November 22, 2016

Andrew Bua's top QB waiver wire pickups and fantasy football streamers for Week 12 of the NFL Season. Target these single-QB and two-QB streamers in your leagues.

RotoBallers,

Welcome back. As always this column will aim to highlight Week 12 waiver wire adds and streamers for quarterbacks, players that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire.

In recent years, the concept of streaming has become a popular one within fantasy football circles. Particularly with quarterbacks and defense/special teams, the idea of swapping players out every week based on attractive matchups has led numerous owners to victory (or to the basement, if such owners didn’t stream correctly). It’s not a bad idea – why invest a high draft pick on a player you may not want to use every week when you can use the upcoming week’s tilts to your advantage and play the projections?

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 12 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Strategy for Streaming Quarterbacks

The problem, as mentioned above, is that if you’re going to go this route then you need to stream right - or you’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble. Fortunately, the purpose of this weekly article will help you do exactly that with the quarterback position. Every week, we’ll take a look at six streaming QB options: three for one-quarterback leagues, and three for two-quarterback leagues. The focus will be on streaming for the upcoming week, but if that particular player has a positive outlook beyond that point it will be noted for your benefit.

Options for one-quarterback leagues could be just about anyone – if a decent QB really has that tasty of a matchup, then who are we to not take advantage of that? Of course, the obvious names aren’t “streamers” – your Newtons, Rodgers, and Wilsons of the world are plugged into the starting QB spot for their owners week in and week out. Other than the head honchos at the position though, anyone is eligible. Two-quarterback leagues, however, work a little differently. In these leagues, most of, if not all quarterbacks are already owned. Thus, to be a streamer option in a two-quarterback league, the QB needs to be close to the bottom of the barrel. For example, you aren’t streaming Eli Manning in a two-quarterback league because under that setting, Eli should be starting every week anyway.

RotoBallers, stream away to your heart’s desire. If you have any questions or comments feel free to send me an email ([email protected]), tweet (@Andrew_Bua), or reach out on Reddit (/u/CitiStrikeouts).

One-QB Leagues - Week 12 Waiver Wire Streamers

Ryan Tannehill, MIA (52% owned)

Ryan Tannehll has had an up-and-down season, and while Week 11's effort was far from his best, it certainly wasn’t his worst either. Traveling to the west coast to play the Rams, Tannehill only threw for 172 yards but also tossed two scores in the process against the NFL’s eighth-best pass defense. Things get a little easier for the ‘Fins when the San Francisco 49ers head to Miami in Week 12.

The 49ers defense has been terrible all year, but they’ve sunk to a new level of bad over their last four games. Over that timespan, they’ve surrendered, at minimum, 269 passing yards in each game with at least three touchdown passes in three of the four outings. On top of that, they’ve allowed at least two touchdown passes in eight out of ten games on the year. Pretty much, San Francisco has the perfect defense to stream a QB2 against. Tannehill himself has been pretty solid since the Dolphins switched to a run-heavy offense with the success of Jay Ajayi. In his last four games, Tannehill has thrown six touchdowns to only two interceptions; there’s no reason that ratio won’t get even better against a hapless 49ers defense.

Sam Bradford, MIN (32% owned)

Sam Bradford just keeps on chugging along in what has been a quietly efficient season for the veteran quarterback. Bradford wasn’t spectacular against Arizona’s elite pass defense in Week 11, but held his own by finishing 20-of-28 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Bradford has thrown for a touchdown in every game this season thus far, a demonstration of consistency and reliability that makes him valuable as a QB2. There’s little doubt that streak continues when the Vikings head to Detroit in Week 12.

In a reverse situation from Bradford and his sneaky success this year, the Lions defense has quietly been awful. We all know they're bad, but did you know that in all but one game this season they’ve allowed either a 300-yard passer or multiple touchdown passes? In standard leagues, that amounts to the Lions surrendering the second-most fantasy points to QB’s with an average of 21.20 per week. Yeah, that’s a defense you want to target. Furthermore, we’re at the point in the season where weather is becoming a big factor. Minnesota is certainly not an ideal place to play this time of year; it’s an added bonus for Bradford the game is in the comfy indoor confines of Ford Field. Bradford is a fine QB1 streamer in Week 12 if you’re in need.

