Saints have dropped 4 consecutive games and are quickly sinking to the bottom of the NFC South. Dallas is favored by 6 points with an over/under of 47.5. Both teams are struggling but someone should win right? The Saints are at home which should be taken into consideration. It is easy to say the Cowboys have the better roster and talent, but that doesn’t always win you football games. Alvin Kamara needs to play and play well in order for the Saints to pull off the upset. It would also be nice to see Taysom Hill get the start and run wild. The Cowboys get Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb back helping the Cowboys chances. My bold prediction is a 31-17 win for the Cowboys. Tony Pollard has a great day with 100+ total yards and Dak throws for 3 passing TDs.
Week 13 is here, and the fantasy regular season is wrapping up soon so now is the time to make your moves and prepare for the playoffs. Injuries are continuous so here’s another chance to hit the waiver wire and get impactful players. Another week gone, another opportunity to make your team stronger. Below are my top waiver wire priorities this week. Go get those available players to help your chances moving forward. Good luck this week and remember to check back every week to stay informed on who you could target off of waivers.
TOP PRIORITY OF THE WEEK
Alexander Mattison – Minnesota Vikings
Mattison is my top waiver priority this week. Dalvin Cook left his game early on a cart in week 12 after an apparent injury. Still waiting to hear how severe Cooks injury is and if he will need to miss any time, but Mattison is his handcuff and has shown how he can excel when given RB1 responsibilities and workload. Mattison gets to face a winless Lions team in week 13. Get Mattison.
Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz – Indianapolis Colts
The Wentz wagon still has some room if you are interested in joining. Wentz has 21 passing TDs this season and 1 rushing TD. He is averaging over 230 passing yards each game with a QBR close to 100. He has a star RB in Jonathan Taylor and an emerging WR in Michael Pittman. The pieces are coming together for the Colts and Wentz should benefit. Wentz faces Houston in week 13 which should mean a heavy dose of Taylor and an opportunistic game for Wentz to get easier stats. If you are hurting at QB or just want a solid back up for your playoff push, Wentz is your guy if he is unowned in your league.
Running Backs
Boston Scott – Philadelphia Eagles
Boston ‘the giant killer’ Scott strikes again at MetLife Stadium in week 12. Scott carried the ball 15 times for 64 rushing yards and 1 TD. He also had 2 receptions for 8 yards. Scott would have had another TD, but it was called back due to holding by the Eagles fill-in center when Jason Kelce was temporarily out of the game. Jordan Howard might miss another week and Miles Sanders could be in the same boat after injuring what looked like his ankle which he has already had issues with this season. Both are injuries to monitor as the week progresses. Boston Scott and even Kenneth Gainwell could be in for big workloads against the Jets in week 13.
D’Onta Foreman/Dontrell Hilliard – Tennessee Titans
Both Foreman and Hilliard had great performances in week 12 against the Patriots defense. Foreman had 19 carries for 109 rushing yards while Hilliard had 12 carries for 131 rushing yards and 1 TD. Both also contributed 1 reception each for a few yards. With the absence of Derrick Henry, the release of Adrian Peterson, and the concussion issues for Jeremy McNichols, both Foreman and Hilliard were the top options for the Titans backfield, and both capitalized on their opportunity. It’s tough to say who will be better for your fantasy football team moving forward, but if I had to choose, I would take Foreman given the number of carries he has had since appearing in week 9 for the first time. The Titans have a BYE in week 13 but then host the Jaguars. If you are able to grab either or both of these RBs you’ll be in good shape after their BYE.
Chuba Hubbard – Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey left his matchup with the Dolphins early in week 12 due to an ankle injury that had him leaving the stadium in a walking boot. He will miss the remainder of the season. Chuba Hubbard should take over the RB1 position in Carolina and get a big workload. He has a week 13 BYE and then gets the Falcons. Get Hubbard especially if you were a CMC owner.
Wide Receivers
Kendrick Bourne – New England Patriots
Welcome to the spotlight Kendrick Bourne. Bourne has been a quiet yet productive WR for the Patriots this season. He finished week 12 with 5 receptions for 61 receiving yards on 6 targets and scored 2 TDs. Bourne now has 3 receiving TDs in his last 3 games and has 4+ receptions in 5 of his last 6 games. Jakobi Meyers has 37 more targets and 17 more receptions than Bourne this season but Bourne leads all New England WRs in receptions yards and receiving TDs. Mac Jones is continuing to play better as a rookie which benefits Bourne’s chances to produce and to win.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling – Green Bay Packers
MVS is clearly gaining trust with Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has targeted him 19 times in their last 2 games. Although Marquez only caught 8 of those 19 targets, they resulted in a total of 173 receiving yards and 1 receiving TD. Randall Cobb was also having a good game racking up 95 receiving yards and 1 TD before he left the game with a groin injury. Whether Cobb misses time or not, MVS is a player to stash on your bench for after the Packers week 13 BYE when they face off against the Bears.
Russell Gage – Atlanta Falcons
Russell Gage led the Falcons in every receiving category this past weekend with 6 receptions for 62 receiving yards and 1 TD on 7 targets. If you exclude his week 10 dud against the Cowboys where he failed to record a catch, Gage is averaging 5+ receptions for 60+ receiving yards on 7+ targets since week 7. He has scored 2 TDs in that time frame as well. We don’t know when or if Calvin Ridley will return this season, so Matt Ryan has Gage, Pitts, and Patterson as his primary pass catchers. The Falcons take on the Buccaneers in week 13 who are coming off a game where they let Carson Wentz throw for 300+ yards and 3 TDs.
TY Hilton – Indianapolis Colts
Hilton scored his first TD of the season in week 13 against the Bucs. He caught 4 of 5 targets for 28 receiving yards. Hilton has been slow to produce this season in his 5 games played. His best game came back in week 6 against Houston where he put up 4 receptions for 80 receiving yards on 4 targets. In week 13 he gets to face that same Texans team. Wentz is playing good football so hopefully lightning will strike twice for TY.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet – Chicago Bears
Cole Kmet caught 8 passes from Andy Dalton in week 12 for 65 receiving yards on 11 targets. If Justin Fields can’t go in week 13, it only makes Kmet more appealing given his 11 targets and chemistry with Dalton. Back in week 11 Kmet had 6 receptions for 85 receiving yards on 8 targets with Justin Fields behind center so he has had some success with both QBs. The Bears face the Cardinals in week 13 which is unappealing, but he is one of the few TEs not rostered in most leagues that has a chance at production. It is hard to ignore 11 targets. Now let’s get him in the end zone.
Foster Moreau – Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller had a forgettable Thanksgiving showing for the Raiders and it ended for him with an injury. He avoided a serious knee issue and has only a strained IT band. Waller is considered week-to-week, and if he misses time Foster would be his replacement and could be in for a nice day against Washington in week 13. Last time Moreau filled in for an injured Waller he caught all 6 of his targets for 60 receiving yards and 1 TD.