In Week 12 the Falcons, Bills, Bengals, Jaguars, Jets, and Saints are on bye. That means we won’t have Alvin Kamara, Bijan Robinson, James Cook, Breece Hall, Chase Brown or Travis Etienne. And somehow, running back still doesn’t look all that bad this week.
I have 27 running backs projected to score double-digit PPR Fantasy points in Week 12, meaning in a 12-team league there is still enough to go around, assuming the backs are evenly distributed. What’s more, 15 of those backs are projected to score at least 13.8 PPR Fantasy points. I can only say that about 10 wide receivers this week.
Within those 27 backs projected for at least 10 points are three sets of teammates. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are both top 14 backs this week, must-starts in any format, but the Commanders and Buccaneers are a little bit more difficult. I have Brian Robinson Jr., Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, and Austin Ekeler all projected for between 10.25 and 11.99 PPR Fantasy points.
That projection means they’re all ranked as low-end RB2s or high-end flexes, but I’m not sure that fully captures their upside. All four have outstanding matchups. Robinson and Irving should take advantage of bad run defenses to pile up yards on the ground while Ekeler and White could be the number two pass catchers on their respective teams. What we don’t know for sure is who will score the touchdowns. Robinson and Irving are more likely to score from close.
Last week we saw both Ekeler and Robinson finish as top 15 backs. The week before Irving and White were both top 10 options. With six teams on a bye, you should feel just fine starting any of these backs, including two on the same team.
You’ll find my projections for every player on the slate here.
Now, let’s get to the rest of the Week 12 RB Preview:
Fantasy Football Today Newsletter
Know What Your Friends Don’t
Get tips, advice and news to win your league – all from the FFT podcast team.
See All Newsletters
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
Week 12 RB Preview
Who’s Out
Numbers to Know
Matchups That Matter
Waiver Wire Targets
DFS Plays
Projections
Who’s Out
The following players are not being projected to play in Week 12 at this time. Here’s what it means:
|
Alexander Mattison
RB LV Las Vegas • #22 Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.
At the beginning of the week we aren’t projecting Mattison or Zamir White to suit up. That makes Ameer Abdullah and Dylan Laube interesting waiver adds.
|
|
Tyjae Spears
RB TEN Tennessee • #2 Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Tony Pollard should be a workhorse again.
|
Numbers to know
- 24.2% — Javonte Wiliams’ 24.2% target per route run rate keeps him in the starter discussion even with his weekly uncertainty in the running game.
- 6 — Roschon Johnson has six rush attempts inside the five-yard line, which is tied with D’Andre Swift. Johnson is a touchdown-dependent flex this week if you need him.
- 10 — Austin Ekeler leads all running backs with 10 receptions of more than 15 yards.
- 37% — James Cook played a season-low 37% of the offensive snaps in Week 11. Hopefully, that’s not a warning of what is to come.
- 77.3% — Chuba Hubbard has a 77% rush share over the past month. It will be interesting to see if Jonathon Brooks cuts into that.
- 67 — James Conner leads all running backs with 67 tackles avoided this season. No one else has more than 56.
- 10.2 — Nick Chubb has not scored more than 10.2 PPR Fantasy points in a game yet this season. Even with three teams on a bye, we would prefer to sit him.
Matchups that matter
Sportsline
|
Brian Robinson Jr.
RB WAS Washington • #8 Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Bucky Irving
RB TB Tampa Bay • #7 Age: 22 • Experience: Rookie
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Chuba Hubbard
RB CAR Carolina • #30 Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
J.K. Dobbins
RB LAC L.A. Chargers • #27 Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Nick Chubb
RB CLE Cleveland • #24 Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Waiver Wire Targets
|
Justice Hill
RB BAL Baltimore • #43 Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Hill has three games with at least 11.5 PPR Fantasy points and he scored 8.2 last week. That’s not great by any stretch, but it’s not bad on a week that six teams are on bye. Hill is only an option in full PPR leagues.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Ameer Abdullah
RB LV Las Vegas • #8 Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.
If both Alexander Mattison and Zamir White are out then I am way too low on Abdullah and he should be a top waiver wire priority. Unfortunately, we won’t know that when claims go through. If you’re desperate for a running back, must win this week, and still have a lot of FAB left I wouldn’t blame you for blowing a chunk on Abdullah just in case.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Zach Charbonnet
RB SEA Seattle • #26 Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
It was just three weeks ago that Charbonnet scored a touchdown and 11.4 PPR Fantasy points. He catches a couple of passes every week as well. Charbonnet is a better add as a bench stash.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Trey Benson
RB ARI Arizona • #33 Age: 22 • Experience: Rookie
After a slow start to the season, Benson has caught fire as a rusher. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry over his last five games and could be a league winner if James Conner misses time in the Fantasy playoffs.
|
||||||||||||||||||
DFS Plays
Sportsline
|
Saquon Barkley
RB PHI Philadelphia • #26 Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.
I have Barkley projected for two more points in half PPR than any other back. He’s gone over 25 Fantasy points in three of his last six games and is averaging a league-high 22 touches per game. In cash games he should be the chalk at running back and he’s worth it.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sportsline
|
Josh Jacobs
RB GB Green Bay • #8 Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Jacobs’ lack of touchdowns and tough matchup should limit his rostership, but he projects as one of my best values on the main slate. He’s averaging 19.9 touches per game and 5.1 yards per touch. He’s also scored four times in his last four games, so don’t worry about the fact that he didn’t score early in the season.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Heath’s Projections
My full set of Week 12 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You’ll find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don’t live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 11. Projected stats for all starting running backs are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.