Joe Flacco, BAL (48% owned)

Another week, another Joe Flacco recommendation in this column. Hey, it’s not our fault the Ravens’ schedule has been filled with subpar pass defenses. Flacco has done his part to take advantage of that, over the last three weeks he’s averaged 17.45 fantasy points per week. Baltimore’s nice schedule continues in Week 12 when they stay at home to take on the division rival Bengals.

Cincinnati’s defense isn’t one you would normally think to stream against, but they are simply bleeding fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. The 19.75 fantasy points they’re allowing to quarterbacks each week is the fifth-highest in the NFL, a far cry from the Bengals’ defense we’ve seen the last few years. They managed to keep Tyrod Taylor in check in Week 11, but in three of their last four games prior to that they allowed either 400+ passing yards or three touchdown passes. This defense isn’t getting the job done this year, and Flacco should be the next quarterback to benefit from their ineptitude.

Two-QB Leagues - Week 12 Waiver Wire Streamers

Jay Cutler, CHI (22% owned)

Much like Joe Flacco above, Jay Cutler is seeing himself show up frequently on this list given his schedule and low ownership rate. If you’ve taken the advice here, you certainly aren’t complaining as Cutler has averaged 18.75 fantasy points per-game in the weeks we’ve recommended him (if you're a Bears fan...you're still complaining).  Returning home to take on the Titans in Week 12, Cutler is a solid bet to finish as a top end QB2 streamer in the plus matchup.

To say the least, Tennessee’s defense has not been good. After a solid start to to the season, they’ve allowed at least two touchdown passes in seven of their last eight games, and surrendered at least 336 yards through the air in four of them. Given Cutler’s tendency to mindlessly gun the ball all over the place, the Titans’ incompetency should suit him very well. Additionally, for all the flak Cutler (reasonably) takes, he’s thrown a touchdown in each of the three games Chicago has played since his return from injury and logged at least 252 passing yards in two of them. Cutler’s tendency to implode always makes him a risky bet, but as long as his ownership rate stays down he will likely be a juicy QB2 option the rest of the year.

Brock Osweiler, HOU (26% owned)

Week 12 marks the second consecutive week Brock Osweiler makes the QB2 streamer list, and with good reason. While Osweiler’s Week 11 matchup has yet to take place, as mentioned last week, he has the benefit of taking on the Raiders followed by a home game against the Chargers in Week 12.

San Diego’s defense is a unit that has put up nice fantasy point totals as of late, but the way in which they’ve been doing so is unsustainable with a cluster of defensive touchdowns. We already saw them come back down to earth against Miami in Week 10 and that trend should continue in Week 12 after their bye. Even with the nice fantasy point totals, QB’s have still been producing against them nonetheless. In their last four games, they’ve surrendered either a minimum of 273 passing yards or multiple touchdown passes. As far as Osweiler goes, also mentioned last week, he’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in three of his last six games (prior to Week 11) while also only throwing two interceptions in his last four outings (a small number compared to the seven he tossed in his first give games). He’s not an amazing streamer option, but then again he wouldn’t be a QB2 streamer if he were.

Josh McCown, CLE (7% owned)

With Cody Kessler suffering his second concussion of the season in Week 11, it’s highly probable we’ll see Josh McCown under center for Cleveland in Week 12 against the Giants. McCown certainly didn’t impress on Sunday against Pittsburgh, nor did he in Week 10 against Baltimore, but it’s worth noting he came into the middle of the game to relieve Kessler in both. In his last start, McCown threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns; he’s always a good bet to rack up yards (and hopefully, fantasy points) given the recklessness with which he plays.

The Giants defense has played the bend-but-don’t-break style this year, and for the most part, it’s worked. They haven’t given up a ton of fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, but in most games this year the stats are there for them anyway. In seven of their last nine games, the G-Men have allowed a minimum of 263 passing yards. The problem is they aren’t allowing many touchdowns – they only surrendered multiple scores in two of those games. Still, if you need a QB2 streamer in Week 12, a quarterback such as McCown who is going to toss the ball all over the place regardless of who he is playing is a high ceiling player against a defense that’s been allowing a lot of yards. Cleveland has nothing to play for and Hue Jackson will likely be looking to do whatever it takes to finally win a game.

Note – if Cody Kessler ends up starting, he should at least be considered here but you should probably look elsewhere for a QB2 streamer for Week 12.