With the Thanksgiving weekend behind us, it’s now a dead sprint to the fantasy playoffs, which begin either next week or Week 15, depending on your league settings. At this point, most of your starting lineup should be well-established, especially with the bye weeks over. But it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the waiver wire.
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The wide receiver position was hit with another wave of injuries in Week 12. Amari Cooper is in concussion protocol after taking a sickening hit, making him unlikely to be cleared for next week. Kelvin Benjamin has a torn meniscus, putting his season in doubt. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Sterling Shepard, and Chris Hogan all sat out the week with various ailments that make them questionable for Week 13, as well.
So with all that in mind, let’s take a look at the top wide receivers owned in 50 percent or less of Yahoo! leagues.
Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns (51 percent)
Well, we’re about to see what Gordon is really made of after nearly three years away from the game. Newly sober and motivated, Gordon is set to make his season debut in Week 13, but he’ll obviously be on a snap count. It’s still a longshot that he’ll be a major contributor down the stretch, but talent is always worth gambling on. Gordon is just a wait-and-see bench stash for now.
Josh Doctson, Washington (43 percent)
Washington’s offense was stuck in neutral for most of Thanksgiving night, but Doctson managed to save his box score with a touchdown, helping put the game away. Doctson finished the game with just two catches for 28 yards, including the touchdown, which was his fourth of the season. Doctson and Washington will have a better matchup with the Dallas Cowboys this Thursday.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns (40 percent)
Despite Gordon’s impending return, Coleman should remain the Browns’ No. 1 receiver for the time being. With 19 targets in his last two games, he’s getting a healthy workload from DeShone Kizer and taking advantage, putting in nine catches for 144 yards in the same span. The Los Angeles Chargers defense is not an easy matchup, making Coleman more of a risky WR3 than most weeks.
Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars (25 percent)
Westbrook is getting plenty of looks since making his season debut in Week 11, with nine catches for 76 yards in his last two games. He’s not a terribly reliable option in the Jaguars offense, where Blake Bortles is more of a liability than an asset. Still, Westbrook is setting up as a worthy roster spot in PPR leagues. He’ll have his best matchup yet with the Indianapolis Colts up next.
