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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 12 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Rek analyzes Week 12 fantasy football running backs (RB) - waiver wire pickups, adds and sleepers for both PPR and non-PPR leagues. NFL running backs are a key component.

By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsWe are now heading into Week 12 of the fantasy football season, and many of you know what that means. That's right, if you play in a league with playoff byes you're only about two weeks away from playoff time.

Many of you are also either past your trade deadline or it's coming up at the end of this week. The list of methods you can use to find capable running backs is shortening very quickly.

Let me help you find some viable running backs or sleepers on the Week 12 waiver wire that you might be able to use for that playoff push. Good luck hitting the waiver wire this week RotoBallers.

Editor's Note: Find sleeper picks, undervalued ADPs, and draft targets to help you dominate your fantasy football drafts. Try our free who to draft tool for personalized recommendations.

 

Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB) - Week 12

Jonas Gray (RB, NE) - 14% owned on Fleaflicker

Has there ever been a bigger "duh" as far as fantasy football waiver wire pickups go?  I'm pretty sure Jonas Gray will be the #1 waiver wire add across the entire fantasy football nation after posting up an otherworldly 199 yards and 4 TDs in Sunday nights trouncing of the Colts. Perhaps most impressive though is that he received 38 carries from Bill Belichick.

Gray is without a doubt the "feature back" in the New England offense, and after running with purpose and patience all game vs. the Colts, he should be looked at as a solid RB2/FLEX play going forward.  His Week 12 matchup vs. the Lions is a tough one, but with the volume of touches he'll likely see, he is startable in most formats.

 

Tre Mason (RB, STL) - 47% owned on Fleaflicker

Tre Mason has made multiple appearances in this column. In fact, I think he's living up to his name of Tre by making his third appearance in this column. So, obviously I love the guy. But this isn't about why I love him, this is about why you should love him.

Tre "Cool" Mason rushed 29 times on Sunday for 113 yards. While the 3.9 yards per carry isn't overly impressive, the volume of touches and yardage total is.  What chumps allowed Tre Cool to run all over them? Oh you know, just the Broncos. Otherwise known as a team that hadn't allowed a 100 yard rusher this season until Week 11.

In case that wasn't enough to assure you that Mason is the lead running back, look at the volume of touches he got today when the Rams were leading. Not many backs (not named Mark Ingram) get that volume of touches in today's game. The Rams should also play from behind less with Shaun Hill looking fairly effective in his return to the helm, leading to more rushing attempts in general.

What does this all mean? Well, if you listened to me about Mason in my past columns congrats! If you haven't yet, and he's still out there on the waiver wire, he should be one of your top priority claims going into Week 12. Tre Cool is worthy of being an RB2 in most league sizes.

 

C.J. Anderson (RB, DEN) - 47% owned on Fleaflicker

Speaking of priority claims, it seems like ages ago I was recommending C.J. Anderson as your top waiver wire pickup. Wait, it was only last week?  My perception of time is clearly off.

Anyways, I hope you all listened to me because Anderson was one of the few Broncos to have a nice game this past Sunday. He rushed 9 times for 29 yards, but more importantly he had 8 receptions for 86 yards. That's a nice running back to own in all formats, but especially nice for all of you in PPR formats.

But wait Anderson owners... it gets better! You might find yourself asking how can it possibly get better when I plucked this guy off the waiver for very little? Well, I'm here to tell you it gets even sweeter. You see, Montee Ball had returned and was largely expected to take back his lead back role. However, Ball could do nothing when he was on the field and then he re-injured his groin. With both Ronnie Hillman and most likely Ball out for a while, look for Anderson to continue to be the lead back for the Broncos.

Being the lead back for a team that is one of the top scorers in the NFL is always juicy, and the same should hold true for Anderson. Heck, even when his team couldn't score much he found a way to get your fantasy team a ton of points. For those that were curious, I'd pick up Anderson before Mason, though it depends on the extent of Ball's injury and time on the shelf.

 

Alfred Blue (RB, HOU) - 35% owned on Fleaflicker

Arian Foster was injured this week, so Alfred Blue had to take on the role of lead running back this week. The man who shares a name with Batman's butler did all he could to prove he was worthy of a cooler nickname by rushing 36 times for 156 yards. The rushing attempts may be a franchise record, but I still see Blue as more of a sidekick than the main event.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad day for  someone whose previous carry high in a game was 14. For those that don't remember Blue from when I wrote about him before, never fear I have you covered. He was the sixth round pick for the Texans in this past year's draft. Athletically speaking, he's nothing too special as he doesn't rank above the 50th percentile in any of the metrics that Player Profiler measures. Yet he somehow managed to have the game he did today, and I give him kudos for that.

