As amazing as this may seem, the bye weeks this week take out more top receiving talent than last week's. This week, there are two teams on bye (Rams, Chiefs). Last week, there were six. That's how good the Rams and Chiefs offenses have been this season. With Tyreek Hill, Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Sammy Watkins all unavailable, fantasy owners are going to have to make some start/sit decisions regarding their vacant slots in the lineup. And with plenty at stake in the race for the fantasy football playoffs, owners can ill-afford to make the wrong decision at this point in time. Our Week 12 fantasy WR rankings are here to help.
There are plenty of good matchups to target this week in fantasy formats. The Browns-Bengals and 49ers-Buccaneers games should see a fair amount of offense, and the receivers on both squads should have a good chance to put up solid numbers. But of all the games on the slate, the Falcons-Saints matchup on Thanksgiving night should be the highest-scoring one. Considering that the Saints have put up 99 points in their past two games combined, you can feel free to start virtually any New Orleans offensive weapons against the subpar Atlanta defense.
Week 12 Rankings:
Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
In terms of matchups to avoid, the Redskins (@ Cowboys) and Titans (@ Texans) are both likely to start backup QBs this week and are playing a couple of defenses that aren't easy to beat. If you have other options, it might be best to bench players on those teams, just until we see what the Redskins offense looks like without Alex Smith and until we see if Blaine Gabbert can actually move the ball for the Titans.
Note: Check back for player movement updates and analysis throughout the week.
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 12 Fantasy Football Rankings: WRs
These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues
| 1 | Michael Thomas, Saints vs. Falcons. Thomas is the top receiver on one of the league's top offense and he's playing one of the league's worst defenses. He should have a good chance to be the top producer at the position this week. |
| 2 | Odell Beckham Jr., Giants @ Eagles |
| 3 | Julio Jones, Falcons @ Saints. The Saints defense has been playing better as of late, but Jones has played well against New Orleans in his career. In his last four games against the squad, he has at least 96 yards in each outing, so he could easily break 100 yards, and perhaps he could extend his three-game TD streak as well. |
| 4 | Adam Thielen, Vikings vs. Packers |
| 5 | DeAndre Hopkins, Texans vs. Titans |
| 6 | Mike Evans, Buccaneers vs. 49ers |
| 7 | Antonio Brown, Steelers @ Broncos |
| 8 | Davante Adams, Packers @ Vikings |
| 9 | Keenan Allen, Chargers vs. Cardinals. The Cardinals have surrendered the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to receivers this year, but Allen is riding a bit of a hot streak into this game. He is averaging 10-plus targets over the past three games and has put up 270 yards and two scores in that time frame. Philip Rivers loves to throw him the ball, so expect Allen to continue to get opportunities to produce. |
| WEEK 12 DFS GPP LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKings | |
| 10 | T.Y. Hilton, Colts vs. Dolphins. Hilton came to life last week against the Titans, catching all nine of his targets for 155 yards and two TDs. The Dolphins haven't performed well against quicker receivers in recent weeks, and they were torched by Will Fuller when they played the Texans. That makes Hilton a solid play this week, and he could continue to be a TD threat. |
| 11 | Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Browns. Boyd won't be affected much by the expected return of A.J. Green, as he may just see slightly fewer targets than he had in the past two weeks. Still, he will see a solid amount of opportunities to make plays and should have a chance to put up good numbers against the Browns. (Update: Green is listed as "doubtful" for Sunday's game against Cleveland, thus boosting the value of Boyd.) |
| 12 | Alshon Jeffery, Eagles vs. Giants. The Eagles offense looked dreadful against the Saints, but they should have a chance to bounce back against the Giants. Last year, Jeffery had 105 yards and a score against the Giants in two outings. With the Eagles throwing more this year, Jeffery should see more targets and could potentially see some more red-zone action. |
| 13 | Stefon Diggs, Vikings vs. Packers. Diggs was the better of the two Vikings receivers last week against the Bears, and if teams continue to put more focus on Adam Thielen, Diggs will produce. He has seen a whopping 29 targets in the past two weeks and has consecutive games with at least 119 yards and a score. The Packers give up the seventh-most FPPG to WRs, and Diggs shredded them for 128 yards and two TDs when the squads met in Week 2. Diggs has a ton of upside in this matchup, so he's definitely a fringe WR1 this week. |
