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 Waiver Wire – Wide Receivers (WR) & Defenses (DEF)

RotoBaller Matt Hartman breaks down Week 12 waiver wire pickups for wide receivers (WRs) & defenses (DEF) and your fantasy football teams. Let's win some leagues!

Each week of the NFL season I will take a look at how to improve your fantasy football teams. Below I highlight wide receivers (WRs) and defenses (DEF) that need to be considered on the Week 12 waiver wire for your fantasy football teams. Some may have a good matchup for Week 12, or have been putting up relevant points and should be rostered.

What's up ballers?  Hopefully some of you have clinched a playoff spot or about to following the advice found at Rotoballer.com.  For this week I'll be recommending two younger WR's and a tried true name everyone has heard of.  This week I will break my rules and recommend Santonio Holmes again.  I will be the first to state that I'm not a member of the Holmes fan club.  However, his matchups and big play ability make him a nice option (if he stays healthy).  I will continue to be recommending defenses that are nice streamer choices based off the matchup.

With that said, lets get to it. Here are the waiver recommendations this week by priority order:

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups – Wide Receivers (WR)

 

Ace Sanders, WR, JAX - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues only (12+ teams PPR)
ANALYSIS:  Guess who had the most catches in the Jacksonville vs. Arizona game?  Bet you wouldn't have guessed Ace Sanders.  For the game, Sanders had eight catches on 10 targets for 61 yards.  This again is a young player (rookie) that posted his career-best stat line.  With the injuries and depletion of WR options in Jacksonville, Sanders has been given the opportunity to shine.  While I don't expect him to get 10 targets every week, I do believe he has a chance to be a solid PPR option given the 'garbage' time the Jaguars are always in.  If you are in a PPR league, Sanders may well be worth a flier.

 

Santonio Holmes 2011Santonio Holmes, WR, NYJ  - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues only (12+ teams Standard, PPR)
ANALYSIS:  Guess who I'm recommending again?  Santonio Holmes... yes, I guess I'm setting myself up once again.  However, I cannot deny that the Jets were looking his way in his first game back from injury (eight targets).  While his stats didn't show up in the scoreboard (two catches for 71 yards),  I like Holmes's big-play ability and potential with some favorable matchups coming up.  If you are looking for WR depth, Holmes could be an option for you to consider.

 

Marquise Goodwin, WR, BUF  - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues only (12+ teams Standard, PPR)
ANALYSIS:  Marquise Goodwin is coming off a strong week vs NYJ with 81 yards and a touchdown on six catches and nine targets.  All of those numbers were season-highs.  With EJ Manual back at the QB position and Robert Woods nursing an injury, itis hard for me to see why the Bills don't dial Goodwin up again next week.  The catch with this recommendation is that this is his outburst game so he has not shown any consistency yet-- he could well be a dud next week.  If you are in a deep league, Goodwin might be worth a flier given his speed and big-play ability.

 

Previously Mentioned Players: Jericho Cotchery, WR, PIT, Dexter McCluster, WR, KC

Honorable mention: Rod Streater, WR, OAK; Richard Matthews, WR, MIA; Markus Wheaton, WR, PIT

Players I recommend beyond rules (above 25% ownership or previously recommended).  Add these WR players immediately if they are available in your leagues (in priority order):

  • Josh Gordon, WR, CLE - continues to play well regardless of who is at QB.
  • Percy Harvin, WR, SEA - first game of the season was on a limited snap count...expect value to rise in upcoming weeks
  • Jarrett Boykin, WR, GB - Another solid game for Boykin 6 catches, 91 yrds.  Beware owners...Cobb will be back around week 14 so the value of him may dip soon...depending on injuries
  • Harry Douglas, WR, ATL - Solid week with 134yrds and a 1td.  Value may take a dip with Roddy White back but still will get opportunities
  • T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND - had a modest game vs a solid Tennessee defense
  • Keenan Allen, WR, SD -  Hyperextended his knee...watch injury report
  • Terrance Williams, WR, DAL - bye week
  • Golden Tate, WR, SEA - bad game with only one catch this week
  • Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA - another week another td...only had two catches
  • Emmanuel Sanders, WR, PIT - exited last week due to a foot injury...monitor this situation as Markus Wheaton could get his place
  • DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU - was benched last week for 'mental errors'...watch this situation closely
  • Michael Crabtree, WR, SF - Won't be back until late to mid Nov.

 

Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups – Defenses (DEF)

Defense no-brainer starts:  BAL (vs NYJ), HOU (vs JAX)

Cleveland, DEF - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (12+ teams)
ANALYSIS: As much as this may come as a surprise to some of you, the Browns defense is underrated. This week, the Browns will be playing the Steelers who have given up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.  The Browns defense (currently ranked fifth-best overall) will be facing a Steelers offense ranked in the middle of the pack (15) who have a -8 turnover ratio.  If you are looking for a nice streamer option, Cleveland is a solid choice.

 

Dallas, DEF - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (12+ teams)
ANALYSIS:  This week, the Cowboys will be playing a Giants team that has given the most points to opposing defenses.  To add to this recommendation, the turnover ratio of the Giants team this season is -11. In Week 1 of this season the Giants offense allowed three  sacks, three interceptions, three fumbles and two TDs vs. the Cowboys.  While I don't think Dallas will be able to repeat that defensive performance, I expect them to have a solid game.

 

Paul Worrilow, IDP - LB, ATL  - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (12+ teams IDP Leagues)
ANALYSIS: The last 3 weeks Worrilow has been a beast!  Worrilow has tallied 32 solo tackles and 22 assists.  That averages out to ~11 solo and 7 assists per game.  If you are looking for a LB option Worrilow could be an excellent choice.  Prior to the past 3 weeks his best game was 6 tackles so proceed with caution.  I don't expect him to continue his unbelievable past 3 weeks.

 

My Guidelines

1. I will not repeat waiver selections. All mentioned players prior to week 4 will apply to the current waiver options and going forward.

2. I will only recommend players that are lower than 25% ownership in Yahoo! or ESPN leagues.

=============

As always, you can find all of our weekly waiver wire recommendations on our famous waiver wire pickups list. And if you haven’t joined the best and largest fantasy football chat room community on the web, check out the RotoBaller.com Fantasy Football chat room for live fantasy advice, sit/start questions, and more.




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

C.J. Stroud

Week 12 Status Unclear
Quentin Johnston

Expected to Play in Week 11
Drake London

Should Play Vs. Panthers
Davante Adams

Trending Toward Playing
Brian Thomas Jr.

On the Wrong Side of Questionable
Calvin Ridley

Expected to Play in Week 11
Coby White

Could Make Season Debut Sunday
Josh Giddey

Set to Return Sunday
Zion Williamson

Tagged as Questionable for Sunday
Ja Morant

Exits With Calf Injury Saturday
Alex Caruso

Injures Hand, Won't Return Saturday
Domantas Sabonis

Considered Questionable for Sunday
Paolo Banchero

Out Again on Sunday
Anthony Davis

Listed as Doubtful for Sunday
Aaron Nesmith

Ruled Out for at Least Four Weeks
Victor Wembanyama

Questionable for Sunday
Tari Eason

to Miss 4-6 Weeks
Julian Strawther

Will Play on Saturday Versus the Timberwolves
Marcus Smart

Out With Illness Saturday
Cameron Johnson

Ruled Out on Saturday Evening
Rui Hachimura

Won't Play on Saturday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Officially Available Versus the Lakers
Jeff Skinner

Placed on Injured Reserve
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Available on Saturday Night
Matt Duchene

Continues to Sit Saturday
Thomas Harley

a Game-Time Call Saturday
Kaapo Kakko

Out Week-to-Week
Joseph Woll

Starts on Saturday
John Carlson

Out on Saturday
Rasmus Dahlin

Rejoins Sabres Lineup Saturday
Jack Hughes

to Miss Eight Weeks After Finger Surgery
Luguentz Dort

Will Return Versus Charlotte
Darius Garland

Remains Out on Saturday Night
Zach Edey

Cleared to Make 2025 Debut on Saturday
Cedric Coward

Available Against Cleveland
Sam LaPorta

Placed on Injured Reserve
J.K. Dobbins

Will Undergo Season-Ending Surgery to Repair "Significant" Foot Injury
Tyler Bertuzzi

a Game-Time Call Saturday
Andre Burakovsky

Available Saturday
Alex Nedeljkovic

Available for Saturday's Action
Filip Hronek

Pulled by Concussion Spotter Friday
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Hurts Ankle in Friday's Win
Seth Jarvis

Not Expected to Be Out for Long
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful vs. Arkansas On Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Blue Jays Interested in Signing Edwin Diaz?
Jacob deGrom

Named AL Comeback Player of the Year
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Wins NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Aroldis Chapman

Named AL Reliever of the Year
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Named NL Reliever of the Year
NFL

Bill Belichick Won't Pursue NFL Head-Coaching Vacancies
Khalil Shakir

in the Clear to Play in Week 11
Bam Knight

Considered Questionable for Week 11
Brian Thomas Jr.

