👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
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.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! 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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tommy Fleetwood

on Upward Trend Ahead of PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau

a High-Upside Play With Risk at PGA Championship
Isaiah Davis

' Dynasty Value Takes a Hit Thanks to Teammate's Extension
Kaleb Johnson

Will Kaleb Johnson Have a Bigger Role Under New Coaching Staff?
Draymond Green

Set to Stay With Warriors
Trey McBride

an Elite Fantasy TE Any Way You Slice it
Stephen Curry

Warriors Looking to Extend Stephen Curry in Offseason
Brock Purdy

All Signs Point to Bounce-Back Season for Brock Purdy in 2026
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks Listening to Offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jalen McMillan

has a Path to Bigger Role, But There Will be Target Competition
OG Anunoby

Expected to Be Ready for Game 1 of East Finals
De'Aaron Fox

Listed as Questionable for Game 5
A.J. Ewing

Mets to Call Up Top Prospect A.J. Ewing
Kevin Huerter

to Remain Sidelined in Game 4
Caris LeVert

is Cleared for Game 4 on Monday
Thomas Bryant

is Available to Play in Game 4
Victor Wembanyama

Won't be Suspended Following Game 4 Ejection
Mookie Betts

is Officially Back on Monday
Nathan Eovaldi

Scratched From Monday's Start With Side Tightness
Mark Jankowski

Signs Two-Year Extension With Hurricanes
Joel Kiviranta

Cleared to Play Monday
Josh Manson

Available for Game 4 Monday
Mackenzie Blackwood

Expected to Start Monday
Jonas Brodin

Won't Play Monday
Joel Eriksson Ek

Remains Out Monday
Justin Jefferson

Dynasty Stock on the Rise With New QB in Minnesota
J.J. McCarthy

Injuries, QB Addition in Minnesota Deal Big Blow to J.J. McCarthy's Dynasty Value
Aaron Rodgers

Doesn't Meet With Steelers Over the Weekend
Chris Boswell

Steelers Agree With Kicker Chris Boswell on Four-Year Extension
Henry Bolte

Athletics to Promote Top Outfield Prospect Henry Bolte to Major Leagues
Khamzat Chimaev

Suffers his First Loss
Sean Strickland

Recaptures Middleweight Title
Tatsuro Taira

Suffers Fifth-Round TKO Loss
Harold Fannin Jr.

Offers Tantalizing Dynasty Upside Despite Uncertain Offense
Joshua Van

Defends Flyweight Title
Dalton Kincaid

Is Dalton Kincaid's Long-Term Dynasty Upside Fading Due to Health Concerns?
MMA

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Jordan James

Could Emerge as a Must-Roster Handcuff Option for Dynasty Managers
Jaylen Waddle

Dynasty Stock Rising After Offseason Move to Denver
Josh Downs

in Line for Expanded Role in Indianapolis
Shane Van Gisbergen

Dominates Watkins Glen for First Win of 2026
Mike Evans

Could Be Well-Positioned for a Resurgent Season in San Francisco
Michael McDowell

Finishes Second for Best Run of the Year At Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs

Scores New Career-Best Finish of Third at Watkins Glen
Tyler Reddick

Continues His Strong Season With Fifth-Place Run at Watkins Glen
Austin Dillon

Earns his First Top-10 Finish of 2026 at Watkins Glen
Ameer Abdullah

Jaguars Sign Running Back Ameer Abdullah for Backfield Depth
Mookie Betts

Dodgers Expect Mookie Betts to Return on Monday
NFL

Ahmad Hardy in Stable Condition After Suffering Gunshot Wound on Sunday
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Sustains Gunshot Wound, in Stable Condition
Kayshon Boutte

