Week 12 is going to be fun. We have six teams on bye (Atlanta, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, New Orleans and the Jets), and Fantasy managers might have some interesting lineups during a crucial week.
The good news is we have some standout players coming back from injury with Mike Evans (hamstring), George Kittle (hamstring) and Sam LaPorta (shoulder) all slated to return to action, and maybe Isiah Pacheco (leg) could return as well. Given all the star players on bye, we’ll take whatever reinforcements we can get.
One of the interesting storylines to follow is the Giants with Tommy DeVito starting for the benched Daniel Jones, and what that means for Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Malik Nabers. I’m starting both with their matchup against Tampa Bay.
We also want to see what Anthony Richardson does against the Lions after his impressive performance against the Jets in Week 11. Jonathon Brooks is also slated to make his NFL debut in Week 12, and we’ll see what that means for Chuba Hubbard. And in that same game, it could be a great week for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs given the matchup with the Panthers.
I’m excited to see what happens in Week 12. And I hope all of your lineups are ready to go. The Fantasy playoffs are approaching, so let’s get a win and build some momentum heading into the postseason.
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Brian Robinson Jr.
RB WAS Washington ā¢ #8 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
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At the beginning of the season, Brian Robinson Jr. outperformed Bijan Robinson, leading Fantasy managers to think they drafted the wrong “B. Robinson” this year. That’s changed lately, but Brian Robinson Jr. still has a solid campaign. And he should have a big outing in Week 12 against the Cowboys.
Robinson has scored at least 13.1 PPR points in six of eight games this season. He returned from a two-game absence with a hamstring injury in Week 11 at Philadelphia and scored 14.2 PPR points with 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 9 yards on one target.
This week, he’s facing a Dallas defense coming off a Monday night loss to Houston, and Robinson should have fresh legs since he last played on Thursday night in Week 11. And this is a great matchup since running backs have had plenty of success against the Cowboys of late. In their past five games, five running backs have scored at least 12.1 PPR points, with seven touchdowns allowed.
I like Austin Ekeler as a sleeper in Week 12, but Robinson has top-12 upside in all leagues. Look for “B. Robinson” to dominate Dallas in this game.
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Quarterbacks
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Kyler Murray
QB ARI Arizona ā¢ #1 Age: 27 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
Murray will hopefully stay hot coming off the bye in Week 11, and he has top-five upside in Week 12 against Seattle. Murray scored at least 22.2 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, and the Seahawks have allowed six of the past seven quarterbacks to score at least 20.4 Fantasy points, including three in a row. Murray is also averaging 24.0 Fantasy points per game in his past six outings against Seattle.
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Bo Nix
QB DEN Denver ā¢ #10 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: Rookie
Nix was awesome as the Start of the Week in Week 11 against Atlanta with a career-high 36.8 Fantasy points, and he has now scored at least 20.1 Fantasy points in five of his past seven games, including two in a row. That streak started in Week 5 against Las Vegas when he scored 27.1 Fantasy points with 206 passing yards and two touchdowns, along with 9 rushing yards and a touchdown, and I expect him to have another outstanding game against the Raiders in Week 12. Five of the past six quarterbacks against Las Vegas have scored at least 22.2 Fantasy points, including three in a row.
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Jared Goff
QB DET Detroit ā¢ #16 Age: 30 ā¢ Experience: 9 yrs.
Let’s hope Goff doesn’t have another down game on the road in Week 12 because his last two games away from Detroit haven’t been good. He scored 11.6 Fantasy points at Green Bay in Week 9 and 11.8 points at Houston in Week 10 with five interceptions. In two previous road games at Dallas in Week 6 and at Minnesota in Week 7 he scored at least 22.8 Fantasy points in both outings, so I’m counting on him to perform well here. The Colts have allowed at least 20.1 Fantasy points to two of the past three opposing quarterbacks, and Goff is worth trusting as a top-10 quarterback in all leagues.
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Baker Mayfield
QB TB Tampa Bay ā¢ #6 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 7 yrs.
Mayfield had his six-game streak with at least 22 Fantasy points snapped in Week 10 against San Francisco, but I expect him to get back on track coming off his bye in Week 11. Mike Evans (hamstring) is expected to return in Week 12 against the Giants, who have allowed at least 23.8 Fantasy points to two of the past four opposing quarterbacks. Mayfield has failed to score at least 20.8 Fantasy points just once this season when Evans was healthy.