| 14 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers @ Broncos |
| 15 | Kenny Golladay, Lions vs. Bears. The one weakness on the Bears' defense is at corner, as they can be beaten there sometimes. In the past two games, Golladay has seen a ridiculous 27 targets and has turned them into 14 catches, 191 yards, and two TDs. This includes a 6-78-1 line against the Bears in Week 10. On Thanksgiving Day against a potentially worn-out Bears secondary, Golladay could have another big outing. |
| 16 | Amari Cooper, Cowboys vs. Redskins |
| 17 | Jarvis Landry, Browns @ Bengals. Landry has struggled this year, but this matchup is too good to sit him in. The Bengals give up the ninth-most FPPG to receivers, and they have been trending downward in recent weeks. The Browns offense should move the ball, and Landry will see his share of targets as a result. |
| 18 | Josh Gordon, Patriots @ Jets. Both Gordon and his teammate Julian Edelman will have a chance to see a high volume of targets against the Jets. The Patriots' pass offense has sputtered in recent weeks, so the team will be looking to spark that coming off their bye. Gordon saw 21 targets in his two games prior to last week, and it appears that he is the No. 1 option in New England. Both he and Edelman will get a chance to be WR2s in a solid matchup, but they could lose red-zone targets if Rob Gronkowski returns healthy. |
| WEEK 12 DFS CASH LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKings | |
| 19 | Julian Edelman, Patriots @ Jets |
| 20 | Golden Tate, Eagles vs. Giants. Tate hasn't been great since being traded to the Eagles, and the Eagles OC Mike Groh admitted that they have had a tough time getting him incorporated to the offense. That said, the Giants represent a good chance for the Eagles team to get back on track, and Tate should have a chance to see an uptick in touches again. He saw eight targets against the Saints, so with similar volume, he could put up a nice performance. |
| 21 | Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ Panthers. The Panthers haven't been good against QBs this year, and we have Russell Wilson highly ranked this week as a result. One of his receiving weapons will likely get a chance to shine, and Lockett has been the most consistent of his receiving corps this year. He has a TD catch in seven-of-10 games this season, and given that the Panthers have allowed at least 90 yards and a TD to three receivers in the past two weeks, Lockett could put up another big game that will make him a solid WR2 in Week 12. |
| 22 | Calvin Ridley, Falcons @ Saints |
| 23 | Sterling Shepard, Giants @ Eagles. Shepard has only had a couple of good games this season, but he gets a great matchup with a banged-up Eagles secondary that has given up the second-most FPPG to WRs this season. Shepard had only 37 yards against the Eagles in Week 6 against Philadelphia, but he may have more of a chance to produce with Eli Manning playing at a higher level in recent weeks. |
| 24 | Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos vs. Steelers. Since their bye week in Week 7, the Steelers have quietly been very good against WRs and have only allowed one TD to the position. Sanders is still a threat to get yardage, he has only one game this season with fewer than 45 receiving yards, so he can still be started but he's on the lower-end of the WR2 spectrum this week. |
| 25 | Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals @ Chargers. After a woeful start to the season, Fitzgerald has come alive in Byron Leftwich's offense. In his past four games, Fitzgerald has put up four TDs and is being targeted more frequently by Josh Rosen (8.5 per game over the last four outings). Fitzgerald is now firmly back into starter territory, so he can be trusted even in a tougher matchup with Chargers CB Casey Hayward. |
| 26 | Allen Robinson, Bears @ Lions. Robinson had the best game of his Bears career against the Lions in Week 10, posted 133 yards and two scores on just six catches. That said, a healthy Darius Slay could make his life at least a little more difficult on Thanksgiving Day, and having Chase Daniel throwing to him instead of Mitchell Trubisky won't help his cause either. |
| 27 | Corey Davis, Titans @ Texans |
| MORE WEEK 12 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder | |
| 28 | Kendrick Bourne, 49ers @ Buccaneers. With Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon out, Bourne will be the 49ers top receiver in a highly favorable matchup. |
| 29 | D.J. Moore, Panthers vs. Seahawks. After a 157-yard outburst last week, Moore seems on his way to establishing himself as the No. 1 receiver in Carolina. We'll need to see him back up his epic performance with a solid one against a Seattle defense that is average against receivers. (Update: With Devin Funchess out, Moore will assume WR1 status.) |
