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Fantasy Football Week 12 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2022)

Which under-the-radar players might be able to give your fantasy team a lift? Which chalky players might not be as safe as they seem?

Our featured analysts name some potential sleepers and underachievers for Week 12.

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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

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Q. Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start and why do you think he has upside this week?

Kyren Williams (RB – LAR)
“Kyren Williams could be a sneaky-good start this week, especially in full PPR leagues. The rookie from Notre Dame led all Rams RBs with 35 snaps last week, finishing with 7-36-0 rushing and 1-8-0 receiving. Rams QB Matthew Stafford might not play due to concussion symptoms, and if it’s either John Wolford or Bryce Perkins at quarterback for the Rams, it could be a checkdown paradise for Williams, whose pass-catching ability is his greatest asset. The Rams face a Chiefs defense that has given up the most receptions and the second-most receiving yards to RBs this season.”
Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

“The Rams take on the Chiefs in Week 12, who rank dead last in nearly every category versus receiving RBs. And without Darrell Henderson (recently released) playing in Week 11, rookie Kyren Williams led the Rams backfield in snaps played (55%) over Cam Akers in just his third NFL game. Williams was the only Rams RB with targets (2) running a route on an impressive 64% of dropbacks. In Week 12, you want Williams over Akers.”
Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Gerald Everett (TE – LAC)
“After playing only 17% of the snaps in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, Gerald Everett missed the Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs with a groin injury. Hopefully, the veteran tight end can play this week, as he has an excellent matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. They have surrendered 16.6 fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, the most in the NFL, including a league-leading nine touchdowns to the position. Everett had seven or more targets in three straight games before the matchup against the 49ers. If Mike Williams misses this week’s game, Everett should see enough targets for a mid-TE1 finish.”
Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

Juwan Johnson (TE – NO)
Juwan Johnson has a TD in three straight games. Yes, he’s a TE, and yes, it’s a tough matchup versus the 49ers. However, when you look at the comparable players in this range on teams with second- (or even third-string QBs), I’d rather play the TD equity of Johnson in his offense.”
Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Cam Akers (RB – LAR)
“With Darrell Henderson no longer in the picture, many in the fantasy industry have been quick to call for Kyren Williams SZN. This week, if Matthew Stafford were under center for the Rams, I would be included to agree. But with Stafford out and Bryce Perkins set to start for Los Angeles, I think Cam Akers is the more viable play in Week 12. This is a contrarian take, but with a (third-string) mobile quarterback under center and a matchup against the Chiefs, I don’t think the Rams will be airing out the ball. I expect them to lean into the running game and utilize Perkins’s mobility, which could open up things for Akers as long as they keep the score relatively close. Maybe this is me dying on a Cam Akers truther hill, but I like Akers as a flex play in deeper leagues this week.”
Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Fantas Football Start-Sit Assistant

Q. Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF)
“Big Brandon Aiyuk fan here. Love the player but hate what the Christian McCaffrey trade means for Aiyuk’s value. The San Francisco offense has become a high-powered machine with CMC added to the arsenal, but it’s also become an egalitarian effort with an ensemble cast. McCaffrey, Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell — it’s a shame there’s only one football to go around. Aiyuk has averaged 5.7 targets over his last three games, and while he’s cashed in with three TD catches over that span, the lack of target volume will eventually catch up with him.”
Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Nick Chubb (RB – CLE)
“Let me make this crystal clear, do NOT pull Nick Chubb out of your starting lineup, as he has too much upside to bench regardless of the matchup. However, the superstar running back had a season-low 19 rushing yards and only 8.2 fantasy points last week against the Buffalo Bills. More importantly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have held running backs to only 15.8 fantasy points per game this season, the third-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, Tampa has surrendered only 42.5 rushing yards and 9.3 fantasy points per game to running backs over their past two contests. Fantasy players should keep Chubb in their starting lineups but understand he might have another sub-par performance.”
Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

David Montgomery (RB – CHI)
“David Montgomery could be a lineup land mine this week. Starting quarterback Justin Fields is banged up, and the Jets defense is no joke. Gang Green ranks 5th in run defense EPA this season, and since Week 6, they have allowed just 3.6 yards per carry to RBs.”
Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

David Montgomery may be getting the bulk of the carries, but that Jets D is for real, and with Justin Fields questionable, Montgomery’s fantasy value could take a huge hit. You likely have to start him simply based on volume alone, but I would say build in some more “boom” to your flex spot if Monty is your RB2.”
Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Deebo Samuel (WR – SF)
“If you roster Deebo Samuel, you probably have to start him, unless you’re either in a shallow league or got lucky in the draft or on the waiver wire and are deep at WR. Samuel was WR6 in Half PPR formats last week, but he was WR54 and WR46 in his previous two games. His issue has more to do with usage than talent, but that doesn’t matter for fantasy managers. All that matters is production, and Samuel has been volatile at times this season. Will he see 15 touches and find the end zone against the Saints, or will he catch a couple of passes for 25 yards and rush a couple of times for 15 yards? Deebo has scored a touchdown in four different games this season. In two of them, he still didn’t even finish the week as a WR2. With the addition of CMC and Elijah Mitchell getting back on the field, the 49ers have more weapons on offense and more options in the backfield. That means Samuel’s production will likely continue to be volatile.”
Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

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Thanks to the experts for sharing their advice! For more of their insight, be sure to follow each pundit on Twitter (click their names above) and visit their respective sites.

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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

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