The Week 13 waiver wire credentials of Jaylan Warren and Benny Snell will be at the forefront of many fantasy football managers’ minds this morning. With Najee Harris leaving Monday’s game due to an abdomen injury, we could be looking at the Pittsburgh Steelers needing a new lead running back in the coming weeks.
With the fantasy playoffs looming on the horizon, is either Warren or Snell a Week 13 waiver wire target, and how should the pair be prioritized?
Update: Jaylen Warren told reporters that he “feels good” and that “doctors just cleared me,” so he has a chance to play Sunday. Meanwhile, Najee Harris avoided a major injury, but his status remained up in the air.
Jaylen Warren or Benny Snell: Who Should You Add From the Waiver Wire?
We did not see Warren on Monday, as he was held out of the Steelers’ Week 12 game with a hamstring injury. In the two games prior to the injury, Warren had begun to see his role in the offense grow. In Weeks 8 and 10, Warren had 87 rushing yards on 15 attempts, adding 65 receiving yards from six targets.
Unfortunately, Warren was then hurt on just his third snap of Week 11 and did not practice last week. His timeframe for a return is not clear, but the expectation is that when he returns, Warren would have a shot to lead this backfield if Harris misses time. The rookie had looked impressive in limited playing time but had played 43% of the offensive snaps in Week 10.
Warren has been the only player even close to cutting into Harris’ role this season. The rookie has carried the ball 38 times and has 18 targets. Both of those trail Harris (148 and 35) but are clearly ahead of any other backs on the roster. Entering this week, the only back to have touched the ball on offense was fullback Derek Watt with six touches.
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While Snell had been active in every game this year, entering this week, he had played just three snaps on offense, all of which came in Week 11 after Warren got hurt. Snell had been a contributor on special teams, which had earned him the spot as the third RB on the roster. With Warren absent, Snell split work in the first half with practice squad elevation Anthony McFarland.
While Harris carried the ball 10 times, Snell and McFarland each had four carries in relief of the lead back. McFarland actually had a slight edge on touches, with one reception to add to the four carries. However, once Harris got hurt, the ball was turned over to Snell as the lead back.
In the second half, Snell carried the ball eight times for 36 yards and the game-winning touchdown. He also added one reception for six yards. Meanwhile, McFarland touched the ball just twice more in the run game and had one more reception. Therefore, Snell out-touched McFarland by a three-to-one ratio when Harris was absent.
How Should Fantasy Managers Prioritize Warren and Snell in Week 13?
There is a lot up in the air about this situation in Pittsburgh as of Tuesday morning. Head coach Mike Tomlin did not have an update on Harris’ injury situation when he addressed the media after the game. Therefore, we have no idea of the severity right now. Harris could be back next week, he could be done for the season or somewhere in between.
Tomlin did hope to be able to provide more clarity on Tuesday, so hopefully, we get an update. If Harris is cleared or just expected to be limited, it dampens any enthusiasm around Warren and Snell this week. However, if he is set to miss a few games or is out for the season, things get a little bit spicy on the waiver wire.
Further complicating the situation is Warren’s status. Right now, we have no definitive timetable, and hamstring injuries can be tricky. Warren is still worth adding if we hear that Harris is going to miss at least a few games, as he was clearly the handcuff before his injury. However, that could end up being more of a stash situation if this hamstring continues to irritate him.
Warren has the potential to be a major contributor for fantasy managers in the playoffs and could even end up a league winner. That increases the level of enthusiasm in terms of priority and FAAB (10-15%). However, Warren might not be the best answer if you need a plug-and-play option for Week 13, as we have no idea if he will play.
If we knew who was going to be the lead back in Week 13, then there would be a lot of potential here. The Atlanta Falcons allow an average of 21.35 fantasy points to opposing back. They have also allowed over 20 fantasy points to the position in each of the last five weeks. There is a matchup to be taken advantage of this week if only we knew who the lead back would be.
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The problem is that even if we hear Harris is out, Snell is not someone we can rely on either. With Warren potentially back next week, it dampens the enthusiasm for Snell as well. He is an intriguing deeper league add this week and a low-end speculative addition on the back end of a bench. Unfortunately, unless we get an update on Warren this week, this situation remains a mess.
Warren is the highest-upside option long-term if Harris is out. However, Snell might be the better short-term bet. Unless you are really desperate for Week 13, Snell should not command more than 10% of your FAAB this week. However, there is a chance for one of these two to be a lead back this week, and that means both are right up near the top of the Week 13 waiver wire priority list.
If you are drafting in an Underdog Fantasy Best Ball Week 13 league early in the week, both Warren and Snell are intriguing later-round selections. The uncertainty over the situation right now could end up being your friend if you can snag both. Then if one ends up having a big day, you could put yourself in a great position this week.