In a perfect world, there would be no need for a column dedicated to Week 13 streamers. But the fantasy football season, much like its real-life counterpart, is often a war of attrition. Most rosters barely resemble those that were crafted so expertly back in the summer. Injuries, performance, suspensions, and matchups usually send owners to the waiver wire looking for the next man up. Despite all 32 NFL teams being in action for the first time in over two months, this week is no different. Here are my favorite Week 13 streamers – one at each position – who I believe are in line to outperform their expected production given their surrounding circumstances.
Week 13 Streamers
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons
In two starts this season, Lamar Jackson has led the Baltimore Ravens to two victories. That seems to have earned him an extended look in place of the injured Joe Flacco. Flacco has already been ruled out for Week 13 as he continues to recover from a hip injury. Jackson has posted identical QB14 finishes in standard Fantrax leagues. That is not quite starter level, but it is not far off. Jackson will once again be a solid fantasy contributor this Sunday in Atlanta when the Ravens take on the Falcons.
Atlanta has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. But matchups are a bit inconsequential when it comes to forecasting Jackson. He is not your typical pocket passer, so throwing out passing numbers feels a little unnecessary. Jackson has thrown for fewer yards in the last two weeks than Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff, both of whom had a bye last week. Jackson’s fantasy output will always be tied to his legs. He has rushed for 190 yards in his two starts. That number is higher than all but five NFL running backs over that span. His rushing numbers raise his floor to the point where any passing production is essentially gravy. Jackson is still available in 43 percent of leagues and active in 21 percent. I believe he will be a QB1 in this matchup, which is why he tops my Week 13 streamers list.
Running Back
Josh Adams, Philadelphia Eagles v. Washington Redskins
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson made good on his promise to use Josh Adams as more of a featured back. Adams carried the ball 22 times in last week’s victory against the New York Giants. The usage was an excellent sign for Adams, especially when you consider that the Eagles trailed for most of the game. The rookie free agent finished as an RB1 last week in fantasy and has taken a firm hold of the running back duties in Philadelphia. I expect another big effort this week when the Eagles host Washington.
Washington has been a middling fantasy defense against running backs this season, but cracks are beginning to show. In three of the last four weeks, primary backs facing Washington have totaled over 100 yards from scrimmage. Overall, opposing backs have gashed Washington for 476 yards on 95 carries (5.01 yards per rush) during that time frame. With Philadelphia a solid six-point favorite in this game and with a continued emphasis on the run, I think Adams is in line for another 20-plus touches this week. I would not be surprised to see him post another RB1 performance given that workload. Adams is still available in over a third of leagues and is active in just 37 percent of leagues. The latter number is just 35th among running backs. He should easily outperform that expectation this week.
Wide Receiver
Josh Reynolds, Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
Josh Reynolds has stepped in admirably for Cooper Kupp as the Los Angeles Rams’ third wide receiver. It is an important role, as the Rams utilize three receivers more than any other team in the NFL. In their last game, Reynolds was on the field for 78 of 80 offensive snaps. The results so far have been positive. Reynolds has posted top-16 fantasy finishes in each of his last two starts. The second-year wideout will look to keep his recent hot streak intact when the Rams head to Detroit to face the Lions this week.
Detroit’s cornerbacks have been a revolving door of mediocrity outside of Darius Slay. I would expect Slay to spend the majority of Sunday’s game shadowing Brandin Cooks. Robert Woods figures to be the biggest beneficiary of such an alignment, but there will certainly be opportunities for Reynolds to make plays as well. Even though he has a solid role on one of the league’s premier offenses, Reynolds is owned in just 55 percent of leagues and active in only 19 percent. I think he is a solid WR3 going forward, and this week is no different. He has posted top-16 fantasy finishes in each of his last two starts. While that is on the high end of his range, that makes him one of my favorite Week 13 streamers.
Tight End
Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans v. New York Jets
Since Tennessee’s Week 8 bye, Jonnu Smith has been one of the league’s most productive tight ends. He has the fifth-most receiving yards and fourth-most fantasy points among tight ends during that time. Yet Smith is owned in just 24 percent of leagues. There are 32 tight ends who are rostered in more leagues than Smith. This is completely illogical. Tight ends are mostly a crapshoot once you get past the elite, so the fact that Smith is still available in so many leagues makes no sense to me.
This week, Smith has a matchup with the New York Jets. New York has done a decent job defending tight ends this season, but Smith is no worse a bet to score a touchdown than Ben Watson, Jesse James, or C.J. Uzomah, all of whom are active in more leagues than Smith. His floor is relatively low, but that is the case for all of the aforementioned tight ends as well. I would prefer to ride the hot hand of Smith and hope he can find the end zone again this week. He is a solid TE2 who could easily exceed value in this matchup.
Kicker
Sebastian Janikowski, Seattle Seahawks v. San Francisco 49ers
Sebastian Janikowski has been a solid if unspectacular option this season. He has only hit on 15 of 19 field goal attempts. But he has been perfect on 33 extra points this year. Last week, he tied for the league lead with 12 fantasy points. He also hit the game-winning field goal as time expired in Seattle’s emotional win in Carolina. I believe the veteran will have another big game this weekend. Seattle is a solid favorite and has a healthy implied total of 28 points this week. Janikowski is available in 78 percent of leagues this week and should provide solid production in this matchup.
Defense/Special Teams
Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals
Green Bay’s D/ST unit has not produced the number of big plays usually required for fantasy leagues. The Packers have only created 12 turnovers on defense this year. But it’s not as if they are totally inept. They have generated 36 sacks, good for fourth-best in the NFL. They also get the benefit of a very favorable matchup when they host the Arizona Cardinals and rookie quarterback Josh Rosen.
Targeting home teams who are large favorites against a rookie quarterback usually equates to fantasy success, and I think the Packers make for an ideal streaming option this week. Arizona has turned the ball over 22 times this year. Only two teams have given the football up more often. The Cardinals also rank in the bottom half of the leagues in terms of sacks allowed and adjusted sack rate. Green Bay is available in over half of Fantrax leagues and is being started in just a quarter of leagues. I have them as a top-five fantasy defense this week.
Extra Point
Justin Jackson, RB, Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers
The MCL sprain suffered by Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is certainly a big blow to fantasy owners. This is not the week you want to see your RB1 on the shelf. Following Gordon’s premature exit last week, seventh-round rookie running back Justin Jackson got some extra run and filled it quite nicely. Jackson carried the ball seven times for 57 yards, both career highs. I think that performance will earn him even more playing time this week when the Chargers face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Austin Ekeler will clearly benefit from Gordon’s absence, but his role should really not change all that much. Ekeler has never carried the ball more than 12 times in an NFL game. I do not suddenly see him getting 20-25 carries now that Gordon is sidelined. Ekeler is also playing through a neck injury, which is obviously a potentially dangerous situation. I would expect Jackson to get at least 40 percent of the carries in this game. That should be enough for him to warrant consideration in fantasy leagues. Jackson is rostered in just 11 percent of leagues and is active in just one percent. If you have Gordon or Leonard Fournette or are in a deeper league, Justin Jackson makes for one of the more intriguing Week 13 streamers.
Also check out our Week 13 Sleepers: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
Mick Ciallela has been writing for FantraxHQ since July 2017. He has also written for Bleacher Report. He is a lifelong sports fan and has been an avid fantasy sports player for many years. Mick was the Overall Champion of both the 2016 Football Challenge – Roto and 2017 Play 3 Football contests hosted by CDM Sports. Mick was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York and currently resides in New London, Connecticut.
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