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Welcome everyone to the fantasy football Week 12 waiver wire! I’m here as always to help you make the best fantasy waiver pickups for Week 12. There are a lot of other quality players to look at adding this week on the waiver wire. This article is challenging to make relevant to all the different kinds of leagues out there. There are different league sizes, scoring settings, and roster requirements, which can make things difficult. As a general rule of thumb, I'll only be looking at players with a rostership percentage of 50% or lower, according to Yahoo! rostership percentages.
One thing I'll be adding this year is a category distinction for all players. This should help you figure out which players to add based on what your waiver wire goals are. Keep in mind that players can qualify for multiple distinctions. Those distinctions will be as follows:
- BC: Breakout Candidate – This is a player who may not be startable yet, but has a good chance of breaking out and becoming a weekly starter at some point in the season. If you're not in need of a starter this week, these are the players you should be targeting off the waiver wire.
- WS: Weekly Streamer – This is a player who is not a weekly starter or even someone you cannot drop, but rather they are someone you can target if the matchup is right or if you're desperate for a one-time starter. This is likely to be a quarterback or tight end.
- DP: Depth Player – This is a player who reminds me of a quote from Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, now can they?" Obviously, we'd all love to have breakout players, but it's also important to have quality depth players who can be started during bye weeks and be decent injury-replacement players.
- DL: Deep League Add – This is for competitive 12-team leagues or larger.
- IF: Injury Fill-In – This is a player who will be a weekly spot starter during the starter's absence due to injuries.
- MA: Must Add – This is a player who due to any number of circumstances, now finds himself as a weekly fantasy starter and is someone fantasy managers should be adding to their teams.
- UH: Upside Handcuff – This is reserved for our running backs who could become prominent players if the primary starter gets hurt.
All of these players are listed in the order I would advise prioritizing them by position. This includes the "others to consider" sections. If you have any specific waiver wire questions, give me a follow on X @RobFFSlayer, and don’t be afraid to reach out. I’ll be completing the waiver wire column all year here at RotoBaller and I hope to help as many of you as possible win your fantasy football league.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos – 54% Rostered (WS, DP)
Wilson has been fantastic this season and he continued that on Sunday Night Football against the Vikings. He had 259 passing yards and one touchdown. He finished with 14.5 points. He's scored at least two touchdowns in six out of ten games. He has two top-12 quarterback finishes this season. He has another six where he's finished inside the top 20. He's been incredibly consistent with 14 or more points in eight out of ten games.
He scored just 6.9 points against Kansas City in Week 6, but outside of that game, Wilson has scored between 13.9-25.9 points this season. Wilson may not be a weekly starter, but he's a really good QB2 and one of the better streamers you can find week-to-week. He has a brutal Week 12 matchup against the Browns, who have allowed the fewest points to quarterbacks this season, but has one of the best playoff schedules among quarterbacks. He has the Lions, Patriots, and Chargers in Weeks 15-17. The Lions have allowed the 10th-most points to quarterbacks and the Chargers have allowed the second-most.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers – 45% Rostered
Love came out swinging, scoring 20 or more points in the first three weeks of the season. His insanely high early touchdown rate hid some accuracy issues, specifically on his deep balls. From Weeks 4-8, those accuracy issues came home to roost. His touchdown rate dried up and he registered just one game with more than 15.5 points, including one game with less than five. However, over the past three few weeks, Love has really started to put it together. That hasn't necessarily translated to fantasy success, but that isn't all of his fault.
This included a game against the Rams who were without Matthew Stafford and never really threatened Green Bay. Another one of the matchups was against Pittsburgh, a tough matchup for fantasy quarterbacks. Still, the accuracy issues, specifically on deep balls appear to have been cleaned up.
#Packers QB Jordan Love has 15 completions gaining 20 or more yards over the last 3 weeks.
— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) November 19, 2023
What Love needed was a game against an offense that could score points and a defense not quite on the Pittsburgh level. He got just that this past weekend against the Chargers and Love delivered. He completed 27 of 40 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns en route to 20.9 fantasy points. The week prior against the Steelers, Love played well again. He threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns.
He almost orchestrated a game-winning drive at the end but ultimately fell short. He did throw two interceptions but still managed to score 16.6 points. Over the past three weeks, he's completed 64.2% of his passes and is averaging 280 yards and 1.67 touchdowns per game.
