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Jackson Sparks' deeper-league waiver wire sleepers for Week 12 (2024). His top free agent sleepers for 14-team fantasy football leagues or deeper.
We're already heading into the Week 12 slate, meaning many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch. The fantasy football playoffs are just ahead, so no matter where your team sits in the standings, you should never stop navigating the waiver wire for potential upgrades. The waiver wire is extremely thin at this point in the year, but below, we'll dive into roughly 40 players heading into Week 12.
Waiver wire pickups are often obvious in 10 or 12-team leagues, but if you're in a league with a ton of roster spots or 14-plus teams, it becomes trickier to know who to submit a waiver claim for or bid on. In this article, we'll cover those deeper waiver wire adds for Week 12. With six teams on a bye this week, managers will need to dive deeper into the waiver suggestions.
We won't cover chalk pickups for shallower leagues like Jerry Jeudy and Taysom Hill. Instead, we'll only mention players who are under 40% rostered in Yahoo! leagues except for a few players narrowly over that mark. Without further ado, here are the top deeper-league waiver-wire targets for Week 12, including Roschon Johnson, Ameer Abdullah, Christian Watson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Will Dissly, and more.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 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
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Running Back Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Ameer Abdullah could see a spot-start in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos after Alexander Mattison and Zamir White were banged up on Sunday. Injury reports later in the week will provide clarity, but if you're in dire need of any kind of running back production, you might want to take a shot on the veteran RB. His upside is limited in a tough matchup, but options are extra scarce this week due to byes and injuries.
Ameer Abdullah punches it in!#LVvsMIA | 📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/9kU4Q8NC80
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 17, 2024
Tyler Allgeier did not see a carry in the blowout loss to the Denver Broncos, but this game can be thrown out since Bijan Robinson will likely always dominate touches in "come-from-behind" mode. Allgeier remains an elite fantasy handcuff RB, though the team gets time off in Week 12.
Roschon Johnson saw a season-high 11 touches in the first game under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown on Sunday. The second-year back out of Texas totaled 34 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. There's a chance Brown will continue to feed Johnson behind starter D'Andre Swift, so he's worth a pickup for fantasy managers hurting at RB.
Zach Charbonnet has not seen double-digit touches in a game since Kenneth Walker III returned from a two-game absence in Week 4. That said, we can't forget about his Week 2 and Week 3 starts that saw him rack up 176 total yards and three touchdowns. He's up there with Allgeier as a high-end handcuff stash.
Cam Akers is the clear RB2 in Minnesota behind the aging Aaron Jones, and he scored his first touchdown for the Vikings this season in the win over the Tennessee Titans. Akers have averaged 13 touches per game over the last two weeks and figures to stay involved in the second half of the season.
Akers with his first receiving TD of the season!
📺: #MINvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/P2Gx05VJJC— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
Jaylen Wright turned six touches into just six yards in Week 12. It was a disappointing showing, but Raheem Mostert's negative three-yard performance on three touches was even worse. Wright could be the primary backup to the undersized De'Von Achane moving forward, making him a virtual must-add in deep setups.
Trey Benson could be more involved in Arizona's offense coming out of the bye. The last time we saw Benson in Week 10, he rushed 10 times for 62 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards. That performance came the week after he scored his first NFL touchdown. The Cardinals selected him on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, so it would not be a surprise if he starts to eat more into James Conner's workload. At worst, he's a strong handcuff for Conner, who has not played a full season in his career.
Gus Edwards has turned 16 carries into 82 yards since returning from Injured Reserve in Week 10. Unfortunately, he isn't getting the goal line work as he did in Baltimore, but he remains a decent RB stash behind J.K. Dobbins, who has had more than his fair share of major injuries.
Khalil Herbert hasn't made a big impact since being traded to the Bengals, but in one of the league's best offenses, he should be considered a top handcuff behind Chase Brown, who is now in a workhorse role.
Ray Davis remains a top RB stash, but fantasy managers can opt to wait until next week to pick him up since the Bills are on a bye.
Braelon Allen is in the same boat as Ray Davis. He's not on the fantasy football radar for now, but an injury to the back in front of him could propel him to fringe RB1 range. New York is also out of action this week.
Jerome Ford caught four passes in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints. Nick Chubb has never been a featured pass-catcher, so Ford should continue to do some damage in that aspect of the offense. On a short week, he could get more run against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football.
Blake Corum's six touches on Sunday were tied for the most this season in a "non-blowout" game, and there is still hope that he could make a more significant impact when the calendar turns December. Kyren Williams has been on the Injured Reserve list in each of the last two seasons, so Corum could suddenly be pushed into the RB1 role on an ascending offense.
Kenneth Gainwell remains ahead of Will Shipley on the Eagles' RB depth chart, and although Saquon Barkley has stayed healthy this year, he usually is good for missing a game or two.
IR Stash: MarShawn Lloyd
Note: Any direct backup running back, especially one in a good offense, should be considered a bench stash in deep leagues.
Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Quentin Johnston caught only two of his eight targets in the Sunday night win over the Bengals. However, he found the end zone for the sixth time this season, keeping him firmly on the fantasy football radar. His production feels unsustainable, but the Chargers' passing offense led by Justin Herbert is ascending in a big way.
Christian Watson tallied a career-high 150 receiving yards and reminded fantasy managers of his spike-week upside on Sunday. Like all of the Green Bay pass-catchers not named Jayden Reed, he's not a sure thing to produce weekly, but he has upside in great matchups.
