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Wide Receivers Waiver Wire for Week 12: Tyler Lockett, Leonard Hankerson, Cecil Shorts

Week 11 in the NFL was...weird. Why, you ask? Well, we reached the Sunday night game without a 300-yard passer -- and then, of course, both Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton threw for more than 300 yards. Even if Tom Brady and Tyrod Taylor both eclipse that mark Monday night, four 300-yard passers in a single week would be a season-low.

We'll also enter the Monday night game with just six 100-yard games by wide receivers this week, the lowest since Week 7. So in a week where two quarterbacks threw five touchdowns, we also had these curious statistical valleys. Weird. And of course, just for the fun of it, we had two 200-yard rushers as well. Again, weird.

Week 11 also marks the end of bye weeks for this season. That will be good news for some, but for others still looking for a spark in their playoff chase, the waiver wire remains a great asset. Here are some of the top wide receivers to consider.

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

 

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets

Tyler Lockett - WR, SEA - 19% owned on Fleaflicker

The speedy rookie has emerged as the Seattle Seahawks' most dangerous weapon in the passing game, as evidenced by his 48-yard, two-touchdown showing Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Lockett also caught a long touchdown in Week 7, and has a pair of return touchdowns on special teams this season.

Lockett and the Seahawks host the Pittsburgh Steelers and their soft secondary in Week 12, providing another appealing matchup for the deep threat. Seattle spreads the ball around fairly liberally on offense, so don't expect Lockett to suddenly start hogging targets. But his big-play ability and added return prowess make him an interesting addition.

Leonard Hankerson - WR, ATL - 14% owned on Fleaflicker

Hankerson returned to action for the first time since Week 7 in Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and the results were mixed. He finished with four receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown, but also dropped a handful of passes. Some rust is perhaps understandable, given the extended time off.

Hankerson should have WR3 value moving forward, particularly in the upcoming Week 12 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Roddy White is merely an afterthought at this point, and Hankerson immediately supplanted tight end Jacob Tamme (one catch, 16 yards) as the number two option behind Julio Jones.

Cecil Shorts III - WR, HOU - 15% owned on Fleaflicker

The award for the most random and unique stat line of Week 11 certainly goes to Shorts -- two catches for 51 yards, four rushes for 26 yards and a 21-yard passing touchdown. Did he drive the team bus, too? OK, that's stretching it, but Shorts was a busy man on Sunday. The rushing yards and passing touchdown are obviously fluky, but Shorts will continue to see a fair share of targets in the passing game.

The Texans have shown all season that, regardless of the quarterback under center, they will throw, throw and throw some more. DeAndre Hopkins will continue to gobble up the majority of those targets, but Shorts should see a minimum of five per game. He draws a perfect matchup against the woeful New Orleans Saints' defense in Week 12.

J.J. Nelson - WR, ARI - 1% owned on Fleaflicker

Hopefully you stayed up Sunday night to watch Nelson put on a show in the Arizona Cardinals' home win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The speedy rookie exploded for 142 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions on a national stage. Michael Floyd missed the game with a hamstring injury, allowing Nelson to step into a bigger role.

Nelson isn't likely to leapfrog Larry Fitzgerald or John Brown on the depth chart, but he seems to have moved past Jaron Brown. If Floyd remains out in Week 12 or beyond, Nelson will be an intriguing piece in a pass-first offense that has put up prolific numbers this season.

 

Other Wide Receivers to Consider Adding

Kamar Aiken - WR, BAL - 36% owned on Fleaflicker

It's been an ugly season in Baltimore and there's just no sugarcoating it. Even the wins sting -- Sunday's last-second victory over the St. Louis Rams was marred by season-ending injuries to quarterback Joe Flacco (ACL tear) and running back Justin Forsett (broken arm). Couple those with wide receiver Steve Smith's Achilles injury, and you get the picture.

But the games go on and someone has to put up yardage. Enter, Aiken. Until further notice, he's the number one wideout in Baltimore and figures to be Matt Schaub's top target in the passing game. He finished with five receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, and should continue to provide WR3 value.

Ted Ginn Jr. - WR, CAR - 33% owned on Fleaflicker

Ginn falls into the Aiken territory -- technically, he's a No. 1 wide receiver. That's a title and position that carries value, regardless of the player or team. Ginn's never going to light the world on fire. Case in point: Even though Cam Newton passed for 246 yards and tied a team record with five touchdowns on Sunday, Ginn finished with just five catches for 37 yards and one score.

Modest totals, to be sure, but solid enough to warrant WR3 or flex consideration. That's where Ginn will find himself for the rest of the season.

Cody Latimer - WR, DEN - 28% owned on Fleaflicker

Any value that Latimer has moving forward will be tied to fellow wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who missed Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears. If Sanders returns next week from finger and toe injuries, Latimer will likely move back into a reserve role. He caught a 10-yard touchdown from Brock Osweiler on Sunday and could continue to develop a rapport with the young quarterback.

Of course, Peyton Manning could return in a week or two and Latimer could fade into obscurity again. There is risk here, but if you can afford taking a flier on Latimer, the payoff might be great.

 

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