Tagged as Questionable for Week 11
Calvin Ridley

Listed as Questionable for Week 11
John Gibson

Fine for Saturday
Kaiden Guhle

Ruled Out for 8-10 Weeks
Justin Thomas

Will Miss Start Of 2026 After Undergoing Back Surgery
Alex Newhook

to Miss Four Months With Broken Ankle
Marco Rossi

Out Week-to-Week
J.K. Dobbins

Out in Week 11 and for "Foreseeable Future"
Zach Hyman

Set for Season Debut Saturday
Jack Hughes

Sustains Non-Hockey Hand Injury
Quinn Hughes

a Game-Time Decision Friday
Rashod Bateman

Ruled Out for Week 11
Sam LaPorta

Ruled Out for Week 11 With Back Injury
Isiah Pacheco

Officially Ruled Out for Week 11
Trey Hendrickson

Shemar Stewart Both Out for Week 11
Jaxson Dart

Officially Ruled Out for Week 11 Due to Concussion
Darius Slayton

Ruled Out for Sunday
Davante Adams

Questionable for Sunday but Expected to Play
Islam Makhachev

Set For UFC 322 Main Event
Jack Della Maddalena

Set For His First Title Defense
Zhang Weili

Can Become The New Women's Flyweight Champion
Valentina Shevchenko

Set For UFC 322 Co-Main Event
Michael Morales

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Mario Craver a Game-Time Decision for Week 12
Sean Brady

Set For Title Eliminator Bout
Carlos Prates

A Favorite At UFC 322
Leon Edwards

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set To Open Up UFC 322 Main Card
Beneil Dariush

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
CFB

Virginia's Chandler Morris Trending Toward Facing Duke on Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Says There's a "50-50" Chance he Returns to Mets
Shohei Ohtani

Wins his Fourth MVP Award
Aaron Judge

Wins AL MVP Award Again
Raisel Iglesias

Dodgers Interested in Signing Raisel Iglesias
Pete Alonso

Orioles Could be in the Mix to Sign Pete Alonso
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Could Return in Second Half in 2026
Kodai Senga

Attracting Trade Interest, Will the Mets Move him?
Yordan Alvarez

Expected to be Ready for Spring Training
Byron Buxton

Could Waive his No-Trade Clause
Paul Skenes

the Unanimous NL Cy Young Winner
Tarik Skubal

Wins AL Cy Young for Second Straight Year
CFB

Still No Update on Jermod McCoy's Return Timeline
Sami Valimaki

Riding Momentum Into Bermuda
Matthieu Pavon

Struggling Through a Rough Season
Taylor Montgomery

Hopes to Get Back on Track at Port Royal
Ben Martin

a Risky Play at Bermuda Championship
Mark Hubbard

Primed for a Bounce-Back Week in Bermuda
Lee Hodges

Searching for a Spark in Bermuda
Stephen Vogt

Wins Back-to-Back AL Manager of the Year Honors
Milwaukee Brewers

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager of the Year Again
Patrick Fishburn

Looking to Bounce Back in Bermuda
Eric Cole

Carrying Momentum into Bermuda
Tommy Edman

to Have Ankle Surgery Next Week
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks Unlikely to Trade Ketel Marte
Roman Anthony

to Have a Normal Offseason
Sahith Theegala

Finishes Tied for 27th at Bank of Utah Championship
Sam Stevens

Finishes Tied for 36th at Baycurrent Classic
Patrick Rodgers

Finishes Tied For Sixth at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke List

Finishes 75th at World Wide Technology Championship
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied for 63rd at World Wide Technology Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied for 14th at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 46th at World Wide Technology Championship
Blades Brown

Finishes Tied for 18th at Korn Ferry Tour Championship
CFB

Nic Anderson Could Return for LSU this Season

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP