Week 13 Waiver Gold: Fantasy or Fools?

By Lamar

A player on your radar had a big game. Do you pick him up? This is where we decide whether their forecast is fantasy or fools gold.

Tyler Higbee TE Los Angeles Rams
5 rec, 5 targets, 29 rec yards, 2 rec TDs

Higbee matched his season high in receptions this week and was second on the team for targets and receptions. The Rams offense is much more efficient with QB Matthew Stafford and RB Kyren Williams back from injuries. While the Rams offense is looking up as some of their key players are getting healthy, Higbee is not the TE I recommend picking up this week. Stafford and Rams head coach Sean McVay like to spread the ball around and there is a good chance Higbee goes back to averaging one reception a game again.

Royce Freeman RB Los Angeles Rams
13 rushes, 77 rush yards, 1 rush TD

Freeman is not a must add unless you already Have RB1 Kyren Williams on your team. Unfortunately Freeman is not skilled at catching the ball out of the backfield a la Williams, which hurt his production when Williams was injured. Still with Henderson on the Rams practice squad, Freeman is the backup RB you want.

Pat Freiermuth TE Pittsburg Steelers
9 rec, 11 targets, 120 rec yards

If I needed a tight end from players available in over 50% of leagues, Freiermuth is the guy I want. Freiermuth has had success in previous seasons and the Steelers have a new look offense with the firing of their offensive coordinator. Young quarterbacks need a reliable check down tight end and Pickett knows he has that in Freiermuth. Pickett should continue to look his way the rest of the season as the Steelers try to get this young offense going. Freiermuth is fantasy gold!

Jalin Hyatt WR New York Giants
5 rec, 6 targets, 109 rec yards

New Giants QB1 Tommy DeVito needs someone to throw it to and he might just have found his someone in the talented rookie WR from Tennessee. Again this offense is a mess, but there is a great chance that the Giants will be behind in the rest of their games this season and need to air it out. Hopefully Hyatt can become DeVito’s new go-to receiver in those situations after leading the team in receptions, targets and yards in Week 12. If you want to take a chance on a WR in New York, this is the guy I want.

Curtis Samuel WR Washington Commanders
9 rec, 12 targets, 100 rec yards

Even though Samuel led the Commanders in targets, receptions and receiving yards in Week 12, I still do not want anything to do with him. The Commanders have a trio of talented wide receivers in Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Samuel in that order. The odds of correctly choosing the next game in which Samuel are not ideal, so he is best left on waivers (unless you are in a deep league, of course.)