Getty Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The NFL Week 12 schedule may be the most intriguing we have had so far this season with plenty of fantasy football matchups worth watching. My Start-Sit fantasy football predictions break down all the difficult lineup decisions.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers take on a 49ers team where Deebo Samuel has emerged as a legit threat. The Cowboys’ thriving offense faces its best defense it has seen so far this season in New England. Russell Wilson looks to continue his MVP campaign in Philadelphia, and it will be interesting to see how Josh Gordon is utilized in his second game with the team.
Bye weeks continue which is a sad time of the season for fantasy owners as we look to scramble to fill our lineups. The Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers and Vikings all have the week off. This means that the following players are among the guys you need to find a replacement for in Week 12: Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, David Johnson, Kenyon Drake, Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, Damien Williams, Tyreek Hill, Melvin Gordon, Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen and Kirk Cousins.
As always, feel free to reach out on Twitter @JonDAdams with any fantasy football questions you may have. Here is a look at my fantasy football predictions for Week 12.
Start Browns QB Baker Mayfield vs. Dolphins & Sit Rams QB Jared Goff vs. Ravens
GettyJared Goff has had an up-and-down fantasy season.
Baker Mayfield is slowly starting to find his footing and finally gets a plus-matchup against the Dolphins. Mayfield has not thrown an interception in three straight games. Mayfield threw two touchdowns and ran for another TD against the Steelers. The Browns quarterback has already faced five of the top 10 NFL defenses against the pass this season. Look for Mayfield to have a stronger second half of the season.
Jared Goff has not thrown a touchdown in two straight games but has three interceptions the last two weeks. Things are unlikely to get much better for the Rams quarterback this week as the team hosts the Ravens. Goff now has a designated spot on the bench based on his season so far and his only hope of having a salvageable fantasy outing is garbage time points on Monday Night Football.
QB Starts Week 12: Deshaun Watson had one of the worst games of his career against the Ravens, but you can expect the Texans quarterback to bounce back to being an elite fantasy QB in Week 12. Matt Ryan is on a fantasy hot streak and gets another strong matchup against a Bucs secondary giving up the second-most passing yards at 290 per game. Sam Darnold’s schedule continues to be favorable as the Jets take on a Raiders defense giving up the sixth-most passing yards in the NFL.
QB Sits Week 12: Josh Allen faces the Broncos which is the fifth-ranked defense against the pass. If Allen is not able to notch a rushing touchdown, the Bills quarterback is going to struggle to find fantasy relevance in Week 12. You are probably starting Aaron Rodgers, but it is a bad matchup against the 49ers. If you have other options you should consider starting them, but this is a revenge spot for Rodgers as he plays against his hometown team who passed on him on draft day.
Dak Prescott also has a bad matchup against a Patriots defense that is No. 2 against the pass. There are a few other quarterbacks you should consider starting if you carry two quarterbacks. Jameis Winston seemingly has a plus-matchup against the Falcons defense, but the unit has looked much better since the bye week. Winston has performed poorly as of late and should be left on your bench against Atlanta.
Start Falcons WR Calvin Ridley vs. Bucs & Sit Cowboys WR Michael Gallup vs. Patriots
GettyAtlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley is poised to have a big second half of the season.
Calvin Ridley finally had the game fantasy owners were expecting when they used a high draft pick on the Falcons receiver. Ridley had eight receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers in Week 11.
Atlanta has been all over the place this season, but Ridley is likely to have a strong second half when you consider two key factors. The injury of Austin Hooper opens up more targets for the Falcons receivers and when the front office traded Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots the team made it clear that Ridley is Atlanta’s WR2 behind Julio Jones. Matt Ryan should have a field day against the Buccaneers secondary, and Ridley is likely to be one of the chief beneficiaries.
Michael Gallup also had a breakout performance with nine receptions for 148 yards against the Lions. Things look a lot less promising against the Patriots which is why any Cowboys receiver not named Amari Cooper should be left on your bench. Gallup’s long-term upside is still there with the way the Cowboys’ offense is performing, but we can expect a low-scoring affair against the Patriots.
WR Starts Week 12: Terry McLaurin has been difficult to trust since the Redskins turned to Dwayne Haskins at quarterback. It is hard to understand given the two were teammates at Ohio State. The good news in Week 12 is the Redskins face a Lions defense that is allowing the third-most passing yards in the NFL. McLaurin is a WR3 in Week 12 with an upside for more if he can find the endzone.
WR Sits Week 12: John Brown is coming off a hot two-touchdown performance against the Dolphins, but the Bills receiver is due for regression against the Broncos’ fifth-ranked passing defense. Cole Beasley could end up seeing more touches this week as Allen looks to get the ball out quick to slot receivers.
The Cowboys have quietly been a top 10 ranked defense against the pass. Mohamed Sanu had a disappointing performance in Week 11, and it is hard to have faith in any New England receiver this week outside of Julian Edelman.
Start Titans RB Derrick Henry vs. Jaguars & Sit Falcons RB Brian Hill vs. Buccaneers
GettyDerrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The last time we saw Derrick Henry he was running all over the Chiefs defense. Henry notched 23 carries for 188 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas City before the Titans headed to their bye week. Henry takes on a Jaguars defense that is giving up the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL at 134 per game. The Titans running back is poised for another big week, and you can lock him into your lineup.
Brian Hill was a massive disappointment in Week 11 despite getting the bulk of the touches in the Falcons backfield with Devonta Freeman out. Hill cannot be started with confidence against a Bucs defense that is ranked second against the run as Tampa Bay is allowing just 80.9 yards per game. Freeman is expected to return sooner rather than later, and it appears Hill was just a short-term waiver wire replacement.
RB Starts Week 12: If you are in a bind, Bo Scarbrough looks to have taken over as the Lions’ lead back and gets a plus-matchup against the Redskins defense. Washington is allowing the fifth-most rushing yards per game at 133. Derrius Guice performed well in his return to the field last week and gets a nice matchup against a Lions defense that is bottom-10 in the NFL against the run. Assuming he gets the start on Thursday night, Colts running back Jonathan Williams can be in your lineup this week as an RB2.
RB Sits Week 12: Royce Freeman continues to lose touches to Phillip Lindsay and should remain on your bench until further notice. The Niners face a Packers defense that is weak against the run, but it is hard to know who to trust in the San Francisco backfield. I would avoid all 49ers running back until a feature back emerges.