While Week 8 was still the biggest fantasy football graveyard week for injuries, Week 11 was certainly no picnic either (and Monday Night Football has yet to go, bubble wrap your players). Pickups become more of the handcuff variety as most people who are going to break out or get a chance to break out, have done so. Injuries really are the biggest source of pickups. It becomes more about insuring your own guys and getting other owners' handcuffs if you can, you're trying to launch preemptive strikes. No bye weeks left, all players are on the table from here on out...well those that have survived this long at least.

Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 12. Each price recommendation will be based on a $100 FAAB budget. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all Week 12 options.

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) – FAAB Bid: $3

45% owned in Fleaflicker

Tyrod Taylor is still available in over half of Fleaflicker leagues, and while his performances in the past two weeks since he returned from injury haven't been blowing the roof off, the potential is still there. LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams are doing well as the 1-2 punch of a very effective rushing attack, leaving Taylor not having to carry the offense himself. While this isn't ideal for fantasy purposes, Taylor gets the Patriots in Week 11, and he did quite well last time out against them even just thanks to a second half surge of "comeback mode". If you're in need of some bye week relief or just want some QB depth, Taylor is a great option for a guy with a solid floor.

Brock Osweiler (QB, DEN) – FAAB Bid: $2

21% owned in Fleaflicker

Last week after Peyton Manning was pulled, Brock Osweiler came in and completed 14 of 24 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, also rushing three times for 18 yards. Osweiler followed that up by completing 20 of his 27 pass attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns. He celebrated his 25th birthday in style with a victory in his first start, and he also did not turn the ball over. Chicago's defense is not the greatest, but it was a cold day and he was without Emmanuel Sanders. Next week against New England will be interesting to say the least, and Gary Kubiak has confirmed that Brock Lobster will get the start against them (but no comment on the foreseeable future after that).

Jameis Winston (QB, TB) – FAAB Bid: $2

36% owned in Fleaflicker

The first overall pick made a convincing case for himself this week, passing for five touchdowns to five different receivers in a rout of the Philadelphia Eagles. Going on the road into Philly against a defensive unit that rated in the top ten versus the run and the pass respectively, Winston and the Bucs just carved them up like a Thanksgiving turkey. Now one should be aware of these five touchdown performances that come on only 19 completions, sort of in the same vein as Marcus Mariota's own season opener against Tampa where he had four touchdowns on 13 completions. I doubt most of you would expect four or five touchdown performances out of Winston from here on out, but it is still very encouraging to see such a great game out of him against a good defense on the road. Getting Vincent Jackson clearly helped the offense, Doug Martin ran astoundingly well, and at this point if Austin Seferian-Jenkins comes back this year it should just be viewed as a bonus.

Johnny Manziel (QB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: $1

16% owned in Fleaflicker

The Browns are coming out of their bye week now with Manziel at the helm, as the Browns' head coach Mike Pettine has named Johnny Manziel the starter in Week 12 against the horrible Ravens secondary that also just lost their starting quarterback and running back. Needless to say, that is a broken team that is ripe for the destroying. Josh McCown has been hurt and Manziel had the reins in Week 10 against Pittsburgh. While the Browns got wiped out, Manziel still passed for 372 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 17 yards on three carries, including one really nice scramble for a touchdown that got called back on a penalty. Manziel looked the best that he has all year, and if you need a quarterback in deeper leagues and he's available, don't write him off as a "deer in the headlights" quarterback anymore.

Update: Earlier today it was reported that Manziel has been demoted to the third QB on the depth chart for his activities off the field. He can be safely ignored in all formats. 

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs

Thomas Rawls (SEA, RB) – FAAB Bid: Rest of Your Wallet

31% owned in Fleaflicker

On the one hand, Thomas Rawls had one hell of a day in a cupcake matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, on the other hand, it was supposed to be to the benefit of Marshawn Lynch. Marshawn was ruled inactive before the game started, and now reports are coming out that he has told Rawls that he is "passing the torch" over to him, that Lynch is seeing a sports hernia specialist and looking at a potential core muscle reconstruction surgery, that he is going to miss some time. Rawls responded with 209 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries, tacking on three catches for 46 yards and a receiving touchdown. Rawls is the top pickup this week, and if you've still got FAAB dollars to throw with some weight, this is your target. From here on out Seattle gets Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Baltimore, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Arizona. That'll play.

