Since Alex Gelhar already masterfully identified some of the top waiver wire targets ahead of Week 13, Matt Harmon examined top deep league adds in his deep dive, and Marcas Grant supplied you with some players that can safely be dropped, it's my job to provide some streaming candidates at quarterback, tight end and defense for the upcoming slate of games. Keep in mind, most of these players/teams are bottom-of-the-barrel targets for deep leagues, and I'm not saying they're going to be top scorers at their position, but they should do enough to keep your team competitive in Week 13 if you need some assistance. So, let's get to it.
*Ownership percentage data from NFL.com fantasy leagues.
QUARTERBACKS
Case Keenum at Falcons | 13 percent owned: If you're not on the Case Keenum bandwagon yet, you're doing it wrong. Keenum posted three total touchdowns against the Lions on Thanksgiving, two passing and one rushing. Every time the dude runs, I'm like "Oh man, I forgot he has wheels!" He threw for 282 yards, no interceptions and added 20 rushing yards for 27.28 fantasy points. It was his second 20-point outing in his last three games and fourth straight with at least 17 points. Keenum has collected at least 280 yards in four straight and is the frontman of one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. It helps that he has some elite wideouts in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, not to mention tight end Kyle Rudolph who has at least five receptions in six of his last seven games. Keenum now leads his Vikings into Atlanta to face a Falcons defense that has allowed three top-10 fantasy quarterback performances in their last five games including QB4 to Josh McCown, QB8 to Cam Newton and QB1 to Russell Wilson.
Josh McCown vs Chiefs | 13.2 percent owned: I avoided Josh McCown as a streamer last week because of his matchup against the Panthers who had been tough on opposing quarterbacks heading into Week 12. Well, McCown bucked that trend as he threw for 307 yards, rushed for 28 yards, threw three touchdowns and no picks (lost a fumble) for 25 fantasy points. He clearly has a good rapport with wideout Robby Anderson who collected 146 yards and two touchdowns, marking his fifth straight game with a score. McCown's other touchdown pass went to Jermaine Kearse, and he nearly threw a fourth to Austin Seferian-Jenkins, but it was overturned on review and the Jets ended up kicking a field goal. Still, McCown's been a consistently productive fantasy option in his last four games, with just one pick and seven touchdowns in that span, averaging about 17 fantasy points per game. This week he faces a Chiefs defense that has been picked apart by opposing quarterbacks all season. Kansas City is bottom-12 in terms of average fantasy points per game allowed to the position and the Chiefs defense has allowed the seventh-most pass yards this season.
Tyrod Taylor vs Patriots | 77.1 percent owned: In his rightful return as the Bills starter, Tyrod Taylor posted a respectable 14 fantasy points in a win against the Chiefs in Week 12. He has a tough task against New England in Week 13 but still carries streamer value in a game in which he'll likely have a high volume of pass attempts. Taylor rarely throws interceptions, he has just three all season, and adds value with his ability to run. He's collected at least 25 rush yards in each of his last four games with two rushing touchdowns in that span. While the Patriots defense has tightened up lately after some early-season mistakes, Taylor should be just fine to get you 15 or so fantasy points in Week 13 with upside for much more.
Philip Rivers vs Browns | 73.7 percent owned: The Chargers offense has been on a roll lately and Philip Rivers has stacked up five touchdown passes with no picks in his last two games. The emergence of Keenan Allen as a dominant force has helped boost Rivers' fantasy totals of 18.04 and 28.86 points against a couple of soft pass defenses in the Bills and Cowboys. In Week 13, Rivers and the Chargers get Cleveland on their home turf in Los Angeles and should be able to shred through the air once again. The Browns have been abysmal against the pass this year, allowing 22 touchdown passes to opposing quarterbacks, tied for second-most in the league. Cleveland's defense only has six picks all season, so Rivers will look to make it three straight without an interception. If he's floating around on your waiver wire, this is an ideal spot to stream him.
TIGHT ENDS:
Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs Chiefs | 23.5 percent owned: In the Jets last two games, Austin Seferian-Jenkins' 16 targets equates to a 22 percent target market share behind Jermaine Kearse (26 percent) and Robby Anderson (23 percent). He was robbed of a touchdown in Week 12 on a play in the end zone that was overturned upon review but remains Josh McCown's favorite target in and around the painted area with a team-leading nine red zone targets dating back to Week 3. He's worth streaming against a Kansas City defense that has allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to the position this year.
