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Kyle's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and waiver wire sleepers for Week 12 (2023). He picks high-upside NFL players to stash on your fantasy teams and helps outline a plan to maximize the bye weeks.
Hey, fantasy football wizards! Strap in, because we're about to zoom straight into the fantasy playoffs. It's high time to sharpen your start/sit strategies -- think of it as sharpening your swords for the final battle. Mastering the waiver wire? It's less about being the smartest in the room and more about being calculated with our moves and our remaining FAAB. Sure, not every player under our spotlight is destined to be the talk of the town, but scooping up that hidden gem? That's your ticket to fantasy football fame and glory.
We will already have four of the 16 games on this week's slate played by the time this article airs, but it doesn't hurt to know some of these names in case an injury comes to derail your season. There are zero teams on a bye this week as we get a full slate of games, but in Week 13 things will get very interesting as it will feature the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants all on a bye. Week 14 will thankfully be the last week of byes with the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders off.
As we dive into Week 12, it's important to take note of certain teams down the stretch and factor in how they've been performing in the standings. If a team like the Los Angeles Rams is out of playoff contention by the end, would a vet WR like Cooper Kupp even be out there? While we can't make decisions purely based on hypotheticals, knowing which teams have more incentive to win than others can help us in our decision-making. While your roster might be stacked, in the world of fantasy football, the quest for the next big star is endless. So keep your eyes peeled, your wits about you, and let the waiver wire wizardry commence!
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Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes Before Week 12
Demario Douglas (WR), New England Patriots
35% rostered on Yahoo, 30% on ESPN
The Patriots offense hasn't been great this year for fantasy by any means. They've struggled mightily, have a potential QB controversy brewing, and have one of the NFL's worst records at 2-8. This sort of season is something Patriots fans frankly haven't seen in 30 years! Douglas, who goes by "Pop", has been one of the lone bright spots in New England this season.
The late-round rookie in the 2023 draft has seen a total of 20 targets over New England's last four games and could be in for an even bigger role coming off their bye week. New England has a very winnable game this weekend against the New York Giants, and they get the Chargers secondary in Week 13. The schedule is very favorable for Douglas over their next two games and he's had double-digit fantasy points in three of their last four.
Gardner Minshew (QB), Indianapolis Colts
15% rostered on Yahoo, 7% on ESPN
While Minshew isn't going to light up the fantasy scoreboard like prior QB Anthony Richardson would, he's been serviceable for fantasy, especially in Superflex leagues. His best performance came against the Browns in Week 7 where he passed for 305 yards and two TDs to go with 29 yards on the ground and two rushing scores. It's probably not likely to expect that kind of performance from Minshew with his legs, but the Colts have a very favorable schedule for quarterbacks in fantasy.
This week, they square off against the Tampa Bay Bucs, whose defense has been shredded through the air in their last several games. Minshew gets a pretty favorable schedule in the fantasy playoffs in Weeks 16 and 17 against the Falcons and Raiders. Given the context of how many starting quarterbacks have been lost for the season, having Minshew even as your backup in 1QB leagues is beneficial.
Tutu Atwell (WR), Los Angeles Rams
27% rostered on Yahoo, 25% on ESPN
Unfortunately, star WR Cooper Kupp was injured in Week 11 and while he did practice this week, his status still hasn't been confirmed for Sunday. Even if he is a full-go, does it mean that Kupp will get the same amount of playing time anyway? Atwell has shown flashes this season in small doses and has two top-15 WR finishes early in the season when Kupp was sidelined. Keep an eye on this situation as the weekend goes on.
Joshua Kelley (RB), Los Angeles Chargers
15% rostered on Yahoo, 12% on ESPN
Kelley, like Rico Dowdle below, is in the same boat here. In the ever-unpredictable world of fantasy football, we're like treasure hunters, always on the lookout for those running backs who are just a stone's throw away from fantasy stardom. Joshua Kelley, despite a somewhat underwhelming show during Austin Ekeler's hiatus, remains a solid bet in most fantasy leagues.
