Waiver Wire Secrets: The Must-Make Fantasy Football Move Each NFL Team Can’t Afford to Miss in Week 12
Every fantasy league’s waiver wire feels like its own wild frontier, doesn’t it? As we stride confidently into Week 12 of the NFL season, many fantasy managers have evolved—gone are the days of waiting passively to be fed pickups. Now, it’s about digging deeper, understanding nuances, and making those savvy moves that can tip the scales. Are you just looking for the usual “add this player,” or are you ready to uncover hidden gems, decode injury impacts, and foresee who’s about to skyrocket in value? Whether you’re juggling key injuries, eyeing depth chart shifts, or hunting for that one crucial roster tweak per team, this guide walks you through every fantasy-relevant NFL player set to make waves this week. Ready to sharpen your edge and outsmart your competition? Let’s dive in.
The waiver wire looks different for every fantasy league. So, we’re breaking down how to handle every fantasy-relevant player in the NFL as we head into Week 12.
The average fantasy football manager has gotten more sophisticated over the years. And several of them have moved past simply wanting to be told who to pick up each week.
If you are one of those people, this is for you. We still have our most important weekly recommendations (conveniently located at the top of this article), but we’re giving you more.
Want to know the key injuries that happened this week? We’ve got that. What about the depth chart with the players who could benefit from a key injury? We’ve got that too.
There is also a key fantasy move to make for each team so you can see which players’ stocks are on the move. No matter how deep you want to dig to manage your fantasy roster, we’ve got you covered. We have the recommendations you want in addition to the information you need to make informed decisions. And we’ll continue to add recommendations throughout the week as major news breaks.
Week 12 Waiver Wire Moves
- Add Bhayshul Tuten: Running back is the hardest position to grab off the waiver wire late in the season. Most teams have settled into predictable usage for their running backs this far into the year, and all the good players are already rostered. That’s what makes the rookie Tuten so intriguing. We’ve recommended him as a stash earlier this year, and he had career highs in both carries (15) and yards (74) while adding a touchdown in Week 11. Travis Etienne Jr. is still the lead back for now and had 19 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns. But Tuten looked like the more impressive runner and continues to show why the Jaguars need to get him on the field. He did suffer an ankle injury during the game but told reporters he will be fine moving forward.
- Add Darnell Mooney: The Falcons were hit with a double dose of bad injury news as Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partial ACL tear and will be moved to IR and Drake London sprained his PCL and will be out at least this week. This opens the door for the Kirk Cousins-Darnell Mooney connection to reemerge. It’s easy to forget, but from the start of last season until Cousins was benched for Penix, Mooney was tied for 17th in the NFL in receiving yards. We might not expect that kind of usage again, but it’s possible with London out. And Mooney needs to be rostered in all leagues now.
- Add Chris Rodriguez Jr.: Rodriguez is the name that should be near the top of every fantasy manager’s waiver wire wishlist heading into Week 12. He is only rostered in 12% of leagues, so there should be a dash for him on the wire. Jacory Croskey-Merritt just hasn’t been cutting it as the lead back and the seventh-round rookie was given nine carries to 15 for Rodriguez on Sunday in Madrid. Rodriguez has been on a tear with 4.8 yards per carry compared to Croskey-Merrit’s 3.0 yards per rush over the last three weeks.
- Add Michael Wilson: Wilson had 15 receptions for 185 yards on Sunday. He was targeted 18 times and while Jacoby Brissett isn’t going to throw the ball 57 times every week, the change of quarterback has changed the formula for the Cardinals. Wilson didn’t have more than four receptions in any game across the first 10 weeks of the season. He more than tripled that number during the loss to the 49ers. Regardless of the game script or Marvin Harrison Jr.’s impending return, Wilson’s massive day warrants an add in leagues where he is available.
New Key Injuries Entering Week 12
- Michael Penix Jr.: Suffered a knee injury and has been placed on IR. Penix could miss the rest of the season. Kirk Cousins is now the starting QB in Atlanta.
- Drake London: Sprained his PCL and will miss at least one week. There’s a good possibility London misses additional time.
- Josh Jacobs: Suffered a knee injury but avoided surgery and is day-to-day. He could miss Week 12 but seems to have avoided a lengthy absence.
