Fantasy Football streaming quarterbacks will be a target in Week 13

After a terrible bye week in Week 12, many fantasy football managers will be re-signing their starting quarterbacks in Week 13. However, if you don’t have one of your top five or six options on the season, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should just ignore the position and roll with your long-term starter.

The difference in points per game between QB8 and QB15 this season is just 1.2 points. The games and situation matter a lot more when determining who to start in a given week if you look at the mid-tier starters.

With that in mind, these quarterbacks are the top streaming options available on waivers in at least 50% of ESPN’s public leagues.

1. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (@DET) – 64.4% available

Maybe Shane Waldron was a problem for the Chicago Bears offense after all. In his first game back from the Waldron fight, Caleb Williams gave up 16.2 fantasy points against a Packers defense that allowed quarterbacks the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game in the NFL. Then in his second game, Williams scored a massive 26.9 against a Vikings D that allowed the 10th fewest.

Williams draws another tough matchup here, but deeper analysis suggests this one may be slightly less concerning than his previous two.

The Detroit Lions allowed the sixth-fewest points per game to QBs, but had a relatively easy schedule that included matchups with Mac Jones and Mason Rudolph. Only two of the 11 starting quarterbacks they faced that year even finished in the top 12 in fantasy production per game.

Caleb Williams metamorphosis over these last two weeks it looks like it’s real and even a matchup with the Lions shouldn’t slow him down too much.

2. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (@ CIN) – 50.4% available

Thursday night’s football game with a tough matchup in terrible weather was disappointing to anyone who streamed Russell Wilson in Week 12, but his prospects are much brighter in Week 13.

Sam Wilson isn’t the star he once was, but he’s clearly not the complete bum who people treated like he was when the Steelers put him in the starting lineup against Justin Fields. His passing grade of 74.7 ranks in the middle of the pack among starting quarterbacks this year.

And that’s really all you need in this week’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed opposing quarterbacks the fourth-most fantasy points per game this season. Cincy is giving up over 21 points per game, and over the last four weeks he has allowed 35.1 points to Jalen Hurts, 32.9 to Lamar Jackson and 24.4 to Justin Herbert. Facing Jacoby Brissett in Week 1 (8.0) and Desmond Ridder in Week 9 (5.2) really makes their season number look more respectable than it might otherwise seem.

It’s a defense that PFF ranked 26th in coverage and 28th in pass dominance, which could translate into a fantastic performance for Russ.

3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (@NO) – 67.5% available

Don’t look now, but Matthew Stafford is QB5 in fantasy football with 102.4 points (20.5 per game) over the last five weeks. This isn’t just an arbitrary break in the game – it’s when Cooper Kupp returned after a four-game absence.

Even more impressive? Four of the five defenders he faced during this period were units that had ceded bottom-11 fantasy production to quarterbacks throughout the season. So the New Orleans Saints allowing the 12th fewest shouldn’t particularly scare you.

Saints’ D rating is also largely influenced by their hot start, which has slowed down significantly in recent weeks. They have scored 19.3 points per game over the last six weeks (which would be seventh in the NFL season).

This match, which becomes more fantasy-friendly, also reflects their real-world game. PFF ranked them 24th in coverage and 26th in rushing. This is a really great spot for Stafford, who may no longer fly under the radar.