Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football wild-card starts who could win you Week 13
With just two weeks left until the postseason in most leagues, it’s fence-swinging time. I know I’ve said this before, but it’s for real now as everyone is jockeying for those elusive playoff spots.
As is the case every week in this column, these players could falter and give you a fat goose egg or they could go off and propel your team to the promised land.
Here are this week’s wild cards.
Josh Reynolds, WR - Lions
Detroit’s passing-offense tree has been pretty bare for fantasy and real-life in 2021 but they may have found their fruit. Josh Reynolds has played in 86-of-97 snaps since joining the Lions, saw five targets on Thanksgiving, and scored his first touchdown in Week 13.
The sixth-year WR is reunited with former LA QB Jared Goff and has a really nice matchup this week at home against Minnesota. The Vikings are yielding the second-most fantasy points to wideouts and are among the bottom five in pressure rate through 11 contests, which should allow Goff some time to find his new favorite weapon. With four teams on byes and so many injuries, Reynolds could be a productive flex on Sunday.
Brevin Jordan, TE - Texans
The rookie’s usage has seen an uptick recently, as he’s been thrown to 12 times over the past month, finding the end zone twice in that span. This week is a very savory matchup for Jordan, as he gets a Colts defense that is allowing the second-most fantasy points to TEs this season.
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With the position as dry as it is in 2021, Jordan could be a sneaky play at TE in Week 13, especially if he can manage to cross the pylon.
Kene Nwangwu, RB - Vikings
The rookie return specialist will see an elevated role this week with Dalvin Cook on the shelf due to a shoulder injury. The Vikings love the run and should fire up both Alexander Mattison and Nwangwu in a smash spot against the Lions in Week 13.
Detroit is allowing the third-most rushing attempts, sixth-most rushing yards, and the fifth-most ground scores by RBs this season, which has translated to the third-highest fantasy points scored by enemy rushers through 11 contests. Mattison can’t do it all, so perhaps we’ll get a vultured touchdown and decent yardage from Nwangwu this week.
DeSean Jackson WR - Raiders
He’s been here before and this column is basically tailor-made for him, but Jackson is in another great position to add to your rosters this week. The Raiders are now down one of their best pass-catching assets in Darren Waller and this contest against Washington could end up being a shootout.
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Jackson’s deep-threat role in this offense is not the most consistent, but he is coming off a 3-102-1 line and the Football Team is allowing the sixth-most receiving yards to WRs this season. He’s always boom-or-bust, but with so many sidelined wideouts this week, Jackson could come through again on Sunday afternoon.
Nyheim Hines, RB - Colts
Yes, Jonathan Taylor is the clear RB1 in this offense, but game script could call for some Hines in this Week 13 tilt. Indy may grab a big lead early in a game where they are favored by a touchdown and could run the ball for the majority of the second half. Right now the Colts are on the bubble for a playoff berth but may decide to rest Taylor for an upcoming postseason run.
The Texans are pretty soft against RBs this season and are allowing an average of four receptions to the position so far in 2021. Hines has seen 19 targets over the last four contests with 14 carries, which is a decent indicator for some decent work in this plus matchup in Houston.