- Aaron Rodgers: Fractured his non-throwing wrist and is in jeopardy of missing Week 12. Mason Rudolph will be the starter if Rodgers is unable to play.
- Dillon Gabriel: Was placed in concussion protocol and will need to clear the protocol to play in Week 12. Shedeur Sanders will start if he is unable to play.
- Calvin Ridley: Broke his fibula and will miss the remainder of the season.
Jump to an AFC Team
Buffalo Bills/Miami Dolphins/New England Patriots/New York Jets/Baltimore Ravens/Pittsburgh Steelers/Cleveland Browns/Cincinnati Bengals/Kansas City Chiefs/Denver Broncos/Las Vegas Raiders/Los Angeles Chargers/Houston Texans/Indianapolis Colts/Jacksonville Jaguars/Tennessee Titans
Jump to an NFC Team
Philadelphia Eagles/New York Giants/Washington Commanders/Dallas Cowboys/Green Bay Packers/Chicago Bears/Detroit Lions/Minnesota Vikings/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Atlanta Falcons/Carolina Panthers/New Orleans Saints/San Francisco 49ers/Seattle Seahawks/Los Angeles Rams/Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills
Move to Make: Avoid Buffalo Pass Catchers
Josh Allen is pulling off a magic trick in Buffalo, powering a high-octane offense without a single reliable fantasy receiver.
Tyrell Shavers was the leading receiver with 90 yards and touchdown in Week 11, but we’ll need to see more from a player who had eight career catches coming into the game. Dawson Knox had just one catch on three targets with Dalton Kincaid sidelined. Joshua Palmer and Khalil Shakir haven’t had any consistency, and Keon Coleman was benched for disciplinary reasons in Week 11.
It may seem crazy to not roster a pass catcher for Josh Allen, but none can be relied upon at the moment.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Josh Allen, Mitch Trubisky
- Running Back: James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson
- Wide Receiver: Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore
- Tight End: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes
Miami Dolphins
Move to Make: Stash Ollie Gordon II
The Dolphins won the first ever NFL game to be played in Spain by beating the Commanders 16-13 in overtime. The big fantasy takeaway is that there was no new fantasy takeaway.
This is a highly concentrated offense with no real avenue for production from anyone outside the big three of De’Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington. Ollie Gordon II is the next running back option, and he carried the ball nine times for 45 yards, his highest run total since Week 8. Achane is still getting most carries in the red zone (24 on the season), but Gordon has 15 with two touchdowns. If you are in need of a running back long-term, stick him on your bench in the hope of future opportunities.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson
- Running Back: De’Von Achane, Ollie Gordon II, Jaylen Wright
- Wide Receiver: Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dee Eskridge
- Tight End: Darren Waller, Julian Hill, Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
Move to Make: Add Mack Hollins
Drake Maye is doing a good job of spreading the ball around this season. That can lead to some fluctuation on a weekly basis, but Mack Hollins has finished as WR15, WR20 and WR26 in three of the last four weeks. He had four catches for 64 yards on Thursday night against the Jets on five targets. Only TreVeyon Henderson and Stefon Diggs had more targets. Kayshon Boutte will likely return soon from a hamstring injury, but Hollins is Maye’s WR2 right now. With Maye playing like a potential MVP, that keeps him fantasy relevant.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs
- Running Back: Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Terrell Jennings
- Wide Receiver: Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams
- Tight End: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper
New York Jets
Move to Make: Monitor Adonai Mitchell
We haven’t seen much of Adonai Mitchell since he was traded by the Colts to the Jets on trade deadline day. We can’t make an overly compelling reason to add Mitchell after a one-catch, 10-yard day but his advanced statistics in Week 11 are better than anyone else on the team. He had 5.1 burn yards per route and 17.2 average air yards on six targets.
With Tyrod Taylor taking over at quarterback, it’s possible Mitchell will be a good add moving forward. Keep an eye on his production in Week 12, and feel free to grab him early if you have a roster spot available in a deeper league.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Tyrod Taylor, Justin Fields
- Running Back: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu
- Wide Receiver: Garrett Wilson, Josh Reynolds, Adonai Mitchell, Allen Lazard, Tyler Johnson, Arian Smith, Isaiah Williams
- Tight End: Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt
Baltimore Ravens
Move to Make: Drop Isaiah Likely
There was some hope that Likely would become fantasy relevant again when Lamar Jackson returned, especially after he caught three passes for 60 yards in Jackson’s return against the Dolphins.