CHRISTIAN WATSON!!! 😱
(via @nfl)pic.twitter.com/1aEuuBctbn
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 17, 2024
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has just five catches over the last two weeks, yet he trails only Ja'Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown in half-PPR fantasy points (40.1) over that short stretch. He's turned five receptions into 196 yards and three touchdowns. Here's another guy whose production feels flukey, but it can't be ignored in 14-plus teams leagues. New Orleans hits a bye in Week 12, but Chris Olave is out until at least Week 15, helping MVS' chances to stay fantasy-relevant.
Elijah Moore has scored at least 12.5 half-PPR fantasy points in two of his three games with Jameis Winston at QB. Cleveland has ramped up the passing volume since Deshaun Watson's major injury, and at least four Browns' pass-catchers are now on the fantasy radar. If you can't land Jerry Jeudy, Moore might be a solid consolation prize.
Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen, and Jalen Coker all have waiver wire intrigue, as quarterback Bryce Young is showing signs of life and improvement after a stint as the Panthers' QB2. It's tough to know which Carolina wideout has the most upside, but Thielen had a 1000-yard campaign in 2023 with Young and is expected to return from Injured Reserve in Week 12.
DeMario Douglas drew seven targets in Week 11, marking the fifth time he has seen at least seven this season. He has found the end zone just once this year and isn't a great standard or half-PPR option, but if you need a PPR asset with a decent floor, he's a solid add this week.
Ricky Pearsall posted a goose egg on two targets against the Seahawks despite George Kittle being out of action. While it was clearly a letdown performance, he remains on the fantasy football radar and can be streamed in favorable matchups when fantasy managers face bye or injury complications.
Curtis Samuel finally posted a notable game in the huge Week 11 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The former Panther and Commander secured five of his six targets for 58 yards and a score against one of the league's best defenses. This could be an outlier performance, but he's worth consideration depending on the statuses of Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman coming out of the Week 12 bye.
Perfect time for Curtis Samuel's first touchdown as a BUFFALO BILL!
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/OXUcXrDBIy
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 17, 2024
Ray-Ray McCloud III secured his fourth game of the season with at least double-digit PPR points on Sunday. The veteran is not a league-winner by any means, but he's another deep-league consideration that can provide a solid floor for fantasy managers in a pinch when the Falcons return to action in Week 13.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has been the WR11 in standard and WR20 in PPR formats since Week 6. He has hauled in a touchdown in five of his last six games and scored on a monster 98-yard touchdown in Week 11. He appears to be the clear No. 2 pass-catcher in Tennessee after the departure of DeAndre Hopkins.
Mike Williams went without a catch in the Week 11 slugfest against the Baltimore Ravens. However, we knew he would not be a consistent producer, and he is still being worked into the offense less than two weeks after being dealt to the Steelers. He could make an impact against Cleveland on Thursday Night Football, as the Browns have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to WRs.
Tight End Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Will Dissly has averaged 10.8 PPR fantasy points per game since Week 7, good for low-end TE1 production. The longtime Seattle Seahawks has emerged as one of Justin Herbert's favorite targets. At the scarce tight end spot, that statement alone makes him a victual must-add on deep setups.
Anyone pick up and start Will Dissly this week?!pic.twitter.com/Nj4mRA70VJ
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) November 18, 2024
Zach Ertz balled out against his former team on Thursday Night Football, catching six passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Philly. He has seen at least five targets in seven of his last nine games. He has earned at least seven targets in four of his last seven contests. In one of the best offenses in football, he has plenty of value following the Week 12 bye.
Hunter Henry is averaging 7.2 targets in his last five games, and the New England offense has a higher ceiling under quarterback Drake Maye. In favorable matchups for tight ends, Henry can be utilized as a one-week streamer.
Isaiah Likely has been awfully quiet since his Week 1 breakout performance, but he finally showed signs of life in Week 12. The Coastal Carolina product racked up 75 yards on four receptions. Still, it's tough to trust him in starting lineups as long as Mark Andrews stays healthy.
Dawson Knox will fall off the fantasy football radar if Dalton Kincaid returns to action after the Bills' bye, but if not, he has low-end TE1 upside in Josh Allen's offense.
Quarterback Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues/Superflex Leagues
Trevor Lawrence could make a return to the starting lineup soon, and although the Jaguars have been atrocious this season, Lawrence quietly averaged 20.2 fantasy points per game in his last five starts. The Jacksonville defense is abysmal, which leads to Lawrence having to attempt a ton of passes to keep his team in the game.
Drake Maye has scored at least 17.7 fantasy points in five of his six starts that he did not exit early from. The rookie has a true rushing skill set that could yield boom weeks in the last stretch of the year.
Derek Carr has been solid since returning from injury in Week 9, averaging 17.5 fantasy points per game in three starts. After the bye this week, he draws a matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, who have given up the 11th-most passing yards per game (222.8) in 2024.
Jameis Winston has averaged 321.3 passing yards per game in his three starts this year and has tossed a least two touchdowns in two of those games. Although he should probably be avoided against the Steelers this week, he has legit QB1 upside in future more favorable matchups.
JEUDY 89-YARD TD!! 😳
📺: #CLEvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/pPwT9dYWZs— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
Backup Quarterbacks to Stash for Two-QB/Superflex Leagues
- Joe Flacco, Colts
- Trey Lance, Cowboys
- Mason Rudolph, Titans
- Desmond Ridder, Raiders
- Andy Dalton, Panthers
- Malik Willis, Packers
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