However, I cannot recommend him as highly as Tre Mason or C.J. Anderson. It's a simple matter of opportunity, and early reports are that Arian Foster is due back in Week 12. Even so, if you are a Foster owner then Blue is a must own. If you are in a 12 team league, he's worth the bench depth since Foster tends to find himself injured quite a bit.

 

Bryce Brown (RB,BUF) - 19% owned on Fleaflicker

Last week I decided to focus on his teammate Anthony Dixon because I figured that Bryce Brown would be in the dog house for fumbling. Silly me, this is the same coaching staff that couldn't seem to get C.J. Spiller in space. Nothing they do makes logical sense.

In all fairness to Brown, he did have 100 all purpose yards last week so I suppose he deserved another opportunity. Bryce is also the more talented of the two backups to Fred Jackson, and it's reasonable to believe that the depth he provides is the reason the Bills traded for him. This past Sunday Brown didn't disappoint owners who took a chance on him. He rushed 6 times for only a gross 14 yards, but he caught 7 passes for 57 yards. Obviously his value was more in PPR leagues, but even in standard leagues he managed to get you about 7 points.

Similarly to Blue, Brown is not someone I can really recommend wholeheartedly. I'm worried for Brown because similarly to Foster / Blue early reports are Fred Jackson will be healthy for Week 12. However, if F-Jax can't go then Brown makes for a nice flex play against the Jets in Week 12. Brown is worth owning at this point if you're an F-Jax owner, or if you're banking on F-Jax getting hurt again which is not a bad bet.

 

Isaiah Crowell (RB,CLE) - 37% owned on Fleaflicker

The Browns running back situation has been a three headed monster. Just when you think you figured out which back is going to be the lead, suddenly it changes. However, one player according to scouts has always stood out from the pack. He's also been featured in this article before, and his name is Isaiah Crowell.

Funny enough, Crowell's best comparison athletically in the NFL is Bryce Brown.  Much like Brown, Crowell ranks very high in his broad jumping ability and bench pressing ability. Both are fairly average in their other measured athletic talents though. However, unlike Brown Crowell has the opportunity to run away with the lead back job for the Browns.

You might be wondering why the spinner has stopped on Crowell this week instead of one of the other running backs that make up the Hydra system that the Browns like to go with. Well, against the Texans he rushed 14 times for 61 yards. You might be thinking that's not a big deal, but a 4.4 yards per carry average is pretty good against a defensive line featuring the Hercules of the NFL, better known as J.J. Watt.

I can't fully endorse Crowell because he still has to contend with Ben Tate and Terrance West, but for now he seems to be the guy. That's a good position to be in when your team is about to face one of the worst run defenses in the Atlanta Falcons. Crowell is a good Week 12 running back waiver wire pickup if you miss out on some of the other guys listed in this column.

 

Roy Helu (RB, WAS) - 34% owned on Fleaflicker

Let me start this by saying Washington is not a good team this year. Maybe they really should change their team name so they can focus on that rather than how much they stink on the field. However, that is coming from a Giants fan so it is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Don't even get me started on how much the Giants stink this year.

Let's get back to focusing on what we came here for though. One bright spot for Washington this season has been a running back by the name of Roy Helu. Helu has really taken a step forward in the pass-catching game as evidenced by his 11.9 yards per reception this season as compared to a career average of 8.7 yards per reception. This past Sunday was no exception to Helu being one of the few bright spots, as he had the only touchdown for the team. He did it by catching 6 passes for 57 yards. Alfred Morris didn't have a bad day running the ball either, but it's intriguing to note that no other "receiver" had over 40 yards for Washington in the game.

Unlike most of the other guys listed here, Helu has been in the league for a few years now. But as I mentioned earlier, he's seeing his highest yards per reception totals in his career, oh and also his highest yards per rushing attempt totals as well. Did I also mention that he also ranks in the 90th percentile or better for his 40 yard dash and agility scores? Seems like a case of an athletically talented guy finally putting it together. I'd roll the dice on Helu in 12 team leagues or deeper, especially if I was competing in a PPR format.

 

Honorable Mentions & Other Running Back Pickups

  • Knile Davis (RB, KC) - 58% owned on Fleaflicker
  • Latavius Murray (RB, OAK) - 17% owned on Fleaflicker
  • Dan Herron (RB, IND) - 1% owned on Fleaflicker

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF