RADIO
RotoBallers,
Welcome back. As always this column will aim to highlight Week 13 waiver wire adds and streamers for quarterbacks, players that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire.
In recent years, the concept of streaming has become a popular one within fantasy football circles. Particularly with quarterbacks and defense/special teams, the idea of swapping players out every week based on attractive matchups has led numerous owners to victory (or to the basement, if such owners didn’t stream correctly). It’s not a bad idea – why invest a high draft pick on a player you may not want to use every week when you can use the upcoming week’s tilts to your advantage and play the projections?
Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 13 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS
Strategy for Streaming Quarterbacks
The problem, as mentioned above, is that if you’re going to go this route then you need to stream right - or you’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble. Fortunately, the purpose of this weekly article will help you do exactly that with the quarterback position. Every week, we’ll take a look at six streaming QB options: three for one-quarterback leagues, and three for two-quarterback leagues. The focus will be on streaming for the upcoming week, but if that particular player has a positive outlook beyond that point it will be noted for your benefit.
Options for one-quarterback leagues could be just about anyone – if a decent QB really has that tasty of a matchup, then who are we to not take advantage of that? Of course, the obvious names aren’t “streamers” – your Newtons, Rodgers, and Wilsons of the world are plugged into the starting QB spot for their owners week in and week out. Other than the head honchos at the position though, anyone is eligible. Two-quarterback leagues, however, work a little differently. In these leagues, most of, if not all quarterbacks are already owned. Thus, to be a streamer option in a two-quarterback league, the QB needs to be close to the bottom of the barrel. For example, you aren’t streaming Eli Manning in a two-quarterback league because under that setting, Eli should be starting every week anyway.
RotoBallers, stream away to your heart’s desire. If you have any questions or comments feel free to send me an email ([email protected]), tweet (@Andrew_Bua), or reach out on Reddit (/u/CitiStrikeouts).
One-QB Leagues - Week 13 Waiver Wire Streamers
Tyrod Taylor, BUF (70% owned)
Well everyone, we’ve made it to Week 13. If you’ve been streaming quarterbacks all season long and have made it this far, congratulations. If you’re instead looking for a Marcus Mariota replacement (or a Josh McCown replacement..HA!) in Week 13, then look no further than Tyrod Taylor, who is still somehow only owned in 70% of leagues on Fleaflicker.
Taylor and the Bills have the good fortune of taking on the Oakland Raiders this week. We all know the Raiders have been a defense to target all season long; they rank 28th in average passing yards allowed per-week with a figure of 277.9. In recent weeks they’ve looked a bit better, but most of those outings have come against sub-par quarterbacks such as Trevor Siemian. Cam Newton and Jameis Winston still hung 20.44 and 18.80 fantasy points on them in standard leagues, so it’s not as if this defense has turned a corner. Taylor, meanwhile, has been fantastic for the better part of his last six games. In five of those outings, he’s scored between 18.12 and 25.86 points. That includes the aforementioned 25.86 game and another for 20.44 in two of his last three games. Taylor is an easy choice as the best one-quarterback league streamer in Week 13.
Colin Kaepernick, SF (31% owned)
Since taking over the 49ers’ starting quarterback job in Week 6, Colin Kaepernick has unexpectedly been a fantasy revelation. In standard leagues he’s scores at least 19.44 fantasy points in five of the six games he’s started, including 33.14 in Miami in Week 12. While Kaep may not reach his early-career highs, he’s playing more than well enough to be a top streaming option in Week 13.
The Chicago Bears may not be bleeding points to opposing quarterbacks, but their numbers are a little padded by some bad outings from Matthew Stafford, Blake Bortles, and Sam Bradford. In Chicago’s last five games, they’ve allowed multiple touchdowns in four of them with the only exception being the aforementioned Bradford. In those games, outside of Bradford, the minimum amount of fantasy points allowed to the opposing quarterback was 17.18. If you’re looking at their overall stats, the Bears defense doesn’t necessarily seem like a defense to stream against – but a closer look at their production, as well as the hot streak Kaepernick’s been on, makes Kaepernick a top of the line streaming QB1 streaming option this week.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, NYJ (37% owned)
Whoa, was that a Ryan Fitzpatrick sighting on Sunday? It certainly was! Fitzpatrick came up with his second-best game of the season against the Pats in Week 12, throwing for 269 yards and two scores in the Jets’ loss. Of course, he also ended the game by coughing up a fumble, but that’s neither here nor there. With a home game against the Colts next Monday night, Fitzpatrick is a solid streamer option.
Quarterback playing the Colts? Yep, that’s about all it takes to get yourself into the streamer conversation. With good reason, too. Indianapolis is allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks with a weekly average of 20.69. That includes a range between 20.84 and 26.18 over their last three games. And oh, in those three games, the Colts have allowed eight touchdown passes. That’s should be all you needed to hear in order to give Fitzpatrick consideration. Coming off a game where the he finally looked in-tune with the Jets’ offense, at home on Monday night against a terrible Colts defense, Fitzpatrick should return nice value if you’re bold enough to stream him.
Two-QB Leagues - Week 13 Waiver Wire Streamers
Sam Bradford, MIN (32% owned)
After a string of solid fantasy starts, Sam Bradford has had a rough couple of weeks. Over his past two games, he’s only thrown for 169 and 224 yards, respectively, with one touchdown pass. It’s a stark contrast from the two games prior where he threw for 273 and 307 yards. Things should start looking up for Bradford again when the Vikings head to Dallas in Week 13.
While the Cowboys defense has been solid overall, we’ve seen them regress a bit over the last three weeks. They’ve allowed a minimum of 269 passing yards over that span, with the other two games being 408 and 449 yards. In those two games of 400+ yards, they surrendered three touchdown passes each and QB fantasy point totals of 30.42 and 32.16. Bradford is far from a surefire fantasy option at this point in his career, but if you’re in need of a QB streamer in Week 13 he definitely has some things working in his favor.
Alex Smith, KC (48% owned)
With a matchup like this, normally Alex Smith would be an easy choice as a QB1 streamer. 2016, however, has not gone Smith’s way unfortunately. His 230.8 passing yards per-game are a career high, but his 54 rushing yards would be the second-lowest of his career and a far cry from the 498 he accumulated last season. While his low production has him off the QB1-streamer radar, he should still produce at a level high enough to warrant QB2 consideration.
Smith and the Chiefs head to Atlanta in Week 13 to take on the Falcons and their much-maligned defense. This unit deserves all the flack they take, they have been flat-out bad. The only number you really need to know here is 32, which represents Atlanta’s ranking against the pass this year. Yep, the 283 passing yards per-game they are allowing are dead last in the NFL. Actually, I lied - there's one more number you need to know: 1. As in, they're number one in fantasy points surrendered to opposing quarterbacks with a weekly average of 21.67. That includes totals of 33.84, 21.54, and 28.24 fantasy points in three of their last four games. If Smith does any damage on the ground that will be an added bonus, but what he does through the air should be enough by itself to qualify as a top 24 quarterback option in Week 13.
Brock Osweiler, HOU (26% owned)
Brock Osweiler certainly isn’t setting the world on fire this year, but as of late he’s performed at an adequate QB2 level. With production in his last three games of 14.26, 13.02, and 12.14 in standard leagues, he isn’t winning anyone a trophy by himself but he’s been more than worthy of QB2 streamer consideration. He should once again be in that conversation when the Texans head to Green Bay in Week 13.
The Packers defense has rapidly declined into a defense that you should now feel very comfortable streaming quarterbacks against. In particular, three of their last four games have been U-G-L-Y ugly. In those three games, they’ve allowed a whopping ten touchdown passes and passing yard totals of 288, 296, and 375 (not including what happens on Monday Night Football). In standard leagues, those opposing quarterback fantasy point totals were 24.42, 27.80, and 27.40. We know Osweiler hasn’t been amazing, but if you’re in the business of streaming quarterbacks are you really not going to take a shot against this Green Bay defense?
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