RADIO
It always helps to stay on top of free agent wide receivers, especially as we approach Week 12 and you are duking it out for a spot in your fantasy playoffs. There are still plenty of WRs that are underowned, and we're here to remind you that some may still be available in your league and can be plucked off the waiver wire. Read on to see which underowned wide receivers we're recommending for you to spend some waiver dollars on, as we look towards the final few weeks and beefing up our fantasy teams for a playoff run.
Underowned Wide Receivers (WRs) for Week 12
Kendall Wright - WR, Tennessee Titans - 54% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 9 receptions, 80 yards - 17.00 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: Wright had another great game this week as the primary receiver for the Tennessee Titans. He continues to be a reliable fantasy wide receiver, putting up consistent points on a week-to-week basis, especially in the PPR leagues. Wright has only scored less than 9.9 points one time this season, and that came back in week one. He also has at least six targets in every game this year except for two, and in those games he had five and four targets respectively. This week Wright really started to show off, as he had 12 targets and 9 receptions for 80 yards. This is the equivalent of a high-upside WR3, or a borderline WR2. And at 54% he is still very underowned in fantasy leagues. If Wright is somehow still available on your waiver wire, be sure to add him for week 12 and beyond. He is the real deal.
Jarrett Boykin - WR, Green Bay Packers - 50% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 6 receptions, 91 yards - 15.10 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: Boykin has quietly done an admirable job filling in for the injured Randall Cobb this season. Even with two replacement quarterbacks under center recently, Boykin has been able to produce over the past few weeks as a viable wide receiver play for fantasy owners. He has somewhat surprisingly scored 13.90 points or more for PPR leagues, in four out of the past five weeks. That's the type of consistency we look for with WRs. This week Boykin continued the trend as he scored 15.1 points, and hauled in six receptions for 91 yards. Boykin will continue to get plenty of targets and receptions for the Packers going forward, and should be added in all leagues off the week 12 waiver wire if he's still lingering out there.
Rueben Randle - WR, New York Giants - 60% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 3 receptions, 37 yards, 1 touchdown - 12.70 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: There seems to have been some lost focus on the Giants wide receivers from a fantasy perspective, as Eli Manning has been mostly terrible for the entire season. But Randle is still a bit underowned and shouldn't be overlooked going forward. He has continued to be a solid fantasy option on a week-to-week basis, and although he isn't receiving an enormous volume of targets and receptions he seems to have surpassed Hakeem Nicks as a preferred red zone WR option. Randle has now scored six touchdowns over the past six games, and somewhat surprisingly is leading all of the Giants WRs in touchdowns scored this year. Randle has a great matchup versus one of the worst secondaries in all of football next week, when the Giants take on the Cowboys. So if he's somehow still available in your league, be sure to pick him up off the waiver wire for this tasty week 12 matchup and the fantasy home stretch.
Rishard Matthews - WR, Miami Dolphins - 22% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 4 receptions, 52 yards - 9.20 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: Since the injury to Brandon Gibson, Rishard Mathews has emerged as the full-time slot wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins. While we don't expect him to score 2 touchdowns every week like he did in week 10, it's reasonable to expect Mathews to receive 5-to-10 targets per game moving forward as the quick read WR option for Ryan Tannehill. This week he saw 6 targets and hauled in 4 for them for 52 yards. If you are hurting at wide receiver, or are looking for a solid bench option, then target the underowned Mathews off the week 12 waiver wire. He could be a sneaky option for fantasy owners down the home stretch, especially in PPR leagues.
Doug Baldwin - WR, Seattle Seahawks - 20% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 2 receptions, 63 yards, 1 touchdown - 14.30 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: With the return of Percy Harvin, many expected Doug Baldwin's role in the Seahawks offense to be severely reduced. While Baldwin was demoted to the number three wide receiver for Seattle, he still has the talent to make plays in an offense where Russell Wilson likes to spread the ball around. This week Bladwin had a 44 yard reception and also a 19 yard touchdown reception, showing his explosiveness against a weak Minnesota secondary. Baldwin is still underowned in fantasy leagues at 20%, and although Seattle has a week 12 bye he can be a useful waiver wire option for fantasy owners in the remaining games.
Jericho Cotchery - WR, Pittsburgh Steelers - 21% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 3 catches, 48 yards, 1 touchdown - 13.80 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: The Steelers have looked like a much improved team and offense over the past few weeks, with Ben Roethlisberger elevating his game to an elite level. In turn, this has created ample scoring opportunities for many players on the Steelers offense - especially their wide receivers. Cotchery has benefited from this recent resurgence and has now scored a ridiculous five touchdowns over the last three weeks. While he isn't receiving a huge volume of targets or catches on a consistent basis, Big Ben clearly trusts his sure-handed slot receiver especially when the Steelers are in the red zone. Cotchery plays tough, has sure hands, and the Steelers know that - so they will continue to feed him the ball in key situations. With Joe Haden most likely slated to shadow Antonio Brown in week 12, Cotchery may be a sneaky option for fantasy owners and can be considered a decent option off of the waiver wire.
Dexter McCluster - WR, Kansas City Chiefs - 9% owned in Yahoo leagues
This Week: 5 receptions, 53 yards - 10.30 points (PPR leagues)
Analysis: McCluster is more of a low-end waiver wire option, but at 9% he's still somewhat underowned for fantasy leagues. The Chiefs have a good team, an offense which does not take many shots downfield, and a quarterback that likes to check down to his running backs and WRs as often as possible. All of these reasons make McCluster a decent option for PPR leagues, as he should continue to see a decent amount of targets and receptions behind Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe. While McCluster may be an inconsistent WR option week to week, he's still managed at least 5 passing targets in 5 out of the last 6 weeks. Feel free to make the pickup and stash McCluster in deeper PPR leagues, or if you're really hurting at WR in week 12.
