👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 12 Boom and Bust Candidates: Drew Brees, Odell Beckham Jr., LeSean McCoy & More

We’re at the point of the season where just one more win may get you into the postseason, and just one more loss may keep you out. It may be the most wonderful time of the year as far as holiday season, but in fantasy football land, this is the end of the line for a lot of owners who’ll make the wrong decisions. Let’s hope that’s not you.

To be extra sure, we’ve created a boom/bust list of players who are most likely to have superb showings on Sunday or Monday, and the others who will disappoint and end many fantasy playoff hopes. Good luck.

 

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

Potential Booms of the Week

Quarterbacks:

Eli Manning, QB, Giants: It has been a very up and down season for the younger Manning, but an extra week of preparation for the Redskins makes Manning a great play this Sunday. He has thrown 10 TDs in his last three games and the Redskins have allowed nine TD passes in their last three games.

Drew Brees, QB, Saints: Over the last three games, the Texans have been downright nasty against QBs, allowing just one passing TD and an average of 194.7 passing YDs per game. Still, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton and Marcus Mariota are not Drew Brees. I like the future hall of famer to get back on track this week.

Running Backs:

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars: Despite not topping 100 YDs since Week 7, T.J. Yeldon has still gotten a lot of touches and offers fantasy owners a high floor and ceiling in any given week. Facing the San Diego Chargers, who are giving up the most fantasy points to RBs in the NFL, Yeldon should be a lock for a huge game.

Chris Ivory, RB, Jets: Chris Ivory did not look great last week against the Texans, gaining just 36 rushing YDs, but then again, no one on the Jets did. This week, the power back gets a home matchup with a Miami Dolphins squad that has allowed 465 rushing YDs and four rushing TDs over the last three games. Expect a nice score from Ivory.

Wide Receivers:

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants: A big game for Eli generally means a big game for OBJ. The second-year wideout has over 100 receiving YDs in each of his last three games and gets a gift matchup against the Redskins in Week 12. Washington has allowed 39 receptions, 513 receiving YDs and five receiving TDs to WRs over the last three weeks.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals: The 49ers are near the bottom of the league in pass defense. Larry Fitzgerald torched them for 134 YDs and two TDs in Week 3. Fitzgerald has at least 90 receiving YDs in six games this season. In their last two games, the Niners have surrendered 28 receptions, two TDs and 316 YDs to WRs.

Tight Ends:

Gary Barnidge, TE, Browns: Fantasy owners certainly missed Gary Barnidge last week, as the TE has grown into a true stud at the position this season, scoring seven TDs so far. Don’t let Baltimore’s defense against TEs (only two TDs allowed this season to the position) scare you off. Barnidge is matchup proof.

Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins: Entering Week 11, Jordan Reed had scored five TDs in the previous three weeks and was looking like a Top 5 TE. Things stalled a bit in Week 11 against Carolina, but they’ve been shutting everyone down. Reed is clearly Kirk Cousins’ favorite target, and the Giants have shown some vulnerability against TEs (363 YDs three TDs in last four games).

Defenses:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have put up double-digit fantasy points in each of the past two weeks and face an Indianapolis team that has allowed defenses to score at least nine in three of the past four weeks.

Kansas City Chiefs: Since Week 5, few defenses have been better than Kansas City’s. They haven’t allowed a team to score more than 18 points in any game during that stretch and have racked up at least 10 fantasy points in five out of six games since then.

 

Potential Busts of the Week

Quarterbacks:

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: Let’s face it, Matt Ryan has been an underachiever this season. Generally considered a top 10 fantasy QB, Ryan had his first three TD game of the season last week. Minnesota has been great against QBs, allowing just one 300 YD passing game since Week 3 and no three TD performances all season.

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals: After an unbelievably strong start to the season, Andy Dalton has slowed down somewhat in recent weeks. In two of his last four games, he’s posted single digit fantasy football performances and he has also turned the ball over four times in the last four weeks. The Rams have allowed multiple passing TDs just twice this season and 300 YDs passing just once.

Running Backs:

LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills: The elusive RB has played well as of late, but draws an unfortunate matchup against the seemingly impenetrable Chiefs defense. With Kansas City having allowed just a single 100 YD game and one rushing TD to RBs since Week 5, things don’t look good for LeSean McCoy this game.

Frank Gore, RB, Colts: The Buccaneers have a sneaky good defense and have not given up a rushing TD since Week 4. While Frank Gore has been solid this season, he has been largely unspectacular (no 100 YD rushing games, only four TDs). He doesn’t offer much reason to believe he can rise above a bad matchup.

Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins: The Jets have one of the best run defenses in the league (one rushing TD allowed, three games with 100-plus rushing YDs allowed) and have already shown they can shut Lamar Miller down. Though these Dolphins appear to be a different team than the Week 4 version the Jets crushed, Miller still looks like a good candidate to put up a second consecutive dud.

