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Week 13 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Picks And Waiver Wire Adds

Seahawks Fantasy Insider Scott Engel gets you ready for Week 13 with roster tips on who to start and who to add to your squad.

fantasy-insider-week13

Scott Engel is in his 12th  year as the official Fantasy Football writer and analyst for Seahawks.com. He is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame. Scott is a four-time FSWA award winner and a 13-time nominee. You can find more of his fantasy football analysis at  The Game Day and fantasy football rankings  at RotoBaller.com.

The challenges of bye weeks will return in Week 13, as six NFL teams are off. The Bills, Ravens, Vikings, Bears, Raiders, and Giants will be on byes. As always, we help you find the best lineup fill-ins and streamers, while also confirming some starting options that should get the call when faced with tough lineup decisions. The best fantasy football waiver wire pickups are also included, with listings of the top adds at running back, wide receiver, and tight end.

All analysis leans to PPR (Point Per Reception) formats.

Running Backs

START

Rhamondre Stevenson

I recommended Stevenson in this space last week, and he rushed for a season-high 98 yards and a TD against the Giants. The New England RB has 100-plus scrimmage yards in his past three games with rushing TDs in two of those outings. The Chargers rank 25th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, and New England has the third-best run blocking advantage rating on Pro Football Focus for Week 13. Lock Stevenson in as an RB2.

START

Najee Harris

The Steelers offense kicked into new gears in Week 12 under new offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner, totaling over 420 yards of offense against the Bengals. Harris is splitting work with Jaylen Warren, yet he led Pittsburgh with 15 carries and 99 rushing yards. He has also rushed for TDs in four of his past six games. The Cardinals have allowed the second-most rushing yards and TDs (12) to RBs this season. Both Steelers RBs are solid starts for Week 13, and Harris has a good shot to rush for a TD again.

START

Zach Charbonnet

This week, with six NFL teams on byes and other players unavailable due to injuries, you may have to prioritize using some guys who are ticketed for a good amount of volume or field time. Charbonnet fits the bill fantasy-wise, as he was playing on over 50 percent of the snaps in the three games prior to last week when the second-round Seahawks rookie operated as a lead RB for the first time in his career. If you need an RB2 fill-in or flex play, consider Charbonnet for an ample amount of touches as both a runner and receiver.

ADD

Zack Moss

A Jonathan Taylor thumb injury has reportedly put his status in doubt going forward, so the Colts will turn to Moss again, after he shined as a starter earlier this season. In five starts, he averaged 93.2 rushing yards per game with a high mark of 165, and he totaled five TDs from scrimmage. Moss will be one of the top two players to add from the fantasy football waiver wire this week if he is available in your league (along with our featured TE  pickup), and those who use a Free Agent Budget Bidding Process should expect to spend over 50 percent of their available budget or more on him.

Base your bids on the previous week's tendencies in your league, using my guideline of 50-plus percent as a loose guideline. Moss also can be started as an RB2 in Week 13, as the Colts take on the Titans, who rank 24th in FPPG allowed to RBs over the past four weeks. Indianapolis has the fourth-best run blocking advantage rating on PFF for Week 13.

ADD

Miles Sanders

It will be interesting to see if Sanders can resurface as a viable fantasy option as the Panthers take a new direction under interim head coach Chris Tabor and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. Sanders was a top acquisition for Carolina during the offseason. He is versatile and can still potentially ease some pressure on rookie QB Bryce Young. Sanders carried 15 times in Week 13 and should be added to see if he can recapture some of his past form with the Eagles, even if Chuba Hubbard continues to share some of the workload.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Back Rankings – Top 10

  1. Zack Moss
  2. Miles Sanders
  3. Ty Chandler
  4. Roschon Johnson
  5. Tyler Allgeier
  6. Leonard Fournette
  7. Rico Dowdle
  8. Royce Freeman
  9. Samaje Perine
  10. Jeff Wilson

Wide Receivers

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Adam Thielen

Thielen should bounce back after catching one pass in Week 12, as he has shown throughout much of the season that he can still threaten defenses at age 33. He had 14 receptions on 21 targets in the two games prior to last week. Tampa Bay ranks 29th in FFPG allowed to WRs and Thielen should be busy as a chain-mover for Young in Week 13.  

START

Courtland Sutton

The Denver WR has eight TD receptions on the season, which is tied for the third-most in the NFL. He has caught TD passes in five of his last six games. Sutton also has long receptions of 30-plus yards in four of his past five games. The Texans have allowed the third-most receiving yards to WRs over the past four weeks. The Broncos will have to throw the ball often to keep up with the potent Houston offense, so Sutton is likely headed for a good fantasy outing and he should definitely be started as a fantasy WR3.

ADD

Jayden Reed

The Green Bay rookie has emerged to become worthy of consistent fantasy consideration, especially as the passing game has improved under Jordan Love in recent weeks. Reed has also proven to be versatile, as he has registered TDs from scrimmage in three consecutive games. He has five-plus targets in four of his past five games. Reed can function as a quality streaming option during the upcoming weeks.

ADD

Jalin Hyatt

I mentioned the first-year Giants WR in this space earlier this season, and he can be an upside fantasy performer during your playoff push. Hyatt is a significant downfield weapon, and he came through with the best fantasy performance of his career so far in Week 13, catching five passes for 109 yards. In the preseason, Hyatt drew some scouting comparisons to former Eagles star DeSean Jackson, and the potentially explosive WR may supply a few spike outings in the next few weeks.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Wide Reciever Rankings – Top 10

  1. Jayden Reed
  2. Odell Beckham Jr.
  3. Demario Douglas
  4. T. Perry
  5. Jalin Hyatt
  6. Curtis Samuel
  7. Justin Watson
  8. Khalil Shakir
  9. Jonathan Mingo
  10. Cedric Tillman

Quarterbacks And Tight End

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Brock Purdy

In the must-see game of the week, Purdy will post totals that can help boost your fantasy team to an important Week 13 win. The Eagles have allowed the most FFPG to QBs over the past four weeks. The San Francisco QB will have to get rid of the ball quickly against the formidable Philadelphia defensive front, yet he has the weaponry to get the job done. Purdy has two three-TD outings in his past three games.

ADD

Matthew Stafford

The Rams' veteran registered four TD passes in Week 13. None of the scoring passes were to the Rams' WRs, which demonstrated how well a healthy Stafford can spread the ball around. Fantasy players who lost a starter due to injury or need a streamer can consider the Los Angeles passer.

ADD and START

Pat Freiermuth

The Steelers' tight end is an established fantasy performer, and popped back onto the fantasy radar with a huge performance in Week 12. He caught nine of 11 targets for 120 yards and should continue to be a frequent key contributor for Pittsburgh for the rest of the season. If you play in a league with FAAB bidding, you might have to part with well over 50 percent of your budget to acquire the biggest free agent prize at the thinnest position in the game.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Tight End Rankings – Top 5

  1. Pat Freiermuth
  2. Tyler Higbee
  3. Tucker Kraft
  4. Cade Otton
  5. Juwan Johnson

For more fantasy football analysis from Scott Engel, visit  The Game Day  during the 2023 fantasy football season.

Check out the custom-designed cleats for this years My Cause My Cleat. Some players will wear their cleats during the Week 13 Thursday Night game at Dallas.

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