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Patrick Mahomes
QB KC Kansas City ā¢ #15 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 8 yrs.
We haven’t said many positive things this season about Mahomes as a Fantasy quarterback since he has scored more than 20 Fantasy points just four times. But three of those have come in the past four games, and hopefully he’s getting hot at the right time as the Fantasy playoffs are approaching. Mahomes should take advantage of the Panthers this week since Carolina is No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. This is a game where Mahomes, in theory, should pad his stats.
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Tua Tagovailoa
QB MIA Miami ā¢ #1 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 5 yrs.
Tagovailoa finally had the breakout game we’ve been waiting for in Week 11 against Las Vegas with a season-high 29.5 Fantasy points. He’s now scored at least 21.5 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, and hopefully he’s getting hot at the right time heading into the Fantasy points. This week, Tagovailoa should have another solid outing against the Patriots, who have allowed at least 21.3 Fantasy points to three of the past four opposing quarterbacks. I like Tagovailoa as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 12.
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C.J. Stroud
QB HOU Houston ā¢ #7 Age: 23 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Stroud has been a terrible Fantasy quarterback this season, and he comes into Week 12 having scored 14.4 Fantasy points or less in five games in a row. Granted, he only had Nico Collins for one of those outings, but Stroud is due for a big game, which hopefully will happen in Week 12 against the Titans. It helps that Tennessee has allowed four of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21.7 Fantasy points, including two in a row. It would be great to get Stroud back on track heading into the Fantasy playoffs.
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Drake Maye
QB NE New England ā¢ #10 Age: 22 ā¢ Experience: Rookie
Maye comes into Week 12 having scored at least 21.9 Fantasy points in three of his past five healthy games, and I hope he takes advantage of this matchup against the Dolphins. Ironically, Miami has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21.9 Fantasy points, so hopefully that’s a good number for Maye again. He’s a great bye-week replacement quarterback in all leagues in Week 12.
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Sam Darnold
QB MIN Minnesota ā¢ #14 Age: 27 ā¢ Experience: 7 yrs.
Darnold is more of a bust alert than a must-sit quarterback, and he’s playing well of late with at least 22.2 Fantasy points in three of his past four games. But his matchup against the Bears won’t be easy since Chicago is No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence in Week 6 is the lone quarterback with multiple touchdown passes against the Bears, and only Lawrence, Jayden Daniels and Jordan Love have topped 20 Fantasy points against Chicago. Darnold is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Geno Smith
QB SEA Seattle ā¢ #7 Age: 34 ā¢ Experience: 12 yrs.
The Cardinals defense is not an easy matchup for opposing quarterbacks, and Smith is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 12. The past four opposing quarterbacks against Arizona (Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, Caleb Williams and Aaron Rodgers) have scored 16.7 Fantasy points or less. And Smith has scored 15.7 Fantasy points or less in three of his past five games, including two of his past three at home.
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Jameis Winston
QB CLE Cleveland ā¢ #5 Age: 30 ā¢ Experience: 10 yrs.
We have a three-game sample size for Winston as the starter for the Browns, and he was excellent in two good matchups against Baltimore in Week 8 (29.6 Fantasy points) and New Orleans in Week 11 (30.6 points), but he struggled against the Chargers in Week 9 (12.1 points), which is a tough defense. He’s facing another tough defense in Week 12 against the Steelers, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing defenses. In the past two weeks, Pittsburgh has limited Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson to a combined 25.5 Fantasy points. This could be a rough game for Winston on Thursday night.
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Matthew Stafford
QB LAR L.A. Rams ā¢ #9 Age: 36 ā¢ Experience: 16 yrs.
