As we dive into the Week 13 waiver wire, it’s officially that point in the fantasy season where securing running back handcuffs becomes just as important as setting your lineup. Injuries are piling up, roles are shifting, and the smartest managers are locking down insurance policies before the playoff chaos hits. Whether you’re protecting a stud or searching for starter-level volume, this is the week to tighten up your roster and prepare for the final push.
At the same time, rookie skill players across the league are heating up right on schedule. Fresh legs, growing confidence, and expanded roles make first-year RBs, WRs, and TEs some of the best upside stashes available right now, which is the exact type of league-tilting breakouts that show up when it matters most. With postseason contention on the line, Week 13 offers a rare blend of immediate help and long-term upside you won’t want to miss.
HEADS UP: Each player featured is rostered in 50% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 13 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
QUARTERBACKS
DAVIS MILLS, HOUSTON TEXANS (5% ROSTERED)
CJ STROUD, HOUSTON TEXANS (36% ROSTERED)
Davis Mills just won’t go away, and for fantasy managers in need of a Week 13 streamer, that’s a good thing. With CJ Stroud still in concussion protocol more than three weeks after going down, the Texans may be rolling Mills out for yet another crucial divisional matchup against the Colts. DeMeco Ryans has already said Stroud will start the moment he clears the five-step protocol, but that moment doesn’t appear to be here yet.
In the meantime, Mills has quietly kept Houston afloat, going 3–0 in his three spot starts while averaging a steady 206.3 yards per game with five touchdowns to just one pick. He’s not reinventing football, but he’s delivering exactly what fantasy teams need from a late-season plug-and-play: competence, volume, and a shot at another solid outing in a game the Texans absolutely need.
If Stroud is cleared, he’s a strong pivot at 65% availability.
OTHER QBs TO TARGET: Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (49%); Joe Flacco, Browns (43%); Shedeur Sanders, Browns (6%); Marcus Mariota, Commanders (10%)
RUNNING BACKS
DEVIN NEAL, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3% ROSTERED)
If you were high on Devin Neal during draft season, now’s the time to see what he can do in an expanded role. The rookie finally got his shot after Alvin Kamara went down with an MCL sprain in Week 12, and while the landing spot originally felt a bit “meh” behind Kamara, the talent was never in question. Neal immediately stepped into a massive role, posting a 73% snap share and running a ton of routes after Kamara exited early. The Saints still did the Saints thing and let Taysom Hill (1% rostered) siphon off short-yardage carries, but Neal answered back with five catches for 43 yards and looked every bit like a starting-caliber back.
Yes, Audric Estime will be active next week and will nibble at the workload, especially at the goal line, but Neal gets first crack at lead duties, and finding that this late in the season is basically waiver wire gold. He handled 12 touches against Atlanta, showed real juice in space, and should see both early-down and receiving work if Kamara misses Week 13 and beyond. Consider him a low-end RB2 with upside in a Dolphins matchup that should funnel plenty of short-area targets his way.
CHRIS RODRIGUEZ JR., WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (16% ROSTERED)
If you’re searching the waiver wire for boring but potentially reliable late-season volume, Chris Rodriguez might just be your new best friend. After getting knocked out early in Week 10 with a shoulder issue, C-Rod returned in Week 11 and immediately reclaimed the backfield, leading Washington with 15 carries for 79 yards. The Commanders have clearly shifted into evaluation mode, and Rodriguez looks like the guy they want to feature on early downs as the season winds down.
Bill Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols mixed in, but neither threatened Rodriguez’s grip on the job. He’s shaping up as a classic two-down volume play: not flashy, but the type of steady workload that can absolutely matter in December. Coming out of the bye, C-Rod projects as an RB3 against the Broncos and deserves a look for managers hunting for usable touches in the fantasy playoff push.
OTHER RBs TO TARGET: Raheem Mostert, Raiders (1%); Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars (46%); Dylan Sampson, Browns (11%); Devin Singletary, Giants (25%); Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (44%); Blake Corum, Rams (16%); Tyjae Spears, Titans (35%); Brian Robinson Jr., 49ers (27%); Ollie Gordon II, Dolphins (8%); Keaton Mitchell, Ravens (3%); Tank Bigsby, Eagles (19%)
WIDE RECEIVERS
JAYDEN HIGGINS, HOUSTON TEXANS (22% ROSTERED)
Jayden Higgins is quietly going from an interesting stash to a legit weekly flex right before our eyes. The Texans’ rookie wideout has seen his route rate and target share rise for three straight weeks, and Week 12 was his true breakout: a 68% route rate, a massive 32% target share, and over half of Houston’s air yards. He turned that opportunity into 14 fantasy points and outpaced Christian Kirk in both routes and targets. That’s not fluky usage; that’s a team actively leaning into a young playmaker.
Even better? There’s room for his efficiency to climb. With C.J. Stroud set to return soon, Higgins could see a noticeable bump in catchable targets and scoring chances. He’s shaping up as Houston’s new No. 2 wideout, and finding that kind of late-season ascension on waivers is exactly how fantasy playoff runs are made.
CHIMERE DIKE, TENNESSEE TITANS (14% ROSTERED)
Chimere Dike has been a regular in our weekly stash article, but at this point, he’s demanding a promotion. The Titans rookie showed off his playmaking chops in Week 12, catching 5-of-7 targets for 44 yards and a touchdown while also housing a 90-yard punt return. Toss in another 98 yards on kick returns, and Dike was basically Tennessee’s sparkplug in a near-comeback against Seattle, making him the kind of all-purpose talent (if your league credits that) you want to bet on late in the year.
With Calvin Ridley and Elic Ayomanor sidelined, Dike stepped into a featured role and delivered in a big way. And even if the Titans get healthier, it’s hard to imagine them pulling back reps from a rookie this explosive. He’s trending toward a key offensive role for the rest of the season, with the kind of weekly upside that makes him more than just a stash, he’s a legitimate waiver pickup heading into Week 13.
OTHER WRs TO TARGET: Parker Washington, Jaguars (40%); Luther Burden II, Bears (11%); Kayshon Boutte, Patriots (37%); John Metchie III, Jets (3%) Tez Johnson, Bucs (28%); AD Mitchell, Jets (2%)
TIGHT ENDS
COLSTON LOVELAND, CHICAGO BEARS (43% ROSTERED)
At this point, it feels like Colston Loveland is going to keep showing up in this column until fantasy managers finally push him over the 50% rostered mark. The rookie is still splitting work with Cole Kmet, and while his 68% route rate and 17% target share in Week 12 aren’t exactly fireworks, he keeps finding ways to matter. Case in point: he turned his TE2 usage into a TE1 finish thanks to a clutch touchdown on Sunday.
If there’s a tight end poised for a late-season breakout, Loveland remains the best bet. PFF already grades him as a top-10 tight end, well ahead of Kmet, and his role continues to inch forward. He’s hovering on that TE1 convo right now, but with how volatile the position gets down the stretch, Loveland has the talent and rising opportunity to become one of those playoff-winning glue guys.
OTHER TEs TO TARGET: Brenton Strange, Jaguars (13%); Harold Fannin Jr., Browns (34%); Dalton Schultz, Texans (47%); Taysom Hill, Saints (1%); AJ Barner, Seahawks (18%)
