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Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 12

Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 12
Chris Johnson had his best performance of the year Week 2 versus the 49ers, his Week 12 opponent

Chris Johnson had his best performance of the year Week 2 versus the 49ers, his Week 12 opponent

Injuries continue to pile up each week in the NFL, but no team was more devastated last week than the Baltimore Ravens. Both Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett will be out for the remainder of the season. The quarterback field is still deep, but the pool of running backs grows thinner with each passing week. Now may be the time to handcuff your running backs as insurance, assuming you still have healthy, top rushers.

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WEEK 11 RECAP

Let’s take a look at a quick recap from Week 11.

I Knew It

Carson Palmer – QB – Arizona Cardinals – 317 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Palmer became the third quarterback to score over 20 points against the Bengals last week and finished with 24 points.

Darren McFadden – RB – Dallas Cowboys – 29 att, 129 yds, 3 rec, 20 yds
Although he did not score McFadden saw a 20+ attempt workhorse load for the fourth time in five games.

A.J. Green – WR – Cincinnati Bengals – 4 rec, 79 yds
For a receiver of Green’s caliber we have to consider 11 fantasy points as a lackluster performance.

Kirk Cousins – QB – Washington Redskins – 207 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 Fum
He was responsible for three turnovers and finished with just six fantasy points.

Jimmy Graham – TE – Seattle Seahawks – 3 rec, 39 yds
Graham is becoming increasingly difficult to start each week. He has not scored a touchdown since Week 3.

I Blew It

Stevie Johnson – WR – San Diego Chargers – 7 rec, 54 yds
It was hard for Johnson to finish as a top receiver when quarterback Philip Rivers failed to throw a touchdown.

Jordan Matthews – WR – Philadelphia Eagles – 4 rec, 13 yds
It was Josh Huff who benefited from Mark Sanchez starting last week, not Matthews as many had assumed.

Charcandrick West – RB – Kansas City Chiefs – 11 att, 16 yds
After a second-quarter injury, Spencer Ware came in and had the explosive day I expected West to have.

Eric Ebron – TE – Detroit Lions
There is no stat-line above because Ebron failed to record a catch. This was a huge miss last week.

Kamar Aiken – WR – Baltimore Ravens – 5 rec. 50 yds, 1 TD
Crockett Gillmore had a solid fantasy day with five receptions for 101 yards but it was Aiken who delivered with a touchdown.

Jeremy Langford – RB – Chicago Bears – 13 att, 25 yds, 1 TD, 3 rec, 17 yds
He cooled off after back to back games of 25+ points but Langford did score and finish with 12 fantasy points.

LeSean McCoy – RB – Buffalo Bills – 20 att, 82 yds, 1 TD, 6 rec, 41 yds
I hated the matchup but McCoy had an impressive day and had over 100 total yards for the fourth consecutive game.

WEEK 12 START/SIT SUGGESTIONS

I have broken out a player from each position I suggest starting or sitting for both Thursday and Sunday’s action.

Thanksgiving

Who’s Hot – Start

Matthew Stafford – QB – Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Jameis Winston just had a field day against the Eagles and there is no reason Matthew Stafford should not be able to. Calvin Johnson also has a terrific matchup and we could see the Stafford/Megatron magic of the past this week. After not throwing a score in Week 11 I fully expect Stafford to throw for multiple touchdowns in Week 12.

Alshon Jeffery – WR – Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers
Currently listed as questionable, Jeffery is a huge risk to gamble on. Martellus Bennett has been ruled out and decoy or not, Jeffery will be Cutler’s top option. Matt Forte should be back in the mix as well this week which could take some of the attention off of Jeffery if he suits up. If he plays he will see a ton of targets and should be able to produce.

Jason Witten – TE – Dallas Cowboys vs. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are one of the toughest defenses in the National Football League. Everyone in Dallas will have their work cut out for them this Thanksgiving but I like Witten as a sneaky play this week. The return of Tony Romo brought the return of Witten’s targets. Romo is aware that Witten is six receptions short of 1,000 and could make that happen for him at home during a nationally televised game.

Who’s Not – Sit

Jay Cutler – QB – Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers
Cutler had six straight games of solid performances before failing to throw a touchdown and finishing with eight points last week. The Packers defense is nowhere near the level of the Denver Bronco’s defense that held him in check last week but I still am avoiding Cutler on Thanksgiving. For whatever reason he plays awful at Lambeau field. In his career he has thrown 12 interceptions at Lambeau and just three touchdowns.

Ted Ginn Jr. – WR – Carolina Panthers @ Dallas Cowboys
Chasing Ginn’s points from last week may not be wise this week. Had he not scored he would have finished with eight fantasy points and only managed to accumulate 37 yards on five receptions. The Cowboys defense is vulnerable and Cam Newton can easily expose them but they can keep Ginn out of the end zone. If they do he will have a mediocre day.

Jeremy Langford – RB – Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers
I am going to try again on Langford this week because it really does seem that Matt Forte will be back. This is no knock on Langford’s talent and he has earned a role regardless of Forte’s return but his production is certain to take a dip.

Weekend Slate

Who’s Hot – Start

Jameis Winston – QB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts
Winston is coming off of a five touchdown game and this week his whole offense will be healthy with the return of Austin Sefarian-Jenkins. Winston has a stable of weapons around him and gets a nice matchup on the road against the Colts defense.

Nate Washington – WR – Houston Texans vs. New Orleans Saints
Two weeks ago the Saints fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. They did not, however, fire their awful secondary. There should be plenty of passing to go around for the Texans this week. DeAndre Hopkins is the obvious play but I like Washington as a sneaky play.

Chris Johnson – RB – Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Johnson has not put up a respectable stat line since Week 7. He will change that this week against the 49ers. They are the second-worst team in football against the run and are allowing running backs an average of over 20 points per game. Johnson should return to double-digit scoring territory this week.

Jordan Reed – TE – Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

Reed is my top tight end this week. The New York Giants are very generous to the position and when he is healthy he simply dominates. Despite a sprained MCL, Reed does not have the dreaded red “Q” next to his name or even the less-dreaded red “P”. He is healthy and ready to go and should finish as the top tight end this week.

Who’s Not – Sit

Teddy Bridgewater – QB – Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons
Bridgewater has not been the quarterback most imagined him to be this season. This offense runs through Adrian Peterson. The Falcons also happen to be a top-five defensive unit against quarterbacks. The second-year quarterback will be held in check by this veteran defense this week.

Martavis Bryant – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers @ Seattle Seahawks
If any receiver gives the Legion of Boom a run for their money this week it will be Antonio Brown. Bryant is always a tempting play with his deep-threat ability but I would bench him in a difficult road matchup this week. It would not surprise me in the least if Heath Miller ended up as the top receiver for the Steelers on Sunday.

Thomas Rawls – RB – Seattle Seahawks vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Rawls is a virtual RB1 for the roughly the next month. The undrafted rookie phenom has been an explosive playmaker. If you stashed him prior to last week then you got ahead of the game but most people landed him off waivers this week which means you should have other options at running back. The Steelers are the top run defense in football.

Antonio Gates – TE – San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
You would assume that Gates would have been a top tight end once the Chargers lost Keenan Allen but that has not been the case. Since his first two games after coming off of a suspension Gates has done next to nothing. It is painfully obvious to anyone watching that he is injured and probably should not even be playing. I think you should bench Gates this week and beyond.

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I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving and win every single fantasy league and daily fantasy contest you are in.

I do not have a crystal ball and can only rely on research and good old intuition. I may hit or miss on a few, but I’ll keep myself honest with a full disclosure section next week when I give you your “Who’s Hot” and “Who’s Not” for Week 13. Consider my recommendations here, but ultimately trust in yourself. Good luck!

Jen Ryan is a correspondent at FantasyPros, featured writer at Gridiron Experts and senior writer at Football Diehards. Click here for her archive and feel free to reach her and talk all things fantasy @FFdeJENerate.

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