There are four positions in fantasy football where managers can get by without a weekly starter on their regular roster: QB, TE, Kicker, and Defense all lend themselves to streaming. Here are our top streaming options for Week 13.
All streamers are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues, unless otherwise stated –in-depth stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (at TEN)
Trevor Lawrence remains a divisive figure among NFL fans and analysts, but there is no questioning his fantasy output in recent weeks. The former first-overall pick has recorded three top-12 fantasy finishes in his last four games, only interrupted by a QB21 finish against an elite Houston Texans defense.
This season, the Tennessee Titans have allowed the second-highest completion percentage (69.9%) and the fourth-highest QB rating (103.8 – tied) to opposing quarterbacks.
Lawrence has immediately forged a connection with new signing Jakobi Meyers, while Brian Thomas Jr. could be in line to return from injury. Thomas would offer Lawrence a home-run threat on the outside, while stretching the field for Lawrence to find his other targets underneath.
Tyrod Taylor, QB, New York Jets (vs ATL)
Recommending the New York Jets’ backup quarterback feels like a crime against fantasy, but in this case, it’s not as egregious as it sounds. Tyrod Taylor is, importantly, a mobile quarterback and can still put up solid rushing numbers despite his advancing years.
But unlike Justin Fields, Taylor can also pass the ball accurately and keep drives moving in the right direction. He certainly doesn’t offer the same week-winning ceiling that Fields does, but his solid display against a great Baltimore Ravens defense in Week 12 is evidence of his floor.
Taylor completed 17 of 28 pass attempts for 222 yards, one score, and one pick. The Atlanta Falcons are coming off a win, but it was against a Tyler Shough-led New Orleans Saints. The Falcons gave up 1,005 total yards in Weeks 10 and 11 combined, and Taylor has already proven himself against much better opposition.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)
It’s that time again. Tee Higgins is set to miss Week 13 after suffering a concussion against the New England Patriots on Sunday. In the five games that Higgins was sidelined last season, Gesicki averaged 5.2 catches, 7.2 targets, 62.4 yards, and 0.4 touchdowns per game.
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Even without the touchdown, that’s good enough for double-digit PPR points. A road game in Baltimore isn’t the ideal matchup, but Gesicki is the clear alpha among the Bengals’ tight ends, and Joe Burrow is expected to return for Thanksgiving.
Brenton Strange, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (at TEN)
Brenton Strange returned from a five-game absence in Week 12 and caught all five of his targets for an impressive 93 yards. That was enough to rank fourth among all tight ends in fantasy, and it wasn’t a huge surprise.
Strange has now recorded double-digit fantasy points in three of his six games this season and finished another week on 9.9 points. There is added target competition in Jacksonville with Meyers in the mix, but Strange remains a reliable floor play with upside.
Colby Parkinson, TE, Los Angeles Rams (at CAR)
With Tyler Higbee sidelined, Colby Parkinson has been shining in the Los Angeles Rams’ tight-end-heavy offense. Parkinson has a touchdown in each of his last three games, and faces the Carolina Panthers this weekend.
The Panthers’ pass defense has been performing okay this year, but with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams on the field, Parkinson won’t be seeing much of Jaycee Horn. Parkinson is touchdown-dependent, but he’s a man in form.
Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Cleveland Browns (vs. SF)
Parkinson is more likely to score a touchdown than Harold Fannin Jr., but Fannin has a more solid base of targets in the Cleveland Browns offense. The rookie has averaged 6.83 targets over his last six games, and hasn’t had fewer than five in any of them.
I wasn’t ready to recommend Shedeur Sanders this week, but I was tempted, as the San Francisco 49ers have pressured opposing quarterbacks at the lowest rate in the NFL this year (12.3%).
Sanders has an accurate arm, but at times struggled under pressure in college, often trying to do too much. With time to go through his reads, he should be able to move the ball, and Fannin is a good bet for some receptions on Sunday.
Darren Waller, TE, Miami Dolphins (vs. NOR)
Just a quick one on Darren Waller, who isn’t guaranteed to suit up for the Dolphins on Sunday, but is now eligible after missing four games on IR. The Dolphins face the Saints, the Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers down the stretch.
That’s a dream run-in for a pass catcher. The Bengals rank dead last in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric, while the Bengals, Steelers, and Buccaneers (Weeks 15-17) are all bottom-six defenses against the pass.
Waller scored four touchdowns in his three healthy games this season, and could be a massive asset when it matters most.
Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, Houston Texans (at IND)
Last week, I picked three kickers who were playing indoors, as winter weather became a factor as the weeks rolled on. That paid dividends, with Zane Gonzalez, Cam Little, and Ka’imi Fairbairn finishing third, fifth, and ninth, respectively, among kickers on the week.
There are far fewer games being played indoors this week, but I’ve managed to pick out two indoor kickers, while the third will suit up in Miami.
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Ka’imi Fairbairn leads all kickers in fantasy points per game (11.9) this season and is the obvious choice if available in your league. The Houston Texans kicker is 54% rostered in Yahoo leagues, but is too good an option not to mention, and should be prioritized over the other names on this list.
Brandon McManus, K, Green Bay Packers (at DET)
I thought hard about whether to include Brandon McManus this week, given how difficult it has been to trust him this season. However, the Green Bay Packers kicker was perfect on his three field goal attempts in Week 12, and plays indoors in Detroit this Thursday.
The Packers offense is still missing some key pieces and has been frustratingly conservative this year. With the Thanksgiving crowd noise also playing a part, there is a good chance Green Bay is settling for three points more often than they’d like.
Cade York, K, New Orleans Saints (at MIA)
If you can’t trust McManus, and Fairbairn is taken, Cade York is the man who’ll be taking over from Blake Grupe in New Orleans, after the Saints cut their kicker this week. While York is a new face in New Orleans and has no form to go on, the Saints have stalled out in the red zone at a higher rate than any other team this year.
The team has scored a touchdown on just 34.5% of red zone trips, and has attempted the sixth-most field goals (tied – 26) as a result. York might feel like a swing, but he should be busy on his new team.
San Francisco 49ers DEF (at CLE)
Despite what I wrote about the 49ers’ struggles pressuring opposing quarterbacks, they are a defense in form in fantasy. Robert Saleh’s men have forced five turnovers in their last two games and recorded two top-12 fantasy finishes as a result.
The jury is still out on Shedeur Sanders, after his baptism of fire against the Ravens was followed by a reasonable first start against a bad defense. The 49ers are somewhere in the middle, but will be confident of making the most of the rookie’s inexperience on Sunday.
Los Angeles Chargers DEF (vs LV)
This one is more about the Las Vegas Raiders offense than it is about the Los Angeles Chargers defense. The Raiders have given up 16 turnovers this season, the eighth-most in the NFL. Thirteen of those turnovers came in the form of interceptions, and Geno Smith is tied with Tua Tagovailoa for the most picks thrown this year.
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The Chargers have forced four turnovers in their last two games, and eight of the 11 defenses to face the Raiders this year finished in the top 11 in fantasy that week.
Miami Dolphins DEF (vs NOR)
Finally, the Dolphins’ defense wouldn’t be an obvious choice most weeks, but leveraging good matchups is the whole point of streaming a position in fantasy. Miami has forced five turnovers in its last two games and has two top-eight finishes to show for it.
Meanwhile, the Saints’ offense has totaled 13 turnovers in its last five games, and things are unlikely to improve. The offense is averaging one turnover per two scores, with the sixth-worst turnover percentage (14.3%) and the fourth-worst scoring percentage (28.6%) in the NFL.