The Packers face off against the Lions and Chiefs in Weeks 12 and 13, which are not easy matchups, but the offenses for both teams should force the Packers to lean on Love and the passing game to stay in the game. The Lions have allowed the 10th-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Then he'll play the Giants, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Vikings to wrap up the fantasy football season. None of them are very opposing matchups and they'll give Love a chance to be a quality player down the stretch.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 48% Rostered (WS, DP)
Fantasy managers shouldn’t hold a tough week 11 matchup against the 49ers against Mayfield. Prior to this weekend’s game, he scored over 18 fantasy points in three consecutive games. He's scored over 18 in five of his ten games. He's been a consistent quarterback, who has for the most part, avoided the bust weeks. He hasn’t produced any week winning scores, but he’s a solid QB2 who can be trusted in plus matchups.
He has two more tough games coming up against the Colts and Panthers. They've allowed the 21st and 17th-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Still, Mayfield is playing well enough that he deserves a roster spot, especially considering the number of quarterback injuries fantasy managers have had to endure this season. He's averaging 16.2 points per game and is a quality QB2 to have on your bench. In plus matchups, he makes for a good streamer.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – 41% Rostered (WS, DP)
The Saints were on bye in Week 11 and Carr is coming off a Week 10 game where he was forced out of the game early due to a concussion. There were concerns that he may have injured his AC joint in his throwing shoulder. The status of his shoulder is crucial. Earlier in the season when he struggled with a shoulder injury in Weeks 2-4, he didn't score more than nine points in a single game. However, from Weeks 5-9, he averaged 17.3 PPG, which ranked as the QB13 during this timeframe among quarterbacks with at least three starts.
During this stretch, he was very consistent, scoring at least 15.7 points in every game and no more than 18.3. He's not going to win you any weeks, but as a QB2 on your bench, you can do far worse. In a year where so many starting quarterbacks have been hurt, Carr has been a consistent fantasy quarterback when he's been healthy.
Carr has two excellent matchups coming up out of the team's bye. In Weeks 12 and 13, he'll play against the Falcons and Lions respectively. Atlanta is allowing the fifth-most points to opposing quarterbacks and Detroit is allowing the 10th-most. Assuming he's healthy coming out of the bye, Carr should be a viable starter for the next two weeks.
Others to consider: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – 47% Rosterd (WS, DP), Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts – 13% Rostered (WS, DP), Will Levis, Tennessee Titans – 30% Rostered (WS, DL), Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons – 4% Rostered
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Option
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks – 43% Rostered (UH, DP)
If Charbonnet is available in your league, he's worth being aggressive in order to get him on your roster. Kenneth Walker III left the team's Week 11 game very early in the game. He only played seven snaps. Charbonnet finished by playing 55 of the team's 64 snaps. He received 15 carries and ran 31 routes on 42 dropbacks. He wasn't overly effective as a runner, finishing with just 47 yards, but he did catch all six of his targets for 22 yards. He still finished with 9.9 half-PPR points.
Seahawks’ HC Pete Carroll told reporters that RB Kenneth Walker suffered an “oblique strain that was legit.”
Walker is in danger of missing some time; Seahawks host the 49ers on Thanksgiving night.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 20, 2023
With the Seahawks playing on Thursday night, it seems very likely Walker will be out. Charbonnet will be on the RB2 radar in Week 12, but he'll face a brutal matchup against the San Fransico 49ers. It's possible Walker misses more time too. Their Week 13 isn't much friendlier against Dallas, but if Week 11 is any indication, Charbonnet will be an absolute bellcow for as long as Walker is out. That kind of volume makes him a virtual must-start in most leagues.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers – 17% Rostered (UH, DP)
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars – 8% Rostered (UH, DP)
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles – 26% Rostered (UH, DP)
All three of these running backs are some of the very best handcuffs in fantasy football, much like the two above. These three, however, hold very little (if any) weekly value. Their upside is significant if the starters on their respective teams were to be injured. This is another reason all three of these players are grouped -- the starters listed ahead of them have all struggled with injuries in recent seasons.
While Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy in 2022 and has been healthy this season, there were those 2020-2021 seasons where he couldn't stay on the field. Travis Etienne missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury and D'Andre Swift has yet to play a full season in his career yet. All three of these offenses are some of the very best in the NFL.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings – 7% Rostered (UH, WS, DP)
Starting running back Alexander Mattison left their Week 10 game early due to a concussion. This put Chandler in the driver's seat of Minnesota's backfield. He finished with 32 of the team's 73 snaps. The No. 3 running back, Kene Nwangwu, played just three snaps. Chandler was a workhorse following Mattison's exit. He finished with 15 carries, 45 yards, and one touchdown. He also ran 13 routes but did not receive a target.
Chandler was really effective on Sunday Night Football. He was given 10 carries and ran for 73 yards. He also chipped in with four receptions and 37 yards. He's a different player than Mattison and the injured, Cam Akers. Chandler is incredibly fast and he can rip off big plays with his speed. The Vikings made an effort to get him the ball and his effectiveness could very well earn him more touches. Mattison has struggled with efficiency the entire season.
While Mattison is likely to continue operating as the team's goal-line runner, Chandler has likely earned a role where he'll continue to see 8-12 touches most weeks. That'll put him on the RB3 radar and if Mattison were to miss time, Chandler would become a must-start RB2. If you need a startable running back, I'd add Chandler over the three handcuff running backs listed ahead of him. If you're looking for pure upside, the three above are probably more of what you're looking for.
Leonard Fournette, Buffalo Bills – 17% Rostered (DL)
Fournette didn't play in their Week 9 contest, but was signed shortly after Week 8. Fantasy managers should be expecting Fournette to take the job that Latavius Murray has previously occupied. The team has clearly been dissatisfied with Murray and there's a good reason as to why that is.
The team doesn't trust James Cook near the end zone, which is why almost all of those have gone to Murray and he's disappointed in a major way. Fournette will get those touchdown chances moving forward. The team has also been unwilling to give Cook a large workload, so it's possible Fournette could work himself in 10-12 touches. Murray was essentially phased out in Week 11 for Ty Johnson.
It's not out of the question that Fournette could eventually become the 1A in this backfield. He wasn't very good last season for the Buccaneers, but Fournette's skill set is a perfect match with Buffalo's offense. He's a good pass-catcher with the size to handle the short-yardage and goal-line work. There's a good bit of upside here, but the floor is also dangerously low.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – 20% Rostered (UH, DP)
Khalil Herbert just returned from his high ankle sprain in Week 11 which had forced him to IR. During his absence, D'Onta Foreman held down the fort and has been a fantastic running back for fantasy managers. This past weekend, however, Foreman left the contest and did not return with his own ankle injury. At this time, the severity is unknown, but there are concerns that it could be a high-ankle sprain for him. If that's the case, it would be likely that Foreman will miss Week 12 and maybe more.
#Bears RB D'Onta Foreman injured his right ankle and is questionable to return. As he was tackled, his right foot got caught up, mild high ankle type mechanism. https://t.co/WRGDjKHOxV
— DocFlynn (@DocFlynnNFL) November 19, 2023
After Foreman left the game, Herbert played 20 to Johnson's 16. Johnson played on 10 of the team's 12 third-down plays. He largely operated as the team's preferred pass-catching back and he should continue to operate in that role for the remainder of the season. If he had that role with all three running backs active, there's no reason to think it'll change if Foreman misses time. If Foreman were to miss time though, his absence could lead to a bigger early-down role for Johnson. Foreman received the one goal-line opportunity but with him potentially being out, that role likely shifts to Herbert.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – 40% Rostered (UH, DP)
Spears isn't so different than Chandler or Johnson. He's the team's primary pass-catching running back. Out of 10 games this season, he has six games with more than five half-PPR points, but just one game with more than 10. He's basically a boring RB4 with Derrick Henry healthy. Spears holds handcuff value. If Henry were to miss time, Spears would walk into a bellcow role and would handle the vast majority of the backfield touches in Tennessee.
However, with rookie Will Levis under center, the offense has been very up and down. He'd be a volume-dependent RB2, but given the state of their offense and offensive line, it's hard to get too excited about his prospects even in the event Henry were to be hurt. He's a worthwhile handcuff still, as he's one of the few No. 2 running backs who would inherit the majority of touches.
Others to consider: Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals – 3% Rostered, Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos – 19% Rostered (DP, UH), Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints – 5% Rostered (UH, DP), Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints – 20% Rostered (UH, DL), Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots – 38% Rostered (DL), Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs – 29% Rostered (UH, DP, DL), Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers – 16% Rostered (UH, DL), Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs – 5% Rostered (DL), Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys – 16% Rostered (DL)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers – 36% Rostered (MA, WS, DP)
Reed has earned must-add status. He's playing like a legit WR3. Reed has been a steady performer, both for the Packers and fantasy managers. Reed has scored 7.5 half-PPR points or more in seven out of ten games. That includes three games where he's scored over 15. He has just one game under five half-PPR points. He's a better asset in PPR scoring leagues because he's had three or more receptions in eight out of ten games. That coincides with seven games of five or more targets.
This past weekend, Reed was given three rushing attempts, which was a new element to his game. The Packers clearly want to get the ball in his hands and have identified him as one of their best playmakers. He finished as the Packers' leading rusher with 46 yards and one touchdown. He also chipped in four receptions, 46 yards, and another touchdown through the air. He played on 50 of the team's 72 snaps and ran a route on 34 of the team's 44 dropbacks. If he's still hanging around your waiver wire, he's a must-add. He's playing terrific and rookie receivers tend to only get better as the season rolls along.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots – 32% Rostered (WS, DP)
Douglas got his first opportunity to play regular snaps in Week 7 and he made the most of them. He finished with six targets, four receptions, 54 receiving yards, and chipped in a rushing attempt for 20 yards. The New England passing offense has been stagnant for most of the year, so it seemed like only a matter of time before they gave their rookie, who performed really well in the preseason, a chance to make a difference.
In Week 8, he actually led the receivers in snaps, routes run, and targets. He played 10 more snaps, had seven more routes run, and earned four more targets than the next closest receiver other than Kendrick Bourne, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He finished with five receptions for 25 yards and chipped in another rushing attempt for four yards. Bourne's injury effectively makes Douglas the new No. 1 receiver for the Patriots.
In Week 9, he played 53 of the team's 64 snaps. This was the most among any New England receiver. He also ran 38 routes on 46 dropbacks. This also led all New England receivers. Douglas had seven targets, five receptions, and 55 yards.
Douglas came into Week 10 with an ankle injury, which may have resulted in him playing fewer snaps than he did the week prior. He finished playing 50 of the team's 69 snaps and ran 29 routes on 34 dropbacks. While his snap share was lower, he still was a full-time player in terms of routes run. The Patriots were on a bye in Week 11 and could have a new starter in Week 12.
Only JuJu Smith-Schuster ran more routes than Douglas. However, whereas JuJu ran 34 routes, he finished with just one target. Douglas on the other hand had eight targets. He caught six of them for 84 yards. He should be considered a WR3 in any PPR league for the rest of the season. The New England quarterback controversy between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe is unlikely to affect his production.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints – 45% Rostered (IF, WS, DP)
Starting receiver Michael Thomas left early in the first quarter of the team's Week 10 game with a knee injury and did not return. This, by default, made Shaheed the No. 2 receiver on the team's target hierarchy. Interestingly, despite the Thomas injury, Shaheed did not necessarily see an increase in snap share. It was rookie A.T. Perry who stepped directly into Thomas' role. That meant Shaheed stayed in his typical role. Shaheed played 46 of the team's 67 snaps, which was less than Perry and Chris Olave. However, despite not seeing an increase in snap share, he did receive a big boost in targets. He finished with nine targets. This was a season-high for him.
He finished with five receptions for 24 yards in Week 10. Considering the circumstances, it was a slightly disappointing outcome for Shaheed. However, starting quarterback Derek Carr did get injured and was forced out of the game. Backup Jameis Winston came in relief. Reports have since indicated Thomas' injury is significant. Based on the fact that Thomas is likely to miss the next 1-3 games, Shaheed has a good chance of being the Saints' No. 2 receiver.
His average depth of target is 15.9 which is top-five among receivers. Unless that number comes down a bit, he's going to be prone to being a bit boom or bust, but with Thomas out, his role could change slightly, which could help give him more consistency.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers – 27% Rostered (DP)
Mike Williams tore his ACL in Week 3. In Weeks 3-7, until Palmer suffered his own knee injury in Week 8, Palmer had seven or more targets in all four contests. From Weeks 3-7, Palmer averaged just over seven targets, four receptions, and 84 yards per game. He's currently on IR with a knee sprain but is eligible to return in Week 13. With the poor performance from Quentin Johnston, Palmer will certainly slot right back in as the team's No. 2 receiver behind star, Keenan Allen.
In that role, Palmer averaged 11.4 half-PPR PPG. With the Chargers' electric offense, Palmer should be viewed as a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside. He's worth an add this week before he's eligible to return. He'll be a hot commodity after Week 12 because then everyone will want him.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills – 10% Rostered (WS, DP)
Starting tight end Dawson Knox being on IR with a wrist injury had a butterfly effect on the rest of the Bills' offense in Week 8. This shifted rookie Dalton Kincaid from the slot position where he had typically been playing to a full-time, traditional in-line tight end role. That meant Shakir shifted into the starting lineup as the slot receiver and Shakir gave the coaching staff something to think about.
