Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 12 (Fantasy Football)

It’s Week 12 and we have a rare week with zero teams on a bye. Alas, we still suffered injuries, including a torn ACL for Wan’Dale Robinson of the New York Giants. As we inch closer to the fantasy playoffs, here are some options to target on the waiver wire for Week 12.

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Get a full breakdown from The Fantasy Footballers on today’s episode

Wide Receivers

There are a handful of wide receivers who may have somehow gone unclaimed last week. If Christian Watson or Josh Palmer are available, those should be your highest WR waiver priority.

Both Parris Campbell and Darius Slayton also have been seeing an uptick in production, particularly Slayton now that Robinson is dealing with his season-ending injury. The Giants are facing three division rivals in the Cowboys, Commanders, and Eagles and any help Daniel Jones can get the better. Campbell continues to get peppered with targets in the Colts’ revamped offense. They still have their upcoming bye in two weeks, but Indianapolis faces the Steelers and the Cowboys who can both be exploited in the secondary.

Outside of those players, the options are a bit thin. Justin Watson has emerged as an option in the Kansas City Chiefs WR corps in Juju Smith-Schuyler and Mecole Hardman’s absence. With Kadarius Toney now dealing with a hamstring injury, Watson’s opportunity should go up from here. He is 15% rostered in sleeper leagues and has the opportunity to have his share of the pie in Week 12. The schedule is tough facing the Rams, Bengals, and Broncos, but the Chiefs’ offense runs through Patrick Mahomes and his arm. That leaves ample opportunity for Watson.

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Get a full breakdown from The Fantasy Footballers on today’s episode

Running Backs

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Team	Player	Roster %	Matchups
TB	Rachaad White	66%	@CLE / NO / @SF
KC	Isiah Pacheco	66%	LAR / @CIN / @DEN
CIN	Samaje Perine	12%	@TEN / KC / CLE
NE	Damien Harris	66%	@MIN / BUF / @ARI
DEN	Latavius Murray	25%	@CAR / @BAL / KC
SF	Elijah Mitchell	69%	NO / MIA / TB
KC	Jerick McKinnon	39%	LAR / @CIN / @DEN
BUF	James Cook	25%	@DET / @NE / NYJ
BAL	Kenyan Drake	73%	@JAX / DEN / @PIT
MIN	Alexander Mattison	46%	NE / NYJ / @DET
LAC	Isaiah Spiller	15%	@ARI / @LV / MIA
LAR	Cam Akers	39%	@KC / SEA / LV
LAR	Kyren Williams	31%	@KC / SEA / LV
NYG	Matt Breida	5%	@DAL / WAS / PHI
CHI	Trestan Ebner	8%	@NYJ / GB / BYE
FA	Melvin Gordon	70%

The first two running backs to check on the waiver wire are Rachaad White and Isiah Pacheco. Both are 66% rostered in sleeper leagues, so it’s likely they are unavailable. However, if they happen to be floating around, go grab them now. White should be considered ahead of Pacheco, but only by a hair.

Joe Mixon went down in the second quarter of Week 11 and is in concussion protocol. Even if Mixon plays in Week 12, which is in doubt, he may be on a snap count. Samaje Perine had a season-best game in Mixon’s absence with 11 attempts for 30 yards and an impressive 52 yards on four receptions that he turned into three receiving touchdowns. It is possible that Perine’s contribution in the receiving game is here to stay, especially with Ja’Marr Chase sidelined with a hip injury.

If you are sitting pretty at running back, good for you. Next step, pick up some high-end insurance policies. Isaiah Spiller of the Chargers and Trestan Ebner are excellent choices if you have some room to stash a “just in case” running back for the playoffs.

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Get a full breakdown from The Fantasy Footballers on today’s episode

Tight Ends

As usual, the tight end waiver wire landscape is less than ideal. One name that stands out is Juwan Johnson who is only 31% rostered in sleeper leagues. Johnson has scored at least one touchdown in each of his last three games. He also added two touchdowns in Week 7 against the Cardinals on five receptions and 32 yards. The matchups until his bye in Week 15 are rough, facing the 49ers and the Buccaneers, but QB Andy Dalton has been looking his way in the red zone, especially when the play begins to break down.

Dawson Knox, David Njoku, and Greg Dulcich are also excellent pickups if available, but are rostered in 70%, 68%, and 61% of sleeper leagues respectively.

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Get a full breakdown from The Fantasy Footballers on today’s episode

Team DEF/ST

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Catch today’s episode of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast for a full discussion of the top waiver adds

Quarterbacks

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Team	Player	Roster %	Matchups
CLE	Deshaun Watson	53%	Suspended until Wk13 @HOU
WAS	Taylor Heinicke	20%	ATL / @NYG / BYE
SF	Jimmy Garoppolo	60%	NO / MIA / TB
LAR	Bryce Perkins	0%	@KC / SEA / LV

• Check out the Waiver Wire Rankings page with individual ranks and FAAB amounts
• Catch today’s episode of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast for a full discussion of the top waiver adds

Good luck with your waiver claims!