Thomas Rawls, RB, Seahawks: Thomas Rawls looks ready to become the next fantasy RB star following his impressive 209 YD performance against the 49ers last week. But hold your horses a bit. First, he was at home facing the sorry 49ers. Second, he’s squaring off against a much better Pittsburgh defensive front in Week 12. Though they’ve shown some cracks in the armor recently, the Steelers have been among the best units against the run this season.

Wide Receivers:

A.J. Green, WR, Bengals: A.J. Green has been another fantasy bust this season, with two impact games the entire year. St. Louis has been strong against WRs, limiting them to 346 receiving YDs and one score over the past five weeks. In a game that could see Dalton struggle, Green is not a strong play this week.

Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills: Last week’s tilt with the Patriots looked like a great game for Sammy Watkins to explode. Instead, he put up another sub-par performance with just 39 receiving YDs. Even against a suspect Kansas City secondary in Week 12, Watkins is not someone you can trust anymore.

Tight Ends:

Jordan Cameron, TE, Dolphins: Jordan Cameron actually got in the end zone last week, but still only had two receptions for 21 YDs. His season high in receptions is four. At a very shallow position, it’s hard to get picky about TEs, but when you add in the fact that the Jets have given up 15 receptions, 124 receiving YDs and no scores to TEs since Week 7, it’s clear Cameron is a bad start.

Defenses:

Denver Broncos: It seemed like a risky idea to start the Broncos against the Packers in Week 8 and they scored 11 fantasy points. Then in the following two weeks it seemed they had favorable matchups and have totaled just seven. Heading into a game against the Patriots, there’s no way I trust the Broncos defense. No defense has scored more than six against New England in 2015.

 

Diamonds in The Rough

Are injuries putting your week and potentially your season in danger? Look to the waiver for a one-week savior. We’re here to guide the way:

Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers: You can’t expect five TDs from him again, but he has at least 12 fantasy points in every game this season and the Colts allow an average of 16.8 fantasy points per game to QBs.

David Johnson, RB, Cardinals: Though he has limited upside because of his usage, David Johnson could sneak in some points based on the matchup against the 49ers.

Dwayne Harris, WR, Redskins: Dwayne Harris has seen his production increase over the last few weeks and is worth a shot against the soft Redskins defense.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings: It would be foolish to expect a repeat of last week’s performance, but Rudolph could get into the end zone against the Falcons, who have allowed six TDs by TEs this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DEF: As stated earlier, the Buccaneers have been a strong under the radar defensive option in fantasy. Indy’s offense is in disarray and has given up at least one turnover in seven out of 10 games this season.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Martinsville
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Martinsville
Tyler Reddick

Should Come Back Down to Earth at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Will Be Strong at Martinsville
Deshaun Watson

in "Pole Position" to be Week 1 Starting QB?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking to Rebound at Martinsville
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Showing Progress, Qualifies Fifth at Martinsville
Gabriel Vilardi

has a Two-Point Performance
Ivan Demidov

Collects Two More Points on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Out Sunday vs. Trail Blazers
Neemias Queta

Questionable for Sunday
Jayson Tatum

Could Rest on Back-to-Back
Derrick White

Could Miss Hornets Game
Immanuel Quickley

Remains Sidelined vs. Magic
Brandon Ingram

Questionable Against Orlando
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic to Serve One-Game Suspension Monday
Walter Clayton Jr.

is Available for Saturday's Game
Dylan Cease

Fans 12 in Blue Jays Debut on Saturday
Jahmai Mashack

is Returning on Saturday
Guerschon Yabusele

is Absent on Saturday
Malik Monk

Moves into Starting Five on Saturday
Kyler Murray

Dynasty Value Gets New Life With Move to Minnesota
Jonathan Kuminga

to Sit Out on Saturday
Onyeka Okongwu

Won't Play on Saturday
Rachaad White

Is Rachaad White the New RB1 for the Commanders?
Jock Landale

is Cleared for Saturday's Game
Dyson Daniels

is Ruled Out for Saturday
Shane Wright

Exits Early Saturday
Connor Zary

Remains Out Saturday Night
Noah Laba

a Game-Time Call Sunday
Jonathan Quick

to Remain Unavailable Sunday
Stefon Diggs

Still a Free Agent With April Approaching
Joel Hanley

to Miss Rest of Season
Alvin Kamara

Workload Expected to Look Drastically Different in 2026
Ethen Frank

Remains Out Saturday
Robert Thomas

Available Saturday
Andrew Vaughn

Needs Hand Surgery, Expected to be Out 4-6 Weeks
Jacob deGrom

"Confident" he Will Make his Next Start
Trey Benson

Facing Uphill Battle for Playing Time in Arizona
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Can Jacory Croskey-Merritt Emerge as the Clear RB1 in Washington?
Lamar Jackson

Looking for Return to Full Health in 2026
Sean Tucker

Remains Buried on Buccaneers' Running Back Depth Chart
Jake Tonges

Appears Likely to Enter 2026 Atop 49ers' Tight End Depth Chart
NFL

Can Ja'Kobi Lane Carve Out a Fantasy-Relevant Role as a Rookie?
Chig Okonkwo

Instantly Jumping to Fantasy Relevance in Washington?
Aaron Jones Sr.

