Considering the injury report as you address the Week 13 fantasy waiver wire

Week 12 NFL Sunday is just about a wrap! We still have Browns-Ravens and Seahawks-Washington for the primetime games, but in the meantime, it’s time to start considering your fantasy football waiver wire options. The Week 13 waiver wire can make or break you, especially with injuries to piling up around the league and the fantasy playoffs looming large

As with every week in the NFL, key skill position players are going to go down with an injury. Some may step right back onto the field soon while others will miss time. When one guy goes, an opportunity opens up for someone else to fill the gap.

Below is a rundown of notable skill position injuries, and who stands to benefit as you consider what to do with your waiver wire priority. We’ll offer updates on each injury as new information comes along this week.

D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions

Lions running back D’Andre Swift suffered a shoulder sprain during the team’s 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. The second-year back got just six touches and accumulated just nine receiving yards before exiting the contest. He is considered day-to-day heading into the new week.

Detroit’s offensive situation is bleak outside of Swift, but Jamaal Williams (46% ESPN/39% Yahoo) will be available if you’re pressed to replace him with another running back option. Williams picked up the baton on Thanksgiving and took 15 carries for 65 yards on Thursday. He also added five catches for 18 yards.

Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders got an exhilarating overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but lost tight end Darren Waller to a knee injury. He caught just two of five targets for 33 yards before exiting the contest. An MRI revealed that he avoided a major injury and suffered a strained IT band.

Should Waller miss time, backup tight end Foster Moreau (1% ESPN and Yahoo) could emerge as a sleeper. He was targeted five times in the Thanksgiving Day matchup, so he’s within the sightline of Derek Carr. He had a six reception for 60 yards and a touchdown performance against the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the season and could put up similar numbers against the Washington Football Team in Week 13.

Dan Arnold, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Arnold suffered a knee injury in the first half of Jacksonville’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He caught just one reception for nine yards before his afternoon ended. The tight end had been consistently drawing five to eight targets for around 60 yards a game since being traded from Carolina earlier in the year.

James O’Shaughnessy (0% ESPN and Yahoo) becomes the go-to tight end option in Duval County should Arnold miss time. He returned from injured reserve on Sunday and caught three of five targets for 29 yards in the loss.

Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers

Cobb exited Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with a groin injury, but not before having his most productive day of the season in the first half. He caught four receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown as the Packers got the jump on their fellow NFC contender.

Even before Cobb’s injury, you should’ve already been considering Marquez Valdes-Scantling (25% Yahoo/11% ESPN) as a primary waiver wire option.

Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

The Pro Bowl running back went down yet again in Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, suffering a shoulder injury so bad that he had to be carted off the field. Prior to that, he took 10 carries for 39 rushing yards on the ground and had caught six receptions for 64 yards.

Backup Alexander Mattison (48% Yahoo/34% ESPN) once again becomes a priority fantasy pickup for fantasy managers this week. He already has two 100-yard games on the year in place of Cook and punched in a touchdown on Sunday.