Three Up, Three Down: Week 13

As we approach the end of the fantasy football regular season, rookie quarterbacks are starting to figure it out, and injuries are plaguing some of the league's best offenses. Don't forget to set your lineups for a three-game slate on Thanksgiving. And remember to travel safely over the holidays!

For in-depth information on Caleb Williams, Devaughn Vele, Rachaad White, and more, check out this week's waiver wire episode of The Footballguys Fantasy Football Show with Alfredo Brown and Dave Kluge (me).

Three Up

QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

The career-high 340 passing yards was great, but the way Caleb Williams got there made his Week 12 performance especially exciting. He completed throws that few quarterbacks in NFL history could make. He displayed power, touch, creativity, and cognizance. He extended plays with his strength and scrambling abilities. Despite losing back-to-back divisional matchups the last two weeks, Williams' recent play has been promising. After Shane Waldron was fired, Thomas Brown took over and developed a plan tailored to the rosters' strengths and weaknesses. Roschon Johnson has been more involved in creating a complimentary backfield duo with D'Andre Swift. Screens are regularly drawn up to get the ball in DJ Moore's hands. Williams is peppering Rome Odunze with first-read targets. Keenan Allen is operating and the underneath safety blanket for Williams. And by putting Bears' playmakers in roles that suit them best, Williams' surrounding environment is healthier. The game appears to be slowing down, and his throws are precisely calibrated at every level of the field. He's got a brutal stretch of matchups to close out the fantasy football season against the Lions (twice), 49ers, Vikings (again), and Seahawks. But if he continues playing like he has the last couple of weeks, he and the revamped Bears offense could push these opponents into shootout situations.

WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

After an oddly quiet season, Jaylen Waddle decided to remind us that he's an elite talent in Week 12. His 144 receiving yards was a season-high and the second-most of his career. And the nine targets he pulled were also the most in a game this season. His usage was very exciting. He got going early with some in-breaking routes through zone coverage to allow for yards after the catch. Then Tua Tagovailoa gave him some opportunities to win on contested balls outside, which he did. They drew up a screen for him. He pulled an end-zone target on a quick slant. The Dolphins forced the ball to Waddle all over the field, and he delivered on all but one target. The Dolphins have historically struggled in the colder months, and there's enough of a sample that it's hard to ignore. But Waddle looked terrific in Week 12, hopefully giving his drafters a late-season push to compensate for his early-season disappointment.

WR Devaughn Vele, Denver Broncos

Don't look now, but the Broncos may have found themselves a quarterback. Courtland Sutton has been a stellar WR1, sitting behind only Ja'Marr Chase in fantasy scoring over the last five weeks. And 27-year-old Devaughn Vele appears to be entrenching himself as the team's WR2. He pulled eight targets during his career debut in Week 1, but injury forced him to miss the next four weeks. He returned to the lineup in Week 6, pulling a respectable six targets. The production hasn't been great, but he's starting to get more involved. His three highest snap counts of the season came over the last three weeks. He's averaging six targets per game over that stretch. Vele is a big receiver, measuring in at 6'5". But the best parts of his game are the cerebral elements. He's good at adjusting his routes based on coverage to allow himself to be an open target for Bo Nix. He might not have the highest ceiling, but consistent usage on a Broncos' team trending in the right direction is noteworthy. He's just a stash for now, but another good week would move him firmly into the streaming discussion.