Stafford is more of a bust alert than a must-sit quarterback since he’s playing well coming into Week 12. He scored at least 21.9 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, including a season-high 35.8 points at New England in Week 11. But now he faces a tough test against the Eagles, who are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Only three quarterbacks have scored at least 20 Fantasy points against Philadelphia this season and none since Week 4. And the Eagles have held Joe Burrow (14.9 Fantasy points) and Jayden Daniels (15.4 points) to minimal production in the past four weeks. Stafford is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Anthony Richardson
QB IND Indianapolis ā¢ #5 Age: 22 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Richardson was a star in Week 11 against the Jets with 30.1 Fantasy points. He completed 20-of-30 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, and he added 32 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That was an easy matchup, but things get tougher in Week 12 against Detroit since the Lions are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Only three quarterbacks have scored more than 20 Fantasy points against Detroit this season, which were Baker Mayfield in Week 2, Geno Smith in Week 4 and somehow Mason Rudolph in Week 8. Otherwise, the Lions have limited Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Sam Darnold, Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud, and Richardson will also be held under 20 Fantasy points in Week 12. He’s only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Wide Receivers
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Tyrone Tracy Jr.
RB NYG N.Y. Giants ā¢ #29 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: Rookie
The last time we saw Tracy in Week 10 against Carolina, he had a solid performance ruined by a late fumble. But he scored 15.4 PPR points against the Panthers, and he scored at least 14 PPR points in four of five games this season where he had double digits in carries. He should get plenty of work in Week 12 against Tampa Bay, and hopefully, new Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito involves Tracy more in the passing game. The Buccaneers are No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and seven running backs in the past five games have scored at least 13.8 PPR points.
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Rachaad White
RB TB Tampa Bay ā¢ #1 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
I like White and Bucky Irving as top 20 running backs this week, and both are worth starting against the Giants. At least one running back has scored at least 13.1 PPR points against the Giants in seven games in a row, but the Buccaneers duo have the potential to each reach that total in Week 12. White has scored at least 12.5 PPR points in four games in a row, including two outings with at least 19 PPR points over that span. And Irving has scored at least 15.4 PPR points in four of his past five games.
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Najee Harris
RB PIT Pittsburgh ā¢ #22 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
Harris is worth trusting as a No. 2 running back in all leagues heading into Thursday’s game against the Browns. Cleveland has allowed a running back to score at least 12.9 PPR points in three games in a row, but Taysom Hill also had seven carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns in Week 11. Harris has scored at least 13.3 PPR points in four of his past five games, and he scored at least 12.6 PPR points in three of his past five meetings against the Browns.
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Rhamondre Stevenson
RB NE New England ā¢ #38 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
Stevenson has scored at least 15 PPR points in two of his past three games against the Dolphins, including Week 5, when he had 12 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 3 yards on four targets. Stevenson also comes into Week 12, having scored at least 12.9 PPR points in three of his past four games overall. Miami is No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and 11 running backs have scored at least 11.1 PPR points against the Dolphins this season. Stevenson is a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Kareem Hunt
RB KC Kansas City ā¢ #29 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 8 yrs.
We’ll see if Isiah Pacheco (leg) returns in Week 12 at Carolina, and that will determine the outlook for Hunt in the majority of leagues. If Pacheco is active, then I still like Hunt as at least a flex option, but Hunt has top-10 upside if Pacheco remains out. Hunt had a down game in Week 11 at Buffalo with just six PPR points, but prior to that, he scored at least 13.3 PPR points in five games in a row. The Panthers are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and a running back has scored at least 12.6 PPR points against Carolina in every game this season. For the year, 14 running backs have scored at least 12.1 PPR points against the Panthers, so this should be a big week for Hunt if Pacheco is out.
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Javonte Williams
RB DEN Denver ā¢ #33 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
I’m not sure what Sean Payton will do with Williams and Audric Estime in Week 12 against the Raiders, but both have sleeper appeal. I like Williams as a No. 2 running back in all leagues, with Estime more of a flex. Williams was great in Week 11 against Atlanta, with nine carries for 59 yards and a touchdown, along with four catches for 28 yards on five targets. And he had 13 carries for 61 yards and five catches for 50 yards on six targets in Week 5 against the Raiders. Las Vegas is No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and a running back has scored at least 13.3 PPR points against the Raiders in every game this season.
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Ameer Abdullah
RB LV Las Vegas ā¢ #8 Age: 31 ā¢ Experience: 10 yrs.
