Fantasy Football WR Sleepers: Smash Spots for Week 12 include Courtland Sutton, Josh Downs, Terry McLaurin, Ladd McConkey

Ellis looks at fantasy football WR sleepers in smash spots for Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season. Target these fantasy football wide receivers as starts in lineups.

Welcome to the first bye-pocalypse of the season. We have the Bengals, Bills, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, and Saints all on bye. Do not panic; there are always great WRs to start!

Last week, none of our selections found the end zone. However, they put up decent yardage. Highlighted by CeeDee Lamb going eight receptions for 93 yards and George Pickens having eight receptions for 89 yards, both were a touchdown away from a big game.

This week, we have a lot fewer players to select from, but hopefully, more touchdowns to go around! My name is Ellis Johnson, and this is my 200th article with RotoBaller! I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity and support they have provided me over the last six years. Thank you to everyone who has continued to follow my work over the years as well. I truly appreciate every one of you. 

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Courtland Sutton (WR, DEN)

Last week, the entire Broncos team had a great day against the Falcons. With Bo Nix dicing up the defense for four passing scores, it was shocking that none were to Sutton. I think that changes this week.

Sutton has been the leader of this offense all season. Although it hasn’t always been pretty, his target share and yardage have been very steady. Since his shocking shutout performance in Week 7, he has eight or more targets in every game and 70-plus yards.

This week, they face a Raiders team that has been surprisingly efficient against receivers. The Raiders are averaging the sixth-fewest fantasy points against the position and fewer than a touchdown per game.

So why am I excited about Sutton this week? Honestly, it’s more of a gut feeling, and I think this Broncos team is finding its stride. This is a way better Broncos team than the one that played the Raiders earlier this season when Sutton had two receptions for 32 yards. It will be hard for Sutton to find himself in the top 20 WRs this week; however, he should be a locked-in WR3/flex play this week.

Another amazing catch by Courtland Sutton. pic.twitter.com/xzNSTyTFse

— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) November 17, 2024

Josh Downs (WR, IND)

This is the perfect spot for Downs in Week 12. Not only has the shifty WR been impressive all season, but we now have a new and improved Anthony Richardson under center. In his 11th NFL start, Richardson started to put the pieces together and carried the team to a game-winning final drive victory.

In Downs’ nine games this season, he has nine or more targets in six of them and five targets in two of the others. Thankfully, with his explosive playmaking ability, Downs turned those five targets into five receptions, 84 yards, and a score last week.

This week, he faces a Lions team that is an absolute wagon right now. The Lions are coming off another dominant win with 52 points scored. If Richardson can pull this off, get ready for all the truthers (like myself) to be unrelenting in the fantasy community.

The weakest part of this Lions team is the secondary. The Lions are allowing the second-most yards and most receptions to the position each week. Plus, they are elite at stopping the run game. If the Colts want to find a way to keep up in this game, it’ll need to be through the air. If Richardson can build on last week’s performance, Downs is primed for a massive game.

Same play. Two Games.

Week 8: Anthony Richardson badly misses schemed up play to Josh Downs out of the backfield

Week 11: Richardson hits it for a touchdown

experience! pic.twitter.com/DaBmXuxlkz

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) November 18, 2024

Terry McLaurin (WR, WAS)

What happened last week? On Thursday Night Football, we saw Jayden Daniels finally look like a rookie against the division-rival Eagles. That led to McLaurin failing to have a target in the first half. 

This week, they have another divisional game; however, we all know what the Dallas Clowns have brought to the table recently. To the elation of many, the Cowboys are collapsing right before our eyes. That includes their defense, where they have allowed the fifth-most offensive yards per game to opponents. 

Outside of a handful of games, McLaurin has been the WR we had all hoped for over the last few seasons. He is already only one touchdown away from matching his career high. It sounds wild to say, but the Cowboys are a great “get-right” matchup for this young Commanders team. I would forget about last week and fire up McLaurin with top-15 WR confidence in Week 12.

Jayden Daniels slangs to Terry McLaurin for the TD ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3N3HCxOUtU

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 13, 2024

Ladd McConkey (WR, LAC)

McConkey is on the perfect rookie WR trajectory this season. The second-round pick of this year’s draft has steadily gotten better each week. Much like the Broncos that we discussed earlier, this Chargers team is finding its stride over the last few weeks. 

McConkey is Justin Herbert’s favorite target and has been impressive with the targets he has received. Last week, he had a season-high in yards and targets. This week, they face a Ravens team that has fallen into the Wild Card mix after losing to the touchdown-less Steelers last week.

We have attacked this Ravens secondary all season, and I will continue to do so this week. Not only did Ja'Marr Chase torch them for 263 yards and three scores, but Pickens also had a nice day, considering the Steelers failed to score a touchdown.

On the other side, we just saw the Chargers get lit up by the Bengals above, with Tee Higgins and Chase combining for 223 yards and three touchdowns. All that to say, this game should be a shootout.

Like the Lions above, the Ravens are great at stopping the run. That sets up perfectly for McConkey to help this team move the chains and hopefully find the end zone. I have him as a top-20 player this week in my rankings.

More Fantasy Football Analysis