Fantasy Football Week 13 Wide Receiver Start Decisions Involving Thursday Players: Jameson Williams, Jayden Reed, Jaylen Waddle, Jordan Addison, Keenan Allen and More

With three Thursday games in week 13, it’s a bit more difficult to put together start decision stories. We did it for quarterbacks, but are going for a different approach involving running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.

We’ll comb through the FantasySP start/sit tool and answer trending decisions involving any players in Thursday games. We already covered running backs, and will tackle wide receivers here. Check back for a tight end article.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Jameson Williams, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Jaylen Waddle vs. Jordan Addison, Jakobi Meyers, Darnell Mooney and Quentin Johnston

Williams has 602 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 29 receptions and 48 targets this season. 

Williams scored 12 fantasy points last week and had 23 the week prior. He only has three games in single digits across nine contests.

Reed has 669 receiving yards and four scores on 41 grabs and 52 targets.

He scored just six fantasy points last week and had 10 the week prior. He’s only gone over 10 fantasy points once in the past five contests.

Waddle has 548 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 41 receptions and 56 targets.

He’s coming off his best fantasy showing of the season. He only has scored in double figures in one other game this year.

Watson has 383 yards and two scores on 20 grabs and 34 targets this season.

He followed up a 19-point fantasy showing in week 11 with a goose egg in week 12. Watson had eight and nine points in the two games before that.

Addison has 521 yards and four touchdowns on 32 catches and 50 targets this season.

He’s coming off his best fantasy showing of the season, a 30-point outing. Addison had 15 points in week 11, but alternated single- and double-digit performances the previous six weeks.

Meyers is up to 579 yards and two scores on 53 receptions and 75 targets. 

He scored a season-high 22 fantasy points last week, but now will have a new quarterback throwing to him again after the season-ending injury to Gardner Minshew.

Mooney, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, is up to 711 yards and five touchdowns on 48 catches and 82 targets this season.

He had off in week 12, so hopefully he’s past the injury that limited him to five fantasy points in week 11. Mooney had 20 and 19 fantasy points in weeks 9 and 8, respectively.

Johnston has 354 yards, but six touchdowns, across 22 grabs and 42 targets this season.

He didn’t catch one of his five targets in week 12, but had 13 points in week 11, 10 in week 10 and 22 in week 9. Johnston caught a touchdown in each of those games to boost his fantasy score considerably.

Williams takes on the Bears to kick off Thursday’s tripleheader. Chicago is a tough matchup for wideouts, allowing just 28 fantasy points a week.

Waddle, Reed and Watson all play in the nightcap on Thursday. Green Bay allows only 29 fantasy points to opposing receivers, while Miami only surrenders 27.

Meyers plays on Friday against the Chiefs. That’s an average matchup, with Kansas City giving up 32 points a week.

On Sunday, Mooney and Johnston play in the same game, while Addison faces the Cardinals. Los Angeles gives up 31 fantasy points a week to opposing WRs, while Arizona surrenders 33 and Atlanta 38.

Reed, Meyers and Mooney are all projected for 12 PPR fantasy points.

Williams, Waddle and Addison all check in at 11 points. Johnston sits at 10 and Watson eight.

As long as Mooney is cleared for Sunday, I like him the best of the bunch. The matchup is good and when healthy, he’s been delivering good/great fantasy results every week.

I’d try Addison second. He’s been a bit inconsistent this season, but coming off a big game and in a solid matchup, I like Addison to keep things rolling.

I’d then take Williams. The matchup isn’t great, but the Lions’ offense is. I trust Williams to make a big play or two, which is all he needs to deliver a good fantasy score.

I’d go with Waddle next. Again, the matchup isn’t great, but he’s coming off a big game, and I think the Dolphins will pass a bunch to keep up with the Packers. That should help Waddle to a big fantasy score.

I’d take Reed here. Green Bay might be down Romeo Doubs, but there’s still plenty of pass catchers to turn to, and I think the Packers really try to impose the run game. Reed is still a standard league option capable of erupting for a monster game, but I’d trust him much more in a deeper league.

Meyers checks in here. His matchup is fantastic, but I’m skeptical of the Raiders’ offense with Aidan O'Connell returning as the starting QB. Again, I’d prefer to start Meyers in just deeper leagues.

Johnston falls here for me. His matchup is also good, but coming off a brutal showing, I do not trust him at all. Johnston could catch a touchdown and post a big fantasy score, but that’s not a risk I’m willing to take at a critical juncture of the fantasy season.

That leaves Watson for the last spot. Again, if Doubs is out, that should open the door for Watson, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to trust for a standard league starting spot. I’d be fine giving him a start the deeper the league got.

Keenan Allen vs. Michael Pittman

Allen is up to 368 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 39 receptions and 71 targets this season.

Allen is coming off his best fantasy showing of the season, a 24-point outing. He only reached double digits one other time, a 21-point game in week 6 - he scored two touchdowns in that game and once in week 12. Allen provided eight or more fantasy points from weeks 9-11.

Pittman is up to 508 yards and two touchdowns on 41 grabs and 72 targets this season.

He provided 16 fantasy points in week 12, which was his second-highest scoring game of the season. Pittman has been dealing with a back injury, but might be the Colts’ No. 1 wideout again now as Josh Downs works through a right shoulder injury.

Allen’s week 13 matchup against the Lions is very favorable, with Detroit giving up 37 fantasy points per week to opposing wideouts. Pittman takes on the Patriots, who allow 35 fantasy points a week.

Pittman is projected for 12 PPR fantasy points, while Allen is at 11.

As long as Downs is out, I like Pittman over Allen. The only problem is that Allen’s game will be over by the time that news is likely finalized.

It was reported that Downs was week-to-week with his injury, so I’m going to assume he’s out this week. So I’m starting Pittman over Allen. Pittman’s matchup is favorable enough to still deliver a big fantasy score if Downs is out there.

Allen has to deal with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, along with tight end Cole Kmet. The matchup looks great, but a rookie quarterback going on the road for a Thursday battle with the Lions just doesn’t seem nearly as good. Allen is worth a start in some standard leagues, just not if that decision is between him and Pittman.

Use the FantasySP start/sit tool to compare Allen, Pittman and any other receiver against any other player you might be considering starting.