On Wednesday, Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) did not practice, so we could be looking at Abduallah in a featured role for the Raiders in Week 12 against Denver. His best game of the season actually came against the Broncos in Week 5 when he had five carries for 42 yards, a touchdown, and three catches for 9 yards. He also had three catches for 16 yards, a touchdown on three targets, and one carry for 1 yard in Week 11 at Miami when Mattison and White were injured. Most of Abdullah’s production will likely come in the passing game, and Denver has allowed eight running backs to score at least 6.8 PPR points this season with just their receiving totals alone. He’s worth using as a flex option in all leagues.
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Austin Ekeler
RB WAS Washington ā¢ #30 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 8 yrs.
Brian Robinson Jr. is my Start of the Week, but I also like Ekeler as a flex option in all leagues. He comes into Week 12 having scored at least 17.3 PPR points in three games in a row, and he has eight games this season with at least 10.2 PPR points. In Week 11 at Philadelphia, Ekeler made a huge impact in the passing game with eight catches for 89 yards on nine targets, and he should be a nice complement to Robinson in this matchup.
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Jerome Ford
RB CLE Cleveland ā¢ #34 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
Ford made an impact in the passing game for the Browns in Week 11 at New Orleans, and he could do something similar Thursday night against the Steelers. Against the Saints, Ford had four catches for 29 yards on four targets. Pittsburgh just allowed Justice Hill to catch four passes for 28 yards on seven targets in Week 11, and five running backs have caught at least four passes against the Steelers this season. In two games against Pittsburgh last season, Ford combined for 28 carries for 137 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. He’s worth using as a flex in Week 12.
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Jaylen Warren
RB PIT Pittsburgh ā¢ #30 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
Warren is worth using as a flex option in all leagues Thursday night at Cleveland. He has scored at least 7.9 PPR points in four games in a row, including the past two outings against Washington and Baltimore, with at least 9.5 PPR points. He had a season-high four catches for 27 yards on four targets in Week 11 against Baltimore, and hopefully, he continues to see more action in the passing game. Warren should again prove to be a solid complement to Najee Harris in this matchup on the road.
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Nick Chubb
RB CLE Cleveland ā¢ #24 Age: 28 ā¢ Experience: 7 yrs.
I thought Chubb had the chance to play well in Week 11 at New Orleans, but he finished with 11 carries for 50 yards and no targets. He only played 22 snaps because Kevin Stefanski didn’t want to overwork him with Thursday’s game, so we’ll see what kind of workload Chubb gets against the Steelers. He’s now gone three games in a row with 5.2 PPR points or less, and he hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 7. Pittsburgh has allowed a running back to score a touchdown in seven games in a row, so there’s a chance for Chubb to do well if he finds the end zone. But I can only trust him as a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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Rico Dowdle
RB DAL Dallas ā¢ #23 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 5 yrs.
Dowdle has struggled in two games without Dak Prescott (hamstring), and now the Cowboys offensive line is banged up heading into Week 12 against Washington. Dowdle has combined for 14 PPR points in his past two outings against Philadelphia and Houston, and it was disappointing to see him get just five catches for 9 yards on eight targets combined over that span. The Commanders run defense isn’t a difficult matchup, but Dan Quinn should know how to limit what Dallas wants to do as the former defensive coordinator. Dowdle is just a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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Chuba Hubbard
RB CAR Carolina ā¢ #30 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
Hubbard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but this could be a tough week for him for two reasons. For starters, this is the worst matchup for any running back since the Chiefs are No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to the position. Only four running backs have scored touchdowns against Kansas City this season, and the Chiefs should be able to focus on stopping Hubbard since he’s Carolina’s best offensive weapon. But we also know the Panthers plan to use Jonathon Brooks for the first time this year, and we’ll see how much work the rookie running back gets in tandem with Hubbard. He’s still worth starting as a low-end No. 2 running back in the majority of leagues, but I’m worried about Hubbard’s production in this matchup, along with the presence of Brooks.
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Tony Pollard
RB TEN Tennessee ā¢ #20 Age: 27 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
Pollard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, and he does benefit if Tyjae Spears (concussion) is out for Week 12 against the Texans. But this is a brutal matchup for him since Houston is No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Pollard has been bothered by an injured foot the past two weeks, and he has just 13 total touches in each of his past two games against the Chargers and Minnesota, combining for 15.2 PPR points over that span. Consider Pollard a low-end No. 2 running back in most leagues for Week 12.