in a Likely No-Win Scenario for 2026
Anthony Edwards

Powers Wolves to Game 4 Win
Tetairoa McMillan

Can Tetairoa McMillan Become a Dynasty Cornerstone?
De'Aaron Fox

Posts 24 Points as Spurs Drop Game 4 to Wolves
Justin Herbert

One of Fantasy's Biggest Offseason Winners
Victor Wembanyama

Ejected in Game 4 Loss
VJ Edgecombe

Struggles with Shot in Game 4
Oronde Gadsden

Breakout Chances Dealt a Serious Blow
Paul George

Held to Seven Points in 76ers' Game 4 Loss
Josh Hart

Helps Knicks Reach East Finals
Jalen Brunson

Finishes Game 4 Sweep with 22 Points
Rasmus Dahlin

Records Two Points in Game 3 Loss
Tage Thompson

Comes Alive in Game 3 Against Canadiens
Cole Caufield

Ends Dry Spell Sunday
Alex Newhook

Nets Two More Goals in Sunday's Victory
Mitchell Marner

Notches Three Assists in Losing Effort
Beckett Sennecke

Extends Goal Streak to Three Games
Cutter Gauthier

Records Hat Trick of Assists in Game 4 Win
Karl-Anthony Towns

Logs Sixth Double-Double of Postseason
Mike Conley

Ayo Dosunmu Replaces Mike Conley in Starting Unit Sunday
Miles McBride

Tallies Game-High 25 Points in Series-Clincher
Tyrese Maxey

Settles for 17 Points Sunday
Joel Embiid

Scores Efficient 24 Points in Season-Ending Loss
Auston Matthews

Uncertain About Future With Maple Leafs
Frederik Andersen

Enjoying Special Postseason
Josh Manson

"Close" to Returning
Joel Kiviranta

Could Return to Action Monday
Radko Gudas

a Game-Time Call Sunday
Mark Stone

Unavailable Sunday
Connor Zilisch

Will Start Fifth in his First Watkins Glen Cup Series Race
Tyler Reddick

Is A Top DFS Option for Watkins Glen Lineups
Christopher Bell

Is Likely to Bounce Back This Week at Watkins Glen
Carlos Rodón

Carlos Rodon Activated for Season Debut on Sunday
William Byron

Is William Byron Playable in DFS Lineups at Watkins Glen?
Kyle Larson

May have A Positive Day at Watkins Glen
Chase Briscoe

May Compete for A Top-10 Finish at Watkins Glen
NASCAR

A.J. Allmendinger May have Another Solid Outing at Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Watkins Glen?
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain Worth Rostering for Watkins Glen Lineups?
Austin Cindric

Could Austin Cindric be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Watkins Glen?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite at Watkins Glen
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott a No-Brainer DFS Pick at Watkins Glen?
Chris Buescher

Qualifies 14th at Watkins Glen
Ryan Blaney

Has Upside at Watkins Glen After Signing Contract Extension
Michael McDowell

Still Searching for First Top-Five Finish at Watkins Glen
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar Too Aggressive for Road-Course Racing?
Luis Castillo

Mariners Intend to Piggyback Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller
Logan Webb

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Knee Bursitis
Bryce Miller

is Set to Return on Wednesday
Jeff Hoffman

Could Return to Closer Role
CHI

Blackhawks Bring in Roman Kantserov for Next Season
Mason McTavish

Set to Rejoin Ducks Lineup Sunday
Taj Bradley

Hits the Injured List With Pectoral Inflammation
Kyle Bradish

has Nice Bounce-Back Performance With 10 K's
Casey Mize

Throws Bullpen on Friday, Return Not Imminent
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Optimistic About Returning Next Wednesday
Tyler Glasnow

Dodgers Put Tyler Glasnow on Injured List With Back Spasms
Blake Snell

to Make Season Debut for Dodgers on Saturday
Cole Ragans

Royals Place Cole Ragans on Injured List With Elbow Impingement
Sean Strickland

An Underdog At UFC 328
Khamzat Chimaev

Set For UFC 328 Main Event
Tatsuro Taira

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Joshua Van

Set For His First Title Defense
Alexander Volkov

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Nick Lodolo

Officially Activated, Making Season Debut on Friday
CFB

Walker Lyons Could be Go-To Target for Bear Bachmeier
CFB

Ty Benefield a Potential Game-Changer for LSU Defense
CFB

Hayden Lowe Set for Significant Role Following Miami's NFL Departures
CFB

Taylor Wein in Position for Big Season on Oklahoma's Defensive Line
CFB

Rasheem Biles an Instant Impact Player for Texas
Roman Anthony

Heading for the Injured List
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Be Full-Go for Fall Camp
Tarik Skubal

Could Return in 4-6 Weeks After Successful Elbow Surgery
Cole Ragans

Royals Hopeful That Cole Ragans Makes his Next Start
CFB

Brauntae Johnson the Next Star in Notre Dame's Secondary?
CFB

Ethan Barbour a Name to Know in Georgia's Tight End Room
CFB

Payton Pierce Next Up at Linebacker for Ohio State
CFB

Javin Gordon to Play Significant Role for Tennessee?
CFB

Tanook Hines Stepping into WR1 Role for USC
CFB

Rueben Owens II has "Star Potential" in Fourth Campaign
Collin Morikawa

Withdraws From Truist Championship
Xander Schauffele

Carries Elite Form Into Quail Hollow
Hideki Matsuyama

Looks to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Secures Third Win of 2026 Season
Patrick Cantlay

Continues Playing Well Heading to Truist Championship
Ludvig Aberg

Returns to Action For Truist Championship
Justin Thomas

Searching for Consistency at Quail Hollow
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Break Through at Quail Hollow
Adam Scott

Brings Strong Form to Quail Hollow
Robert MacIntyre

a Steady Option at Truist Championship
Jason Day

Looks to Overcome Approach Struggles at Quail Hollow
Akshay Bhatia

Looks for Complete Game at Truist Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF