Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Week 12

Scott Engel provides Week 12 fantasy football lineups analysis, spotlighting key NFL players to start and tougher lineup start/sit decisions to make.

Welcome to Week 12, RotoBallers! Below you will find some of my spotlight choices and players to go with or consider avoiding when faced with tough lineup decisions in Week 12 of the fantasy football season.

These choices are based off my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a 10% discount and get access to all of my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the remainder of the 2020 season. Weekly subscription options are available.

Skill position picks here are based on my PPR rankings.

• 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

Week 12 Running Back Spotlights

Todd Gurley has six rushing TDs in five home games this season. Because he is out with a knee injury, Brian Hill has a good chance to take over that role. Hill has some versatility too, as he has also caught 16 passes in limited action this season. The Raiders are 28^th in Fantasy Points Per Game Allowed to running backs, and have allowed an AFC-high 12 rushing touchdowns, The matchup points to Hill taking advantage of the draw and producing well. He has shown the potential to play well with an increased workload and should be locked in as a fantasy RB2 for Week 12.

Wayne Gallman rushed for 53 yards and 2 TDs in Week 10, his 1st-career game with 2 rushing TDs and 2nd-career game with 2 TDs. He has a career-high 5 TDs in 2020. Gallman has a rushing TD in 4 consecutive games, which was tied for the for longest-active streak in the NFL entering Week 12. Many Fantasy analysts are pointing to Daniel Jones as a nifty start considering the Bengals have a 26^th ranked defense that should spend a lot of time on the field this week. That makes a lot of sense, yet if Jones is moving the offense well, that will mean Gallman will get more opportunities to finish off scoring drives, and another two TD outing is possible.

Zack Moss has a rushing TD in 2 of his past 3 games. He has 4 rushing TDs in 4 home games this season. I except the Bills-Chargers game to be the highest-scoring matchup of the week and I am definitely taking the Over. More on that here. I expect a fun offensive duel between Josh Allen and Justin Herbert. Moss is clearly Buffalo’s preferred goal line finisher as the Bills have projected and hoped. A two TD outing is very possible. When you also consider that the Chargers are 22^nd in FFPG allowed to RBs, Moss is looking like a play for some possible fantasy upside in Week 12. There may be some good yardage numbers to go with the scoring runs.

Nyheim Hines had 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) and a season-high 115 scrimmage yards in the Week 10 meeting with the Titans. He is aiming for his 3rd game in row vs. Tennessee with a rushing TD. With Jonathan Taylor now out, the path appears to be clearer for Hines to touch the ball often this week. So he certainly deserves some flex consideration. But as a pure pass-catching back, Hines will always be a risk because he is unlikely to get consistent carries. There is certainly upside for Hines, but Jordan Wilkins will be the main ball carrier and preferred goal line option.

There certainly are many safer plays than Hines. He is a true boom or bust fantasy RB. If you are of the mindset, though, that you need to “swing for the fences” he can be your guy at a flex spot. Consider it if your team is on the outside of the playoff picture and needs a serious points boost. If your team is in comfortable playoff position, though, use an option with a safer statistical floor. Hines scored 23.5 fantasy points in Week 9, and 5.3 in Week 10. That’s who he is.

WATCH: The King and Anthony Aniano provide their Week 12 Sleeper and Value Plays

Week 12 Wide Receiver Spotlights

Nelson Agholor had 6 catches for 88 yards and a TD in Week 11. He has 50+ rec. yards and a TD catch in 2 of past 3. He had 8 catches for 107 yards and a TD in his last game vs. Atlanta (9/15/19 with Philadelphia). Agholor has clearly become the Raiders’ No. 1 WR and the matchup is a plum draw vs. the team that allows the most FFPG to WRs. Agholor is a boom or bust option, too, but this is certainly looking like a “boom” week where he should catch his seventh TD pass of the season.

Corey Davis led the Titans with 5 catches for 113 yards in Week 11. He is aiming for his 3rd game in a row with 5+ catches. He is also shooting for his 3rd in row on the road with 100+ yards. Davis is finally starting to show signs of living up to some of his potential recently, He has scored 11 or more fantasy points in four of his past five games, and over 15 in three of those outings. But bad outings are still possible, as evidenced by his Week 9 performance, when he was shut out by Chicago. The Colts are seventh best in FFPG allowed to WRs, and there is more danger for a disappointing performance from Davis this week.

Justin Jefferson had 86 yards and a TD catch last week. He is 1 of 3 WRs with 18+ yards per catch (18.8) this season (min. 40 receptions). The natural inclination for many is to think with a larger potential opportunity with Adam Thielen out this week, Jefferson has an even better chance to produce with more targets. Yet he will also now be the primary receiving focus of the defense for the first time in his career. There is more upside for Jefferson this week, but there is also more risk. In a tight decision with other top fantasy WRs, you may have to opt for a safer more established play. If he is your usual WR3, though, he should be a lock.

Antonio Brown had a team-high 8 receptions for 57 yards last week. He has 44 games with 8+ catches since 2011, the most in the NFL. Brown has 38 receptions for 563 yards (93.8 per game) and 4 TDs in 6 career games vs. KC. Those latter two stats, though, are from his Pittsburgh days. As a Buccaneer, Brown has been serviceable, yet has not shown any real upside. That is more on Tom Brady than Brown, though, as the WR has already shown the ability to beat defenders downfield in his first few games back. To compete with Patrick Mahomes this week, the Buccaneers need to find more ways to get the ball to Brown downfield. This could be the week when he busts loose to show he still truly has retained much of his past form.

Week 12 Quarterback Spotlights

Taysom Hill completed 18 of 23 attempts (78.3 pct.) for 233 yards with a 108.9 rating and had 51 rushing yards and 2 rush TDs in his 1st career start at QB. He is the 4th player with 2+ rush TDs in his 1st career start at QB. Hill showed he could do it all effectively last week. Any successful rushing QB that throws the ball effectively (that has not been Lamar Jackson or Cam Newton this season) is a locked in Fantasy QB1. Hill is firmly inside the Top 10 and a strong start if you do not currently roster another Top 5-7 QB.

Are we underrating Jared Goff? He passed for 376 yards and 3 TDs last week. He is aiming for his 4th in a row with 300+ passing yards. Spotlight stat: Goff has 13 games with 350+ pass yards since 2017, the most in the NFL. He has 14 TDs vs. 4 INTs for 93.4 rating in 7 career starts vs. SF. Considering Goff has four games with less than 12 Fantasy points this year, he is not regarded higher because of his inconsistency. He only scored 14.9 points in his first meeting with the 49ers this season. But if you need a streamer in place of Lamar Jackson, Drew Brees, etc.. Goff should perform better this week at home vs. San Francisco.

Week 12 Tight End Spotlights

Dallas Goedert faces a Seahawks Defense that is 7^th vs TEs and has been pretty good in that regard all year long. But Goedert is playing a large role in the Eagles passing game right now and should not be reserved in most tight calls.

Watch the Seattle TE situation closely on Monday night. The absence of Greg Olsen means more reps for Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister. Dissly is higher on the depth chart, but Hollister has made more key catches. Whoever emerges could be worthy of an add at the thinnest position in fantasy football.

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