That just hasn’t materialized. Likely has a combined four catches for 32 receiving yards in the two games since then. He has 118 yards on the season and has only out-targeted Mark Andrews once the entire year. It’s time to search for tight end production elsewhere.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Lamar Jackson, Cooper Rush, Tyler Huntley
- Running Back: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell
- Wide Receiver: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, DeAndre Hopkins, Devontez Walker, Tylan Wallace
- Tight End: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar
Cincinnati Bengals
Move to Make: Start Joe Flacco
Flacco finally had an underwhelming fantasy performance this week, throwing for just 199 yards and one touchdown against the Steelers in Week 11.
But, since being traded to the Bengals, Flacco is throwing more passes per game than any quarterback in the NFL. That will likely continue in Week 12, with the Bengals needing to keep pace with the high-powered Patriots offense.
The Patriots defense has been below average in most passing categories and has given up 19 passing touchdowns this seasons, tied for the sixth most in the NFL. There may be some temptation to bench Flacco after he came back down to Earth, but he’s worth another start this week as long as Joe Burrow remains out, which is likely.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco, Jake Browning
- Running Back: Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks
- Wide Receiver: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Mitchell Tinsley, Charlie Jones
- Tight End: Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Noah Fant, Tanner Hudson
Cleveland Browns
Move to Make: Start Quinshon Judkins
This is a bet on Judkins finding his way into the end zone, something he hasn’t done since he had three touchdowns in Week 7.
Although the Raiders defense is stout against the run overall, they’re one of eight teams to allow at least 12 rushing touchdowns so far this season. It looks like Shedeur Sanders might start for the Browns, which is heavy incentive for Kevin Stefanski to lean on his running game in the red zone.
Judkins has had a heavy workload and it might get even heavier in Week 12. Put him in your starting lineup and trust that the touchdown drought will end.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders
- Running Back: Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Jerome Ford
- Wide Receiver: Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Isaiah Bond, Jamari Thrash
- Tight End: David Njoku, Harold Fannin Jr.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Move to Make: Start Jaylen Warren if He’s Healthy
Warren has been a passable RB2 this year, ranking as the RB2 in PPR points per game heading into Monday Night Football.
But there have been several weeks where he’s left fantasy managers wanting more, including Week 11, when he managed just 10 rushes for 62 yards and two catches for five yards. He left with an ankle injury, which he says is minor.
That might tempt some managers with solid alternative options to leave Warren on the bench, but that would be a mistake. The Steelers play the Bears in Week 12, a team that has allowed the fourth-most yards per carry in the NFL.
It’s more than the ineffectiveness against the run, too. The Bears lead the league in interceptions and overall takeaways, so it stands to reason Mike Tomlin will do everything he can to avoid mistakes, particularly if Mason Rudolph has to start for Aaron Rodgers.
There are weeks to stay away from Warren, but this isn’t one of them.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph
- Running Back: Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, Kaleb Johnson
- Wide Receiver: DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek
- Tight End: Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward, Darnell Washington
Denver Broncos
Move to Make: Add Jaleel McLaughlin
With J.K. Dobbins on injured reserve, we saw Jaleel McLaughlin step into an expanded role during Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He had only seen one carry and one target before Week 11, which both came during a Week 6 victory over the Jets.
In Week 11, he carried the ball six times for 19 yards and, most importantly, a touchdown. The Broncos had six red-zone carries with RJ Harvey (3), McLaughlin (2) and Bo Nix (1) sharing the load inside the opponents’ 20. He’s not going to supplant Harvey but has a very easy schedule (against the Commanders and Raiders) in the next two weeks after their bye in Week 12.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham
- Running Back: J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie
- Wide Receiver: Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant, Trent Sherfield Sr.