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D’Andre Swift
RB CHI Chicago ā¢ #4 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 5 yrs.
Pollard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, and he does benefit if Tyjae Spears (concussion) is out for Week 12 against the Texans. But this is a brutal matchup for him since Houston is No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Pollard has been bothered by an injured foot the past two weeks, and he has just 13 total touches in each of his past two games against the Chargers and Minnesota, combining for 15.2 PPR points over that span. Consider Pollard a low-end No. 2 running back in most leagues for Week 12.
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Wide Receivers
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Jauan Jennings
WR SF San Francisco ā¢ #15 Age: 27 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
Jennings looks like the best San Francisco wide receiver heading into Week 12 at Green Bay, and he has top-10 upside given his recent level of play. In two games since returning from a two-game absence with a hip injury, Jennings has 17 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets, and he scored at least 16.3 PPR points in each outing against Tampa Bay and Seattle. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) missed practice Wednesday, which is a positive for Jennings, and Green Bay has allowed the opposing No. 1 receiver to score at least 13.7 PPR points in three games in a row.
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba
WR SEA Seattle ā¢ #11 Age: 22 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Smith-Njigba is on fire heading into Week 12 against Arizona, and hopefully he continues his recent level of play. In his past two games against the Rams and 49ers, Smith-Njigba has 17 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns on 24 targets, and he scored at least 21.8 PPR points in each outing. He also scored 12.9 PPR points in Week 8 against Buffalo, and hopefully that’s his floor for the rest of the season. Smith-Njigba scored 16.3 PPR points against the Cardinals in Seattle last year, and hopefully he has a similar performance in Week 12.
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Ladd McConkey
WR LAC L.A. Chargers ā¢ #15 Age: 23 ā¢ Experience: Rookie
McConkey and Quentin Johnston are both worth starting in Week 12 against the Ravens, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. McConkey should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and he has scored at least 18.3 PPR points in two of his past four games. Johnston should be considered a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues, and he has scored a touchdown in three games in a row. Baltimore has allowed 70 catches, 962 yards and six touchdowns to receivers in its past five games on 119 targets, with seven guys scoring at least 12.9 PPR points over that span.
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Marvin Harrison Jr.
WR ARI Arizona ā¢ #18 Age: 22 ā¢ Experience: Rookie
The last time we saw Harrison in Week 10 against the Jets he scored 16.4 PPR points, and that’s the second time in his past three games where he reached that total. I hope the Cardinals used the bye week to figure out more ways to get Harrison the ball, and he scored 23.1 PPR points in his last road outing in Week 8 at Miami. And hopefully the trend for No. 1 receivers continues against Seattle since seven opposing top receivers in a row have scored at least 16.5 PPR points, including four scoring at least 20.7 PPR points during that stretch.
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Josh Downs
WR IND Indianapolis ā¢ #1 Age: 23 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Downs played well with Anthony Richardson under center in Week 11, and Downs should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues in Week 12 against the Lions. Detroit is No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and at least one receiver has scored at least 13.6 PPR points against the Lions in every game this season, with nine receivers scoring at least 16.1 PPR points. Downs had five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown on five targets in Week 11 at the Jets, and he has now scored at least 19.4 PPR points in his past two starts with Richardson. Downs has also scored at least 12.0 PPR points in four games in a row overall.
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Calvin Ridley
WR TEN Tennessee Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
Ridley had a disappointing game in Week 11 against Minnesota with four catches for 58 yards on six targets, which snapped his three-game streak of scoring at least 12.3 PPR points. It also was his fewest targets since Week 4. I expect him to get back on track in Week 12 against the Texans, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. It might come in garbage time if Houston is playing with a lead, and the Texans have allowed eight receivers to score at least 13.8 PPR points in their past five games. You can also use Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as a sleeper in deeper leagues, and he has five touchdowns in his past six games.
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DeAndre Hopkins
WR KC Kansas City ā¢ #10 Age: 32 ā¢ Experience: 12 yrs.
Hopkins hasn’t been a reliable Fantasy receiver since joining the Chiefs with one game of significance in four outings, but I like him as a No. 3 option in Week 12 against the Panthers. Xavier Worthy is also worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, and I expect Patrick Mahomes to pad his stats in this matchup coming off Kansas City’s first loss of the season in Week 11 at Buffalo. There have been 10 receivers with at least 12.0 PPR points against Carolina this season, and two times where a pair of receivers did that in the same game. Hopkins and Worthy will hopefully join that list in Week 12.
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Jameson Williams
WR DET Detroit ā¢ #9 Age: 23 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
As expected, Williams played well in Week 11 against Jacksonville with four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown on six targets for 22.6 PPR points. That’s now five games with at least 14.4 PPR points in the eight games he’s played, so he’s worth the risk of starting almost every week for the chance of him having a big performance. That includes Week 12 at the Colts, who have allowed 13 receivers to score at least 12.6 PPR points this season. And if Sam LaPorta (shoulder) remains out again for the second week in a row then we could see Williams get six-plus targets for just the fourth time all year.
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Elijah Moore
WR CLE Cleveland ā¢ #8 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
We’re not going to have every Browns receiver post a solid stat line every week, but Jameis Winston is doing a great job of giving all of his guys chances to make plays. Cedric Tillman, Jerry Jeudy and Moore all have three games in a row with at least eight targets thanks to Winston, and that should continue against Pittsburgh. I have Tillman and Jeudy, in that order, ranked as No. 2 Fantasy receivers for Week 12. Moore is a No. 3 receiver, but he’s now scored at least 16.5 PPR points in two of three starts with Winston. This isn’t an easy matchup against the Steelers, who are No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. But given the volume for the Browns trio of receivers, they all have the chance for quality production in this Thursday night showdown.
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Demario Douglas
WR NE New England ā¢ #3 Age: 23 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Douglas had six catches for 59 yards on nine targets in Week 5 against Miami in the final start for Jacoby Brissett. I hope he gets nine targets against the Dolphins in the rematch with Drake Maye now under center. Douglas has five games this season with at least seven targets, and he scored at least 10.5 PPR points in all of them, including two outings with at least 14.8 PPR points. Five receivers have scored at least 14.0 PPR points against the Dolphins in their past four games, and I like Douglas as a No. 3 PPR receiver in Week 12.
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Calvin Ridley
WR TEN Tennessee Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
Dell comes into Week 12 against Tennessee having scored 9.8 PPR points or less in each of his past two games against Detroit and Dallas. This despite getting at least seven targets in each outing, and he only has four games this season with double digits in PPR points. I’m expecting Nico Collins to go off in this matchup now that he’s two games back from his hamstring injury. Dell might score for the third time this season, but without a touchdown he might not have a huge stat line in Week 12.
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Christian Watson
WR GB Green Bay ā¢ #9 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
I wanted to add Watson in every league heading into Week 12 against San Francisco. But I’m not ready to start him in most formats. He was awesome in Week 11 at Chicago with four catches for 150 yards on four targets, but that’s just the second time all season he’s scored more than 10.3 PPR points. And he only has two touchdowns all year. San Francisco might be without standout pass rusher Nick Bosa (hip), but the 49ers are still No. 10 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Watson, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs should all be considered No. 3 Fantasy receivers against San Francisco in Week 12.
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Jaylen Waddle
WR MIA Miami ā¢ #17 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
I keep hoping that if I continue to list Waddle as a sit receiver that he’ll snap out of his slump to spite me, but we’ve had no such luck. He comes into Week 12 having scored 8.6 PPR points or less in nine games in a row, and he only has one touchdown all season. Jonnu Smith has passed Waddle as the No. 2 receiving option for the Dolphins behind Tyreek Hill, and Waddle has three games in his past five outings with three targets or less. At this point he’s only worth using as a No. 3 receiver in deep leagues in Week 12.
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Keenan Allen
WR CHI Chicago ā¢ #13 Age: 32 ā¢ Experience: 12 yrs.
D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze benefitted with Thomas Brown taking over as the offensive coordinator for the Bears in Week 11 against Green Bay, but Allen once again struggled. He had four catches for 41 yards on eight targets, and he can’t be trusted in Week 12 against the Vikings. Even though Minnesota is No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, that should benefit Moore and Odunze, who both scored at least 12.5 PPR points against Green Bay. Allen has scored double digits in PPR just once, which was Week 6 against Jacksonville. He’s only worth starting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deep leagues.
