3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid (Week 12)

Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our fantasy football analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And check out all of our Week 12 fantasy football waiver wire advice.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid

FOOL’S GOLD

TE Noah Gray had two TD catches for the Chiefs in their loss to the Bills on Sunday. They were Gray’s first two touchdowns of the season, and he’s topped 40 receiving yards only once in 10 games. Gray spends most of his time dwelling in Travis Kelce‘s shadow, so don’t expect an encore.

Alec Pierce had three catches for 74 yards Sunday in the Colts’ win over the Jets. QB Anthony Richardson looked good in his return to Indy’s starting lineup, but passing volume is often limited for the Colts in Richardson’s starts, and Pierce is third in the target pecking order behind Josh Downs and Michael Pittman. Sure, Pierce is a dangerous big-play threat who’s averaging 22.7 yards per catch, but he’s only averaging 2.4 catches per game.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine scored his fifth touchdown of the season In Week 11, making a 98-yard house call for the longest TD from scrimmage of the NFL season thus far. Westbrook-Ikhine has scored a touchdown on one-third of his receptions this season. That’s right: five touchdowns on 15 catches. Obviously, that’s not the sort of volume we can count on in the fantasy sphere.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.