- Tight End: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins
Kansas City Chiefs
Move to Make: Buy Isiah Pacheco
The Kansas City Chiefs were on a three-game winning streak prior to Pacheco’s injury in Week 8. They have since lost two in a row and play a potentially season-defining game against the Colts in Week 12. Kareem Hunt was the only Chiefs running back to log a carry during the loss to the Broncos, and the team desperately needs some of Pacheco’s dynamism. Pacheco remains the most valuable long-term back for the Chiefs.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew
- Running Back: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith
- Wide Receiver: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton
- Tight End: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Robert Tonyan
Los Angeles Chargers
Move to Make: Sell Kimani Vidal
If you thought it was chaos trying to figure out who would step into Omarian Hampton’s cleats after the rookie went down, the scramble to understand the Chargers’ backfield if Kimani Vidal is to miss time will be mayhem. The Chargers are on a bye week in Week 12, which will give them time to get healthy, but Najee Harris is done for the season, Hampton and Hassan Haskins remains on IR and now Vidal is dealing with a thigh issue. Trayveon Williams had three carries for a one-yard loss and Amar Johnson had two carries for eight yards.
It’ll be hard to play anyone if Hampton and Vidal are still injured, but if there’s any value to be had from an owner who thinks Vidal is still relevant, he’s worth selling while you still can.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Justin Herbert, Trey Lance
- Running Back: Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal, Hassan Haskins
- Wide Receiver: Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen, Tre Harris
- Tight End: Oronde Gadsden, Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin
Las Vegas Raiders
Move to Make: Will Be Updated After Monday Night Football
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Geno Smith, Kenny Pickett
- Running Back: Ashton Jeanty, Raheem Mostert, Dylan Laube
- Wide Receiver: Tre Tucker, Dont’e Thornton, Jack Bech, Tyler Lockett
- Tight End: Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas
Houston Texans
Move to Make: Add Jayden Higgins
It’s been difficult to trust any Texans receivers outside of Nico Collins, but Higgins is starting to separate himself.
He had four catches on seven targets for 55 yards in Week 11, following up five catches on seven targets for 42 yards and a touchdown in Week 10. It’s possible he’s just a favorite target for Davis Mills, but he also had eight targets in Week 8 when C.J. Stroud played the whole game.
So, even with a disaster of a game in Week 9 (caught his only target for four yards), Higgins is now tied for 37th in the league in targets over the last four weeks. He’s also a red-zone weapon and has three touchdowns already this year. At the very least, he should be rostered in case he continues to get heavy usage down the stretch.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, Graham Mertz
- Running Back: Woody Marks, Nick Chubb, Dare Ogunbowale, Dameon Pierce
- Wide Receiver: Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Christian Kirk, Xavier Hutchinson,
- Tight End: Dalton Schultz, Harrison Bryant, Brenden Bates
Indianapolis Colts
Move to Make: Start Michael Pittman Jr.
We preached patience last week after a Daniel Jones dud, and we’ll do the same here after a disappointing game from Pittman in Week 10.
Pittman had just two catches for 19 yards in his worst game of the season. But he was facing a Falcons defense that has been tough against pass catchers all year, and has been remarkably consistent up until this latest disappointment.
The Colts No. 1 receiver is one of only two players in the NFL with six games of at least five receptions and a touchdown this season (Trey McBride is the other). Shrug off the bad week and start him with confidence coming out of his Week 11 bye.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard
- Running Back: Jonathan Taylor, DJ Giddens, Tyler Goodson, Ameer Abdullah
- Wide Receiver: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Ashton Dulin
- Tight End: Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Olgetree
Jacksonville Jaguars
Move to Make: Add Bhayshul Tuten
Running back is the hardest position to grab off the waiver wire late in the season.
Most teams have settled into predictable usage for their running backs this far into the year, and all the good players are already rostered.
That’s what makes the rookie Tuten so intriguing. We’ve recommended him as a stash earlier this year, and he had career highs in both carries (15) and yards (74) while adding a touchdown in Week 11.
Travis Etienne Jr. is still the lead back for now and had 19 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns. But Tuten looked like the more impressive runner and continues to show why the Jaguars need to get him on the field. He did suffer an ankle injury during the game, but told reporters he will be fine moving forward.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence, Nick Mullens
- Running Back: Travis Etienne Jr., Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen
- Wide Receiver: Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Dyami Brown
- Tight End: Brenton Strange, Hunter Long, Johnny Mundt
Tennessee Titans
Move to Make: Add Tyjae Spears
There’s an argument to be made that no Titans should be rostered in fantasy after their top three receivers, Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, all left due to injury in Week 11.
Sure, you can hope Van Jefferson now gets enough targets to be relevant, but he had just three catches for 22 yards against the Texans. Chig Okonkowo led the way with 56 receiving yards, but he splits targets with rookie Gunner Helm at tight end. Figuring out the way these targets will work out is tricky, and probably not worth the time anyway as the offense isn’t efficient enough to rely on anyone who isn’t getting an absurd target share.
So, we’ll stick with recommending that Spears is the running back to roster in this backfield. He had just four rushes for three yards in Week 11 but once again managed to put up a modest amount of points due to five catches for 31 yards. He has at least three catches in each of his last five games.
Neither Tony Pollard nor Spears should be used as anything other than an emergency fill-in, but Spears’ receiving talents make him the safer option for a few points.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Cam Ward, Brandon Allen
- Running Back: Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut
- Wide Receiver: Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson,
- Tight End: Chig Okonkwo, Gunner Helm
Dallas Cowboys
Move to Make: Will Be Updated After Monday Night Football
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Dak Prescott, Joe Milton III
- Running Back: Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue
- Wide Receiver: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin
- Tight End: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford
New York Giants
Move to Make: Add Devin Singletary
Last week, we recommended you keep Tyrone Tracy Jr. despite a rough Week 9 outing. He finished Week 11 with 17.9 PPR fantasy points. Our argument was based around the idea that he would beat out Devin Singletary but, as it turns out, it was not an either/or decision. Both Singletary and Tracy Jr. had success in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers with 35 carries split almost in two – 19 for Tracy, 16 for Singletary. The latter also had two rushing touchdowns.
Singletary only ended up with 44 yards on the ground and the touchdowns saved his day. The Giants are hopeful Jaxson Dart is ready to play in Week 12 but as we said last week, their priority will be to protect their young quarterbacks and that will likely mean more carries for the Giants’ running back committee.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson
- Running Back: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary
- Wide Receiver: Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jalen Hyatt, Beaux Collins
- Tight End: Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, Chris Manhertz
Philadelphia Eagles
Move to Make: Add Tank Bigsby
The Eagles have been keeping it simple but effective over the last two weeks. They haven’t scored more than 16 points in either game but have come out on top in both against two NFC rivals.
Expect a return of the high-octane offense that saw the Eagles win the Super Bowl last year. The Cowboys are giving up 30.8 points per game, the second highest number in the league. The Eagles could get ahead early and go all in on the rushing game. Add Bigsby now as Saquon Barkley insurance because the Eagles’ next five games are against the Cowboys, Bears, Chargers, Raiders and Commanders. If Barkley misses any time, Bigsby could be an RB1.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Sam Howell
- Running Back: Saquon Barkley, AJ Dillon, Will Shipley, Tank Bigsby
- Wide Receiver: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Xavier Gipson, Darius Cooper
- Tight End: Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Cameron Latu
Washington Commanders
Move to Make: Add Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Rodriguez is the name that should be near the top of every fantasy manager’s waiver wire wish list heading into Week 12. He is only rostered in 12% of leagues, so there should be a dash for him on the wire. Jacory Croskey-Merritt just hasn’t been cutting it as the lead back, and the seventh-round rookie was given nine carries to 15 for Rodriguez on Sunday in Madrid. Rodriguez has been on a tear with 4.8 yards per carry compared to Croskey-Merrit’s 3.0 yards per rush over the last three weeks.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota
- Running Back: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jeremy McNichols
- Wide Receiver: Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Noah Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane Chris Moore
- Tight End: Zach Ertz, John Bates, Ben Sinnott
Chicago Bears
Move to Make: Bench DJ Moore
We recommended benching Moore last week as well, and it may have seemed dramatic after one bad game followed two straight efforts of 70 or more receiving yards.
But it proved to be the right call as Moore had just one catch for 18 yards in Week 11, and it’s clear he needs to stay on the bench for the foreseeable future.
