Week 13 began with three Thanksgiving games and a Black Friday contest. With zero teams on bye, there’s less need for streamers than at any point since bye weeks started in Week 5.
However, some of you have already woken up to sizable deficits in your matchups. Patrick Mahomes (29.4), Jordan Love (25.7), Rashee Rice (25.4), Jameson Williams (23.4) and CeeDee Lamb (20.7) were among the players who had big days and are started in most leagues. Facing one of them might be manageable, but if you were up against two or three, you now need some big performances of your own.
Week 13 sleepers can provide the spark you need. Your current flex or WR3 may feel safe, but sometimes safety lacks upside. This is the week to take a swing and add a player with the kind of ceiling that can flip a matchup.
The 11 sleepers and streamers below are the Thanksgiving leftovers that you actually want.
*Streamers are players who are rostered in 50% or fewer of Yahoo! leagues.
Fantasy Football Week 13 Streamers
Quarterbacks
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
It has been a rough season for Stroud overall, but he was coming off a strong performance in Week 11, throwing for 318 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers.
The passing game with Davis Mills stepped up in his absence, thanks to Christian Kirk and Jayden Higgins emerging as much better complementary pieces to Nico Collins. That support should help Stroud carry the momentum he built in Week 8 forward, even against a solid Colts defense.
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
There is no denying Cam Ward has been bad for most of the season, so this is a play you should make only if you are desperate.
The logic behind using him is straightforward. Yes, you could take the safer route with Tua Tagovailoa or even Marcus Mariota. However, Ward has a similar floor to both, but offers a higher ceiling.
He is also coming off his best game of the season, and doing it against a good Seahawks team helps raise the confidence level a bit. Now he faces the Jaguars, who have allowed the fourth-most points to opposing quarterbacks, including recent 27- and 28-point outings from Geno Smith and Davis Mills.
Running Backs
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Allgeier is back in his usual spot atop the streamers list. He did not score last week because the Falcons did not get near the goal line, which is where he typically does his damage. He still saw 12 carries and ran for 44 yards.
This projects as another game where the Falcons should be leading or at least competitive. We know how the story goes when they are in that type of game script. Allgeier is on the field more.
Devin Singletary, New York Giants
Singletary’s EPA, expected points per attempt, leaves a lot to be desired, but the usage is fantastic, so you can overlook that if you need him as a streaming option. Over the last two weeks he has seen 16 and 14 carries.
Most important, over the last three weeks he has handled nearly all of the carries inside the 10-yard line for the Giants. Much like Allgeier, even if he is not piling up yardage, one touchdown can make up for it in the box score.
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Last week, Tuten took a step back following his breakout Week 11 performance. It seems likely that the ankle injury he suffered late in that game was still bothering him.
Now, another week removed from the injury and facing the Titans, who allow the fourth-most points to running backs, Tuten should have a strong chance to stay involved in the offense much like he did in Week 11.
Wide Receivers
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans
As mentioned above, Higgins is part of the reason why Stroud is a streaming option, so it should be no surprise to see him recommended as an option too.
Over the last three weeks, he has totaled 23 targets and caught two touchdowns. Yes, that was all with Davis Mills as the starter, but the way Houston has been using him during this stretch should give you confidence that the trend can continue.
Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots
Boutte disappointed last week in what was expected to be a great matchup. That is the nature of a player who lives and dies by the deep ball.
What’s encouraging, though, is that even coming off a hamstring injury, he played 57 of 71 snaps for the Patriots. This week, facing the Giants presents another strong opportunity for him to exploit.
Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals
This recommendation comes with an asterisk. If Marvin Harrison Jr. is active, do not play Dortch.
However, if Harrison does not play, Dortch becomes a viable WR3/Flex option. Over the last two weeks, he has caught 12 of 15 targets for 119 yards and two touchdowns. With Jacoby Brissett throwing frequently, Dortch can thrive even as the third option in the passing game.
Tight Ends
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Returning from a six-week absence, Strange jumped right back into action, catching all five targets for 93 yards.
This week poses a tough matchup, as the Titans have allowed the seventh-fewest points to tight ends. Still, he seems to play a very integral role in the passing offense, making Strange a safe streaming option.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Yes we are really back to Hill being a boom or bust tight end option. The injury to Alvin Kamara has opened the door for him to get much more involved in the run game as evidenced by receiving 10 carries last week.
The Saints run game has not been good all season, even with Kamara, but if Hill is going to receive that many touches and valuable redzone carries as a tight end, he could pay off big time.
Defense
San Francisco 49ers
While the 49ers have not been the best fantasy defense this season, this week they get a favorable matchup against Shedeur Sanders and the Browns.
Despite Sanders improving the Browns’ offense, which wasn’t hard, he still struggled overall. Outside of a 66-yard touchdown pass rolling out to his right, he only completed 10 of his other 19 attempts for 143 yards and threw an interception.
Expect the 49ers to put pressure on Sanders, forcing turnovers and limiting points allowed. The Defense-Stream-O-Matic on Fantasy Six Pack agrees that they are a good play as well.