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Dan's fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 12 of 2025. He looks at potential warning signals from Sean Tucker, Devin Singletary, Xavier Worthy, Joshua Palmer, and Cole Kmet
Hello again, RotoBallers, and welcome to the Week 12 edition of Warning Signals. Like any fantasy football manager, I’m in the habit of monitoring recent trends and the latest news to determine how players might be affected in the week ahead. As much as I am trying to decide which players will help me lock down a win, I’m also seeking to dodge the busts that will spoil my matchups. Here, I share a handful of the players whose red flags I can’t ignore to help you on your way to a winning week.
As much as it pains me to say this, Sean Tucker and Devin Singletary are unlikely to repeat their boom games from last week against significantly more challenging defenses this weekend. I can’t trust Xavier Worthy (or any Chiefs wide receiver after Rashee Rice) against Sauce Gardner and a Colts pass rush that will keep Patrick Mahomes busy. Joshua Palmer’s stock might be on the rise in Buffalo, but he is not someone I’d gamble on to open the week. Lastly, I’m steering clear of Cole Kmet, who appears locked in a depth chart battle with Colston Loveland.
Four teams are on bye in Week 12, which significantly thins the player pool for fantasy football. You might be in a position where you have to consider using one of the players in this week’s column. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but before those starting lineups lock, be sure to read through these Warning Signals for Week 12.
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Sean Tucker, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Wet blanket. Debbie Downer. Party pooper. I know, I know. How dare I include Tucker in this week’s column when he just went off for 140 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns against the Bills last weekend? He undoubtedly put some fantasy teams on his back in Week 11 (mine included! Thank you, Sean!), but the Warning Signs are what they are, and I don’t see a repeat in the works.
For one, the potential return of Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) would put an immediate damper on Tucker’s outlook. Irving was limited in practice to open the week, and his participation in practices on Thursday and Friday should reveal his readiness for a return to the playing field. Rachaad White’s role on the Bucs’ offense also must be reckoned with. As huge as Tucker’s day was, White wasn’t a non-factor against the Bills. White outsnapped Tucker, had the edge (by one, but still) in goal-line situations, and was the back on the field for third downs and two-minute drills.
Is Tucker a good runner? Sure!
Is he going to take away any of Rachaad White's work if Irving is healthy? Probably not (because he's also a butcher in pass pro).
So that leaves you with the guy who had 3 snaps in the four healthy games that Tampa Bay had Bucky Irving in 2025
— Dan Fornek ↗️ (@fornekdf) November 19, 2025
Convoluted depth chart aside, there’s also the fact that Tucker and the Buccaneers are going to be up against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12. Irving’s performance against the Bills was impressive, but it came against a defense that has given up the most rushing touchdowns and 5.36 yards per carry to opposing running backs. The Rams, to say the least, are at the other end of the defensive spectrum.
Los Angeles ranks fourth in expected points added per opponent’s rushing attempt and fifth in rushing yards before contact per carry allowed. In other words, they are getting to opposing running backs faster than most other teams and significantly reducing the damage those players can do. The Rams have given up a touchdown to a running back in each of the last two weeks, but those are the only two rushing touchdowns the team has allowed to the position in 2025.
Week 11 was fun, but so was Week 6 of 2024, when Tucker came out of nowhere and hung 192 yards and two touchdowns on the Saints. However, when Week 7 rolled around, Tucker was just as quickly behind Irving and White on the depth chart. The circumstances aren’t entirely the same, but I will be avoiding Tucker where I can and preparing for a drop-off where I cannot.
Devin Singletary, RB, New York Giants
Yet another running back who put up big production in Week 11, only to get the side-eye from me the following week. Singletary’s 16-carry, 44-yard effort against the Packers last week wasn’t pretty, but his two trips to the endzone certainly came in handy for those in enough of a jam to warrant starting him.
Like Tucker, Singletary comes off a big week only to run right into a brick wall. Singletary and the Giants will be going up against the Detroit Lions, who are allowing 76.3 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs in 2025 and a grand total of one rushing touchdown to the position in their last six games. Furthermore, their run defense excels against zone blocking schemes, which the Giants employ more often than not when Singletary is on the field.