Moore is moving like he still has lingering injury issues and had a brutal drop on one of his three targets. Four Bears had more targets than him this week and blocking tight end Durham Smythe matched him. Sit Moore until something changes dramatically in his usage.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum
- Running Back: D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown, Travis Homer
- Wide Receiver: Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Luther Burden III, Olamide Zaccheaus, Devin Duvernay
- Tight End: Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Durham Smythe
Detroit Lions
Move to Make: Buy Jameson Williams
The default trade deadline on most platforms is next week, so this could be the last full week to target players on other managers’ rosters. Williams should be one of those players.
It may seem foolhardy to acquire a player at his peak, but, in some instances, it can be the perfect time to target a player. Every manager wants to make the prudent move of selling high. But if circumstances have tangibly changed for a player, his recent success may be likely to continue.
That’s the case with Williams, who Dan Campbell is clearly trying to get more involved in the offense since taking over as play caller. Williams had four catches on seven targets for 88 yards and a touchdown in Week 11, his third straight week with at least six targets and a TD.
Williams is dynamic but was often used as a decoy and blocker when John Morton was calling plays. Getting the ball to Williams seems to be the biggest point of emphasis for Campbell, so he’ll likely continue to be a player worthy of starting.
Instead of thinking it as buying high, think of trading for Williams as acquiring a player with massive upside at a discount before he has been consistent enough to warrant an exorbitant cost.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Jared Goff, Kyle Allen
- Running Back: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Jacob Saylors
- Wide Receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Kalif Raymond, Dominic Lovett
- Tight End: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Ross Dwelley
Green Bay Packers
Move to Make: Add Emanuel Wilson
The Packers gave Josh Jacobs a massive share of the carries when he was healthy and the same was true for Wilson who replaced him after his injury. In Week 11, Wilson got 11 carries, Jacobs had seven and Chris Brooks had just one.
Jacobs avoided serious injury and could be back for this week, but it seems more likely than not that he misses one game. The Vikings have been below average against the run this year and Wilson’s volume should make him at least a worthy Flex play if Jacobs can’t go.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Jordan Love, Malik Willis
- Running Back: Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks
- Wide Receiver: Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, Dontayvion Wicks, Savion Williams
- Tight End: Luke Musgrave, John FitzPatrick
Minnesota Vikings
Move to Make: Drop T.J. Hockenson
Hockenson has been one of the most disappointing tight ends in fantasy this season and has been particularly bad with JJ McCarthy. He’s played five games with McCarthy at quarterback and has 85 receiving yards. Total. An average of just 17 per game.
It’s time to admit that the Hockenson blowup isn’t happening this year and search for tight end help elsewhere.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer
- Running Back: Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones, Zavier Scott
- Wide Receiver: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Adam Thielen
- Tight End: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver
Atlanta Falcons
Move to Make: Add Darnell Mooney
The Falcons were hit with a double dose of bad injury news as Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partial ACL tear and will be moved to IR, and Drake London sprained his PCL and will be out at least this week.
This opens the door for the Kirk Cousins-Darnell Mooney connection to reemerge. It’s easy to forget, but from the start of last season until Cousins was benched for Penix, Mooney was tied for 17th in the NFL in receiving yards.
We might not expect that kind of usage again, but it’s possible with London out. And Mooney needs to be rostered in all leagues now.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Michael Penix Jr., Kirk Cousins
- Running Back: Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Nathan Carter
- Wide Receiver: Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud, Casey Washington, Khaderal Hodge
- Tight End: Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner
Carolina Panthers
Move to Make: Start Xavier Legette
The up-and-down Panthers are at it again.
After a brutal loss at home to the Saints, the Panthers beat the Falcons in overtime and Bryce Young threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
Tetairoa McMilan was the star of the receiving group, but Xavier Legette had a strong day with four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. It might be tempting to go the other way this week given how the Panthers season has gone, but the 49ers defense has been plagued by injuries and just gave up an NFL-record 47 completions to Jacoby Brissett. Legette will always be a risky play given the shape of his production (he relies on big plays), but the risk is worth it in Week 12.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
- Running Back: Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, Trevor Etienne, DeeJay Dallas
- Wide Receiver: Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, Hunter Renfrow
- Tight End: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans
New Orleans Saints
Move to Make: Add Juwan Johnson
Johnson is a top-10 fantasy tight end this year, but you wouldn’t know it as he’s available in 35%-65% of leagues depending on the platform.