He played on 45 of the team's 69 snaps, ran 33 routes on 46 dropbacks, and finished with six targets in Week 8. He caught all six for 92 yards and finished with 12.2 half-PPR points. He had a productive Week 7 game, catching all four of his targets for 35 yards.
Week 9 was a bit of a letdown, especially in what looked like it could be a high-scoring affair. Shakir did play the majority of snaps once again and finished with four targets, four receptions, and 57 yards. If Week 9 was a bit of a letdown, Week 10 was a colossal disappointment for the entire team.
It resulted in offensive coordinator, Ken Dorsey getting fired. Shakir finished with just two targets, one reception, and 24 yards. He got back on track this past weekend. He earned four targets and ripped off a long 81-yard touchdown score. He finished with three receptions, 115 yards, and the score. He’s a solid bench receiver to have until Knox returns. He’s operating as Buffalo’s slot receiver, which has been a lucrative role in seasons past.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens – 17% Rostered (DP)
Bateman moved solidly ahead of both, Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor in Week 10. Bateman played 40 of the team's 54 snaps. This was his highest snap share of the season. Beckham and Agholor played 18 and 23 snaps, respectively. Bateman played more than double the number of snaps that Beckham did. Bateman's utilization was actually closer to Zay Flowers than Beckham was to Bateman. Bateman ran 23 routes on 30 dropbacks. Agholor had 16 routes and Beckham had just 12. Again, while Beckham did find the end zone, it was on his only target of the game. Bateman finished with four targets, which was second on the team behind Flowers.
Bateman's snap share and route participation have been on the climb in recent weeks. He appears healthier, faster, and more like the receiver we saw in the past two years. Weeks 9 and 10 were the most targets Bateman has received in any games this season. The playing time surge continued in Week 11.
He played 50 of the team's 65 snaps. OBJ and Agholor played on just 23 and 25 snaps, respectively. Bateman ran 25 routes on the team's 33 dropbacks. OBJ and Agholor ran 17 and 15 routes, respectively. Bateman is now the team's clear No. 2 receiver. He only earned two targets, but the one he caught happened to be in the end zone. The playing time and route participation is a major step in the right direction. With Mark Andrews now done for the year, there's a clear path for Bateman to earn more volume.
Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens – 29% Rostered (DP)
As talked about just above, OBJ's snaps and routes have been on the decline. However, he's had back-to-back-to-back good games. He had seven targets, five receptions, 56 yards, and a touchdown in Week 9 en route to 12.1 half-PPR. In Week 10, he had just two targets and one reception, but it was a 40-yard touchdown catch. He finished with 10.5 half-PPR points. This past weekend, he had seven targets, four receptions, and 116 yards.
He finished with 13.6 half-PPR points. He's been more effective than Bateman. With the injury to Andrews, the team could look to OBJ to fill part of that void. With his solid production over the past three weeks, it's possible his role could grow as the team looks for more dependable pass-catchers. Regardless, Andrews' injury creates a hole in Baltimore's passing offense, and Bateman and OBJ make worthwhile additions as fantasy managers wait to see who can take advantage of the situation.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions – 24% Rostered (DP)
Detroit would benefit from a receiver who can win repeatedly on the outside. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a menace from the slot, but they lack options outside the numbers. That was supposed to be Williams' role. In Week 8, he played 41% of the team's snaps and had a 37% route participation. He only had three targets. Following a Week 9 bye, his role increased ever so slightly.
He played on 54% of the team's snaps in Week 10 and ran a route on 55% of the dropbacks. He only had two targets. This past weekend, his role grew again. He played on 65% of the snaps and ran a route on 66% of the team's dropbacks. If you believe in the talent and considering he was a first-round draft pick, there's good reason to do that, the evolving role should be exciting.
Oh, hello Jameson Williams#OnePride pic.twitter.com/aEmf4qAdz0
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) November 19, 2023
He had three targets in Week 11. He caught two of them for 44 yards and a touchdown. He's made a few splash plays this season, which includes another touchdown in Week 6, and had a touchdown called back in Week 10 due to a penalty. Williams is unlikely to become a consistent option.
Not with St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and the team's duo of running backs, but he has big play potential and his increasing role is a positive sign. The Lions are a great offense and if Williams's role continues to grow, he might just start stacking some of those big plays. He's a solid stash right now and could be a solid boom or bust WR4 down the stretch.
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals – 15% Rostered (DP)
In Week 10 - Kyler Murray's first start of the season - Moore was second on the team in targets with eight. He played on 42 of the team's 65 snaps and ran 27 routes on 36 dropbacks. He posted a 29.6% target per route run and a 22.2% target share. He finished with five receptions and 43 yards. In Week 11, Moore played on 44 of the team's 61 snaps and ran 30 routes on 38 dropbacks. He had just two targets, but made the most of them, finishing with one catch for 48 yards and a touchdown. He also received two carries for six rushing yards.
This past weekend, it was Greg Dortch with the big week and fantasy managers may be tempted to grab him, but we've seen this movie before. Dortch played well last year when DeAndre Hopkins or Marquise Brown missed time, which forced Moore outside more. However, when Arizona had all their primary receivers healthy, it was Moore who continued to man the slot.
This past weekend, Michael Wilson missed the contest, which forced Moore outside more often than he typically is. Once Wilson returns this upcoming week, fantasy managers should expect Dortch to go back to the bench and Moore back to his full-time slot role. Kyler Murray has targeted his slot receivers at a high rate, both in 2022 and now through two games this year.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers — 33% Rostered (DP)
Johnston has had a rough start to his NFL career, but it's hard to deny the opportunity he currently has in the Chargers' offense. In Week 10, he played 61 of the team's 72 snaps. That was the highest among any receiver for the team. Keenan Allen did leave the game for a bit due to a shoulder injury but didn't miss much time. Johnston also ran 35 routes on 40 dropbacks.
On the downside, he only earned just four targets. On the bright side, he caught all four of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown. He scored 11.4 half-PPR points, which was his best output of the season. His target share and targets per route run rates are both dreadfully low, but the Los Angeles offense has plenty of volume so his numbers have the ability to go a bit further with the Chargers than in other offenses.
This past weekend, despite the lackluster production, he continued to get ample playing time. He played 55 of the team's 64 snaps and ran a route on 40 of the team's 44 dropbacks. He earned six targets but didn't do much with them. He finished with just two catches for 21 yards including a game-breaking drop late in the fourth quarter that would have at the very least put the team in field goal range with an attempt to tie it. The potential was there on the play for Johnston to take it to the house and have the game-winning touchdown.
With Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer both on IR, Johnston has a massive opportunity. At this time, it seems unlikely he's going to grab the bull fully by the horns, but with the number of snaps he's playing, routes he's running, and the total number of passes the Chargers attempt, Johnston is a quality bench player to stash and hold right now. He cannot be started right now, but there's upside and potential given his current role.
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals – 12% Rostered (DP)
Wilson is going to be a bit of a boom-or-bust receiver for the rest of the season. That's because Rondale Moore, Marquise Brown, and Trey McBride all seem to be ahead of him on Kyler Murray's target hierarchy. Wilson's average depth of target is further down the field, which are more difficult passes to complete.
Wilson has been effective this year, despite it being his rookie season. In nine games this year, he has five games with seven or more half-PPR points. That includes one game where he scored 23.1 points. However, he also has two games with less than three points and another two with less than five.
He's a full-time player for the Cardinals and the offense should be more effective over the second half of the season. Murray will also be more likely to throw the ball downfield as opposed to Joshua Dobbs. In his first game with Murray, he finished with five targets, three receptions, and 34 yards. Wilson should be viewed as a boom-or-bust WR5. He missed the Week 11 contest but is expected back in Week 12.
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns – 42% Rostered (DP)
With Deshaun Watson now on IR and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson set to be the starter for the rest of the season, Moore's fantasy appeal took a big hit. It wasn't very high even with Watson and it'll be worse with DTR. However, he's still worth an add in any PPR-scoring league. He has seven or more targets in seven out of 10 games. He also has racked up four or more receptions in five games this season.
He's only gone over 50 yards on two occasions, but one of those weeks was this past weekend with the rookie under center. He had seven targets this past weekend and caught six of them for 60 yards. The weekly ceiling will not be very high with the rookie. The receiving yardage hasn't been there all season and it's hard to expect there to be many passing touchdowns in the coming weeks. However, Moore should be good for 3-5 receptions most weeks and 30-50 yards. It's not super exciting, but he can be an okay bench option.
Others to consider: Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers – 6% Rostered (DP), Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans – 13% Rostered (DL), Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 18% Rostered (DL), Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys — 1% Rostered, Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders – 31% Rostered (DL), Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears – 13% Rostered (DL), Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers – 1% Packers (DL), JuJu Smith-Schuster, New England Patriots – 17% Rostered (DL), DeVante Parker, New England Patriots – 1% Rostered (DL), Robert Woods, Houston Texans – 7% Rostered (DL), A.T. Perry, New Orleans Saints – 1% Rostered (DL), Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos – 10% Rostered (DL), Jalen Guyton, Los Angeles Chargers – 5% Rostered
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens – 2% Rostered
Likely is going to be the waiver wire darling this week and if you're struggling or streaming at tight end, fantasy managers should be incredibly aggressive in trying to land him. Starter Mark Andrews is done for the season, which moves Likely into the starting role on one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Following Andrews' exit, Likely took over as the full-time starter, although fantasy production didn't immediately follow. He finished with two targets and zero receptions, however, that's not the full picture. The tweet below is an excellent thread looking at Likely's Week 11 performance following Andrews' injury and gives fantasy managers a lot more context than his final stat line provides.
