Fantasy Football Week 13 WR Preview: Amari Cooper's return gives Fantasy managers difficult decisions

All indications are that Amari Cooper will return from his COVID absence on Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints. With the Cowboys also getting CeeDee Lamb back this week, Dak Prescott should have his full complement of weapons for one of the few times this season. That's great for him, but makes things complicated for Fantasy managers.

The easy part of this equation is that you start Lamb. He has taken the next step this season, appears to be the team's true No. 1 wide receiver, and is a must-start option whenever he suits up. Cooper and Gallup are more complicated.

If I knew Cooper was 100% I would rank him as a low-end No. 2 wide receiver and Gallup would be a boom-or-bust flex. But reports that Cooper still has a cough have me concerned he won't play a full complement of snaps. That makes both Cooper and Gallup No. 3 wide receivers. I still prefer Cooper, but it's very close that I wouldn't blame you if you chose Gallup.

Hopefully, Cooper is 100% and we get a good look at what this target distribution looks like with everyone healthy. Then, we can make more educated decisions in the Fantasy playoffs.

Here is the rest of the Week 13 WR Preview:

Week 13 WR Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

WR Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 13 at this time. Here's what it means:

Deebo Samuel WR

SF San Francisco • #19
Age: 28 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle should see a target boost.

WR Preview

Numbers to Know

• 43 -- DK Metcalf has not topped 43 receiving yards in a game since Week 7.
• 45.7% -- Terry McLaurin leads the NFL with a 45.3% share of his team's air yards.
• 31% -- Darnell Mooney has a 31% target share since Week 8, behind only Tyreek Hill.
• 11 -- Randall Cobb leads the NFL with 11 targets inside the 10 yard line. That's a lot of opportunity for someone if he's out.
• 21.7 -- DeSean Jackson leads the NFL with a 21.7 aDOT. You can't be consistent with that role, but he's a nice boom/bust bye week replacement in a bind.
• 9 -- Hunter Renfrow has nine targets in three of his past four games. He's a must-start receiver as long as Darren Waller is out.

WR Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that matter

Michael Pittman WR

IND Indianapolis • #11
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ HOU IND -9 O/U 45.5

OPP VS WR 18th

PROJ PTS 16

WR RNK 18th

YTD Stats
REC 61	TAR 91	REYDS 805	TD 5	FPTS/G 14.4

Odell Beckham Jr. WR

BAL Baltimore • #3
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs JAC LAR -12.5 O/U 48

OPP VS WR 20th

PROJ PTS 12.8

WR RNK 30th

YTD Stats
REC 24	TAR 47	REYDS 331	TD 1	FPTS/G 8.1

Brandin Cooks WR

DAL Dallas • #3
Age: 30 • Experience: 11 year

Weekly Breakdown

vs IND IND -9 O/U 45.5

OPP VS WR 29th

PROJ PTS 12.8

WR RNK 25th

YTD Stats
REC 62	TAR 92	REYDS 704	TD 3	FPTS/G 13.7

DeVonta Smith WR

PHI Philadelphia • #6
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ NYJ PHI -6.5 O/U 45

OPP VS WR 17th

PROJ PTS 14.5

WR RNK 26th

YTD Stats
REC 48	TAR 78	REYDS 686	TD 4	FPTS/G 11.7

WR Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 13 Waivers

Russell Gage WR

TB Tampa Bay • #3
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs TB TB -11 O/U 50.5

OPP VS WR 16th

WR RNK 31st

ROSTERED 48%

YTD Stats
REC 27	TAR 41	REYDS 270	TD 2	FPTS/G 8.3

It's not a great week for wide receivers, but Gage is coming off his best game of the year and has seven or more targets in four of his past six games.

Kenny Golladay WR

NYG N.Y. Giants • #19
Age: 30 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ MIA MIA -4 O/U 40.5

OPP VS WR 31st

WR RNK 32nd

ROSTERED 61%

YTD Stats
REC 23	TAR 41	REYDS 372	TD 0	FPTS/G 7.5

As long as Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney are out, Golladay is a solid No. 3 wide receiver with more upside than he's shown this season.

Laviska Shenault Jr. WR

SEA Seattle • #5
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ LAR LAR -12.5 O/U 47.5

OPP VS WR 21st

WR RNK 42nd

ROSTERED 38%

YTD Stats
REC 45	TAR 71	REYDS 441	TD 0	FPTS/G 8.3

I know the production has been frustrating, but the targets give me hope for better days to come.

Stashes

Sterling Shepard WR

NYG N.Y. Giants • #3
Age: 31 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ MIA MIA -3 O/U 41.5

OPP VS WR 31st

WR RNK NR

ROSTERED 36%

YTD Stats
REC 32	TAR 43	REYDS 324	TD 1	FPTS/G 14.1

Whenever he's been healthy, Daniel Jones has peppered Shepard with targets. I'd expect the same when he returns.

WR Preview

DFS Plays

Top Play

Diontae Johnson WR

CAR Carolina • #18
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BAL BAL -4 O/U 44

OPP VS WR 14th

PROJ PTS 15.9

WR RNK 6th

YTD Stats
REC 68	TAR 109	REYDS 809	TD 4	FPTS/G 17.5

Johnson's price just doesn't reflect the reality that he's a top six wide receiver on this slate with big-time upside against a Ravens defense that has struggled mightily against the big play.

Contrarian Play

Ja'Marr Chase WR

CIN Cincinnati • #1
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LAC CIN -3 O/U 50.5

OPP VS WR 2nd

PROJ PTS 16.6

WR RNK 16th

YTD Stats
REC 50	TAR 82	REYDS 906	TD 8	FPTS/G 17.1

Chase is a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off again. I'll probably run him out there in tournaments until he hits big again.

WR Preview

Heath's Projections

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