Week 13 Fantasy Football FAAB Bids: Russell Wilson, Jeremy McNichols, Noah Gray and More
Recommended FAAB bids for some of the hot names on the waiver wire in Week 13.
I keep starting every week saying some version of, “Time is running out to use your FAAB dollars! Start spending that money!” It’s really the biggest issue in the FAAB world right now, though, even more than the specific players on which you spend.
You don’t want to throw $8 at Drew Lock, of course, but it’s time to start expanding your view on players who are worth grabbing on waivers, especially if you’re fighting for a playoff spot.
Let’s run through some of the hot names on the waiver wire heading into Week 13 and what reasonable FAAB bids might look like. Your numbers will vary based on your needs and remaining budget, but you can start with these numbers as a reference.
I used stats from NFL.com and our FantasySP defensive fantasy rankings and will reference those numbers often.
Quarterbacks
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Nix has become much more owned in fantasy leagues but still has a little availability, and he has a great matchup this week against the Browns. Cleveland has allowed the fourth-most yards per pass attempt and sixth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Nix is coming off a game against the Raiders in which he threw for 273 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The Raiders are slightly above average on defense, so Nix is going to see a much better matchup here and a chance to continue his run of success over the past month.
Nix is one of the best streamers of the week if you can grab him. He’s matchup dependent, but he’s had strong performances when playing against the right teams.
Conservative Bid: $0-1
Aggressive Bid: $2-4
Desperation Bid: $6
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Wilson is another guy coming off a good game and with a good matchup in Week 13:
- Wilson’s Week 12 @ Browns: 270 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, 10 rushing yards
- Cincinnati’s defense: 16th-most yards per pass attempt allowed, fifth-most fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks
The Bengals, Pittsburgh’s Week 13 opponent, are an average team in terms of yards, but they have been vulnerable in fantasy football. Part of it is that Cincinnati has given up the ninth-most passing touchdowns.
Cincy has also allowed the second-most rushing yards to quarterbacks. Wilson doesn’t run much at this point in his career, but he can still get out and pick up a first down when needed. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Wilson run for 30 yards, a number he hit seven times last season.
Wilson has another great matchup in Week 14 against Cleveland before facing the stout Eagles in Week 15, so Wilson is a two-week option for anyone who streams quarterbacks.
Conservative Bid: $0-2
Aggressive Bid: $3-4
Desperation Bid: $6
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young just had one of the best statistical games of his career, racking up 263 yards on 7.5 yards per attempt with one touchdown and no interceptions. He led a game-tying drive and scored with less than two minutes left.
In one of the most predictable outcomes of the season, though, Patrick Mahomes marched down the field to set up a game-winning field goal. It was encouraging to see Young look competent in a big spot, especially against a formidable defense in Kansas City.
Young has a good matchup this week against the Bucs: Tampa had allowed the most fantasy points per game to QBs entering Week 12. It will be a one-week solution because they head to Philadelphia the following week, but Young is on the streaming radar in this one.
Conservative Bid: $0
Aggressive Bid: $1
Desperation Bid: $2
Running Back
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Brooks made his debut in Week 12 after recovering from a major knee injury he suffered late in 2023. He only had minimal impact, carrying the ball twice for seven yards, but Brooks did take the only carries that Chuba Hubbard didn’t handle.
Brooks could very well stay at that level as he eases into NFL life; Carolina has nothing to lose by making sure that Brooks is fully healthy, and it makes sense to keep him away from a full workload until next season.
If he is ready to go, though, Carolina has nothing to lose by throwing the young kid into the deep end to see how he does. Hubbard is fine; he just signed a four-year extension. He’s also a middling player who has averaged 4.2 yards per rush attempt and less than two receptions per game in his career.
Hubbard is OK as a second option, but Brooks was drafted in the second round to be something bigger. When he’s ready to get into action, Brooks might get a lot of touches and produce a lot of yards.
It’s a lottery ticket with a big chance of not hitting, but anyone with an open spot can do a lot worse than holding onto Brooks to see if he gets a bigger role.
Conservative Bid: $0
Aggressive Bid: $1-2
Desperation Bid: $3-4
Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commanders
Both backs in front of him on the depth chart, Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler, suffered injuries in Week 12. Robinson returned but played sparingly, and Ekeler suffered a concussion late in the game; both have uncertain statuses for Week 13.
McNichols could move into a starting role or at least the RB2 spot, giving him flex-level upside. His fantasy value is dependent on the health of the guys in front of him, but it looks like McNichols could be in line for big snaps for at least one game.
Anyone with a weak running back group can grab a high-upside player here with a path toward production that not many free agents offer at this point in the season.
Conservative Bid: $6
Aggressive Bid: $11
Desperation Bid: $21-31
Wide Receiver
Noah Brown, Washington Commanders
Brown was on my list of last-minute streamers heading into last week: He delivered by catching six passes for 71 yards. Brown is the clear second receiver on an exciting Washington offense helmed by the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The matchups turn against the Commanders beginning in Week 13, though. Here are Washington’s remaining opponents and their current ranking in yards per pass attempt allowed:
- Titans: 3rd
- Saints: 25th
- Eagles: 1st
- Falcons: 12th
- Cowboys: 30th
The Saints in Week 14 are a nice matchup in which Brown will be a good streamer, but the games against Tennessee and Philadelphia are brutal, and the Falcons are middling. While the Cowboys present one of the best matchups, that game takes place in Week 18, when most fantasy leagues have already ended.
Brown isn’t a play this week, but he will be a nice pickup this time next week. He’s a name to keep in mind as a streamer.
Conservative Bid: $0
Aggressive Bid: $1
Desperation Bid: $2
Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers
Thielen returned to play for the first time since Week 3 and turned three receptions into 57 yards. His successful first game back (seemingly out of nowhere) puts him on the fantasy radar for many owners looking for help at wide receiver.
The veteran receiver is nothing more than a low-level streamer, only a WR3/4/flex guy on the right weeks. I said in Young’s section that the Panthers have a good matchup this week against Tampa Bay, so Thielen is a player you can consider in Week 13.
He isn’t a guy to count on regularly, though, as there are probably better options unless you’re in a deep league. The same is true for Panther receivers David Moore and Xavier Legette.
Conservative Bid: $0
Aggressive Bid: $1
Desperation Bid: $2
Tight End
Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs
Gray had a huge fantasy week, catching four passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers on Sunday. It was his second straight game with four receptions and two touchdowns after having caught four total touchdowns in his career prior to Week 11.
It’s tempting to look at Gray as the new Kelce, taking over from the old man in decline. (It’s not unlike a son finally beating his father in basketball.) More likely, this is a happy fluke for Gray, a major run that puts him on the map for a lot of people who didn’t know his name.
He will be on the field with the best quarterback in the world: Gray has played at least half the offensive snaps in every game this year. He will only perform certain weeks, though, and will still be the second TE option behind Kelce.
Gray is a lottery ticket for fantasy owners in desperation mode. Don’t let the explosion over the past two weeks deceive you.
Conservative Bid: $0
Aggressive Bid: $1
Desperation Bid: $2
Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers
We’ll ride the wave a little further in going after the Bucs with Carolina players. I was all over Ja'Tavion Sanders as a two-week streamer in Weeks 12 and 13, and it started off great. After catching three passes for 49 yards, though, Sanders suffered a nasty fall onto his head and was carted off the field.
Sanders is likely to miss time, and the next guy up is Tremble, who has one of the best tight end fantasy matchups. He’s a low-level streamer, but Tremble is an option for any owner who is desperate for a tight end.