Let’s not forget that Singletary is himself involved in a timeshare at his position. Yes, he saw a significant increase in carries against Green Bay, but it was without Jaxson Dart (concussion) taking designed runs and ended up being a close game end-to-end. Dart is back at practice in a non-contact capacity, and it remains to be seen if he will be ready to go for Sunday’s meeting with the Lions. Regardless, the Giants will likely be playing catch-up against Detroit’s high-flying offense, which would put greater demand on Tyrone Tracy Jr..
Running backs are hard to come by in fantasy football, and bye weeks don’t help. Singletary is another one who might need to be plugged into lineups with lowered expectations in deeper leagues, but should be avoided in more common 10 and 12-teamers.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Adding Worthy (ankle) to this week’s column feels a bit like cheating, as he is nursing a sore ankle that prevented him from practicing on Wednesday. Since he is still merely questionable on the Chiefs’ injury report, I want to address his Week 12 outlook. Should his injury prevent him from playing, the same factors apply to Marquise Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, or whoever else Kansas City runs out as their WR2 behind Rashee Rice.
Xavier Worthy Doesn't Practice Wednesday https://t.co/c3r6SJVczN
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 19, 2025
First, there is the issue of potentially lining up against the Colts’ latest addition, Gardner. Acquired in a deadline deal a couple of weeks ago, Gardner played just one game with Indianapolis before their Week 11 bye. Against Atlanta in Week 10, Gardner was targeted five times, allowing three catches for 43 yards. After a week of rest and extra time to learn his new team’s defense, he will be a formidable opponent for Worthy to go up against on Sunday.
Secondly, Mahomes’ ability to get the ball to Worthy (or his stand-in) will be limited. Mahomes’ completion percentage when under pressure is 39.0%, third-worst among qualified passers. The Colts, meanwhile, are applying pressure at the eighth-highest rate in the league. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons returned to the team in Week 11, but gave up four pressures against Denver. Edge rusher Laiatu Latu has 26 hurries this season and should tally at least a few more before this contest is done.
Cornerback matchup and quarterback performance aside, Worthy has been largely irrelevant since Rice returned from his suspension in Week 7. In four games with Rice back in the lineup, Worthy has a line of 14-136-0 on 23 targets. I’ll take my chances elsewhere.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills
Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns in Week 11. With Keon Coleman suspended and Palmer pushed up the depth chart, surely he must have seen some of that action, right? Not exactly. Palmer logged two catches for 17 yards as the majority of Allen’s yardage went to fellow wideout Tyrell Shavers and running backs James Cook and Ty Johnson.
Josh Allen went off with 3 passing + 3 rushing touchdowns in Week 11 👏 pic.twitter.com/GXQb88ckLu
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
In Week 12, Coleman is expected to be benched again, and depth pieces Mecole Hardman and Curtis Samuel are listed as out for Buffalo’s Thursday night matchup against the Texans. As such, Palmer’s status as the Bills’ WR2 looks locked up. However, as we just saw last week, his place on the depth chart doesn’t mean a whole lot for his production. Heck, even Khalil Shakir came out of last week’s game with NEGATIVE three receiving yards.
I have preached many times in this column not to put yourself in an early hole by dabbling in Thursday Night Football. Start your studs, of course, but Palmer is no stud. If you are desperate enough to consider Palmer to fill out your starting lineup, stop. Keep your options open and find a better place to strike on Sunday’s slate.
Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
In Week 11, Kmet finally drew more targets than rookie Loveland for the first time since Week 2. His five catches for 45 yards were enough to lead the team in last Sunday’s win over the Vikings. Still, his fellow tight end had three catches for 40 yards of his own and was just one target short of Kmet’s five.
Kmet actually has an interesting matchup against the Steelers in Week 12, but it is anyone’s guess as to which tight end will be the main beneficiary in the pass game. On top of the depth chart battle, the Bears’ offense has shifted closer and closer to a near-even split between run and pass plays in recent weeks. That shift means fewer targets to go around, and it is unlikely that Kmet remains the priority going forward. I’ll look for a tight end option with a more clearly defined role in Week 12 to fill that slot.
Did you pick up on any Warning Signals yourself while preparing for Week 12? Are you looking for suggestions on who to pivot to for your upcoming matchups? Reach out on X (@danifestmestiny) or Bluesky (@danifestmestiny.bsky.social) and we can work on getting you set up to win your week!
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