👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Beating The Waiver Wire - Speculative Stashes for Week 12

It's Wednesday morning. You dropped a player last night expecting to make some moves on the waiver wire, only to wake up and find out you weren't able to get anyone you put a claim in for. What now?

If you've got an open roster spot, its always a good idea to plan ahead for the future. There are plenty of players in the NFL ripe for a breakout game that will fly up the waiver wire in the following week. This column is here to help you anticipate who that's going to be, and stay a week ahead of your competition.

I'll be giving you a couple players who may be worth grabbing before their stock rises. Here are some players that will help you beat the waiver wire ahead of Week 12, in case they emerge this week.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Waiver Wire Stashes and Fliers for Week 12

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB) - 37% owned

I believe the majority of people checking out this column fall into two categories: those who need a player who can come in and help them push for the playoffs, or those in the drivers seat looking for a speculative stash that could help come playoff time. This one if for those that fall into the latter.

Aaron Rodgers is eligible to return in Week 15. The Packers are unlikely to be out of the playoffs in Week 15. They sit at 5-4 and face the Ravens, Steelers, Buccaneers and Browns over the next four weeks. Even with Brett Hundley at quarterback, I'd be surprised if the Packers didn't beat the Browns and Bucs, and they have a chance to beat the Ravens at home this week. The Packers will likely be 7-6 with a chance at 8-5 the first week Rodgers is eligible to be back.

Rodgers was spotted at practice this week taking snaps from a trainer. If the Packers don't go 0-4 over the next four weeks, you know damn well Rodgers will be doing everything he can to get himself back on the field. He isn't going to waste a year of his prime if the Packers have a shot at the playoffs. We still don't know if Rodgers will be healthy by Week 15, but him showing up at practice this week is a great sign. Rodgers is a great hold for owners with quarterback issues who will likely find themselves in the playoffs.

Nathan Peterman (QB, BUF) - 4% owned

Many were shocked that the Bills made the decision to bench quarterback Tyrod Taylor in favor of Peterman, a fifth-round draft pick who played his first NFL snaps last week. The Bills are pushing for the playoffs at 5-4. Taylor was bad last week, but he didn't give up 47 points. The Bills are receiving a lot of criticism for this decision.

But heres the thing: Sean McDermott doesn't make this decision without putting a ton of thought into it. Maybe he was actually right? Taylor has had one 300 yard game in his entire career. He was never going to bring this offense to the next level. Will Nathan Peterman? Who knows. We don't have any evidence to prove that he'll succeed or fail. We'll find out on Sunday. In deeper leagues or 2 QB leagues, Peterman is worth an add out of pure curiosity. He has the weapons around him to produce as a QB2 with QB1 upside if he's actually good.

Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC) - 19% owned

I wrote about Ekelar after his performance in Week 7 and said that Ekelar was one more solid game away from being a top waiver option. Putting a bad game and a bye week in between Ekelar's two solid games put a damper on that, but he did still see a 16% bump in his ownership this week.

Ekelar had a huge game in Week 10. He ran for 42 yards, had 77 through the air, and took two receptions for touchdowns. Of the 23 snaps he played last week, he touched the ball on 15 of them. It would be shocking if Ekelar didn't see a decent amount of use next week. He outplayed Gordon in every facet of the game for the second time in three weeks. I'm surprised that he didn't see a major increase in ownership. Expect Ekelar to creep into the FLEX discussion.

Eddie Lacy (RB, SEA) - 16% owned

In the first game of what was supposed to be the Eddie Lacy era in Seattle, Lacy ran six times for 20 yards before an injury took him out of the game. Thomas Rawls took over for the next two weeks, providing nothing of fantasy substance. The Seahawks will likely give Lacy his shot at being the feature back if he returns on Monday night. The volume will be there for him to have FLEX appeal in the future if he can show that he can produce.

Dontrelle Inman (WR, CHI) - 7% owned

As the chair of the "Dontrelle Inman Will Be Relevant This Season" committee, I take great pride in Inman's Week 10 performance: six receptions for 88 yards. It isn't a fluke that Inman led the Bears in targets, receptions, and yards in his first game with the team. Trubisky nearly doubled his career high in passing yards this week, had his first 20 completion and 200 yard game and was just three yards short of 300. The Bears passing game is improving. Inman's ROS schedule is no cake walk, but it isn't brutal either. He is going to be the number one option in the Bears passing game moving forward. That alone warrants an add in deeper leagues. Another 80 yard performance would make Inman a top waiver option next week.

