If you’ve been saving your FAAB money all fantasy football season, this is probably the week to spend it — or at least a good chunk of it in your fantasy football leagues. Injuries have propelled some widely available running backs into more prominent roles.
We should caution, however, that some of the injury news is still unfolding. At the initial publication of this article, we were still awaiting full details on the injuries sustained by the Packers’ Josh Jacobs and the Steelers’ Jaylen Warren. Jacobs injured his knee on Sunday, and Warren injured his ankle. We were also awaiting further details on the ankle injury sustained by Bhayshul Tuten, who appeared to be on the way to a breakout game before the injury. Early reporting suggests that none of these injuries are major (knock wood).
We’ll continue to update this article all the way up to this week’s waiver wire runs so that you have all the pertinent information available before making claims.
Let’s get started.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Week 12
Week 12 Waiver Grade: A-
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings
Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.
(Rostership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues; Recommended FAAB bids are based on a $100 budget.)
Running Backs
Written by Ellis Bryn Johnson
Emanuel Wilson (RB – GB): 7% Rostered
- Next Opponents: MIN, @DET, CHI
- True Value: $6
- Desperate Need: $10
- Budget-Minded: $4
Analysis: Josh Jacobs, who has been one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs over the last two seasons, left the Packers’ Week 11 game against the Giants in the second quarter with a knee injury and didn’t return. Replacing Jacobs was Emanuel Wilson, who played 70.9% of the snaps in this game. Wilson carried 11 times for 40 yards and a touchdown, adding a nine-yard reception. The Packers’ other running back, Chris Brooks, played only 9.1% of the snaps. Wilson has flashed in the past, with big preseason performances and some explosive plays in relief duties. Early reports suggest Jacobs’ knee injury is not season-ending and that he might be more day to day than week to week. Don’t go overboard on Wilson, who might be worth almost nothing if Jacobs is able to play this week. But a speculative claim on Wilson is certainly warranted.
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAX): 30% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ARI, @TEN, IND
- True Value: $5
- Desperate Need: $8
- Budget-Minded: $3
Analysis: One of the most anticipated late-round picks in fantasy drafts, Bhayshul Tuten continues to flash his playmaking skills despite limited touches. Going into Week 11, Travis Etienne was dramatically out-snapping Tuten, earning a 72.4% snap share to Tuten’s 26.4%. Through three quarters of the Jaguars’ Week 11 win over the Chargers, Tuten had played 41.9% of the snaps to Etienne’s 55.8%. Tuten had 15 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. This may finally be the usage shift Tuten managers have been hoping for. Unfortunately, Tuten suffered an ankle injury and left the game. It’s worth monitoring Tuten’s status because if Tuten continues to eat into Etienne’s work, he could be a valuable piece down the stretch.
Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PIT): 32% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @CHI, BUF, @BAL
- True Value: $5
- Desperate Need: $8
- Budget-Minded: $3
Analysis: We now have more than just a one-game sample size of Kenneth Gainwell getting the Steelers’ backfield to himself. In both games, Gainwell has finished with RB1 numbers and was used as the lead rusher and pass-catcher. Jaylen Warren left the Steelers’ Week 11 win over the Bengals with an ankle injury, allowing Gainwell to take advantage of an abysmal Cincinnati defense. He finished with nine rushes for 24 yards and seven receptions for 81 yards and two scores. It appears Warren’s ankle injury may be minor. However, if he misses time, Gainwell should be locked into fantasy lineups. With matchups against the Bears and Bills coming up, it’s a dream schedule for fantasy running backs. Monitor Warren’s injury and adjust your bids accordingly.
Sean Tucker (RB – TB): 26% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @LAR, ARI, NO
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: If you’ve kept a close eye on the Buccaneers’ backfield, you’ve noticed that Sean Tucker‘s involvement has slowly increased over the last few weeks. Or at least it was a slow increase until Tucker went off for 140 yards from scrimmage and three scores in Week 11. Despite the big day for Tucker, Rachaad White played all third downs and two-minute drill snaps for the Buccaneers. If Bucky Irving remains out, Tucker will operate as the Buccaneers’ lead back on early downs and in goal-line situations. Irving’s injury timeline has been ambiguous, but he returned to practice last week on a limited basis. The Buccaneers’ running backs have a tough Week 12 matchup against the Rams.
Bam Knight (RB – ARI): 17% Rostered
- Next Opponents: JAX, @TB, LAR
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Jacoby Brissett has turned the Cardinals into one of the league’s most fun offenses to watch. With all the pass-catchers taking huge steps forward for fantasy, we have started to see the Arizona running game follow suit. With Trey Benson expected to return sometime in the next couple of weeks, we have seen multiple Arizona backs share the workload in Benson’s absence. Most recently, it has been Bam Knight and Emari Demercado operating as the early-down and pass-catching backs, respectively. However, in Week 11, Demercado left in the second quarter with an ankle injury. Knight carried the ball five times for 24 yards and a score and also caught four passes for 21 yards. The Cardinals’ schedule is unfriendly to running backs over the next three weeks, but as long as Benson remains out, Knight will be an RB2/RB3 play.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – WSH): 12% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BYE, DEN, @MIN
- True Value: $3
- Desperate Need: $5
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Metaphorically, Jacory-Croskey-Merritt had a good run. Literally, his lack of decent runs has led to Chris Rodriguez Jr. taking the lead role in the Washington backfield. In each of his last three games, Rodriguez has had either double-digit carries or a touchdown. Although Croskey-Merritt has played more snaps over that stretch, Rodriguez has been the more effective back. Rodriguez has 160 rushing yards over the last three weeks, compared to Croskey-Merritt’s 96. Despite the tough matchups coming up after the Commanders’ Week 12 bye, Rodriguez is still worth picking up.
Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL): 45% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NO, SEA, @NYJ
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: At this point in the season, I might start naming this section after Tyler Allgeier, who makes an appearance here every week. In Week 11, Bijan Robinson bounced back with two touchdowns and 143 yards from scrimmage. Once again, Robinson saw a dominant share of the snaps, playing 56 to Allgeier’s 14. However, Allgeier scored from the 1-yard line for his fourth touchdown in the last four weeks. On the season, he has dominated the carries inside the 5-yard line for Atlanta, and Allgeier remains a weekly Flex option. We’ve seen Allgeier have his best games in favorable matchups. With the Saints and Jets coming up, he is a player who should be rostered in all leagues.
Jaleel McLaughlin (RB – DEN): 1% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BYE, @WSH, @LV
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Last week, we received the unfortunate news that J.K. Dobbins will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Dobbins has dealt with injuries his whole career, and each time he has returned spectacularly. We’re wishing him a speedy recovery, and I already look forward to seeing him in 2026. In his absence, RJ Harvey led the way in the Denver backfield with 14 touches and 50 yards from scrimmage. Operating as the Broncos’ No. 2 back, Jaleel McLaughlin had seven touches, including a four-yard touchdown run. We all know the history of Sean Payton and committee backfields, which makes McLaughlin an intriguing pickup. When the Broncos emerge from their Week 12 bye, we could see an increased role for McLaughlin down the stretch.
Running Back Stash Candidates
With a great deal on the line in the Rams’ divisional showdown against the Seahawks on Sunday, Blake Corum continued to see significant work behind Kyren Williams. Corum had eight carries and one reception. He remains one of the most essential handcuffs in fantasy.
Ollie Gordon continues to be the Dolphins’ primary goal-line back. In Week 11, he had 45 yards and a score on nine carries. Gordon has limited upside in the receiving game but is always live to score a touchdown.
Brian Robinson Jr. is one of the best backup running backs in the league. If Christian McCaffrey were to miss any time, Robinson would instantly walk into No. 1 RB usage.
Wide Receivers
Written by Derek Brown
Alec Pierce (WR – IND): 48% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @KC, HOU, @JAX
- True Value: $8
- Desperate Need: $12
- Budget-Minded: $6
Analysis: Alec Pierce has been on a tear, with top-24 scoring finishes in three of his last four games (WR22, WR15, WR14). A big reason for the hot streak is his dominance against single-high coverage this season. Against single-high, Pierce has produced elite per-route numbers with a 28.1% target share, 3.44 yards per route run and a 32.7% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. The good news is that six of Pierce’s last seven games are against teams that have utilized single-high as their primary coverage, or they struggle to defend perimeter wide receivers. The only exception is the Seattle Seahawks. Pierce should continue dominating with weekly WR2 upside. He is a safe Flex floor play.
Christian Watson (WR – GB): 34% Rostered
- Next Opponents: MIN, @DET, CHI
- True Value: $6
- Desperate Need: $9
- Budget-Minded: $4
Analysis: In Weeks 8-10, Christian Watson operated as the Packers’ field-stretcher, with six of his 12 targets coming downfield, and logged a 25.8-yard average depth of target (aDOT). I was extremely bullish about his outlook for Week 11, and Watson delivered with a 19.2% target share, a 33.3% first-read share, 46 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. His target share and first-read share against the Giants were season-highs. The 33.3% first-read share led the team. He’s primed to continue helping fantasy teams down the stretch with five matchups against pass defenses that struggle to defend downfield. In his final seven games, Watson faces the Bears twice, the Vikings twice, and the Ravens. All of those defenses sit inside the top seven in deep passing completion rate allowed, per Fantasy Points Data. Watson should finish the 2025 season with a flurry of fantasy points.
Michael Wilson (WR – ARI): 47% Rostered
- Next Opponents: JAX, @TB, LAR
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded:$1
Analysis: Michael Wilson had the best game of his career last week against the 49ers. He had a 31.5% target share with 15 receptions and a staggering 185 receiving yards. I don’t think Wilson will continue to do that weekly, even if Marvin Harrison Jr. remains out following an appendectomy, but Wilson should continue to operate as the team’s No. 2 pass-catcher with some nice matchups incoming. His value will crater when Harrison returns, but you can ride the lightning until then with Wilson against the Jaguars and Buccaneers. Since Week 6, the Jaguars have allowed the most fantasy points per game to perimeter wide receivers, while the Bucs have given up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to that position during that stretch.
Mack Hollins (WR – NE): 5% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @CIN, NYG, BYE
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Mack Hollins has been serving as a capable Kayshon Boutte replacement in the Patriots’ passing attack over the last two games. Since Week 10, he has had a 23.1% target share, 85 receiving yards per game (with a 16.7-yard aDOT), 2.83 yards per route run and a 27% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In those two games, Hollins had one red-zone target and four deep targets. He should continue to operate as a strong Flex option until Boutte returns. His next two matchups are amazing. Cincinnati has been unable to stop any wide receivers not shadowed by DJ Turner. Since Week 6, the Giants have allowed the seventh-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL): 31% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NO, @NYJ, SEA
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Drake London left the Falcons’ Week 11 loss to the Panthers with a knee injury that turned out to be a PCL sprain. London is likely to miss multiple games. Darnell Mooney enters the Flex/WR3 area code with London expected to miss time. Mooney has been a ghost for most of the season, but across the last two games, he has had a 25.9% target share, a 37% air-yard share, and a 28.9% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Now, he hasn’t done much with the volume, averaging only 25.5 receiving yards with 0.91 yards per route run, but with this type of volume and some nice matchups incoming, Mooney could surprise across the next two weeks. Since Week 7, the Jets and Saints, respectively, have ranked 15th and 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to perimeter wide receivers.
Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU): 16% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BUF, @IND, @KC
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Houston remains obsessed with its wide-receiver-by-committee approach, but rookie Jayden Higgins is making a case for increased playing time. In Week 10, Higgins had a 49% route share, which isn’t great, but he had a 15.6% target share, a 22% air-yard share, a 29% target per route run rate, 42 receiving yards, 1.75 yards per route run, and a 16.7% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In Week 11, he had a 57.4% route share, a 17% target share, and 55 receiving yards. Higgins will be on the weekly Flex radar if he continues to earn this type of volume, but he has the upside to become a weekly WR3 candidate if he can secure a full-time role down the home stretch.
Parker Washington (WR – JAX): 47% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ARI, @TEN, IND
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: In Weeks 7-10, Parker Washington was WR18 in fantasy points per game with a 21.9% target share, a 34.2% air-yard share, 58.3 receiving yards per game, 1.68 yards per route run and a 25% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In Week 11, Washington cratered with a 9% target share and 20 receiving yards. Washington will be a middling volume-based Flex play moving forward. His value will continue to plummet as Brian Thomas Jr. gets healthier and Jakobi Meyers becomes more ingrained in the Jacksonville offense.
