RADIO
The RB picture held pretty steady in Week 12 with no major injuries or surprise performances to speak of. At this point, fantasy owners should be loaded with high-end handcuffs in case things break bad the next week or two before playoff time.
This article will aim to highlight Week 13 waiver wire adds for running backs, players that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire. Running backs will be split up into three tiers - from most desirable, to most desperate.
I will also include RBs at the bottom of this list that you might consider cutting in order to make room for your new additions.
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
Frontrunners for Week 13 - Waiver Wire Running Backs
This group consists of running backs that I would recommend adding if they are available on your waiver wire. Some are more viable for PPR formats, so take note of that. These players have either earned a greater workload due to injury/performance issues or have shown that they can be weekly contributors to their NFL teams. All players listed have 50% or less ownership levels across fantasy leagues.
Wendell Smallwood (RB, PHI) 49% owned - Smallwood will officially start on Monday Night Football with Ryan Mathews declared out. It's an MCL sprain for Mathews, which doesn't rule him out for the rest of the year, but it's a chance for Smallwood to claim his share of the backfield and prove his worth. The Packers have been great against the run up until two weeks ago when it all fell apart. He is worth starting this week and worth stashing even if your RBs have already played in Week 12. A big performance by Smallwood could thrust his ownership upwards of 80%.
Derrick Henry (RB, TEN) 46% owned - Henry was only on the field for 14 snaps, but outproduced his veteran counterpart. He ran for 60 yards and a TD against Chicago with just eight carries. He showed burst on his runs, looking better than DeMarco Murray most of the day. He won't claim Murray's job unless injury strikes, but he is worth a roster spot if you have the space. Henry is still available in over half of Fleaflicker leagues and may be the most valuable handcuff still on waivers.
Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) 29% owned - Dixon continues to slowly creep into the starting RB job for Baltimore. According to @NathanJahnke of ProFootballFocus, Dixon's snap share has increased each of the past five weeks up to 44.9% in Week 12. He is seeing the field more than Terrance West and is more productive. The Ravens' offensive line isn't the best at opening up holes, but Dixon's ability to catch the ball keeps him viable in PPR formats.
In The Running - Week 13 Waiver Wire Running Backs
This group consists of running backs widely available on the waiver wire who aren't must-adds, but could be worth stashing or streaming if the above options are already taken.
Akeem Hunt (RB, HOU) 2% owned - Lamar Miller seemed to tweak his ankle on the very last series of the game against San Diego. If this causes him to miss time next week, Hunt becomes an intriguing add. He appeared out of nowhere two in Week 10 to run for 52 yards in limited time. He hasn't done much since, but is likely to get first crack at the job with Alfred Blue still out.
Charles Sims (RB, TB) 10% owned - The Bucs had no healthy running backs just a couple of weeks ago, but now they may have their top two runners back again. Doug Martin will retain the lead role, but Sims is on track to return in Week 14 and claim his share of snaps. He will be a PPR value play, especially given Tampa's easy schedule the rest of the way. Don't think Doug Martin isn't prone to suffering a relapse with his gimpy hamstring either.
Matt Asiata (RB, MIN) 48% owned - Three straight weeks he has driven fantasy owners crazy by scoring on short touchdown runs. He's only accumulated 60 rushing yards in those three games, making him the very definition of a TD-dependent RB. If you're in a non-PPR league and need depth, he at least gives hope for six points in any given week.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Gillislee (RB, BUF) 29% owned, Alfred Morris (RB, DAL) 12% owned, Bilal Powell (RB, NYJ) 42% owned, Paul Perkins (RB, NYG) 21% owned, Chris Thompson (RB, WAS) 24% owned
Dark Horses - Week 13 Running Backs Waiver Wire
This group consists of running backs who are strictly desperation plays. They could serve as a bye week fill-in, short-term injury replacement or weekly lottery ticket.
Ameer Abdullah (RB, DET) 11% owned - Updating last week's recommendation, Abdullah got good news from the foot specialist and could be on track to return soon. It will be a couple of weeks before he is in game shape and ready to contribute, so don't count on him to lead your team to the playoffs in Week 13 or 14. He is more of an emergency stash in case you need him in Weeks 15/16.
Jonathan Williams (RB, BUF) 0% owned - Mike Gillislee's hamstring injury made Williams the backup this week. He only carried the ball three times for 12 yards, but any RB in Buffalo has value if he sees the field. If Gillislee returns next week, Williams is simply the backup to the backup and not worth adding. Consider him an emergency stash if you are a McCoy owner.
Rex Burkhead (RB, CIN) 4% owned - Burkhead ran for 29 yards in the backup role, yet led the Bengals in rushing for Week 12. The Bengals offense struggled all day against a tough Ravens defense, so better days could be ahead. Burkhead also caught two passes for 19 yards, but Jeremy Hill did a fine job as a pass-catcher himself with six receptions for 61 yards. Burkhead is only recommended in deep leagues as a handcuff for now, but could be worth streaming in Week 14 against Cleveland.
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Langford (RB, CHI) 28% owned, Kapri Bibbs (RB, DEN) 11% owned, Damien Williams (RB, MIA) 4% owned, Shaun Draughn (RB, SF) 1% owned, Alex Collins (RB, SEA) 1% owned
Also-Rans - Time To Say Goodbye
Ty Montgomery (RB/WR, GB) 45% owned - It appears the hybrid experiment is over for the Packers. Just as fantasy owners were rejoicing his RB eligibility, Montgomery disappeared from the offense. He carried the ball a total of seven times and caught five passes over the last two games combined. With Christine Michael entering the mix, there is little reason to put Montgomery in your lineup.
DuJuan Harris (RB, SF) 15% owned - Just as quickly as he rose to relevance, Harris has fallen out of favor in San Fran. He played just four out of 78 snaps in Week 12 against the Dolphins. Shaun Draughn is back as the pass-catching back and Carlos Hyde is healthy for now. so Harris is droppable.
Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN) 46% owned - There will be no late season comeback here - Bernard is on IR with a torn ACL. His draft stock next year will be impacted as well since he will not be ready for training camp or the early part of the season.
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
