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Michael Florio's deeper-league waiver wire pickups and fantasy football sleepers for Week 12. His top free agent options for 14-team fantasy leagues or deeper.
It’s Thanksgiving week which only means one thing - it’s fantasy football crunch time! Okay, maybe it means more than that, but there is no denying that it's the final stretch of the fantasy regular season. In most leagues the trade deadline is coming up and there are just three regular season weeks left. If you are in the hunt for a playoff spot, it is wise to try to make some trades, but the waiver wire may also be your best friend - especially since we still have byes and injuries to deal with.
Some teams may already be in a position where it feels like the playoffs have already started -- where a loss could put you on the outside looking in, or worse, eliminate you. But even for teams that are comfortable heading into these last three weeks of the regular season, you want to bolster your lineup and depth to get ready for the playoffs.
In deeper formats there are less and less chances to find an impact player on the waiver wire. But luckily this week there are some solid options -- both for upside in the coming weeks, and to stream this week. Make sure to get those waiver wire claims in and lineups set before you start cooking and eating on Thursday. This will do its best to help get you ready. And for everyone reading, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets for Week 12
Tyrod Taylor rewarded those who streamed him last week with 28 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, going for 19 fantasy points. He is in a position to repeat that type of success this week against the New York Jets. Not only have the Jets struggled against QBs as of late, but they are by far the worst rushing defense in the NFL. That typically means good things for opposing RBs against them, but in this case, we should see Taylor run to take advantage of the Jets' struggles. He always has a chance of rushing for a touchdown as well. If you are in need of a streaming option this week, Taylor is the best bet.
Andy Dalton is another deeper streaming option for those in need. I would rather take a shot on Taylor, and would prefer to avoid Dalton -- but in deeper leagues he may be the best bet out there. Dalton threw for 201 yards and two scores in relief of Justin Fields last week, and with the short turnaround, it's expected that Dalton gets the start against the Lions. The Lions have struggled more against the run than the pass, but this is a defense that you can take advantage of. So if you are diving a little deeper, Dalton is worth taking a shot on.
Ty Johnson and Tevin Coleman should both see more run with Michael Carter out the next couple of weeks with an ankle injury. Johnson has been manning the RB2 role behind Carter and seeing a lot of usage in the passing game, and getting some goal line looks at times. He played 34 percent of the snaps last week, and had just one carry and target. He is the preferred option of the two as he has been more involved throughout the season, but he is no stranger to this article and may already be rostered. If so, Coleman is a pivot. Coleman played 34 percent of the snaps last week but actually saw more work than Johnson, logging five carries and one target. Either way a split is expected in a favorable matchup this week, against the Houston Texans who allow nearly 150 yards per game to running backs. Both can be streamed in deeper leagues this week.
David Johnson and Rex Burkhead are another set of teammates both worth streaming, and coincidentally its in the same game as the Jets backs. Johnson played 53 percent of the snaps and had 13 carries and four targets in Week 11. Burkhead played 44 percent of the snaps but logged 18 carries. That was in a game where the Texans were playing with a lead, showing that if they are in close games they prefer to run the ball. That is exactly what this game against the Jets should be. The Jets allow by far the most fantasy points to RBs -- that includes giving up the most yards and touchdowns, as well as being towards the top in catches allowed to RBs. Johnson is the preferred option as he will see pass game usage if they are trialing, but both are streamable flex options in this great matchup.
Dontrell Hilliard came out of no where to see a team-high 10 targets for the Titans, and he caught eight of them for 47 yards. Hilliard led the Titans backs with 63 percent of the snaps and added seven carries on the ground. This was an all around weird game as the Titans were trailing to the Texans throughout, but clearly D'Onta Foreman will never see big pass game usage. The question remains did Hilliard surpass Jeremy McNichols who was inactive. It's very tough to trust a Titans RB right now, but Hilliard’s volume cannot be ignored. And with Adrian Peterson being released, there is on less RB to compete with. Hilliard is worth a flier in deep leagues.
Matt Breida proved in Week 11 that he was not just a Week 10 fluke. He played 32 percent of the snaps and had a team-high five carries for 51 yards. He added two targets, in total going for 67 yards, while the other Bills backs combined for 48 yards against the Colts. The Bills coaching staff has spoken about Breida’s speed, and he showcased it with some big gains. He could earn more playing time, as this is coming after a two-touchdown game. The Bills have been searching for someone to step up in the running game and it appears that Breida and his dynamic speed are actually getting a shot. It's worth taking a flier to see if he gets even more playing time this week.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw a team-high 10 targets in Week 11. He caught four of them for 123 yards and a touchdown, but we have always known he has field stretching abilities. The fact that he saw that amount of targets is very significant. The Packers are in need of another playmaker stepping up in the passing game, and MVS is the best bet. He may already be rostered, but he has been so up and down that if he got thrown back out there it is worth taking a shot on him.
Cedrick Wilson quickly went from being the Cowboys fourth receiver to being their second. Amari Cooper will not play on Thanksgiving due to Covid-19, while CeeDee Lamb is in the concussion protocol and has a very short turnaround. Wilson saw seven targets in Week 11 and could be in store for more volume this week. He is a waiver wire streaming option in Week 12, as the Cowboys will have plenty of targets up for grab.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine led the Titans with 107 receiving yards, finishing with seven catches on eight targets. Last week it was Marcus Johnson was the top receiver for the Titans, and he saw just one target this week before leaving with an injury. It could be a different option stepping up each week, but Westbrook-Ikhine has been the most consistent option of the bunch this season. Ryan Tannehill and A.J. Brown clearly both need someone to step up in Julio Jones’ absence, and NWI seems like the best bet. He is worth taking a flier on.
Evan Engram may have only caught two of his five targets for 12 yards in Week 11, but it does not matter because he faces the Eagles in Week 12. The Eagles allow by far the most fantasy PPG to tight ends this season. In fact, besides Nick Vannett, every single tight end to see a target against Philly has topped 10 fantasy points since Week 7. That includes three different Chargers tight ends and two Broncos. Adam Trautman scored nearly 17 fantasy points against them in Week 11. Stream tight ends against the Eagles -- and that includes Engram this week if he is available.
Austin Hooper finished with seven targets, catching four of them for 53 yards. He has now had five or more targets in two straight games without Odell Beckham Jr. in Cleveland. The Browns have targets up for grabs, and Hooper is a strong candidate to see at least five each week as the lead tight end. That number could be even more this week as they face the Ravens, who have allowed the third most fantasy PPG to tight ends this season.
Gerald Everett finished with 37 yards in Week 11, good for the second most on Seattle -- and that is a week after he caught all eight of his targets. The start of the season didn’t go as expected, but Everett has seen more volume with Russell Wilson back. The popular breakout pick from this summer is showing something as of late, meaning he is worthy of a waiver wire flier in deeper formats.
Juwan Johnson is purely a deeper league option, but with Adam Trautman sidelined the next four-to-six weeks there could be volume up for grabs. Trautman had seen at least six targets in four straight games, so Johnson could inherit a good amount of those. Plus, Trevor Siemian clearly likes tight ends as Trautman was his most targeted player this season. Johnson is a deeper flier for those desperate at the tight end position.
Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.
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