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Jakobi Meyers
WR LV Las Vegas ā¢ #16 Age: 28 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
Meyers had a solid game against the Broncos when they first met in Week 5 with six catches for 72 yards on nine targets, and we’ll see if he can replicate his 13.2 PPR points in the rematch. He’s coming off a down game in Week 6 at Miami with four catches for 28 yards on six targets, and he only has two touchdowns on the season. We’ll see if he gets matched up with Patrick Surtain II, and so far he’s been able to limit DK Metcalf (5.9 PPR points), George Pickens (4.9 PPR points), Mike Evans (3.7 PPR points), Garrett Wilson (9.1 PPR points), DeAndre Hopkins (9.6 PPR points) and Drake London (9.1 PPR points) to minimal production. I would only start Meyers in three-receiver leagues in Week 12.
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Tight End
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Hunter Henry
TE NE New England ā¢ #85 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 9 yrs.
In Week 11 against the Rams, Henry was back to being a go-to option for Drake Maye, scoring at least 12.3 PPR points for the fourth time in five healthy games with his rookie quarterback. He has three games over that span with at least eight targets, and hopefully Maye continues to feature Henry in Week 12 at Miami. The Dolphins have also been miserable against tight ends of late with Trey McBride (21.4 PPR points) and Brock Bowers (31.3 PPR points) having huge outings in two of the past four weeks. But also Buffalo’s tight ends of Dalton Kincaid and Quintin Morris combined for 14.4 PPR points in Week 9, and Davis Allen had five catches for 34 yards on six targets in Week 10. This is a good matchup for Henry.
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Will Dissly
TE LAC L.A. Chargers ā¢ #81 Age: 28 ā¢ Experience: 7 yrs.
The Ravens are No. 10 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and that bodes well for Dissly staying hot in Week 12. Six tight ends have scored at least 10.8 PPR points against Baltimore this season, and Dissly will hopefully go above that threshold again. He’s scored at least 8.0 PPR points in four of his past five games, with two outings of at least 16.1 PPR points over that span, and he has at least six targets in four of his past five contests. I hope he continues to be a go-to option for Justin Herbert in Week 12, and I like Dissly as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues.
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Jonnu Smith
TE MIA Miami ā¢ #9 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 8 yrs.
Smith had a solid game against the Patriots in his first meeting against one of his former teams in Week 5 with five catches for 62 yards on eight targets, and that was without Tua Tagovailoa, who was on injured reserve with a concussion. Lately, Smith is on fire, and he’s worth starting in all leagues in the rematch with New England in Week 12. Smith has at least six targets in four of his past five games, and he scored at least 7.5 PPR points in four of his past five outings, including three in a row. The Patriots have allowed a tight end to score a touchdown in three of their past four games, so hopefully Smith builds off his performance in Week 11 when he had six catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets against the Raiders.
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Zach Ertz
TE WAS Washington ā¢ #86 Age: 34 ā¢ Experience: 12 yrs.
Ertz was awesome in his revenge game against the Eagles in Week 11 with six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, as well as a two-point conversion. He’s now scored at least 14 PPR points in three of his past five games. The Cowboys have allowed five tight ends to score a touchdown in their past six games, and six tight ends have scored at least 8.3 PPR points against Dallas over that span.
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Dallas Goedert
TE PHI Philadelphia ā¢ #88 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 7 yrs.
Goedert had a solid game in Week 11 against Washington with five catches for 61 yards on five targets, and he has now scored at least 10.5 PPR points in four healthy games in a row. He has a great matchup in Week 12 at the Rams, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Seven tight ends have scored at least 8.5 PPR points against the Rams this season, and Goedert should be considered a top-10 Fantasy option in all leagues for Week 12.
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Luke Schoonmaker
TE DAL Dallas ā¢ #86 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Jake Ferguson (concussion) is not expected to play in Week 12 at Washington, and Schoonmaker is a good replacement option in deeper leagues. He stepped in for Ferguson in Week 11 against Houston and caught six passes for 56 yards on 10 targets, and hopefully he continues to get that much attention against the Commanders. It helps that Washington has allowed four tight ends to score at least 10.7 PPR points in the past five games, with three touchdowns allowed over that span.
