Fantasy football: Should you keep or cut these 7 players ahead of Week 13?
Let's help you with some waiver moves.
You’re waking up on Tuesday reading all that you can about the players that you should be picking up off the waiver wire as you prepare for Week 13 of fantasy football in 2019.
But it’s likely there aren’t as many things written about who you should be dropping to grab those players. That’s what this weekly column — keep ’em or dump ’em! — will hopefully answer for you: Some help in the debate over who you should keep or drop in order to improve your team.
Wahoo! No more bye weeks! That means you don’t have to worry about covering for your stars being off. Still, your bench is as important as ever if you’re preparing for a playoff run. Let’s discuss some names you might be thinking about this week.
1. RB Jaylen Samuels, Pittsburgh Steelers
He was supposed to run all over the Bengals … but that’s what Benny Snell did with 21 carries. Ugh. Still, with James Connor’s health a question mark, you need to keep both of them on your bench, and Samuels is still a weapon in the passing game.
VERDICT: Keep him
2. RB Brian Hill, Atlanta Falcons
Last week, he was a keeper. This week? Not so much, especially if Devonta Freeman seems like he’s back either this week or next.
VERDICT: Drop him
3. Any backup quarterback
I mentioned this in last week’s edition of our “four fantasy things you need to know” video. If you have a top-10 fantasy starter at the QB position, your backups are dropable. That roster spot should be used for a backup running back, especially a handcuff to one of your starters. You can always pick up streamers on the waiver wire at quarterback. That’s not always true at RB.
VERDICT: Drop them
4. RB Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts
I was absolutely wrong about how the Colts would handle the replacement of Marlon Mack. Indy rode the hot hand and gave Jonathan Williams most of the backfield work in Week 12. Unless you absolutely need the roster spot for someone else — and I don’t see there being a ton of talent on the waiver wire this week — I’d keep him for another week and see if the Colts work him into the mix more. Remember, the Colts have the third-most run attempts in the NFL.
VERDICT: Keep him
5. WR Auden Tate, Cincinnati Bengals
I saw him get picked up in a few places, but he’s safe to drop now.
VERDICT: Drop him
6. WR Josh Gordon, Seattle Seahawks
Just two targets in each of his first two games with the Hawks. If you’re in a keeper league, maybe you hold on to him. But in re-draft? He’s stuck in a run-first offense that looks more at Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Jacob Hollister, along with the running backs.
VERDICT: Drop him
7. TE Noah Fant, Denver Broncos
Did you see my note above about backup quarterbacks? The same goes for some tight ends — for example, I’m hanging on to Ryan Griffin and Jack Doyle — if I have one of the top five at the position. Fant is on that list of guys I’m dropping if I had Hunter Henry or Travis Kelce off this week.
VERDICT: Drop him