It was not a good game for Isaiah Likely by any means but the 0 catches on 2 targets in the box score is a little misleading.
Let's take a quick look ⬇️
— Andrew Cooper (@CoopAFiasco) November 18, 2023
From 2022-2023, Andrews has missed three regular season games. In those three contests, Likley has been the starting tight end. He's averaged 6.3 targets, 3.3 receptions, 43.6 yards, and 0.33 touchdowns per game. He averaged 8.0 half-PPR PPG. That would rank as the TE10 this season, tied with Dallas Goedert. His per-game averages in those three games would result in 108 targets, 57 receptions, 742 yards, and six touchdowns over 17 games. He should be considered a weekly starter moving forward and will often find himself ranked between TE8-14 for the rest of the season.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers – 53% Rostered (WS, DP)
Freiermuth has played in just four games this season and in two of them, he left early and finished with a 50% snap share in both games. Needless to say, most of his per-game averages are not the most accurate representation of who Freiermuth is. Since we essentially have two full games and two injury-shortened contests this season, I’d argue it’s more predictive to look at a larger sample. Such as in 2022 when Kenny Pickett was also under center for most of the year.
| Route Participation | Routes Run Per Game | Target Share | Target Per Game | Receptions Per Game | Yards Per Game | Half-PPR PPG |
| 72.8% | 24.6 | 19.0% | 6.1 | 3.9 | 45.8 | 7.3 |
Freiermuth had a good, but not great route participation rate. However, 73% is good enough to be considered a weekly starter. His 19% target share is elite. There are only five tight ends with a higher target share this season. Using his per-game averages from 2022, his 17-game pace would be 104 targets, 66 receptions, and 779 yards. That’s a darn good tight end. That wasn’t a fluke either.
Even as a rookie, Freiermuth showed plenty of promise. He had 70 targets, 54 receptions, 444 yards, and 7 touchdowns. As far as rookie tight ends go, that’s pretty stinkin’ good. Then he followed that up with a very impressive second season. His 2023 season hasn’t been bad, contrary to what the stats show. It's just been riddled with injuries, but this is football, so that’s going to happen. We have two years' worth of data that says Freiermuth is a very good tight end vs. what essentially amounts to three games' worth of play this season. I’d suggest using the former.
If you’re streaming tight ends or lost Dallas Goedert or Darren Waller to injury, it makes sense to add Freiermuth. He’s eligible to come back from IR this week. Last year, his target share and targets per game both bested George Pickens. Pickett has a 7.1 intended air yards per attempt average. This is the ninth-lowest out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks. He doesn’t like to throw the ball downfield. For Freiermuth’s fantasy value, that’s a good thing. There’s nothing wrong with betting on Freiermuth’s talent. In fact, I encourage it.
He returned in Week 11 but played just 53% of the team's snaps. Considering his injury woes that should have been the expectation. Hopefully, with the fact that he managed to play without setbacks, his role should grow moving forward. Don't be alarmed by the low fantasy output this past weekend. The Browns have allowed the fewest points to quarterbacks and tight ends this season from Weeks 1-10. Even if Freiermuth was unlimited, he likely would have struggled in this matchup. If you lost Andrews are are unable to grab Likely, Freiermuth isn't the worst backup plan.
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos – 8% Rostered
Dulcich has barely seen the field this season. He injured his hamstring in the very first game of the season and was subsequently placed on IR. After being out for four games, he returned in Week 6 and immediately reinjured the same hamstring. Once again, Dulcich was put on IR. He’s now eligible to return in Week 12.
