Fantasy Football: Week 13 position by position rankings, plus top-150 overall and waiver wire targets

So, if you unplugged from the NFL world Monday, you missed out on a lot of news. A lot of big news. Like, "there goes my Fantasy season" kind of news.

The biggest headline is that Christian McCaffrey's season is over after he was placed on IR for the second time. He was forced out of Sunday's game against the Dolphins because of an ankle injury, and while he was spotted in a walking boot after the game, there was no indication publicly that this was a big enough concern that it might end his season. However, testing Monday indicated that the damage was severe enough to be a season ender.

That's now two straight season-ending injuries for McCaffrey, who has played just 10 games since the start of 2020. McCaffrey was excellent yet again this season despite the injuries, averaging 18.2 PPR points per game, but this does raise real questions about his ability to stay healthy at this point in his career. That puts Dynasty and Keeper players in a tough spot, but for what it's worth, if McCaffrey's 2022 price is depressed as a result of this even a little bit, I think this is a good opportunity to buy, because I still think he's the best player in Fantasy when healthy, and I'm not sure Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor has really bridged that gap.

Of course, McCaffrey's injury put those of us with him in an especially tough spot for the rest of this season. The good news is, Week 13 actually isn't a bad week to need a running back on waivers, though that's in large part because of how many people are likely going to be looking for running back help thanks to other injuries around the league.

Before we get to the top waiver-wire targets for Week 13 as well as your first look at my rankings for the week, let's run through all of the news you need to know about from Monday, because there's a ton to catch up on. And there's going to be a ton to stay up to date with all week long.

Make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET for updates on the latest injury news, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims join Heath Cummings, Adam Aizer and I on the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m., where we'll be taking your questions live for an hour. If you have any questions before then, as always, you can email me at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com with the subject line "#AskFFT" to be included this week -- including in tomorrow's trade mailbag.

And here's what we've got on tap in today's newsletter:

🏥Injuries, news, and notes
➕Top Week 13 Waiver Wire Targets
📈Week 13 Rankings📉

🏥Injuries, news, and notes

Here are the key news items from Monday you need to know about.

Dalvin Cook (shoulder) is expected to miss at least two games -- Cook suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder after dislocating it Sunday, according to reports. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer denied those reports when speaking to the press, so I suppose there is a glimmer of hope that Cook's injury is less serious than that, but at this point, you should expect to be without him for at least the next few weeks. Cook has had recurring shoulder issues going back to high school and has also reportedly been playing through a torn labrum in his other shoulder this season, so he's no stranger to this. There is, of course, always the possibility that Cook won't recover as quickly as expected, and with the end of the season looming, there's a lot of risk here at this point. But you've got to keep Cook stashed as long as there's a chance of him returning. Hopefully, you also stashed Alexander Mattison.
Darrell Henderson strained his quad in Week 12 -- Henderson has dealt with a ton of minor injuries this season while missing just one game, and head coach Sean McVay downplayed the severity of this injury Monday. Maybe that means he'll be able to play through this one, but at this point, assume Sony Michel will start until we hear otherwise.
Dan Campbell does not expect D'Andre Swift (shoulder) to play -- The exact quote was, "It's hard to say that you'd see him playing." So, I'm expecting Jamaal Williams to be the starting running back for the Lions and I'm viewing Swift as week to week -- hopefully he'll be back in Week 14, but I'm not counting on it right now.
J.D. McKissic (head) was forced from Monday's game -- McKissic took a knee to the head during the fourth quarter of Monday's game and had to be carted to the locker room. It was a scary sight, but McKissic's agent tweeted after the game that McKissic was "all good," which is great news. Still, he'll have to be watched for concussion symptoms and is obviously at risk of missing Week 13 against the Raiders, especially with one fewer day to prepare.
Deebo Samuel (groin) is week to week -- Samuel will miss 1-2 weeks with a strained groin, which can be interpreted as good news. Of course, it still means he won't play in Week 13, and you should probably assume Week 14 is out, as well. That puts Brandon Aiyuk in line for an even bigger role in upcoming matchups against the Seahawks and Bengals, and seeing as Aiyuk is averaging 10.5 yards per target since re-emerging as an every-down player in Week 8, that's a big opportunity. Aiyuk averaged 15.7 PPR points per game in the six games Samuel missed last season.
Darren Waller (knee) is week to week -- Waller avoided a long-term injury, but I'm assuming he'll sit out Sunday's game against Washington at this point. Foster Moreau figures to see a significant role if Waller is out -- more about him in the top waiver targets.
Jalen Hurts is dealing with a sore ankle -- This is one to monitor when the Eagles kick off the week of practice Wednesday, and hopefully it's nothing more than just a little soreness. Hurts has a great matchup on the way against the lowly Jets in Week 13 and is a must-start QB as long as he's active.
Dan Arnold (knee) will miss 4-6 weeks -- This effectively ends Arnold's season for our purposes. You can drop him, and it'll be interesting to see what happens with his contract this offseason, because Arnold emerged as a go-to target for the Jaguars and could be a Fantasy sleeper in this offense if he's still around in 2022.

It wasn't all bad news Monday, as we did get some positive updates on the following players:

Aaron Rodgers (toe) does not plan to have surgery -- That is per Ian Rapoport, who did add a "at this time" to the report. Rodgers is dealing with a fracture and any surgery would likely have required him to miss some time, so hopefully he can just avoid any kind of setbacks and play through whatever pain might be there. For what it's worth, the injury doesn't seem to have slowed Rodgers down -- he has six touchdowns in his past two games despite the injury.
Taysom Hill (foot) seems likely to start in Week 13 -- Hill was a full participant in practice Monday and took first-team reps at QB, with Rapoport reporting that Hill is likely to start over Trevor Siemian Thursday against the Cowboys. He'll have to make it through practice without issue, of course, as he is reportedly dealing with plantar fasciitis in his foot. Hill recently signed an incentive-laden contract that pays him more if he emerges as the Saints starting QB, and now they're going to give him the opportunity.
Alvin Kamara (knee) was a limited participant in Monday's practice -- And Hill could have his best weapon back, as Kamara returned to practice for the first time since Week 9. Kamara will have to get through the next two days without incident, and we'd love to see him mix in a full practice to really feel confident, but Kamara will be worth starting in all Fantasy leagues if he's active. Mark Ingram, who missed Week 12 with an ankle injury, was able to practice without limitations Monday, so at least he'll be back.
Ezekiel Elliott (knee) was a full participant -- There were reports over the weekend that Elliott might sit out Week 13 to give his nagging knee injury a chance to fully heal, but Monday's participation report doesn't seem to lend much support to that theory. I wouldn't be surprised to see Elliott's snaps and touches limited, though that might create a worst-case scenario for Fantasy, where we don't know whether he or Tony Pollard is worth trusting in a very tough matchup against the Saints. Elliott is more of an RB2 for me this week if he plays, while Pollard remains in that high-upside Flex range.
CeeDee Lamb (concussion) was a full participant -- Lamb looks on track to return for Thursday's game, and he should be joined by Amari Cooper, who is eligible to return from the COVID-19 list prior to the game.

➕Top Week 13 Waiver Wire Targets

Hopefully, this week's waiver options will be able to make an impact, and there are a few who certainly have the opportunity. Before we get the guys who are more widely available, it's worth noting that, if you are in one of the 22% of CBS Fantasy leagues where Alexander Mattison is available, you need to do everything you can to get him on your roster. He's locked into a huge role with Cook out and was nearly my No. 1 RB for Week 13 against the Lions. He's the kind of player you spend a max FAB bid on if he's available. Chuba Hubbard ... isn't.

You can find Jamey's entire breakdown here. We're gonna need the help:

Jamey Eisenberg's top targets

Boston Scott, RB, PHI (38%) -- Scott certainly benefits if Miles Sanders is out in Week 13, but his value doesn't solely depend on that, which is what makes him a potentially more valuable waiver-wire add. If Sanders is out this week, Scott is a potential top-12 RB against the Jets, but even if Sanders does play -- or if he misses just one week before returning -- Scott could be a useful Fantasy option with a pretty great schedule to close out the season.
Jamaal Williams, RB, DET (55%) -- If you only need a running back for Week 13, Williams would probably be my preference, however. If Swift's shoulder keeps him out this week, Williams might be in line for 20 touches in Week 13 against the Vikings. The Lions throw 28% of their targets to running backs and Williams would likely play 75% of the snaps with Swift out. Swift has been an elite Fantasy option in this offense, and while Williams isn't the same kind of playmaker, he's still more than capable of being a must-start option if the opportunity presents itself.
Sony Michel, RB, LAR (41%) -- And Michel isn't far off. He had 20 carries in Week 3 with Henderson out, and that was against a Buccaneers team that many teams have just avoided trying to run against. The Rams should have a healthy lead to protect against the Jaguars in Week 13, so Michel seems like a very good bet to approach 20 carries yet again.
Taysom Hill, QB, NO (12%) -- Hill averaged 24.6 points per game in four starts last season, and it looks like he's going to be back in that role in Week 13 against the Cowboys after taking first-team snaps in practice Monday. Hill's rushing -- and especially his strength near the goal line -- makes him a potential must-start Fantasy QB, but there is one question hanging over him: Is he actually healthy? Hill didn't see the field in either Week 11 or Week 12 and has been listed on the injury report with a foot injury in recent weeks, with reports indicating he is dealing with plantar fasciitis. That's an injury you can play through -- and Hill practiced in full Monday -- but if it limits his rushing abilities even a little bit, Hill loses appeal very quickly. He's a potential top-12 QB and the top streaming target this week for sure, however.
Foster Moreau, TE, LV (0%) -- We'll see if Darren Waller's knee sprain keeps him out this week, but Moreau is worth chasing on waivers if it does. Moreau is a very good athlete who has been productive when given the opportunity, including when he dropped 18 PPR points in a start with Waller out in Week 7 earlier this season. The Raiders won't use him exactly like they would use Waller, but he'll likely be the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Hunter Renfrow and would be a borderline top-12 TE against a Washington defense that has struggled against the pass this season.

📈Week 13 Rankings📉

NFL: Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars — Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports

Here's where things stand for me in my first run through of the Week 13 rankings for PPR leagues. You can find Jamey, Dave, and Heath's rankings right here:

