The 2022 NFL season has been as unpredictable as any, especially from a fantasy football standpoint with a large number of offenses struggling to put up points.
Week 12 presents an opportunity for fantasy managers to get their teams back on track with a full slate of games to pick from and the fact that there are several quality options to acquire from the waiver wire.
Last week’s top recommendation Christian Watson came through, and we’ve got plenty of options again this week for those needing streamers as well as a veteran free agent that could be a game-changer come playoff time.
TOP QUARTERBACK
Taylor Heinicke, Commanders (23.7% rostered)
There were few quarterbacks to pick from with the majority of starters being rostered in over 30 percent of leagues, but Heinicke could be a solution for those in need of a streaming option. The Falcons are among the worst defenses against the pass, so Heinicke should see an uptick in his fantasy production this week with a healthy cast of weapons to throw to.
TOP RUNNING BACK
Samaje Perine, Bengals (3.8%)
Joe Mixon had to leave early last week with a concussion, so Perine was able to take over as the Bengals’ lead running back and delivered a strong fantasy outing. There’s a high chance that Mixon is out this week considering the increased scrutiny of concussion protocols, so Perine should be busy once again and makes for a nice plug-and-play option despite a tough matchup against the Titans.
TOP WIDE RECEIVER
Odell Beckham Jr., Free Agent (29.9%)
OBJ is still technically on the free agent market, but he’s got multiple offers on the table and is set to sign with a team after Thanksgiving. The Cowboys appear to be the favorite to land Beckham, which would be a great landing spot for his fantasy value, but he should produce no matter where he lands and is worth stashing on the bench until he signs since he could be a game-changer during the fantasy playoffs.
TOP TIGHT END
Logan Thomas, Commanders (6.5%)
There’s once again a shortage of quality options at the tight end position, but Thomas could be a sneaky play this week now that he’s back fully healthy and has a plus matchup. The Falcons’ defense has been giving up points to just about everyone, so Thomas should be able to put up quality numbers and has a safer floor than the majority of streaming options that are touchdown-dependent.
ALSO CONSIDER
Kyren Williams, Rams RB (11.6%)
Williams led the Rams backfield in snaps last week, and he should continue to be heavily involved moving forward now that Darrell Henderson is gone. While the Rams’ offense is less than stellar, Williams should see enough work to be relevant in deeper leagues.
Treylon Burks, Titans WR (22.7%)
The Titans’ passing game has been in shambles this year, but it came to life last week with Burks leading the way. Burks is the most talented receiver on the team, so he’s worth a speculative add-in-case the Titans’ trend of being able to pass successfully continues.
Darius Slayton, Giants WR (21.5%)
Slayton is another receiver worth keeping an eye on in a weak passing game, and he makes for a quality waiver wire add as the go-to target for Daniel Jones with Sterling Shepard and now Wan’Dale Robinson out for the season.
Foster Moreau, Raiders TE (24.8%)
We had Moreau here last week, but he didn’t deliver since the Raiders barely looked toward anyone not named Davante Adams, but we’ll give him another chance this week since he draws a plus matchup against a Seahawks defense that’s vulnerable against tight ends.
DEEP LEAGUE DIVE
David Bell, Browns WR (0.3%)
Bell hasn’t broken out with Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones ahead of him in the receiving pecking order, but he’s established himself as the No. 3 receiver and could see an uptick in production when Deshaun Watson returns with the Browns likely to throw more.
Spencer ‘the Guru’ Urquhart (@spencertheguru) has been a fantasy football analyst since 2014, founding a community of over 6,000 followers on Instagram