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Cole Kmet
TE CHI Chicago ā¢ #85 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 5 yrs.
I started the week encouraged by Kmet since he played a season-high 97 percent of the snaps in the first game under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown in Week 11 against Green Bay. But he only had three catches for 42 yards on three targets against the Packers, and the matchup against the Vikings isn’t ideal. Minnesota has only allowed two touchdowns to tight ends all season and none since Week 4, and only one tight end has scored more than 4.5 PPR points against the Vikings in their past five games.
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Pat Freiermuth
TE PIT Pittsburgh ā¢ #88 Age: 26 ā¢ Experience: 4 yrs.
Freiermuth has scored 7.1 PPR points or less in four of his past five games, and he has three targets or less and three catches or less in six games in a row. He just hasn’t produced enough with Russell Wilson to trust in the majority of leagues heading into Thursday’s game against the Browns. Cleveland has also allowed just two receiving touchdowns to tight ends all season, and it’s hard to see Freiermuth having a big game without finding the end zone.
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Isaiah Likely
TE BAL Baltimore ā¢ #80 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: 3 yrs.
Likely returned from his one-game absence due to a hamstring injury in Week 11 at Pittsburgh, and he had a solid outing with four catches for 75 yards on five targets. That was his best game in terms of yards since Week 1, and it was just the third time all season he had at least four catches. He still hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 5, and I’m not planning to start him against the Chargers, who are the only team yet to allow a touchdown to an opposing tight end. Even Mark Andrews is a risky start against this defense.
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Tucker Kraft
TE GB Green Bay ā¢ #85 Age: 24 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
Kraft was a huge letdown in Week 11 at Chicago with no catches on one target, and it’s tough to trust him heading into Week 12 against San Francisco. The 49ers are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and only two tight ends have scored touchdowns against San Francisco this season, including none since Week 5. The 49ers have held Travis Kelce, Jake Ferguson and Cade Otton to 8.5 PPR points or less in their past four games, and Kraft is not worth trusting in this matchup in the majority of leagues.
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DST
Commanders (vs. DAL)
The Cowboys have been a mess offensively since Dak Prescott (hamstring) got hurt, and now the offensive line is banged up. Right guard Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder) and left guard Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) did not practice Wednesday, and this could be a disaster if both are out against the Commanders. It’s also Dan Quinn, the former defensive coordinator in Dallas, facing his former team. And the Cowboys have scored 16 combined points without Prescott the past two games while allowing eight sacks and seven turnovers.
- Buccaneers (at NYG)
- Cardinals (at SEA)
- Bears (vs. MIN)
Packers (vs. SF)
I liked the Packers DST in Week 11 at Chicago, but the defense was a slight letdown with only three sacks and no turnovers while allowing 19 points. This week, the Packers DST should be avoided with a matchup against the 49ers. San Francisco has just two turnovers in the past three games, and Brock Purdy has been sacked three times or less in eight games in a row. You should find another DST for Week 12.
KICKERS
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Jason Myers
K SEA Seattle ā¢ #5 Age: 33 ā¢ Experience: 10 yrs.
Myers just made two kicks from 50-plus yards in Week 11 at San Francisco with a 52-yard field goal and a 57-yard one as well. He has five games this season with at least 10 Fantasy points, and the Cardinals are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing kickers. Eight kickers have made multiple field goals against Arizona this season and four have scored at least 10 Fantasy points.
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Wil Lutz
K DEN Denver ā¢ #3 Age: 30 ā¢ Experience: 9 yrs.
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Chase McLaughlin
K TB Tampa Bay ā¢ #4 Age: 28 ā¢ Experience: 6 yrs.
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Jake Bates
K DET Detroit ā¢ #39 Age: 25 ā¢ Experience: 1 year
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Brandon Aubrey
K DAL Dallas ā¢ #17 Age: 29 ā¢ Experience: 2 yrs.
It stinks that we can’t rely on Aubrey, but the Cowboys offense is struggling without Dak Prescott (hamstring) and giving Aubrey limited chances to score. In two games without Prescott against Philadelphia and Houston, Aubrey has combined for just 13 Fantasy points and four field goal attempts and one PAT. The Commanders are also No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing kickers, and only one kicker has made multiple field goals against Washington since Week 6.
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