- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Week 13 Waiver Wire: Stat Projections for Top Fantasy Pickups and Sleepers
- Updated: November 29, 2016
Week 13 signals the beginning of the playoffs in many fantasy football leagues, ratcheting up the tension and making the waiver wire that much more important as the real NFL season winds to a close.
This is the point in the year where injuries, suspensions and dips in production really start to make fantasy footballers nervous.
Nobody wants to be the person who drops that flex running back on a downswing, only to see that player pay dividends for someone else in the league. It’s just as agonizing to think you have the perfect sleeper pickup for the week, only to see that player put up lackluster production.
Even if the playoffs haven’t started in your league, this could be the week that makes or breaks your championship chances.
Here’s a look at the top waiver-wire pickups heading into Week 13 in ESPN and Yahoo Sports fantasy leagues, along with stat projections from ESPN.com. In order to account for the larger leagues, only players owned in less than 50 percent of leagues are included in the table.
Rookie Watch Heading into Week 13Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
No question about it, Tyreek Hill is the headline pickup heading into Week 13. The rookie receiver out of West Alabama has worked his way into greater prominence in the Kansas City Chiefs offense as the season has gone along, flashing skills as a big-play wide receiver and acting as a changeup with a carry or two in the running game each week.
Against the Denver Broncos in Week 12, Hill managed a season-high nine receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown, scored on a three-yard rush and even managed an 86-yard kick return touchdown.
Kansas City WR Tyreek Hill is blossoming at just the right time. pic.twitter.com/ZBJWHbFDnP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2016
ESPN Stats & Info noted it was a truly rare display:
Tyreek Hill: first player with a rushing TD, receiving TD and kick return TD in a single game since Gale Sayers (1965 Bears against Vikings)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 28, 2016
Though he’s only just now flashing his potential, Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson noted Hill has been sneakily productive this entire season:
Most productive NFL WRs this year in yards gained per route run:
1. Julio Jones 3.1
2. AJ Green 2.9
2. Tyreek Hill 2.5
Wait, Tyreek Hill??
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) November 28, 2016
His speed and elusiveness have served him well and made him an increasingly valuable part of this offense.
Wide receiver has been a notoriously weak position for the Chiefs over the course of the past few seasons, and though Hill lacks polish, his athleticism is difficult to ignore.
With a breakout display against the stingy Broncos defense, Hill is liable to have an even bigger game in Week 13 against the Atlanta Falcons.
No strangers to shootouts thanks to their high-powered offense and their middle-of-the-line defense, the Falcons could force the Chiefs to pass the ball quite a bit in this …