Corey Coleman (WR, CLE) - 27% owned

Similar to Inman, Coleman is a number one option still available in many leagues. Coleman has a tough matchup with Jacksonville in his first game back, but his value is only going to go up. Coleman has looked good when he has been able to stay on the field over the past few weeks. When Josh Gordon returns in Week 13, the Browns finally have the potential to produce a decent passing game. Expect Coleman to be a top waiver add for Week 12 regardless of how he performs on Sunday.

C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE, HOU) - 16% owned

Fiedorowicz played in his first game since Week 1 on Sunday, catching two of his six targets for 10 yards. The good news for Fiedorowicz is that he finished the game healthy and was on the field for 90% of the team's offensive snap's. Anyone with that big of a snap count who has proven they can play at an NFL level in the past deserves to be on the streaming radar. Fiedorowicz is an option for those with trouble at the TE position. He had a decent year last year with bad quarterbacks and should be able to perform despite the Texans QB woes.

 

Updates From Last Week

Below are guys who have been covered in recent columns that haven't had much of a change in their situations:

 

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jason Day

Looks to Keep Long-Running Success Going at Pebble Beach
Hunter Strickland

Re-Signs With Angels on Minors Deal
Pierceson Coody

to Keep Good Form Going at First Career Pebble Beach Appearance
Colin Rea

on the Outside Looking in for Rotation Spot
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Will be Slow-Played in Spring Training
Chase Dollander

Makes Tweaks Entering Second Season
Sam Burns

Needs a Good Showing at Pebble Beach to Shift Fleeting Momentum
Junior Caminero

Reportedly Trims Down, Appears in Great Shape
Daylen Lile

Nestling Into Large Role for 2026
Sandy Alcantara

Fantasy Managers Looking for Sandy Alcantara to Return to Ace Form
Colson Montgomery

Shows That His Power is Here to Stay
Salvador Perez

Continue to Show Off His Power
Sal Frelick

Continues to Offer an Impact Bat and Glove
Giancarlo Stanton

Elbow Will be Monitored in 2026
Jett Williams

to See Third Base Reps at Spring Training
Gio Urshela

Agrees to Minor-League Deal With Twins
Ben Casparius

Building Up as Starting Pitcher
Jarren Duran

Could Hit the Bench Against Lefties
Carson Benge

Mets Invite Carson Benge to Spring Training
Anthony Seigler

Heads to Boston in Trade
Ivica Zubac

Uncertain for Pacers Debut Tuesday
Andruw Monasterio

Red Sox Acquire Andruw Monasterio From Brewers
Mitchell Robinson

Won't Play on Tuesday
Jayson Tatum

Takes Part in G-League Practice
OG Anunoby

is Tagged as Questionable for Tuesday
Shane McClanahan

Expected to be Ready by Opening Day
Dyson Daniels

Sidelined Monday, CJ McCollum Enters Starting Five
Shane Drohan

Brewers Acquire Pitcher Shane Drohan From Red Sox
David Hamilton

Brewers Acquire Infielder David Hamilton From Boston
Jalen Johnson

Ruled Out Monday vs. Timberwolves
Wendell Carter Jr.

is Cleared for Monday's Game
Guerschon Yabusele

Jalen Smith Out Monday, Guerschon Yabusele to Start
Tre Jones

Josh Giddey, Tre Jones Miss Monday vs. Nets
Bennedict Mathurin

Set for Clippers Debut on Tuesday
Kenneth Walker III

Runs Away With Super Bowl MVP Honors
Johnny Furphy

Out for Remainder of Season
Franz Wagner

Good to Go Versus Bucks
Deandre Ayton

Active Against Thunder
Doug McDermott

Set to Suit Up Monday
Domantas Sabonis

Unavailable on Monday
Vinicius Oliveira

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Mario Bautista

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kyoji Horiguchi

Dominates At UFC Vegas 113
Amir Albazi

Gets Dominated At UFC Vegas 113
Rizvan Kuniev

Earns His First UFC Win
Jailton Almeida

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 113
Marc-Andre Barriault

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Michal Oleksiejczuk

Gets His Third Win In A Row
Las Vegas Raiders

Klint Kubiak Confirms he Will be Next Raiders Head Coach
Jonas Rondbjerg

Out for Olympics
Brad Marchand

Good to Go for Olympic Opener
Gabriel Landeskog

Healthy for Olympics
Jack Hughes

Cleared for Olympics
Robert Williams III

Listed as Questionable vs. Philadelphia
Jaylon Tyson

Could Miss First Game Since November
Scoot Henderson

Probable Monday vs. 76ers
Cedric Coward

Set to Return Monday Against Warriors
Santi Aldama

Out Again Monday Against Warriors
Ajay Mitchell

Ruled Out Against Lakers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Returns to Super Bowl After Injury Scare
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Being Evaluated for Concussion, Questionable to Return
James Pearce Jr.

Arrested Following Police Chase
Quinn Hughes

Enters Olympics in Red-Hot Form
NHL

Juho Lammikko Returns to Switzerland
Pavel Zacha

Misses Olympics
Travis Kelce

Undecided on Playing Future, Leaning Towards Returning in 2026?
CFB

Rutgers Hiring South Dakota Head Coach Travis Johansen as Defensive Coordinator
Vinicius Oliveira

Looks For His Seventh Consecutive Win
Mario Bautista

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 113
Kyoji Horiguchi

Set For UFC Vegas 113 Co-Main Event
Amir Albazi

Looks To Bounce Back
Rizvan Kuniev

Looks For His First UFC Win
Jailton Almeida

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Marc-Andre Barriault

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michal Oleksiejczuk

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Michael Penix Jr.

Says he's Ahead of Schedule After Knee Surgery
Cleveland Browns

Jim Schwartz Resigns as Browns Defensive Coordinator
Malik Nabers

Says his Rehab has Been "Phenomenal"
CFB

Oklahoma Hiring Former NFL Defensive Lineman DeShawn Williams to Analyst Role
CFB

Jahmal Edrine Charged with Sexual Assault, No Longer Enrolled at Virginia
Jakob Chychrun

Makes Big Impact in Thursday's Win
Brandon Bussi

Shuts Out Rangers With 16 Saves
Anze Kopitar

Reaches 1,300 Career Points
Mark Stone

Becomes First Vegas Player With 100 Multi-Point Games
Daniil Tarasov

Injured in Battle of Florida
Andrei Kuzmenko

Hurt Versus Vegas
John Carlson

Suffers Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Stafford

Named 2025 NFL MVP, Will Return in 2026
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Takes Home Offensive Player of the Year Honors
Christian McCaffrey

Named Comeback Player of the Year
Tetairoa McMillan

Named Offensive Rookie of the Year
Myles Garrett

Unanimously Wins Defensive Player of the Year Award
Brad Marchand

Evan Rodrigues Among Panthers Absentees Thursday
Calum Ritchie

Rejoins Islanders Lineup as Second-Line Center
Zach Benson

Sits Out Second Straight Game
Pierre-Luc Dubois

Available Against Predators
Rickard Rakell

Out Thursday
Brayden Point

Won't Play in Olympics
Jonathan Huberdeau

to Have Season-Ending Hip Surgery
CFB

Houston, Vanderbilt, Tennessee Land Top-Three QBs in 2026 Class
Joe Mixon

Committed to Playing in 2026
CFB

Michigan Signs Top-15 Recruiting Class Despite Coaching Change
CFB

USC Finishes with No. 1 Signing Class in 2026
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Denied Medical Redshirt Waiver By NCAA
CFB

Sam Leavitt to be Limited In Spring Practice
Jordan Love

Avoids Offseason Surgery
Matt Fitzpatrick

Back in Action at WM Phoenix Open
Sahith Theegala

Riding Hot Start Into WM Phoenix Open
J.J. Spaun

Looks to Regain Form at WM Phoenix Open
Viktor Hovland

a Volatile Option at WM Phoenix Open
Rasmus Hojgaard

Aims to Build on Solid Start to 2026
Brian Harman

Looks to Find Form at WM Phoenix Open
Daniel Berger

Has the Tools to Go One Step Higher at Scottsdale
Max Greyserman

Searching for Consistency at WM Phoenix Open
Jake Knapp

Wants Revenge at WM Phoenix Open
CFB

Joey Aguilar Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against NCAA
Joel Dahmen

Carrying Momentum Into WM Phoenix Open
Corey Conners

Unlikely to Contend at Scottsdale
Sepp Straka

Seeks a Rebound After The American Express
Jordan Spieth

Healthy Heading to WM Phoenix Open
Keith Mitchell

Building Momentum for Event in Scottsdale
Tom Hoge

The Tom Hoge Roller Coaster Heads to Scottsdale for WM Phoenix Open
Rickie Fowler

Worth a Look at WM Phoenix Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF