Sam Darnold, Jonathan Williams among top fantasy football free-agent finds for Week 13
Matthew Berry attributes Sam Darnold’s recent success to a reverse jinx, because he recommended that fantasy managers drop Darnold after initially suggesting they pick him up. (1:20)
We’ve made it.
Not quite to the fantasy playoffs (those start in Week 14), but hopefully you’ve already clinched your spot in the postseason.
We’ve made it past all of the bye weeks in the NFL season, meaning no more juggling your roster by deciding whether you could add a fill-in wide receiver at the cost of your back-up quarterback, or something of the like.
You are now free and clear of such decisions. And it feels so good. Welcome back, Patrick Mahomes (and a host of others who were on a bye in Week 12)!
That doesn’t mean your roster tinkering will stop — matchups will dictate your desire to make lineup swaps — and we’ll keep the waiver wire column coming. Every single week.
Without further ado, here are the Week 13 ESPN Fantasy waiver wire adds of note.
Note: All players mentioned in this column are available in over 50% of leagues on ESPN.com.
Jonathan Williams, RB, Indianapolis Colts (29.2%): When Marlon Mack suffered a broken hand, some wondered whether Williams would have to share duties with Jordan Wilkins. The answer was a resounding no, as Williams totaled over 100 rushing yards and three catches too, while Wilkins did not record a yard from scrimmage. Williams is a legit top 20 running back option until Mack returns.
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Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets (18.0%): What a run for Darnold, who had his third straight monster game, compiling three total touchdowns en route to a 28.2 effort. Not only is he playing electric football, the Jets continue to be in the midst of a favorable schedule stretch. Next up: the Bengals and Dolphins. Darnold is playing with confidence and his skill players are feeding off of it.
Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets (46.3%): While Anderson has been up and down this season, he is now coming off of an 86-yard performance that included a touchdown in Week 12. There’s a large enough body of work on his skill set to have him on benches, as the Jets offense is trending decidedly in the right direction.
Benny Snell Jr., RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (2.7%): Welp. The Steelers backfield continues to be a crowded and confusing one. Snell handled 21 carries in Week 11, while Jaylen Samuels had just two. While it’s not immediately clear if James Conner will return in Week 13, it feels likely that Snell would once again be the lead carrier if he does. Given how much things have rotated in the backfield this season, I’m stopping short of starting him with confidence, but he’s at least an add for the possibility he keeps this prominent role until Conner returns.
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers (41.1%): While it wasn’t a massive night for Samuel, he cashed in one of his two catches for a touchdown, helping him finish with double-digit fantasy points for the third straight game. He’s too talented to be ignored by opposing defenses and your lineups, as he’s one of the team’s top passing game weapons and San Francisco is steamrolling these days.
Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts (43.8%): With news that Eric Ebron is on injured reserve, Doyle steps into a role that he’s held before: the clear-cut go-to tight end in this offense. The targets should rise and he should find himself as a near top 15 option in most weeks. He has four games with double-digit scoring this season.
Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons (3.1%): We cannot ignore the volume of Gage, who has stepped into the role created when Mohamed Sanu was traded to New England, as he now has 28 targets over his past four games. The Falcons continue to be one of the pass-heaviest teams in the NFL, attributable to both their dynamic weapons and a defense that has left them in shootouts aplenty this season. Gage has value as a flex play in a deeper league.
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Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans (14.9%): How good has Ryan Tannehill been as the starter for Tennessee? Awesome, as he has accounted for multiple touchdowns in each of his five starts and is coming off of a four-touchdown game in Week 12 in which he got to take advantage of his athletic skills with 40 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. He’s an add for someone who is facing a quarterback matchup they don’t love for their normal starter.
A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans (16.0): This guy is an explosive play waiting to happen. He’s so fun to watch and talented, too much so to ignore. He has two catches or less in three of his last six games but double-digit fantasy points in the other three. His quarterback is playing well and when you pair that with his abundance of talent, he’s a clear bench stash in most leagues.
Ryan Griffin, TE, New York Jets (22.1%): Griffin was the recipient of a contract extension on Saturday and rewarded the Jets right back with a touchdown on one of his three catches. He now has double-digit fantasy points in four of his past five games and is a near full-time player with Chris Herndon on injured reserve. For those still seeking tight-end help, Griffin is a wise option.
James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (20.1%): The Steelers’ offense doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence right now, but Washington is their best big-play threat. He had seven targets and found the end zone in Week 12, totaling 98 yards on three catches. He’s a talented enough player to be a deeper-league stash on benches.
Cole Beasley, WR, Buffalo Bills (23.8%): Beasley continues to be a steady and reliable piece of the Bills’ offense, as he has at least four catches in seven of 11 games and nine or more fantasy points in nine of 11 games too. He’s coming off of a 19.6 point effort and reminded why he’s a smart add to have in deeper leagues as a usable flex piece.