Javorius Allen AKA Buck Allen (RB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: $12 - 15

11% owned in Fleaflicker

The Ravens are now without their starting quarterback, running back, and wide receiver for the rest of the year. Matt Schaub is not a good quarterback, and defenses may just stack the box and force Schaub to throw the ball (which has historically worked out really well for his opponents). This doesn't bode all that well for Allen, but all the same you can't argue with the opportunity that he has now. He is a starting running back in the NFL now with Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro both on the Injured Reserve. Allen finished Sunday's game against the Rams with 67 yards on 22 carries, but made some nice value with five catches for 48 yards. At least Allen gets the Browns in Week 12, but Weeks 14 and 15 he gets Seattle and Kansas City which isn't a good look. Proceed with caution, but he has the chance to make waves for the rest of the year.

Spencer Ware (RB, KC) – FAAB Bid: $5

1% owned in Fleaflicker

The soft matchup against the San Diego Chargers that was supposed to be Charcandrick West's turned into Spencer Ware's when West left the game with a hamstring injury. Ware finished the game with 96 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Decent. It's good to know that Ware is ready to be the next man up and is a worthy handcuff of owning. Kansas City's offense unabashedly goes through their running back, whoever it might be. West is deemed as being day-to-day with the hamstring injury, so Ware shouldn't be a big priority, but he's definitely worth putting in for as a handcuff option with the outside chance that he gets a Week 12 start if West can't go or is limited.

 

Others To Note:

Ahmad Bradshaw (IND, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3

13% owned in Fleaflicker

Gore should be fine as he returned to the game later, but we're out here in 'cuffin season. Bradshaw had a game reminiscent of his 2014, having most of his value come from receiving touchdowns. He only had 52 total yards, but caught two touchdowns on the day where Frank Gore left with a quadriceps contusion. Gore should be fine, but again this is about making sure you have the handcuff if you're a Gore owner. Or if you want to speculate with a bench spot on Gore getting hurt again down the road even if you don't own Gore. You could be that guy who sends funny gifs to the Gore owner when he goes down and you have Bradshaw. That alone is worth a buck.

Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3

35% owned in Fleaflicker

Dan Campbell and his Miami Dolphins are committed to using the run and Lamar Miller has seen great success since Philbin was fired. The Dolphins are running the ball well and Ajayi has run very well in his limited snaps thus far in 2015. His games so far have him rushing for 41 yards on only five carries in Week 9, and in Week 10 he rushed for 48 yards on six carries. He only rushed for 13 yards on four carries, but caught two passes for 23 yards against Dallas. He wasn't going to keep up the eight yards per carry average, but he is clearly good and demanding touches. This is mostly about him being a premier handcuff to Lamar Miller in an offense that likes to run the ball, and the kid just happens to also be talented by his own right. With injuries being the primary source of top pickups now (as opposed to random coming out parties), this is the time to stash Ajayi if you're a Miller owner, and if you've got a bench spot and you want to screw over the Miller owner and reap the benefits yourself then you can pick him up as well. He's a good option for the back end of your bench.

Robert Turbin (DAL, RB) - FAAB Bid: $2

21% owned in Fleaflicker

Darren McFadden has a new handcuff and his name is Robert Turbin. Turbin rushed for 35 yards on only seven carries, and even though McFadden fought through the reported groin injury this week, we all know that he has some durability woes. Let alone the fact that so many running backs have gone down already, we all know it could be anyone's week to get hurt any given Sunday. Turbin behind that offensive line is certainly worth speculating on, especially with Tony Romo back to bring balance to the Dallas Cowboys.

Shaun Draughn (SF, RB) - FAAB Bid: $1

12% owned in Fleaflicker

Expectations should have been very low for Draughn going into a matchup with the Seattle front seven, but he flashed some value in those short yardage routes. He only rushed for 37 yards on 12 carries, but got eight catches for 40 yards on 11 targets. Blaine Gabbert is pretty darn good at throwing the short-to-intermediate routes (as further evidenced by Anquan Boldin's game) and Draughn showed that he get some solid PPR value even in a terrible matchup. Do be aware that Carlos Hyde is reportedly coming back in the next two weeks, but for now Draughn is a solid flier.

