Week 12 Quarterbacks: Waiver Wire Pickups, Sleepers, Streamers & Rankings

Nathan Calderon analyzes Week 12 fantasy football quarterback (QB) sleepers, waiver wire pickups and adds. NFL quarterbacks are a key fantasy football component off the waiver wire.

Hello once again RotoBallers, and welcome to my quarterbacks and waiver wire prep for Week Twelve of fantasy football. After some bizarre performances in the last couple of weeks from your week-to-week starting quarterbacks, this week is as good as any to stream your way into the fantasy football playoffs holy land.

If you need those extra few points this week, streaming some potential sleepers for your teams, or if you’re looking to find a guy to play for the rest of the season, you can look here for all of my picks at the quarterback position. This week, in addition to the normal content, I will also be dropping my Week 12 quarterback rankings. This should give you guys an idea of what I would do in a QB dilemma. Let’s get rolling RotoBallers.

Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.

Quarterback Streamers & Waiver Wire Options - Week 12

Kyle Orton – Buffalo Bills (Owned in 26% of leagues on Fleaflicker)

Week Twelve Opponent: New York Jets

BALLER MOVE: Ah yes, here I am, picking on the Jets again. Orton has some solid weapons, and hasn’t disappointed that much this season. Coming off of a low scoring week, Orton may be a guy that ends up on your waiver wire this week. Snag him if you need a streamer, as he’s starter material in almost all leagues this week.

ANALYSIS: There are a number of reasons to give Orton a start this week outside of the fact that he has a great matchup facing the Jets. For example, Orton has only thrown three picks since he became the starter. His passer rating has only slipped to anything below 85 twice, and in both of those contests Orton was able to walk away without a turnover. Orton also averages 38 passing attempts per game, so the volume is definitely there. While he has trended downward a bit in the last two weeks, he has played some great defensive units in the Chiefs and the Dolphins. I'm looking for him to do much more than bounce back this week against the Jets secondary.

To put this matchup in perspective for you, the last time Kyle Orton faced the Jets this season, he tossed for 238 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and walked out of Metlife Stadium with an elite passer rating of 142.8. Starting Orton this week is a must in all leagues, so go get him before your Week Twelve opponent does.

Josh McCown – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Owned in 20% of leagues on Fleaflicker)

Week Twelve Opponent: Chicago Bears

BALLER MOVE: His return to the field has been better than I anticipated it to be, and with another porous secondary to play against this week, Josh McCown has leapt to the center of my attention. Look to start this guy in all leagues this week if you need a streamer.

ANALYSIS: At the beginning of the year, I had high expectations for the former backup to Jay Cutler. He had all the weapons, the starting contract, and the offensive prowess. It was as though the stars had aligned for McCown, and I had him very high on my fantasy football radar. McCown went on to break my little heart after he struggled through the first two games, and ended up leaving his third game with a thumb injury that would land him on the bench until Week Ten.

Now, McCown has stormed back onto the scene, and just in the nick of time. The once again fantasy relevant McCown has thrown for 589 yards in the past two weeks, and has also put up four touchdowns over the same period. Facing his former team in the Chicago Bears this week, look for McCown to have a hayday. The Bears are ranked dead last in yards handed to opposing QBs, as well as fantasy points by opposing quarterbacks this season, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.

Blake Bortles – Jacksonville Jaguars (Owned in 17% of leagues on Fleaflicker)

Week Twelve Opponent: Indianapolis Colts

BALLER MOVE: A defense that has been quietly bad at defending the pass this week faces a quarterback that has been a bit inconsistent, to say the least. Bortles has an interesting matchup this week, one that puts him in starting contention for all two QB leagues this week.

ANALYSIS: Blake Bortles has had a tough season, to say the least. He and the Jaguars can’t seem to decide whether they want to come to play or not. To give you an idea of how spotty his performance has been, let me give you some numbers according to Fleaflicker.com:

• Weeks Above 15 Fantasy Points (Standard Scoring): 5
• Weeks Below 15 Fantasy Points (Standard Scoring): 3
• Weeks with a Passer Rating Above 60: 5
• Weeks with a Passer Rating Below 60: 3
• Weeks with a Passer Rating Above 90: 1

This should give you some idea of how poorly the rookie has played this season. He’s also tossed a whopping 14 interceptions on the year. His matchup this week is an interesting one, however, as Bortles played decent football in his debut against the Colts in Week Three tossing two touchdowns with 223 yards with two INTs. With more experience under his belt, Bortles has a higher ceiling than normal, but his floor remains low this week as the INT prone rookie looks to pick up a second win for the Jags.

Other Waiver Wire Quarterbacks To Watch

Mark Sanchez – Philadelphia Eagles – A disappointing Week Eleven outing at Lambeau Field has left some doubting the ability of the former Jets QB to success long term for the Eagles. While some of that concern is valid, I think that there’s enough upside for Sanchez owners to keep him in their starting lineups this week, even against a Titans defense that has played well this season against the pass.

Drew Stanton – Arizona Cardinals – Stanton showed his worth in Week Eleven, holding off the Detroit Lions. Stanton has a very strong arm, and played well in this one. He’s still a guy that I would be wary about starting in Week Twelve though, as he faces the Seahawks and the LOB. If he can go without a pick this week, I will feel much more comfortable putting him on my fantasy team.

@FantasyCalderon’s QB Rankings For Week 12

1)      Aaron Rodgers
2)      Tom Brady
3)      Peyton Manning
4)      Drew Brees
5)      Andrew Luck
6)      Ryan Tannehill
7)      Matthew Stafford
8)      Kyle Orton
9)      Tony Romo
10)    Andy Dalton
11)    Josh McCown
12)   Colin Kaepernick
13)   Joe Flacco
14)   Mark Sanchez
15)   Phillip Rivers
16)   Jay Cutler
17)   Alex Smith
18)   Ryan Mallett
19)   Shaun Hill
20)   Eli Manning
21)   Drew Stanton
22)   Russell Wilson
23)   Blake Bortles
24)   Brian Hoyer
25)   Michael Vick
26)   Matt Ryan
27)   Derek Carr
28)   Zach Mettenberger
29)   Robert Griffin III
30)   Teddy Bridgewater

Agree? Disagree? Let me know @fantasycalderon on Twitter, or when I'm in the chat rooms here on RotoBaller. Good luck in Week Twelve, and I look forward to seeing you all back here next week!