Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 12? Jaxson Dart, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Tyler Shough, J.J. McCarthy, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith, Shedeur Sanders, Tyrod Taylor, Aaron Rodgers

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart (concussion) is expected to return to practice on Wednesday "in some capacity," per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. Dart suffered a concussion in Week 10 that forced him to miss New York's Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

It remains to be seen whether Dart will be able to practice in full on Wednesday or if he will be limited, but either way, his presence on the field is a positive sign for his chances of playing in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions. Across nine games (seven starts) this season, Dart has thrown for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 317 yards and seven scores on 57 attempts. If active, he profiles as a solid fantasy QB1 in Week 12 against Detroit.

If Dart cannot return, veteran quarterback Jameis Winston would be in line to make his second straight start for the Giants on Sunday. UPDATE: Dart is officially still in the concussion protocol, but he's trending to play against Detroit, barring a setback. He was also the first QB up in practice drills on Wednesday and was officially listed as limited.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not have his best day as a passer in his team's 30-29 overtime Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, completing 23 of 34 pass attempts for 220 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception.

However, Lawrence saved his fantasy production by logging 24 yards and two touchdowns on nine rush attempts. Across eight starts this season, the 26-year-old has now thrown for 1,840 yards, nine touchdowns, and six picks.

His rushing ability may currently be the most consistent part of his game, as he's run for 137 yards and four touchdowns on 39 attempts. Lawrence and the Jaguars have a very difficult matchup in Week 10 when they travel to Houston to take on the Texans.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 25 of his 34 pass attempts for 281 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Thursday's Week 11 win over the New York Jets. He also took one sack and rushed for two yards.

The former No. 3 pick didn't have to go above and beyond on Thursday as the Patriots prioritized running the football to beat New York. Nevertheless, Maye still attempted 34 passes and improved his season completion rate by one-fifth of a percentage point.

He continues to rank as the highest-scoring quarterback in fantasy football, and he has also propelled his team to sole possession of first place in the NFL standings. Fantasy managers should continue to view Maye as a high-end QB1 heading into Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Four games and two starts into his rookie season, New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has completed 61.4% of his pass attempts for 586 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Shough had his best performance by far in his final outing before the Saints' Week 11 bye, throwing for 282 yards and two scores in a win over the Carolina Panthers.

Coming out of the bye, Shough and the Saints will face an Atlanta Falcons defense that just allowed 448 passing yards and 30 points to the Carolina Panthers. Shough has limited talent around him in New Orleans, but he could still be in a position to take advantage of Atlanta in Week 12.

Fantasy managers in two-quarterback formats should consider Shough a low-end QB2 heading into a favorable matchup against the Falcons.

The Minnesota Vikings are now 4-6 behind struggling young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but the team is betting that McCarthy can overcome his current issues and acclimate to the NFL with time. Receiver Adam Thielen, who is back in Minnesota after two full seasons in Carolina, pointed to Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, whose improvement in his third season came after two mostly rough years at the helm.

"I'm sure he's leaning on a ton of experience from the last few years that (included) some really tough moments," Thielen said, according to The Athletic. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell hasn't entertained a move and maintains McCarthy's issues are mechanical and can be corrected.

Minnesota is going to give McCarthy the runway to improve, so managers in Superflex leagues will know they'll have a playable QB, albeit one going through the ups and downs of being a first-time starter.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins took over the starting job this week with Michael Penix Jr. (knee) on Injured Reserve. The veteran has struggled since signing with Atlanta, but he could get back onto the fantasy radar with high passing volume and the benefit of throwing to a star receiver in Drake London (knee).

London has 60 catches, 810 yards, and six touchdowns this year, and his emergence as a top receiver in the NFL should bode well for Cousins' fantasy value, although he's going to be without him in Week 12. He'll also have decent targets in Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson at his disposal. Cousins is a gunslinger who should rack up passing yardage and touchdowns, so the biggest concern is whether he can limit turnovers.

He has not yet thrown an interception through three games (one start) in 2025, and he'll be eased into action with a soft matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 12. He's a solid low-end QB2 who can be started in superflex leagues.

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is expected to start in Week 12 with Dillon Gabriel in concussion protocol. Sanders will make his first NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders after a rough debut in Week 11, where he completed just four of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception against the Baltimore Ravens.

The matchup is far more favorable this time around, as the Raiders' defense has struggled throughout the season and was even considered a potential landing spot for Sanders during the draft process.

While Sanders should draw plenty of attention as Deion Sanders' son prepares for his first start, he profiles as a low-end QB3 for fantasy purposes in Week 12.

New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor was named the starter over Justin Fields for Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens. While Taylor has a pair of turnovers in each of his last two games, he could benefit from this week's matchup. Baltimore has allowed the 12th-most passing yards to opposing quarterbacks in 2025, and the Jets are 13.5-point underdogs, which means Taylor should have to throw the ball often.

He'll benefit from increased passing volume, as well as the potential for garbage-time scoring if Baltimore takes a massive lead as expected. Plus, Taylor has some rushing upside, as he tallied 48 rushing yards in his lone start earlier this season.

The dismal state of the Jets' offense is hard to ignore, and managers are right to be worried about Taylor's weapons with Garrett Wilson (knee) sidelined. However, this week's game script and matchup could put Taylor into the low-end QB2 tier, at least temporarily.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (wrist) did not participate in Wednesday's practice, but he said he's "going to try to practice" on Thursday, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Rodgers said it is more comfortable to take snaps in the shotgun formation right now, but the goal is to be able to take snaps under center.

The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer suffered a small fracture in his left (non-throwing) hand in the Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but he won't need surgery and could play as early as this Sunday versus the Chicago Bears.

The final decision on whether Rodgers can play this weekend will come down to head coach Mike Tomlin. Mason Rudolph is leading the first-team offense on Wednesday and would be in line to make his first start of 2025 on Sunday if Rodgers is not cleared.