RADIO
In fantasy football leagues that use FAAB (free agent acquisition budget), it can be hard to know how much money to spend on key players at QB, RB, WR, or TE. Kev Mahserejian gives fantasy owners his recommendations on how to spend FAAB for Week 13.
As an addendum to our famous waiver wire pickups list, and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, in this column we also present suggested waiver wire bidding percentages for fantasy football owners in leagues using a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB).
As a caveat, these prices do not by any means indicate how much these free agent players will go for. Each league values players differently and will continue to do so. These auction values are here to provide a baseline to understand roughly how much you should be targeting to spend on a particular player. If you want to go wild and blow a chunk of your budget on a guy you believe in, by all means, carry on. However, these players are not a dime a dozen. Guys get injured, and other guys replace them and their production all the time, every year. You only have so much FAAB money, spend it as wisely as possible.
With the regular season winding down, it's time for struggling teams to bid high and spend on guys that could help them make that playoff push. Win-now teams should spend as freely as possible. Owners that feel stuck should as well. All it takes is one breakout player to push you over the top sometimes. With that being said, below are our FAAB auction bidding recommendations for Week 13. Good luck, and happy bidding!
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FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield (QB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
55% owned
Baker Mayfield has been ripping apart some bad defenses in recent weeks. He is a must-add QB in all leagues down the stretch. Freddie Kitchens has opened the playbook up and given the rookies Mayfield and Chubb the keys. Despite facing some tougher competition in the coming weeks, Mayfield and co. should continue to put some numbers on the board.
Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
42% owned
There is no guarantee that Lamar Jackson starts the rest of the year but he should. This decision rests on the Ravens organization alone. Do they want to be one foot into the future or the past? Joe Flacco is bad an has been bad for the past few seasons. Jackson, while still young and raw, is electrifying and fresh. He's going to be a fantasy stud in the future, but there are definite questions of his current status. If this turns into a QB timeshare stay away. Buy now with some extra FAAB and hope it pans out.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Josh Adams (RB, PHI) - FAAB Bid: 15-20%
56% owned
Josh Adams is a must add going into Week 13. He has officially taken over the backfield in Philly and is progressively being given more work. Coach Pederson loves having grinding running backs like Adams, and he will use him until the wheels fall off. Adams is an RB2 with upside ROS.
Gus Edwards (RB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
64% owned
Gus Edwards has taken over the Baltimore backfield. Alex Collins has been dealing with a foot injury but has done nothing but lose the coaching staff’s trust since the start of the year. The fumbles remain an issue for Collins and with Edwards in play, he is fading out. Edwards is a thumping back who compliments QB Lamar Jackson well.
Justin Jackson (RB, LAC) - FAAB Bid: 8-10%
2% owned
Melvin Gordon is out for the next few weeks with a Grade 2 MCL Sprain which opens up backfield touches for Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson. Jackson ran the ball well this past Sunday against a Cardinals defense that is porous against the run, gaining 57 yards on just 7 carries. He will look to see more touches this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers who have struggled against RBs since losing Stephon Tuitt. Ekeler is the lead back but Jackson could get his fair share. In college, he amassed at least 1000 yards in all four years and was a threat in the passing game. Jackson should be involved plenty as long as Gordon is out and is worth a slice of your remaining budget.
Carlos Hyde (RB, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
37% owned
If you need a streamer at RB for this week, Hyde might be your guy. Leonard Fournette is suspended for now and probably won't win his appeal, leaving Hyde and T.J. Yeldon to man the backfield. Hyde is going to see most of the carries Sunday while Yeldon takes care of the receiving work. Hyde is the safer play in standard formats and possibly even half-PPR. Buy him for this week and hold on in case the Jaguars shut down Fournette in the coming weeks. Just don't expect too much because the Jaguars are bad.
Nyheim Hines (RB, IND) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
22% owned
Nyheim Hines may have a lead role Sunday against the Jaguars. Marlon Mack left Sunday’s game with a concussion and is in jeopardy of missing this upcoming week. If that were to happen, Hines would be in line to take over the backfield’s touches. He’s only a one-week streamer so don’t go too crazy.
Rex Burkhead (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
19% owned
Rex Burkhead has been activated from the Injured Reserve and should regain some sort of role in New England. Burkhead will probably be eased back in the next week or two but is worth an add in deeper leagues. Don't expect too much from him when he returns given the emergence of Sony Michel and the breakout campaign by James White but grab him if you need some potential. Burkhead saw plenty of work around the goal line last year and could be similarly utilized down the stretch.
Spencer Ware (RB, KC) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
8% owned
God forbid if something happened to Kareem Hunt, but if he were forced to miss time, Spencer Ware would be in play as his immediate replacement and jump into the RB1 discussion. Ware is a good pass catcher whose legs have come back to pre-ACL tear life. He has put up solid numbers with minimal touches over the past few weeks and could continue to be a factor going forward. Hunt owners should make sure he's on their bench come playoff time.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
Josh Reynolds (WR, LAR) - FAAB Bid: 20-25%
52% owned
Josh Reynolds has taken over Cooper Kupp's role in the Rams' offense. Although he isn't exactly Kupp talent wise, Reynolds is still a capable receiver in a high-powered offense. After going off against the Chiefs last Monday, he should be on everyone's radar. Add Reynolds while you can. He's a viable option across all types of leagues and should be a considered a Flex this Sunday in Detroit.
Adam Humphries (WR, TB) - FAAB Bid: 12-20%
30% owned
Adam Humphries should be owned in all PPR leagues. This is not a drill. The guy is producing some real numbers and cannot be as ignored as he's been. As much as I want to say that this is a fluke, it's not. They trust him down in Tampa as he consistently finds ways of getting open. With DeSean Jackson set to see a hand specialist, Humphries might be in line for even more work these coming weeks.
Anthony Miller (WR, CHI) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
39% owned
Miller's had a solid season for a rookie WR and should continue to steadily produce given the rapport he's built with QB Mitch Trubisky. He's capable of finding the end zone but lacks the proper volume to confidently start him in any given week. He's a TD dependent WR3/Flex for now but still worth grabbing in most leagues.
Christian Kirk (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
38% owned
Christian Kirk and Josh Rosen have a great connection, and they should continue to build on it as the season progresses. He's surely had his ups and downs throughout the year but should see plenty of opportunities to produce as the season winds down. Not really someone you're confident starting but probably worth the add given his talent.
John Ross (WR, CIN) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
10% owned
John Ross is officially back in the picture. A.J. Green has been out the past few weeks and its opened up plenty of targets for Ross who has now scored in three straight weeks. With Jeff Driskel now at the helm and Green due back, it will be hard to trust Ross until we see more on the field, but it's surely still worth picking him up if you have an expendable roster spot.
Curtis Samuel (WR, CAR) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
9% owned
Curtis Samuel is used all over the field, and that continues to benefit his fantasy stock. Typically, he isn't the most targeted WR on the field, but his ability to run a quality jet sweep makes him fantasy viable. Three double-digit scoring games over the past four weeks do not go unnoticed, grab him up for kind of cheap if you can.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith (TE, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
20% owned
Smith showed some burst Monday night. Despite only receiving two targets, he was able to convert one into a 61-yard touchdown up the middle of the field. His only other catch was unfortunately just for two yards. Regardless, Smith is a viable grab and stream in deeper leagues.
Chris Herndon IV (TE, NYJ) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
8% owned
Chris Herndon has been receiving fairly consistent targets for the past five games in a row. He is not someone you should run to the wire to grab but could be a decent buy for TE needy teams. He'll be used in the end zone and throughout the field due to the lack of receiving options in the current Jets' corps.
Matt LaCosse (TE, DEN) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
0% owned
Jeff Heuerman is officially out for the season and in comes Matt LaCosse, who had previously been noted as the better pass-catching TE in that offense. LaCosse had a great game against the Steelers this past Sunday and is primed to take over the targets left over by Heuerman. MLC is a solid add in 12-team and up leagues who are needy of a TE.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Defense/Special Teams
Denver Broncos D/ST - FAAB Bid: 2-3%
50% owned
Andy Dalton is out for the year, and the Bengals are likely signaling the tank. Despite losing Shaq Barrett for the next month, Denver is still a formidable defense and should take care of Jeff Driskel in Cincinnati. They get a nice double-up advantage given that they play the 49ers in Week 14.
Seattle Seahawks D/ST - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
25% owned
Nick Mullens was exposed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, arguably one of the worst defenses in the league. Now, he has to go up to Seattle and face a juiced Seahawks team that is in the playoff hunt. Take advantage of this matchup all day.