Wide Receiver Stash Candidates
Luther Burden finally passed Olamide Zaccheaus on the Bears’ depth chart in Week 11. He had a 61.1% route share with a 17.8% target share, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). He turned that into only three receptions and 28 receiving yards, but the bigger takeaway from Sunday is that Burden is finally emerging. Ben Johnson has been stubborn and holding back the talented rookie. As long as DJ Moore remains healthy and Chicago continues to feature a lot of 12/21 personnel, Burden is likely capped at a 60-65% route share, but that’s plenty of usage to produce Flex-worthy stat lines if the target share continues to tilt in his direction. Stash him now.
Quarterbacks
Written by Ellis Bryn Johnson
Jacoby Brissett (QB – ARI): 33% Rostered
- Next Opponents: JAX, @TB, LAR
- True Value: $5
- Desperate Need: $8
- Budget-Minded: $3
Analysis: Jacoby Brissett has given the Cardinals’ offense new life over the second half of the season. Setting an NFL record for completions in a game (47) in Week 11, the journeyman quarterback has been slinging the rock lately. Brissett put together his fifth consecutive top-12 fantasy performance at quarterback, throwing for 452 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers. At this point, Brissett is an every-week starter and should be rostered in all leagues. It always helps when you can lean on tight end Trey McBride, but in Week 11, without Marvin Harrison Jr., Brissett squeezed 185 yards out of Michael Wilson. Grab Brissett as an every-week play for the rest of the season.
Bryce Young (QB – CAR): 45% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @SF, LAR, BYE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Bryce Young was dealing on Sunday. Topping 400 passing yards for the first time in his career, Young torched the Falcons for 448 yards and three touchdowns. This performance came as a surprise, as the third-year quarterback had finished as the QB29 in fantasy scoring in each of the previous two weeks. This week, the Panthers face the 49ers, who just allowed Jacoby Brissett to set an NFL record for most completions in a game with 47. The Panthers have been shocking teams all season, and this is a great matchup to keep the ball rolling on offense. It’s risky knowing that Young’s floor is QB29, but we now know the upside is there.
Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAX): 41% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ARI, @TEN, IND
- True Value: $0
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Jaguars are one of the hardest teams to predict this season. Despite dealing with injuries to their pass-catchers, we have seen them have huge wins against the Chiefs and now the Chargers. However, we have also seen the Jaguars fall short against the Bengals and Texans. Trevor Lawrence has had four weeks in which he finished outside of the top 20 quarterbacks in fantasy scoring, four weeks in the QB12 to QB14 range and two weeks inside the top 12. It’s hard to trust Lawrence weekly, but if Brian Thomas Jr. returns to face the Cardinals in Week 12, it will be easier to play Lawrence. Plus, the trade deadline addition of Jakobi Meyers and the potential return of injured tight end Brenton Strange could help Lawrence find more consistency down the stretch.
Tight Ends
Written by Derek Brown
Juwan Johnson (TE – NO): 45% Rostered
- Next Opponents: ATL, @MIA, @TB
- True Value: $3
- Desperate Need: $5
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: In Tyler Shough‘s two starts, Juwan Johnson has had a 15.1% target share, 61.5 receiving yards per game, 3.00 yards per route run and an 11.8% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. He was the TE9 and TE3 in fantasy scoring in those weeks, seeing two red-zone targets and a deep target. Johnson should continue to produce borderline TE1 numbers as the Saints’ No. 2 target behind only Chris Olave.
Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU): 49% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BUF, @IND, @KC
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: In Weeks 3-10, Dalton Schultz had an 18.5% target share, 54.4 receiving yards per game, 1.75 yards per route run and a 20.2% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In those seven games, he has had four red-zone targets and three deep targets. In Week 11, even with a bad matchup against the Titans, Schultz commanded a 21.9% target share, producing six receptions and 51 receiving yards. While I’m not in love with Schultz’s matchups over the next three games, if he continues to see this type of weekly volume, he’ll continue to flirt with TE1 fantasy production.
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI): 48% Rostered
- Next Opponents: PIT, @PHI, @GB
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: In Week 10, with Cole Kmet back from injury, Colston Loveland had a 51.2% route share, but he only had an 11.1% target share with 55 receiving yards and an 8.7% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Loveland followed that up with a 58.3% route share, 12.5% target share and 40 receiving yards against the Vikings in Week 11. Loveland’s role remains capped with Kmet around. Chicago has moved to more 12 personnel to get Loveland onto the field, but with these types of route shares, Loveland is only a fringe weekly streaming option at tight end. The reason to pick him up is mostly with the hope that he can push Kmet aside at some point and earn a full-time route share. If that were to happen, Loveland would vault into low-end TE1 status for the rest of the season.
Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ): 17% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @BAL, ATL, MIA
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Since Week 4, Mason Taylor has had a 20.2% target share with 33.8 receiving yards per game, 1.22 yards per route run and a 22.5% first-read share. In those six games, Taylor has had seven red-zone targets, one score and three weekly finishes in TE1 range. Taylor’s role in the Jets’ offense is solid, but with issues of quarterback play and passing volume, he remains a dicey weekly streaming candidate.
Noah Fant (TE – CIN): 3% Rostered
- Next Opponents: NE, @BAL, @BUF
- True Value: $0
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Noah Fant is a deep league or desperation tight end streaming option this week. In Week 11, Fant had a 48.4% snap share, a 41.4% route share and a 15% target share. He turned it into five receptions and 35 receiving yards. This week, Fant gets a Patriots defense that has allowed the eighth-most receiving yards per game and the 12th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Defenses
Written by Pat Fitzmaurice
Cleveland Browns: 47% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @LV, SF, TEN
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: The Browns flexed their defensive muscles in Week 11, sacking Lamar Jackson five times and intercepting him twice before falling to Baltimore 23-16. The Browns have recorded 32 sacks for the season, led by Myles Garrett‘s league-high 15. The Browns have an attractive Week 12 matchup against the Raiders, who are giving up 10.3 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses.
Las Vegas Raiders: 4% Rostered
- Next Opponents: CLE, @LAC, DEN
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $3
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Yes, the Las Vegas defense looked terrible against the Cowboys in Week 11, but the Raiders will get to face a rookie quarterback in Week 12 — though it’s not clear which rookie they’ll face. Dillon Gabriel had been starting at quarterback for the Browns. He sustained a concussion on Sunday and was replaced by fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel has started six games for Cleveland, throwing two interceptions and absorbing 13 sacks. The Browns have scored 20 or fewer points in five of Gabriel’s six starts. Sanders got his first taste of NFL action on Sunday and looked completely overwhelmed, completing 4-of-16 passes for 47 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and two sacks. He finished with a passer rating of 13.5. Chances are good that Sanders will make his first NFL start in Week 12, making the Raiders an attractive defensive option.
New Orleans Saints: 2% Rostered
- Next Opponents: ATL, @MIA, TB
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Now here’s a sneaky-good streaming defense for Week 12. Never mind that the Saints’ defense isn’t especially fierce. New Orleans ranks 19th in defensive DVOA and 23rd in defensive fantasy scoring. What’s appealing is a Week 12 matchup against the Falcons, who’ll be without starting QB Michael Penix Jr. and star WR Drake London. Kirk Cousins is expected to start at quarterback for the Falcons. Cousins has appeared in only three games for the Falcons this season, but in 2024 he threw 16 interceptions and took 14 starts. Lacking arm strength, mobility and competent pass catchers, Cousins could be easy pickings for the Saints’ defense. The Saints also have a playable Week 13 matchup against the Dolphins.
Jacksonville Jaguars: 20% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ARI, @TEN, IND
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Jacksonville’s pass defense had been struggling before Week 11, but the Jaguars took advantage of the Chargers’ injury-depleted offensive line on Sunday, holding Justin Herbert to just 81 passing yards while intercepting him once and sacking him twice. The Jaguars’ defense is averaging 7.7 fantasy points a game, making it a top-10 fantasy defense. The Jags get a playable Week 12 matchup against Arizona. In five starts in place of the injured Kyler Murray, Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has thrown three interceptions and taken 18 sacks. In Week 13, the Jaguars face the Titans, who have given up the most fantasy points to opposing defenses by far.
Minnesota Vikings: 39% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @GB, @SEA, WSH
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: A road game in Green Bay wouldn’t normally be a great spot for the Vikings’ defense, but the Packers’ offensive line is banged up and Josh Jacobs seems unlikely to play in Week 12 due to a knee injury. During Brian Flores’ time as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, Jordan Love has made four starts against the Vikings and has thrown four interceptions and taken eight sacks in those games. The Vikings are a sneaky-good streaming option this week.