This isn’t the first time he’s struggled with this same hamstring injury. He was on IR last year to start the season before first appearing in Week 6 after having missed the first five games. His rookie season ended early to you guessed it, a hamstring injury. All of that certainly makes him a gamble, but how he performed in 10 games last year as a rookie makes him worth the gamble. This is true primarily for teams who are streaming tight ends and are looking for a consistent starter. Dulcich, theoretically, has that level of upside.
| Route Participation | Routes Run Per Game | Target Share | Target Per Game | Receptions Per Game | Yards Per Game | Half-PPR PPG |
| 84.1% | 28.5 | 17.2% | 5.5 | 3.3 | 41.1 | 7.0 |
As you can see from the numbers above, Dulcich was very good as a rookie. An 84% route participation rate is elite. A 17% target share is very good as well. His per-game averages, over 17 games, equals 94 targets, 56 receptions, and 699 yards. He did that as a rookie while Russell Wilson was doing his best Zach Wilson impersonation, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett was doing his Urban Meyer impersonation, and the Broncos were one of the very worst offenses in the NFL. Pretty impressive stuff!
This season, Adam Trautman has been the primary starting tight end for the Broncos. He’s played on 80% of the team’s snaps and has an 86% route participation rate. However, he’s offered absolutely nothing in the passing game. Through 10 games he has 20 targets, 13 receptions, and 84 yards. This is what makes Dulcich appealing. The tight end the team has been using has offered nothing, but there’s more.
In Week 10, Trautman’s role shrunk. He played on just 64% of the snaps and ran a route on just 49% of the team’s dropbacks. At the time of this writing, snaps played and routes run were not yet available for their Sunday Night game against Minnesota. Both numbers from Week 10 were significantly below his seasonal averages. Chris Manhertz and Lucas Krull both saw increased roles. Could this be a sign the team is done with Trautman’s disappointing play? If it is, I’d say it’s about time. But coming to that conclusion just two weeks before Dulcich can return is, at the very least, interesting.
With Dulcich’s rookie performance, the bleak play Denver has received from their tight ends so far this year, and Trautman’s declining role means that Dulcich could walk into a sizable role upon return. Jerry Jeudy has struggled mightily this season and it’s certainly possible that Dulcich could find himself as Wilson’s No. 2 target behind Courtland Sutton. There’s upside here and because of that, he’s worth a speculative add.
Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers – 46% Rostered (WS, DP)
Musgrave had strung together back-to-back good games. He had 51 yards in Week 9, which was a career-high. Then, in Week 10, he had 64 yards, setting a new career high. He wasn't able to make it three weeks in a row, but his utilization continued to be excellent. He finished this past weekend with five targets. He caught four of them for 28 yards.
He has seven games with at least four targets, six games with at least three receptions, and four games with at least 45 yards. He has five games with more than five half-PPR points. The Packers offense, specifically Jordan Love, has played much better over the past three weeks and if that continues, Musgrave's utilization could finally start leading to more production. He's routinely running a route on 70-75% of the team's dropbacks.
He has the size, speed, and athleticism to create big plays, which cannot be said about most tight ends. If Love and this young Packers' offense can continue clicking, Musgrave could become a solid streamer down the stretch. One of the things that will continue to hold him back, however, is the number of pass-catchers the Packers have. Not that any of them are elite or even very good, but between Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks, it'll be hard for Musgrave to provide consistent production and fantasy value.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots – 29% Rostered (DL)
Henry popped off in a big way during the first two weeks of the season but has been virtually invisible since that time. However, with Kendrick Bourne out with a torn ACL and DeVante Parker out with a concussion, Henry found his way back into fantasy relevancy. He ran 39 routes on 46 dropbacks, which is an elite rate for any tight end.
He's had that kind of opportunity earlier in the season, but he was unable to carve out a consistent target for Mac Jones. With the injuries to other pass-catchers, Henry by default has become Jones' No. 2 target. He finished with six targets, which was second to only Demario Douglas in Week 9. He finished with four receptions, 39 yards, and a touchdown. His 11.9 half-PPR points were the most since Week 2.
In Week 11 - New England was on bye in Week 10 - Henry was once again the second-most targeted Patriot. He ran 27 routes on 34 dropbacks and finished with five targets. He finished with just three receptions for 21 yards, but the opportunity he's receiving is a positive. The upside is minimal due to the poor offensive efficiency and quarterback play, but he's averaging 5.5 targets in the past two games. Over 17 games, that's a 94-target pace. In a positive environment, that volume could easily make him a top-12 tight end. Of course, Henry's situation is far from positive. However, the volume alone will make him a solid streamer in positive matchups.
Others to consider: Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders – 11% Rostered (DL), Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers – 21% Rostered (DL), Donald Parham Jr., Los Angeles Chargers – 3% Rostered (DL), Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 20% Rostered (DL), Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons – 28% Rostered (DL), Tyler Conklin, New York Jets – 20% Rostered (DL), Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants – 1% Rostered (DL)
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