| 30 | John Brown, Ravens vs. Raiders. Brown has a great matchup against the Raiders, but if Lamar Jackson starts -- as we expect him to -- Brown might be limited. Brown only saw one target and turned it into 23 yards last week. Willie Snead appears to be the security blanket for Jackson, but perhaps if he throws more, Brown could catch a long score. |
| 31 | Chris Godwin, Buccaneers vs. 49ers |
| 32 | Keke Coutee, Texans vs. Titans. When healthy, Coutee is the No. 2 receiver in Houston. He is averaging almost eight targets a game in five contests despite leaving early in one due ot a hamstring injury. The Titans give up the fifth-most FPPG to receivers, so Coutee could have a big outing this week. |
| 33 | Willie Snead, Ravens vs. Raiders. Snead saw twice as many targets (8) as the next-highest Raven last week in Lamar Jackson's starting debut. He has consistently seen volume throughout the season, so he could have a nice day against a Raiders defense that has allowed six TDs to receivers in the past three games. |
| 34 | Josh Doctson, Redskins @ Cowboys. Doctson and the rest of the Redskins receivers will now have Colt McCoy starting at QB for them. While McCoy is pretty much a lateral move from Alex Smith, it's still unclear what type of chemistry McCoy has with specific receivers in the group. Thus, it's hard to trust Doctson or any other Redskins receiver as anything more than FLEX plays. |
| 35 | Antonio Callaway, Browns @ Bengals. The Bengals have had issues with speed receivers all year, and they gave up double-digit fantasy performances to DeSean Jackson, Tyreek Hill, John Brown, and some other top-tier receivers. Callaway will have a chance to burn the Bengals defensive backs with his speed, so that will give him a chance to put up a long TD. |
| 36 | Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers @ Vikings |
| 37 | Doug Baldwin, Seahawks @ Panthers |
| 38 | Courtland Sutton, Broncos vs. Steelers. Sutton hasn't scored since Week 7, but he has put up receiving totals of 78, 57, and 78 in the past three weeks, respectively. Sutton can make chunk plays and should be a solid FLEX against the Steelers porous secondary. |
| 39 | John Ross, Bengals vs. Browns. Ross has scored in back-to-back weeks, but his target share might drop with A.J. Green (toe) expected to return. That makes him a risky start at the FLEX position. (Update: With Green "doubtful", Ross is on the WR3 bubble.) |
| 40 | Curtis Samuel, Panthers vs. Seahawks |
| 41 | DeVante Parker, Dolphins @ Colts |
| 42 | DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers vs. 49ers. O.J. Howard is now out for the season, so there will hypothetically be more big-play opportunities for Jackson. Still, there are a lot of mouths to feed in the Tampa Bay offense, and Jackson simply won't get the targets needed to be a consistent threat. |
| 43 | Danny Amendola, Dolphins @ Colts |
| 44 | David Moore, Seahawks @ Panthers |
| 45 | Michael Crabtree, Ravens vs. Raiders |
| 46 | Donte Moncrief, Jaguars @ Bills. With Leonard Fournette healthy and carrying the offense against the Steelers, Moncrief only saw two total targets. He's still one of Blake Bortles' favorite receivers, but it's fair to wonder if he'll get enough opportunities to make plays going forward. That, coupled with the fact that the Bills give up the fewest FPPG to WRs, makes Moncrief a weak option. |
| 47 | Mohamed Sanu, Falcons @ Saints |
| 48 | Rashard Higgins, Browns @ Bengals |
| 49 | Trent Taylor, 49ers @ Buccaneers |
| 50 | Bruce Ellington, Lions vs. Bears |
| 51 | Dontrelle Inman, Colts vs. Dolphins |
| 52 | Maurice Harris, Redskins @ Cowboys |
| 53 | Tyrell Williams, Chargers vs. Cardinals |
| 54 | Demaryius Thomas, Texans vs. Titans. Thomas had no targets against the Redskins last week. He is well behind DeAndre Hopkins and Keke Coutee in the Texans' offensive pecking order, so unless Coutee misses time again, Thomas will be largely a non-factor. |
| 55 | Anthony Miller, Bears @ Lions |
| 56 | Dede Westbrook, Jaguars @ Bills |
| 57 | Robby Anderson, Jets vs. Patriots |
| 58 | Christian Kirk, Cardinals @ Chargers. Kirk is a capable playmaker, but he is averaging just under three catches per game in the last month. That makes him, at best, a boom-or-bust playmaker. Until he starts seeing more options, try to go elsewhere for FLEX plays. |
| 59 | Randall Cobb, Packers @ Vikings |
| 60 | Jordy Nelson, Raiders @ Ravens |
| 61 | Cole Beasley, Cowboys vs. Redskins |
| 62 | Adam Humphries, Buccaneers vs. 49ers |
| 63 | Marcell Ateman, Raiders @ Ravens |
| 64 | Mike Williams, Chargers vs. Cardinals |
| 65 | Nelson Agholor, Eagles vs. Giants |
| 66 | Torrey Smith, Panthers vs. Seahawks |
| 67 | Keelan Cole, Jaguars @ Bills |
| 68 | Jermaine Kearse, Jets vs. Patriots |
| 69 | Michael Gallup, Cowboys vs. Redskins |
| 70 | Zay Jones, Bills vs. Jaguars |
| 71 | Taylor Gabriel, Bears @ Lions |
| 72 | Allen Hurns, Cowboys vs. Redskins |
| 73 | Seth Roberts, Raiders @ Ravens |
| 74 | Martavis Bryant, Raiders @ Ravens |
| 75 | Jordan Matthews, Eagles vs. Giants |
| 76 | Chris Hogan, Patriots @ Jets |
| 77 | Brice Butler, Dolphins @ Colts |
| 78 | Kelvin Benjamin, Bills vs. Jaguars |