San Francisco 49ers: 18% Rostered
- Next Opponents: CAR, @CLE, BYE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had a career game against the Falcons last week, throwing for 448 yards and three touchdowns. It’s hard to believe that one big day is the start of a career turnaround for Young, who had struggled for most of the season. The San Francisco pass rush is anemic, ranking last in the league in both sacks and pressure rate. But a home matchup against Young and the Panthers is appealing, and then the 49ers get a really tasty Week 13 matchup against the Browns.
Kickers
Written by Pat Fitzmaurice
Cairo Santos (K – CHI): 21% Rostered
- Next Opponents: PIT, @PHI, @GB
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Cairo Santos has quietly been one of the league’s hottest kickers, at least for fantasy. Santos has produced double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four games and in four of his last five games if you go back to Week 4, before Santos missed a couple of games with a quad injury. For the season, Santos is averaging 10 fantasy points per game. He draws a favorable Week 12 matchup against the Steelers, who are giving up 10.6 fantasy points per game to kickers.
Matt Prater (K – BUF): 46% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @HOU, @PIT, CIN
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: It’s generally desirable to have kickers attached to high-scoring offenses. The Bills are among the highest-scoring teams in the league, averaging 29.2 points per game. Matt Prater made his only field goal try of the day on Sunday, a 39-yarder, and went 5-of-5 on extra points as the Bills beat the Buccaneers 44-32 in windy conditions in Buffalo. Wind shouldn’t be an issue for Prater in Week 12, when the Bills visit the Texans in Houston
Evan McPherson (K – CIN): 38% Rostered
- Next Opponents: NE, @BAL, @BUF
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Evan McPherson has produced at least eight fantasy points in each of his last four games, averaging 11 fantasy points per game over that stretch. During Joe Flacco‘s five-game run as Cincinnati’s starting quarterback, the Bengals have averaged 28.6 points per game. McPherson himself has been solid this season, connecting on 13-of-16 field goals and 23-of-23 extra points.
Andy Borregales (K – NE): 10% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @CIN, NYG, BYE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Patriots are humming on offense thanks to the weekly consistency of Drake Maye and a recent jolt of electricity from rookie TreVeyon Henderson. This week, the Patriots get a favorable matchup against the defensively challenged Bengals, who are yielding 33.4 points per game. The Bengals are giving up 9.9 fantasy points per game to kickers. Andy Borregales is 6-of-7 on field goals and 13-of-13 on extra points over his last four games.
Cam Little (K – JAX): 30% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ARI, @TEN, IND
- True Value: $0
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The cannon-legged Cam Little booted an NFL-record 68-yard field goal a few weeks ago, and he’s produced double-digit fantasy points in two of his last three games. Little gets a warm-weather Week 12 matchup against the Cardinals in Arizona. It’s a kicker-friendly matchup, too: Arizona is allowing 10 fantasy points per game to kickers.
Fool’s Gold
- Devin Singletary (RB – NYG)
- Xavier Legette (CAR – WR)
- Darnell Washington (TE – PIT)
- Tyrell Shavers (WR – BUF)
Devin Singletary had a pair of touchdown runs Sunday against the Packers. Singletary shared work with Tyrone Tracy Jr., with Tracy incrementally out-snapping Singletary 37-35 and out-touching him 23-17. Singletary’s involvement looks somewhat overinflated due to the high number of plays the Giants ran against Green Bay. With a partial workload, Singletary might not be able to produce useful fantasy numbers in tough matchups against the Detroit and New England run defenses the next two weeks, and then the Giants have a Week 14 bye. Singletary is best left on the waiver wire.
Xavier Legette turned eight targets into four catches, 83 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Falcons in a game where Bryce Young threw for a career-high 448 yards. Young had averaged just 168.2 passing yards per game entering Week 11, and Legette had exceeded 31 receiving yards in only one of his previous eight games this season. Don’t chase last week’s fantasy points.
Darnell Washington had four catches for 67 yards in the Steelers’ Week 11 win over the Bengals, using his 6-foot-7, 264-pound frame to bully Cincinnati’s would-be tacklers. But the Steelers rotate tight ends, and trying to pick the right one (if in fact there is a “right one”) in any given week is a game of Whac-A-Mole you’ll quickly tire of playing.
