Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Keon Coleman, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Devaughn Vele (Week 13)

The week is nearly wrapped up, and of course there were another round of injuries and surprising performances. As a result, fantasy football managers will be on the lookout for wavier wire additions and replacement options for those injured over the weekend or just to bolster their lineup moving forward. Here are a few players to consider adding via the fantasy football waiver wire this week. And also be sure to check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Keon Coleman (BUF): 43% rostered

• Next Opponents: SF, @LAR, @DET
• True value: $4
• Desperate Need: $7
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: A wrist injury kept Coleman out of action in the two games before the Bills’ Week 11 bye. But in Weeks 7-8, Coleman had 9-195-1 on 14 targets and looked like a rising star. The 6-foot-4 Coleman is a dangerous big-play threat who’s averaging 19.0 yards per catch and 11.6 yards per target. Coleman has to share targets with Khalil Shakir, Amari Cooper and Dalton Kincaid, but star QB Josh Allen is the high tide that lifts all ships in the Buffalo offense. Coleman’s Week 13 matchup against the 49ers isn’t very enticing, but then he gets matchup against the Rams, Lions and Patriots. The Rams had allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to wide receivers going into Week 13, the Lions the eighth-most, and the Patriots the 11th-most. It’s possible Coleman takes another step forward late in his rookie season, and if that happens, you’ll want to be along for the ride.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (TEN): 12% rostered

• Next Opponents: @WSH, JAX, CIN
• True value: $1
• Desperate Need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: With his 38-yard TD catch in the Titans’ Week 12 upset of the Texans, Westbrook-Ikhine has scored a touchdown in six of his last seven games. He’s done it despite drawing no more than six targets in any game this season. In fact, Westbrook-Ikhine has only 30 targets and 17 receptions all year. He’s scored a touchdown on 35.3% of his catches and 20.0% of his targets. We can’t encourage you to chase this kind of production, because that would be irresponsible. But nor can we tell you that this type of production is unsustainable, because … well, because Westbrook-Ikhine has sustained it for nearly two months. You probably won’t be interested in starting Westbrook-Ikhine this week with all 32 teams in action and no one on bye. But when we get a six-team bye week in Week 14, Westbrook-Ikhine will conveniently be facing the flammable Jacksonville defense. That seems like a reasonable spot to use an enigmatic receiver with a nose for the end zone.

Devaughn Vele (DEN): 5% rostered

• Next Opponents: CLE, BYE, IND
• True value: $1
• Desperate Need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: The Broncos’ WR corps has been an unpredictable mishmash beyond No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton for most of the season. But seventh-round rookie Devaughn Vele seems to be staking a claim on the No. 2 role. Sunday against the Raiders, Vele played 44 snaps, ran 31 routes and had nine targets. (Hat tip to PFF’s Nate Jahnke for the snap and route data.) Sutton was the only Denver receiver who surpassed Vele in those categories. Vele finished with six catches for a season-high 80 yards. Although Vele has scored only one touchdown this season, his 6-foot-5 frame suggests that he could become a formidable red-zone threat.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.