Week 13 Waiver Wire: Breakout Fantasy Football Pickups from Sunday’s Box Scores
Week 13 Waiver Wire: Breakout Fantasy Football Pickups from Sunday’s Box Scores0 of 4
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We’ve reached the point in the NFL season where it’s hard to find the perfect waiver wire pickups.
Some of the top potential pickups going into Week 13 have specific strong suits, but they are not the most well-rounded candidates.
For example, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has been a touchdown machine in recent weeks for the Tennessee Titans, but he does not have the reception volume of other potential pickups.
The opposite can be said about Devaughn Vele, whose been a favorite target of Bo Nix lately, but is lacking touchdowns.
At running back, two of the best options will have interest because of the injury situations in Washington and Las Vegas.
Jeremy McNichols1 of 4
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Jeremy McNichols won’t be a waiver wire star because of what he did in Week 12.
He’ll be incredibly popular because of the situation he could be in for the Washington Commanders’ Week 13 clash with the Tennessee Titans.
Brian Robinson suffered a leg injury in the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys and Austin Ekeler was hit hard on a return late in the fourth quarter.
McNichols might be the healthiest Washington running back going into next Sunday, and for that alone, he should be a popular pickup.
McNichols should be no better than a FLEX option in Week 13, but he will have value if his snap count significantly increases.
Ameer Abdullah2 of 4
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Ameer Abdullah found himself in a similar situation as McNichols might in Week 13 in Week 12 for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Abdullah was the most experienced healthy running back on the roster. He ran for 28 yards and caught five balls for 37 yards and a touchdown.
Las Vegas faces a quick turnaround to Friday’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, so there’s a chance Alexander Mattison and Zamir White are not ready to go.
Like McNichols, Abdullah would be no more than a FLEX option, but he carries a bit more value because of his pass-catching ability.
Abdullah hauled in five of his six targets on Sunday and Las Vegas’ game script could be pass-heavy on Friday, which benefits his fantasy potential.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine3 of 4
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Nick Westbrook-Ikhine found the end zone for the sixth time in 2024 on Sunday afternoon.
The Tennessee Titans wide out only had two catches for 48 yards, but he increased his fantasy football value by landing in the end zone once again.
Westbrook-Ikhine is more boom-or-bust than many available wide receivers on the waiver wire.
He only has more than three receptions in a single game once this season, but he has at least 45 receiving yards in three of his last four games.
The volume of catches is not there for Westbrook-Ikhine, but the potential to score makes him worth a pickup for a FLEX or WR3 spot.
Devaughn Vele4 of 4
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Devaughn Vele has emerged as Bo Nix’s No. 2 target inside the Denver Broncos offense.
The rookie out of Utah hauled in six of his nine targets and had 80 receiving yards in Sunday’s win over the Raiders.
Vele’s production has increased over the last few weeks. He had four receptions each in Weeks 10 and 11 and has had at least 39 yards in the last three games.
Vele should have plenty of opportunities to haul in passes against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. He only had one less target than Courtland Sutton and two fewer catches than Denver’s top pass-catcher in Week 12, a sign that he will continue to be more involved moving forward.