Take a trip down memory lane to Week 7 against the Chiefs. That's when Kelley pulled out a surprisingly nifty 75 yards from just seven carries. His receiving skills? Well, let's just say they're still a work in progress. Fast forward to Week 11, and Kelley's role was more modest, with only six carries for 13 yards. Yet, he's undeniably carved out his niche as the go-to guy if anything sidelines Ekeler.
Meanwhile, the Chargers, under the guidance of Kellen Moore, are still trying to hit the right notes and claw their way into the AFC playoff scene. Kelley isn't the guy you'd bet your house on just yet, but he's someone to keep on your radar. While we don't want to root for injuries, we must always be prepared for them just in case. If something should happen to Ekeler, then Kelley would become a near must-start.
Michael Mayer (TE), Las Vegas Raiders
11% rostered on Yahoo, 7% on ESPN
It's hard to get excited about the Raiders offense this year, especially with Aidan O'Connell under center. Nonetheless, this team is still playing hard every week since Josh McDaniels was fired as the head coach. Mayer has started to become more involved in the offense over the last two weeks and has a total of 10 targets over those last two games. He's had seven receptions for 65 yards and one TD, hardly exciting, but Mayer was a highly-touted prospect and it's easy to see just how good he is when he's out there on the field. The only downside? The Raiders have a Week 13 bye coming up.
Tyjae Spears (RB), Tennessee Titans
39% rostered on Yahoo, 34% on ESPN
Incumbent RB Derrick Henry hasn't much looked like his old self this season, and the Titans offense has still struggled to move the ball downfield even with the switch at QB to the rookie Will Levis. Spears is a phenomenal receiver out of the backfield and does have some standalone value as a pass catcher for fantasy, but he would likely need an injury to happen to Henry for Spears to have any real fantasy upside. Since this column is based purely on hypotheticals, Spears makes the cut.
He's seen a total of 37 targets this season and is also averaging 5.2 yards per carry on the ground. If the Titans fall further out of the playoff race, is there a chance that we could see more of Spears going forward? Henry is a free agent after the season, so Tennessee might not care about his level of wear-and-tear, but Spears is well worth adding, especially in keeper leagues where he might still be eligible. The Titans' RB situation for the rest of 2023 is one to monitor.
Kenneth Gainwell (RB), Philadelphia Eagles
27% rostered on Yahoo, 16% on ESPN
D'Andre Swift has been stealing the show in the Eagles' backfield and has firmly established himself as the top dog. This sudden turn of events has seen Kenneth Gainwell getting a less-than-tearful goodbye from fantasy managers, who've been dropping him faster than a hot potato on the waiver wire. Swift's been dazzling, no doubt, but those elusive rushing TDs have been playing hard to get, largely thanks to Jalen Hurts' red zone escapades and the infamous tush push tactic that the Eagles love to use.
Gainwell, with his quick feet and smooth catching skills, hasn't quite found his groove in the Eagles' master game plan. But should Swift find himself on the sidelines, Gainwell's ready to step up and don the RB1 mantle. It's a reminder of the fickle nature of the NFL, where fortunes can flip faster than a coin toss -- and no, we're not rooting for injuries, but they're an unavoidable part of the gridiron drama. So, think of your fantasy bench as your secret arsenal -- always be prepared to pull out a surprise weapon and cook up a victory when it counts the most.
Rico Dowdle (RB), Dallas Cowboys
12% rostered on Yahoo, 9% on ESPN
Disclaimer: Since Rico Dowdle already played in Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game, he is only available for pickup in some leagues that allow it. Many leagues lock players from being added if they already played. Nonetheless, Dowdle is worth a look when your league's waivers run.
Dowdle only had three carries for 11 yards in Week 12, but he did have one reception for 15 yards and a TD. While fellow RB Tony Pollard is still the starter, Dowdle is the pretty clear backup in the Cowboys offense. Lately, this team has been red hot on offense, and in fantasy, we always want to be targeting as many players for our benches who are only one spot away on their team's depth chart from seeing a meaningful role. It does seem like Dowdle has come from out of nowhere, but the Cowboys coaching staff seems to like him.
We hope you like these selections ahead of Week 12! Even if you don't have room to pick up some of these players, it's important to stay ahead of your league mates and preserve FAAB so that you have it at the end of the year when you need it. Feel free to follow me on Twitter/X for more waiver and player analysis throughout the season!
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