With Keon Coleman a healthy scratch in Week 11, Tyrell Shavers led Buffalo’s pass-catchers with four receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown on five targets in a 44-32 win over the Buccaneers. The Bills use an ensemble cast of pass-catchers, and the only cast members who have been even slightly consistent are Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid. It’s not worth rostering any other Bills pass-catcher.
Drop Recommendations
Droppable
J.K. Dobbins was having a nice season, but he will reportedly undergo surgery to repair his foot injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Calvin Ridley, who’s rostered in 58% of Yahoo leagues, returned from a hamstring injury on Sunday but broke his fibula and will miss the rest of the year.
Punctuality at team meetings is expected, Mr. Keon Coleman. The Bills’ second-year receiver was a healthy scratch in Week 11 for reportedly being late to a team meeting last Friday. Tardiness was an issue for Coleman last year, too, and he was benched for the first series of the Bills’ Week 5 game against the Patriots for unspecified disciplinary reasons. Coleman was having a disappointing season anyway, and with playing time now a concern going forward, there’s no reason to continue rostering him.
Jonnu Smith was held without a catch and was targeted only twice on Sunday against a Bengals defense that hemorrhages production to tight ends. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith uses a confounding three or four tight end rotation. The consensus this summer was that Smith would be the top tight end in Pittsburgh. So far, he has 26 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Smith is rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues, and it’s hard to understand why.
Droppable With a Chance of Regret
- Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)
- Jayden Daniels (QB – WSH)
- Sam LaPorta (TE – DET)
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB – WSH)
- Rachaad White (RB – TB)
We can group Garrett Wilson and Jayden Daniels under the heading of “players who could potentially return this season but play on teams with no incentive to bring them back.” Wilson is on injured reserve (IR) with a knee injury. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 15, but there’s no telling whether he’ll be ready to come back that early. The 2-8 Jets have little incentive to bring him back and could simply shut him down for the rest of the season.
Jayden Daniels dislocated his non-throwing elbow late in a November 2nd loss to the Seahawks. The injury didn’t require surgery, and the Commanders haven’t placed Daniels on IR. But with the Commanders now 3-8, will they bother risking the well-being of their franchise quarterback when they’re merely playing out the string?
Sam LaPorta has been placed on IR with a back injury and won’t be eligible to return until Week 15 — the start of the playoffs in most fantasy leagues. Going into Week 11, LaPorta had 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns. He ranked TE7 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring and TE10 in fantasy points per game. That sort of production may or may not be worth waiting for, depending on your roster, the number of bench spots in your league and other variables.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt hasn’t lived up to the hype that was generated during late-summer BillMania. With 533 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in 10 games, Croskey-Merritt has been reasonably productive at times. But the Washington backfield is now tilting toward Chris Rodriguez Jr. In the Commanders’ Week 11 overtime loss to the Dolphins in Spain, Rodriguez played 30 of the Commanders’ 67 offensive snaps, Croskey-Merritt played 18 and Jeremy McNichols played 17. A 25.4% snap share in a struggling offense leaves little room for optimism. With the Commanders going on bye in Week 12, it’s easy to justify dropping Croskey-Merritt.
Rachaad White out-snapped Sean Tucker 43-31 in the Buccaneers’ Week 11 loss to the Bills, but Tucker out-touched White 21-12 and had the far more impactful performance, finishing with 140 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns. Tucker was even more productive in the passing game, which is where White usually shines. Tucker had 34 receiving yards and a touchdown on two targets. White had 11 receiving yards on three targets. Starter Bucky Irving could return to the Buccaneers as early as this week. It seems as if Tucker, not White, will be the preferred handcuff.
Don’t Drop Yet
Tez Johnson had scored four touchdowns over a four-game stretch heading into Week 11, and he was WR18 in half-PPR fantasy scoring from Week 6 to Week 10. Johnson had just one six-yard catch on three targets Sunday in the Buccaneers’ loss to the Bills, but passing conditions were suboptimal in the brisk Buffalo winds. Johnson will lose some of his fantasy value if Chris Godwin returns from a leg injury this week after returning to practice on a limited basis last week, but Godwin’s status is still murky. Hold Johnson for now if you have the roster space.
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