Set for Familiar Role in 2026?
Brandon Aiyuk

a Buy-Low Candidate in Dynasty Leagues?
Romeo Doubs

the New No. 1 Target in New England?
Daniel Jones

a QB1 if Ready for Season Opener?
Jacob deGrom

Scratched From Saturday's Start Due to Neck Stiffness
Jeferson Quero

Brewers Calling Up Catching Prospect Jeferson Quero
Josh Allen

Still the Top Dog at QB in Fantasy
Jared Goff

Should Have Safe Floor as QB1 Again Under New Offensive Coordinator
Jacoby Brissett

Will Jacoby Brissett be on the Streaming Radar Again in 2026?
NFL

Kaytron Allen Should Attract Plenty of Interest in 2026 NFL Draft
NFL

Makai Lemon a Polarizing Receiver Prospect Heading into This Year's Draft
David Pastrnak

Riding 11-Game Point Streak
John Gibson

Gets Back on Track Friday
J.T. Miller

Bags Three Points Against Blackhawks
Tage Thompson

Picks Up 400th Career Point
Patrick Kane

Collects Two Points in Friday's Win
Nick Lardis

Pots Another Goal Friday Night
Shayne Gostisbehere

Could Be an Option Saturday
Nique Clifford

Could Return Saturday
Marcus Sasser

Probable Saturday
Caris LeVert

on Track to Return Saturday
Deyvison De Los Santos

Marlins Promote Deyvison De Los Santos to Major Leagues
Duncan Robinson

Listed as Questionable for Saturday
Ayo Dosunmu

Questionable to Play Saturday
Myles Turner

Iffy for Saturday
Moritz Seider

Assists on Two Goals Against the Sabres
Shea Langeliers

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Kevin Gausman

Picks Up No-Decision But Strikes Out 11 on Opening Day
Alex DeBrincat

Picks Up Three Points Versus Buffalo
Tanner Bibee

Day-to-Day, Could Make his Next Start
Dylan Garand

Starts Friday
Noah Ostlund

Won't Play Friday
Connor Zary

Returns to Practice
Shane Baz

Orioles Agree to Five-Year Extension
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Making Season Debut on Friday Against Angels
Tiger Woods

Involved In Rollover Car Crash
Tanner Bibee

Shoulder Issue Not Considered Serious
Joe Pyfer

Set For UFC Seattle Main Event
Israel Adesanya

Returns At UFC Seattle
Maycee Barber

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak To Eight
Alexa Grasso

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Dominic Canzone

a Top Pickup After Two-Homer Game
Niko Price

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michael Chiesa

Set For Retirement Fight
Chase DeLauter

Launches Two Home Runs, Emerges as Top Waiver-Wire Target
Lerryan Douglas

Set For His UFC Debut
Julian Erosa

Looks To Bounce Back
Tanner Bibee

Leaves Opening Day Start Early With Shoulder Inflammation
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Makes a Statement on Opening Day With 10 Strikeouts
Kevin McGonigle

has Four Hits in Impressive MLB Debut
Nico Hoerner

Cubs Agree to Six-Year Deal With Nico Hoerner
Jacob Misiorowski

Shows Off his High-Strikeout Upside in Opening Day Win
Paul Skenes

Greeted Harshly by Mets on Opening Day
Brandon Lowe

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Ryan Fox

a High-Upside Value in Houston
Marco Penge

a Boom-or-Bust Option in Houston
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back in Houston
Jason Day

a Volatile Option at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Harris English

Eyes a Bounce-Back at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Ben Griffin

Looks for Turnaround at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Rickie Fowler

Brings Strong Form Into Texas Children's Houston Open
Ryan Gerard

Can Continue Rolling at Texas Children's Houston Open
Pierceson Coody

Bounces Back at Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trying to Get Back on Track at Texas Children's Houston Open
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well Heading to Texas Children's Houston Open
Harry Hall

Looking for Consistency at Texas Children's Houston Open
Brooks Koepka

Continues Building Momentum
Scottie Scheffler

Withdraws From Texas Children's Houston Open
Luke Clanton

Might Have a Problem in Houston
Sam Stevens

Happy to See Houston This Week
Keith Mitchell

Tries to Rebound After The Players Championship
Will Zalatoris

Returning This Week at Houston
Wyndham Clark

Trending in the Wrong Direction Heading to Houston
Shane Lowry

Seeking Better Luck in Houston This Weekend
Lerone Murphy

Suffers His First Loss
Movsar Evloev

Edges Out Lerone Murphy
CFB

Notre Dame Ranks No. 1 in Returning Production for 2026
Michael Aswell

Jr. Drops Decision At UFC London
Michael Aswell

Luke Riley Outclasses Michael Aswell Jr.
Sam Patterson

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Michael Page

Wins Lackluster Decision
Austen Lane

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Iwo Baraniewski

Delivers 28-Second TKO
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF