Fantasy football pickups – Caleb Williams on the rise, Jeremy McNichols next

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (21.5%)

Lawrence missed the Jaguars’ final two games before their Week 12 bye because of a shoulder injury in his non-throwing arm. The good news? He is expected to train this week. Lawrence was playing well before the injury, scoring 19+ fantasy points in three of his last five games. Don’t overlook Lawrence if you need quarterback depth in a superflex league.

Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (4.0%)

Levis has scored 15 or more fantasy points in three straight games after returning from a shoulder injury. Before this stretch, he was only averaging 7.6 fantasy points per game, so that’s a big improvement. The Titans have the second-best remaining schedule for fantasy quarterbacks, with matchups against the Jaguars and Bengals coming up. Levis is a strong option in deeper Superflex leagues.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (3.3%)

Young had his best game of the season with 16.5 fantasy points against the Kansas City Chiefs. Don’t overlook him in deeper Superflex leagues. The Panthers have the fourth-best remaining fantasy quarterback roster, making Young a good option if you need a quarterback.

Running backs

Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commander (1.2%)

McNichols could be a popular waiver player this week as the Commanders’ backfield is in flux. Brian Robinson Jr. suffered an ankle injury in the first game of Week 12 against the Cowboys and Austin Ekeler suffered a concussion on a late kick return. That leaves McNichols as the healthiest option heading into Week 13 against the Titans. Although Chris Rodriguez Jr. was released on Saturday, he could be re-signed. With Robinson and Ekeler out, McNichols would be a flexible consideration behind a Commanders offensive line that ranks second in run-block win rate.

Other RB options

Ameer Abdullah, Las Vegas Raiders (19.3%)

Abdullah took over the Raiders’ backfield on Sunday against the Broncos, with Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quad) missing. He played nearly 90% of the snaps and finished the game with 13 touchdowns and 17.5 fantasy points – his second straight game with 10 or more fantasy points. With just a short week to go before Friday’s game against the Chiefs, Mattison and White could remain out, making Abdullah a solid flex option in deeper leagues. Remember, Kansas City’s defense has given up the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs this season.

Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (33.4%)

Bigsby should be fully recovered from his ankle injury following the Jaguars’ bye in Week 12. Travis Etienne Jr. struggled in Week 11, managing just 6.3 fantasy points on 15 touches. Meanwhile, Bigsby has scored double-digit fantasy points in three of the four games he has had double-digit touchdowns, including two over 23 points. If he gets more touches, he could deliver. Now is the perfect time to hide Bigsby.

RB hidden

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals (28.3%)

James Conner has yet to play a full season in his NFL career. Conner has averaged 17.7 touches per game this season, and Benson would help pick up the slack if he misses time.

Braelon Allen, New York Jets (16.1%)

Breece Hall is the clear leader in the Jets backfield, averaging 18 touches per game. If Hall misses time, Allen could step in and fill the void. The Jets have the most favorable schedule for fantasy running backs the rest of the season, making Allen a name to keep in mind.

Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (14.2%)

The Rams rely heavily on Kyren Williams, who averaged 21.1 touches per game this season. Should Williams miss time, Corum could step in and become fantasy relevant. Head coach Sean McVay tends to rely on a running back when the situation calls for it.

Wide receiver

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (36.3%)

Legette has caught at least four passes in three of his last four games and scored 9.0 or more fantasy points in all of them. With the return of Adam Thielen, Legette appears to be the only Panthers receiver with a full-time role. He should be firmly on the flex radar in Week 13, especially in deeper leagues, and will face a Buccaneers defense that ranks sixth in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.

More WR options

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans (7.5%)

Westbrook-Ikhine has averaged just 4.6 goals per game over the last six games, but has still been productive, scoring 12 or more fantasy points in four of those games with five touchdowns scored. The Titans have the third-best schedule for wide receivers the rest of the season, so don’t overlook Westbrook-Ikhine in deeper leagues.

Devaughn Vele, Denver Broncos (1.7%)

Vele posted a season-high nine targets and 80 receiving yards on Sunday against the Raiders and was second on the team in route running and targets behind Courtland Sutton. Vele has scored 10 or more fantasy points in three straight games and is a reliable target for Bo Nix. Vele is on the flex radar for Week 13 against the Browns.

Noah Brown, commanders of Washington (10.4%)

Brown scored a season-high 10 targets on Sunday against the Cowboys and finished the season with 13.1 fantasy points. Brown leads the Commanders with 27 targets in the last four games, providing fantasy managers with a reliable base heading into Week 13. He has scored 11 or more fantasy points in three of his last five games.

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers (9.4%)

Romeo Doubs suffered a concussion against the 49ers on Sunday and did not return. With the Packers facing the Dolphins on Thursday, it’s unlikely Doubs will clear the league’s concussion protocol in time. If Doubs is out, Wicks will likely fill one of Green Bay’s outside receiver roles. He’s a solid flex option with Week 13 potential.

Tight ends

More TE options

Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (53.0%)

Hill should be a top priority if he is still available in your league. Injuries to Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and others have opened the door to more action for Hill. Although his usage can be unpredictable, he has had six or more touches of the ball in four straight games. The Rams’ defense struggled, allowing the eighth-most total yards and seventh-most points per game. Hill is in a solid position here, especially after the Rams allowed just 302 total yards to Saquon Barkley.

play

Can Noah Gray be a quality fantasy option at tight end?

Field Yates discusses Noah Gray’s fantasy potential after a great day in Week 12.

Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs (1.8%)

Gray scored a season-high 22.6 fantasy points on Sunday against the Panthers. With Rashee Rice out for the season, the Chiefs have added more two-TE sets, giving Gray more options. His 26 routes run in this game were just 12 fewer than Travis Kelce’s 38. In Week 13, Gray will face a Raiders defense that is allowing the most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys (11.1%)

Schoonmaker has scored 11.0 or more fantasy points in consecutive games while filling in for the injured Jake Ferguson. He has scored 14 goals in that span, and with the Cowboys set to face the Giants on Thursday, a similar workload could be in store if Ferguson continues to be sidelined. It’s worth noting that Schoonmaker and fellow tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford split snaps and runs, so the situation remains uncertain.