Tevin Coleman (ATL, RB) - FAAB Bid: $1

46% owned in Fleaflicker

We kind of just have to include him for posterity's sake, because it certainly isn't due to his play. Devonta Freeman got concussed on Sunday and had to leave the game. This was Tevin Coleman's chance to get a share of the snaps back moving forward with a good performance. He did not do well. He rushed for 48 yards on 17 carries and fumbled again. Combine this with Freeman reportedly already progressing well in the concussion protocol, and you don't have much exciting going on here for Coleman. Yes, he is the handcuff option to pick up if all of the other guys are owned, but he has not looked good. Just be aware of this.

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers

Kamar Aiken (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $5 - 6

36% owned in Fleaflicker

Now not only do we have to worry about Kamar Aiken being not that great, but now he is going to have Matt Schaub throwing him the pigskin. Still, he is the #1 receiver for the Ravens now, and all #1 receivers should be rostered. Available in many leagues, you're going to want to find a spot for him. He did well against a strong Rams' secondary, posting five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, and now he gets the Browns in Week 12. Aiken is simply going to get plenty of opportunities to put up numbers despite the bounty of fleas that surround him. I don't expect his ownership to exceed 50% for next week's article, but perhaps a double digit effort against the Rams will be enough to put people over the top on him. The Schaub factor might totally counterbalance that though. This situation sounds like someone built a decently functioning robot out of scrap parts at a junkyard, but it's something.

Dwayne Harris (NYG, WR) – FAAB Bid: $3

19% owned in Fleaflicker

The Giants had their bye week so most of their players didn't see a big fluctuation in their ownership percentages, but just as a reminder, Harris has a pretty good opportunity ahead of him. Victor Cruz is done for the year and Dwayne Harris is locked in for the rest of the year as the Giants' slot man. Harris saw nine targets, catching six of them for 92 yards and a touchdown. It doesn't hurt anyone that he also has that outside chance at getting you a return touchdown as well. Harris has shown a lot of improvement as the year has gone on. Notably raw with route running and seeing some key drops early in the year, he has performed much better as of late and is clearly establishing some great chemistry with Eli Manning. Look for Harris to continue to get some great targets in the Giants' offense, especially with their running game not generating anything noteworthy moving forward.

Devin Funchess (CAR, WR) – FAAB Bid: $2

19% owned in Fleaflicker

Funchess saw eight targets on Sunday from Cam Newton in the rout of the Redskins, catching four of them for 64 yards and a touchdown. Reports earlier in the year were centered around Funchess' inability to be up to speed with the program that the Panthers wanted to run, but an injury to Corey Brown put Funchess in a position to start opposite Ted Ginn on Sunday. He had started to ramp up his numbers in past weeks, catching his first touchdown in Week 9 against Green Bay, but now he has a start under his belt and it's hard to imagine that Brown will force him back to bench considering the potential that Funchess has. It's not a sure thing, but he is certainly trending up, and you can't afford to be late on the waiver wire.

Leonard Hankerson (ATL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $2

14% owned in Fleaflicker

HankTime came back into the fold for the Falcons and had a pretty nice day out of the slot. He saw seven targets, catching four of them for 36 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. Hankerson and the Falcons will deal with the Panthers defense in Weeks 14 and 16, so be aware of that, but Week 13 against the Buccaneers should be pretty nice. The Vikings next week honestly aren't that frightful for a wide receiver anymore either, as their run defense is what really is carrying them. Jacksonville is sandwiched between the Panthers games too, so Hankerson can definitely be of help to you. When he's been healthy he has essentially removed Jacob Tamme from the equation, operating out of the slot while Julio Jones dominates on the outside and Roddy White does, some other stuff on the other side. He has a good chance of giving you a floor of five or six points with a pretty decent chance for double digits week in and week out. Look to Leonard in Weeks 12, 13, and 15 moving forward. Oh, and for those that play into Week 17, he gets the Saints. Yup, those Saints, scoop him up.

 

Others To Note:

Dontrelle Inman (SD, WR) - FAAB Bid: $1

6% owned in Fleaflicker

It was an ugly, horrible, no good game for the Chargers on Sunday against the Chiefs. There aren't really any bright spots that came out of that game for San Diego, but maybe you can point to Stevie Johnson's line and wave a little powder blue flag. Inman replicated his effort from last week, getting three catches on five targets again, only this time it was for 51 yards instead of 28. It's not much, but he's still the #2 wide receiver out there with a good quarterback. In deeper leagues his opportunity will be a welcome addition to your roster.

Chris Givens (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1

8% owned in Fleaflicker

As we said for Kamar Aiken, Matt Schaub is now the quarterback for the Ravens and opposing defenses don't even have to worry about Justin Forsett anymore. This is a tough sell, but Givens is still available in over nine out of ten leagues and is, in fact, a starting wide receiver. Aiken is definitely worth your attention as has been pointed out, but don't let Chris Givens just fall through the cracks if you're speculating or in deeper leagues. In Week 10 Givens caught four of seven targets for 37 yards and a touchdown. He saw seven targets again on Sunday, but only was able to haul in two of them for 25 yards. He's more of a stretch the field type of guy, but there is no doubting that the door is open for any wide receiver for the Ravens to earn their way into more playing time. Givens is available in many leagues and should not be viewed as an afterthought for those who are desperate in deeper formats.

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends

Richard Rodgers (GB, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2

48% owned in Fleaflicker

As has been said about Richard, he is reliant on getting into the end zone for his production to be worth it, but the Packers are pretty good at scoring touchdowns. They got back on track in a big divisional win and confidence booster over the Minnesota Vikings. Richard Rodgers had scored three times in the previous two games, but only managed seven yards against the Vikes. He still had five targets though, it isn't as though he wasn't involved out there. Eddie Lacy having a decent game and the running game in general getting back on track a bit should help take the pressure off of the passing game. While Lacy may now steal back some of those red zone opportunities, Richard Rodgers is still a good bet to get some of those patented Aaron Rodgers' rollouts when they get close to the end zone. The Packers get Chicago's poor defense next week, and it should also be noted that they get the Raiders in Week 15 for those who love beating up on them for the tight end matchup.

Kyle Rudolph (MIN, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2

41% owned in Fleaflicker

Well Rob Gronkowski has yet to play, but as of now Kyle Rudolph has put up the highest total for a tight end in Week 11. He had more targets in this game (9) than he had in the Vikings' past three (8). It's hard to look at this and see it as particularly sustainable. Rudolph has been more name than production for all of 2015, and while this game more like the Rudolph that was worth rostering from years past, it doesn't seem like it'll be the norm moving forward. Aside from Stefon Diggs, no receiving option seems to be able to put up consistent targets and numbers right now. The offense goes through Adrian Peterson first and foremost, and Teddy Bridgewater just isn't asked to do as much. It's worth throwing a buck or two at if you're desperate for a tight end and want to see if this momentum pushes Rudolph forward for a bigger role in the offense for a nice fantasy football stretch run, but the chances are low here.

Crockett Gillmore (BAL, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1

20% owned in Fleaflicker

He turned in four receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' loss against the Jaguars in Week 10, and followed that up with five catches for 101 yards on eight targets in Week 11 against the Rams. While Gillmore is going to need to score to be valuable most of the time, it was nice to see him break the 100 yard barrier with this one. Unfortunately it came with the loss of Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett. Heap this on top of the loss of Steve Smith, and you've got a pretty stripped down team as far as talent goes. Gillmore is the biggest receiving option out there right now for the Ravens, but now it is Matt Schaub throwing him the ball and the running game probably won't be effective enough to make for light opposition in the secondary. Still, Gillmore is showing that he is capable of putting up some nice numbers. Now it's just up to you to decide if you trust Matt Schaub to get him the ball.

Vernon Davis (DEN, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1

44% owned in Fleaflicker

Vernon Davis finally got his chance be involved in the Broncos' offense. He racked up 68 yards on six catches while his counterpart Owen Daniels caught four balls for 69 yards. Brock Osweiler clearly liked leaning on his tight ends in what is a true "Gary Kubiak" offense with the tight ends getting attention. Osweiler didn't need to throw 50 yard bombs, and could instead pepper the short and intermediate routes all day. Davis converted all six of his targets into catches, and definitely showed that he is still deserving of playing time with his effort. While Owen Daniels isn't going away, Davis has now entered the conversation as a guy with a true role in the Broncos' offense as opposed to still being "worked in" as he was in the past few weeks. He makes for a solid flier in an offense that will need its tight end safety blankets for Osweiler.

 

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