Tight ends

Top-150 Flex Rankings

Jonathan Taylor @HOU
Austin Ekeler @CIN
Najee Harris vs. BAL
Alexander Mattison @DET
Travis Kelce vs. DEN
Cooper Kupp vs. JAX
Joe Mixon vs. LAC
Alvin Kamara vs. DAL
Leonard Fournette @ATL
Tyreek Hill vs. DEN
Cordarrelle Patterson vs. TEN
Keenan Allen @CIN
Justin Jefferson @DET
Diontae Johnson vs. BAL
Ezekiel Elliott @NO
Stefon Diggs vs. NE
Antonio Gibson @LV
James Conner @CHI
Elijah Mitchell @SEA
David Montgomery vs. ARI
Chris Godwin @ATL
Saquon Barkley @MIA
Sony Michel vs. JAX
Josh Jacobs vs. WAS
James Robinson @LAR
Jamaal Williams vs. MIN
Mark Andrews @PIT
Mike Evans @ATL
CeeDee Lamb @NO
Marquise Brown @PIT
Tyler Lockett vs. SF
Myles Gaskin vs. NYG
Ja'Marr Chase vs. LAC
Odell Beckham vs. JAX
Brandin Cooks vs. IND
D.K. Metcalf vs. SF
Adam Thielen @DET
Jaylen Waddle vs. NYG
Amari Cooper @NO
Terry McLaurin @LV
Boston Scott @NYJ
Tee Higgins vs. LAC
DeAndre Hopkins @CHI
Brandon Aiyuk @SEA
Melvin Gordon @KC
Michael Pittman @HOU
Jerry Jeudy @KC
Hunter Renfrow vs. WAS
Rob Gronkowski @ATL
Chase Claypool vs. BAL
George Kittle @SEA
DeVonta Smith @NYJ
Jakobi Meyers @BUF
T.J. Hockenson vs. MIN
Elijah Moore vs. PHI
Darnell Mooney vs. ARI
Cole Beasley vs. NE
Michael Gallup @NO
Mike Gesicki vs. NYG
Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. DEN
Kenny Golladay @MIA
Mike Williams @CIN
Javonte Williams @KC
Van Jefferson vs. JAX
Devonta Freeman @PIT
Tony Pollard @NO
Kyle Pitts vs. TEN
Alex Collins vs. SF
Dalton Schultz @NO
Marvin Jones @LAR
Logan Thomas @LV
Mecole Hardman vs. DEN
Damien Harris @BUF
Jamison Crowder vs. PHI
Devin Singletary vs. NE
Foster Moreau vs. WAS
Tyler Boyd vs. LAC
Ty Johnson vs. PHI
Laviska Shenault @LAR
Courtland Sutton @KC
Rashod Bateman @PIT
David Johnson vs. IND
Dallas Goedert @NYJ
Christian Kirk @CHI
Rhamondre Stevenson @BUF
Deejay Dallas vs. SF
Russell Gage vs. TEN
Noah Fant @KC
Kenyan Drake vs. WAS
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. MIN
Tyler Higbee vs. JAX
Emmanuel Sanders vs. NE
Tim Patrick @KC
Dawson Knox vs. NE
Marquez Callaway vs. DAL
James O'Shaughnessy @LAR
Tyler Conklin @DET
Jared Cook @CIN
Darrel Williams vs. DEN
T.Y. Hilton @HOU
A.J. Green @CHI
Evan Engram @MIA
Laquon Treadwell @LAR
Zach Ertz @CHI
Mohamed Sanu @SEA
Nyheim Hines @HOU
Cole Kmet vs. ARI
Latavius Murray @PIT
Rex Burkhead vs. IND
Hunter Henry @BUF
Jeff Wilson @SEA
Nelson Agholor @BUF
Rondale Moore @CHI
Deonte Harris vs. DAL
Tevin Coleman vs. PHI
Sammy Watkins @PIT
Zach Pascal @HOU
Kenneth Gainwell @NYJ
O.J. Howard @ATL
Matt Breida vs. NE
Darius Slayton @MIA
Bryan Edwards vs. WAS
Kendrick Bourne @BUF
Nico Collins vs. IND
Jaret Patterson @LV
Mark Ingram vs. DAL
K.J. Osborn @DET
Brandon Bolden @BUF
Qadree Ollison vs. TEN
Danny Amendola vs. IND
Demarcus Robinson vs. DEN
Curtis Samuel @LV
Ronald Jones @ATL
Juwan Johnson vs. DAL
Gerald Everett vs. SF
Byron Pringle vs. DEN
Tajae Sharpe vs. TEN
Devontae Booker @MIA
Giovani Bernard @ATL
Olamide Zaccheaus vs. TEN
Preston Williams vs. NYG
Tavon Austin @LAR
Samaje Perine vs. LAC
Devin Duvernay @PIT
Eno Benjamin @CHI
Damiere Byrd vs. ARI
Khalil Herbert vs. ARI
Buddy Howell vs. JAX
DeAndre Carter @LV
C.J. Uzomah vs. LAC

2021 NFL Salute to Service Gear revealed

Honor our service members while supporting your favorite team. Get camo trucker hats, pullovers hoodies, jerseys, and more. See the entire 2021 NFL Salute to Service collection here. We salute our service members and thank you for your dedication!

We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.