Tyler Kroft vs Steelers | 10.4 percent owned: Here we are again talking about Tyler Kroft as a streamer at tight end. If he didn't keep coming through, I'd eventually stop recommending him, but he's now scored in two consecutive games against defenses that predictably allow fantasy points to tight ends (Broncos, Browns). Kroft faces the Steelers in Week 13, so it's not considered a favorable matchup, but he continues to play 100 percent of the snaps for the Bengals and leads the team with three red zone targets in the last two games.
Ricky Seals-Jones vs Rams | 0.5 percent owned: A player that pretty much nobody in the fantasy world had heard of until his two-touchdown game in Week 11, Ricky Seals-Jones can no longer be ignored. He's played a total of just 25 snaps over the last two weeks but has collected 11 targets, seven receptions, three touchdowns and has posted 17.4 and 13.2 fantasy points. It seems as if Blaine Gabbert likes throwing to Seals-Jones when he is actually on the field, and given the inconsistency beyond Larry Fitzgerald in the Cardinals receiving corps, the big tight end has done well with his limited opportunity. He'll face a Rams defense that's allowed over eight fantasy points per game to tight ends in the last month.
Charles Clay vs Patriots | 15.4 percent owned: Since his return from injury in Week 10, Charles Clay is second on the Bills in targets (11) and his 100 receiving yards are second only to Zay Jones (101). Don't forget that Nathan Peterman was his quarterback for two quarters, throwing nothing but interceptions, so Clay lost some production opportunity there. Clay remains a key cog in the Buffalo passing game and his matchup against the Patriots should create a situation for plenty of volume if nothing else.
Hunter Henry vs Browns | 66.4 percent owned:Hunter Henry is a talented tight end playing in a productive offense against the Browns who allow double-digit fantasy points per game to the position. The last three tight ends to face the Browns since their bye have been Eric Ebron, Marcedes Lewis and Tyler Kroft and all of them have scored. There's a chance Henry is out on the waiver wire due to his inconsistency, but he should be added after last week's big game against Dallas.
DEFENSES (D/STs)
Los Angeles Chargers D/ST vs Cleveland Browns | 16.7 percent owned: In their last two games, the Chargers defense has posted 25 and 19 fantasy points and ranks as a top-five fantasy option on the season. Including the five-interception game against Nathan Peterman in Week 11, Los Angeles has collected nine picks in their last three games to go along with six sacks and three touchdowns. Now, they face a Browns squad that's allowing more fantasy points per game (12.82) to opposing D/STs than any team in the NFL this season and is led by a rookie quarterback, DeShone Kizer, who leads the league in interceptions.
Chicago Bears D/ST vs San Francisco 49ers | 11.6 percent owned: Chicago just got obliterated by the Eagles in Week 12, but they're in a nice spot to bounce back in a home matchup against the 49ers. Despite giving up 31 points to the best team in football last week, the Bears still managed three takeaways and notched a sack. The unit's six-point fantasy performance was respectable given that they allowed over 30 points and over 400 yards of offense. Now they face a 49ers team that has scored 10 or fewer points in six games this season and has 10 giveaways since Week 7. There's a chance Jimmy Garoppolo starts at quarterback which could change the Bears' defensive outlook some. But at the very worst the Bears D/ST presents a safe floor in an early-kickoff home game against a West coast opponent that has virtually zero intimidating factors on offense.
New York Jets D/ST vs Kansas City Chiefs | 3.8 percent owned: Are you feeling lucky? Then go ahead and fire up the Jets D/ST against a broken Kansas City offense. You'll definitely need some luck for this one to pan out, but it's not out of the question. The Jets are at home, and the Chiefs offense has been seemingly figured out in recent weeks, as they've been unable to generate offensive production. In their last six games, the Chiefs are averaging just 18 points per game and 312 yards of offense. In that span, they've scored just eight offensive touchdowns and have seven giveaways. And in their last two games against two of the league's worst defenses in the Giants D/ST and the Bills D/ST, Kansas City has allowed 11 and eight fantasy points respectively. Again, there's nothing sexy about starting the Jets defense in fantasy, but they could post a solid line against the struggling Chiefs.
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