Top 9 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Running Backs (Week 13)

We will have you covered throughout the 2023 fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top waiver wire targets for the week below. And check out all of our Week 13 fantasy football waiver wire advice.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

RUNNING BACKS

Written by Bo McBrayer

Ty Chandler (MIN): 48% rostered

  • Next Opponents: BYE, @LV, @CIN
  • True value: $13
  • Desperate need: $21
  • Budget-minded: $6
  • Analysis: Though the Vikings are headed into a bye week, consider it a BUY week on Chandler. The desperate manager might drop him to waivers in leagues where he is currently unavailable. Chandler has looked stellar, especially compared to incumbent starter Alexander Mattison, who has coughed up the football a lot this season and doesn’t have the same juice as the younger Chandler.

Roschon Johnson (CHI): 22% rostered

  • Next Opponents: BYE, DET, @CLE
  • True value: $8
  • Desperate need: $15
  • Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: Be careful about adding Johnson this week. Not only are the Bears entering their bye in Week 13, but Johnson also draws tough matchups against Detroit and Cleveland in Weeks 14-15. Naturally, we are still hoping for a second-half boost in workload for the Texas rookie. The concern is that Chicago might not have that in their plans.

Jeff Wilson (MIA): 17% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @WAS, TEN, NYJ
  • True value: $8
  • Desperate need: $15
  • Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: RB depth is paper thin across the league, and that certainly is reflected on our fantasy teams. As long as there is uncertainty with De’Von Achane‘s knee, Wilson will be an important piece in Miami’s backfield. He earned 14 touches, including three receptions, in Week 12, finishing with 73 yards from scrimmage against the Jets. As explosive as the Dolphins have been on offense, you can certainly justify rostering Miami’s No. 3 running back.

Ezekiel Elliott (NE): 40% rostered

  • Next Opponents: LAC, @PIT, KC
  • True value: $5
  • Desperate need: $9
  • Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: As desolate as New England’s fantasy production has been, Zeke has still earned enough of an opportunity to be rostered in your league. Rhamondre Stevenson is starting to roll, but don’t overlook the former Cowboy’s contribution to the backfield. Elliott is a flex starter in deeper leagues.

Stash Candidates:

Rico Dowdle‘s workload has progressed as I expected it to, and a fantasy manager with waning RB depth could conceivably plug him into the starting lineup. At the very least, Dowdle remains a premium handcuff behind Tony Pollard.

Kenneth Gainwell has kept a game-flow-dependent role for most of 2023 and has already vultured some of those sweet D’Andre Swift scoring opportunities. Although not a true handcuff stash, Gainwell would stand to gain value if Swift were to go down.

Mitchell finally saw a little bit of playing time to spell Christian McCaffrey in Week 12, with 7-39-0 rushing against the Seahawks. Mitchell is still nowhere near startable and only carries handcuff value.

What a renaissance season it has been for Zack Moss. He stepped in admirably for Jonathan Taylor earlier in the season and has earned a sizable role alongside the Pro Bowler now that they’re both healthy. Moss is a handcuff-plus.

Tyjae Spears took a nasty shot in Tennessee’s Week 12 win over the Panthers that left him shaken up, but he was able to continue. Spears only garnered three touches, so we’re still just holding on in case of a Derrick Henry injury.