That needs to change, as Johnson’s coming off four catches for 92 yards and a touchdown in Week 10. He did the vast majority of his work on two plays: a 52-yard catch and a 30-yard touchdown catch.
That kind of big-play ability is rare for a tight end, and Johnson has now caught a touchdown in consecutive games with Tyler Shough at quarterback. They’re definitely not the same player, but it might be Johnson who grabs the available targets left by Rashid Shaheed’s departure. And with the Saints coming off bye, it’s possible Johnson was cut loose for the roster space last week. He’s worth a pickup if that was the case in your league.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough
- Running Back: Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal
- Wide Receiver: Chris Olave, Brandin Cooks, DeVaughn Vele, Mason Tipton
- Tight End: Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Move to Make: Add Sean Tucker
Tucker is one of the toughest players to value on the waiver wire.
He exploded this week as the lead back in Tampa Bay, with 140 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. It’s clear he has passed Rachaad White as the lead back when Bucky Irving is out and would be worth starting while this is the case.
But Irving could be back as soon as this week, and Todd Bowles said he will be worked into practice more. If Irving returns, it’s hard to trust Tucker’s value, as Irving will be the clear top guy when fully healthy.
So, definitely put in a claim for Tucker on the waiver wire, but if you’re in a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) league, don’t spend all of your money on a player who might not be startable as early as this week.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater
- Running Back: Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Josh Williams
- Wide Receiver: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, Kameron Johnson
- Tight End: Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Devin Culp
Arizona Cardinals
Move to Make: Add Michael Wilson
Wilson had 15 receptions for 185 yards on Sunday in a loss to San Francisco. He was targeted 18 times and while Jacoby Brissett isn’t going to throw the ball 57 times every week, the change of quarterback has changed the formula for the Cardinals. Wilson didn’t have more than four receptions in any game across the first 10 weeks of the season. He more than tripled that number during the loss to the 49ers. Regardless of the game script or Marvin Harrison Jr.’s impending return, Wilson’s massive day warrants an add in leagues where he is available.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Kyler Murray, Jacoby Brissett, Kedon Slovis
- Running Back: Trey Benson, Michael Carter, Bam Knight, Emari Demercado
- Wide Receiver: Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch
- Tight End: Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins
Los Angeles Rams
Move to Make: Stash Blake Corum
We are sticking to our guns on this one after Corum had an ugly game in Week 11. The Seahawks’ run defense is stifling – they’re second in rush yards per play against this season (3.5) – but while Kyren Williams did have success. It was an ugly day for Corum, but better days are ahead, and there’s plenty of handcuff value here.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Stetson Bennett IV
- Running Back: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter
- Wide Receiver: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, Xavier Smith
- Tight End: Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Colby Parkinson
San Francisco 49ers
Move to Make: Add Brock Purdy
Purdy is still only rostered in about two-thirds of fantasy leagues but came back from injury in a big way.
He finished Week 11 as QB5, throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns. We have often said that Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in the game and as the 49ers get healthy, we expect Purdy to solidify his place among the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. If he’s available, he’s a priority add at QB.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Adrian Martinez
- Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, Brian Robinson Jr., Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James
- Wide Receiver: Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Demarcus Robinson, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Tight End: George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell
Seattle Seahawks
Move to Make: Hold Rashid Shaheed
We still haven’t seen Rashid Shaheed do much in a Seahawks uniform.
He did have five targets, third behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp as far as Seahawks wide receivers go in Week 11. AJ Barner, on the other hand, had himself a day. He caught 10 of his 11 targets for 70 yards to earn him a TE4 finish for the week. Smith-Njigba still commands a massive target share, Kupp remains the WR2 and Barner is chipping in with the occasional big day, so it’s tough for Shaheed to carve out enough of a role to be fantasy relevant.
But with Kupp’s injury history and the likelihood that the Seahawks bounce back offensively, Shaheed is worth a stash in most leagues.
Depth Chart
- Quarterback: Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
- Running Back: Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, George Holani
- Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Tory Horton, Rashid Shaheed, Jake Bobo
- Tight End: AJ Barner, Elijah Arroyo, Eruc Saubert
For more coverage, follow along on social media on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and X.
The post Waiver Wire Plus: One Fantasy Football Move for Every NFL Team Entering Week 12 appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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