Hot Fire Fantasy Football Questions: Week 12
Our “Hot Fire Fantasy Questions” series takes a look at Week 12 following up recent news, fantasy performances, and implications for owners moving forward. Our Hot Fire contributors from our Fantasy Footballers writing staff includes Ryan Weisse (@TheFantasyFive) and Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg).
Make sure you listen to today’s podcast to get Andy, Mike, and Jason’s reactions from all the Week 12 action.
1. Julio went absolutely nuclear. Give us one WR who could go off in Week 13.
Jamison Crowder
My money is on Jamison Crowder. Keenan Allen just destroyed the Cowboys (11 catches for 172 yards and a TD) and Crowder, when healthy, plays a similar role to Allen in the Redskins offense. Crowder was finally healthy on Thanksgiving and torched the Giants for 7-141-1. Looking at those 2 stat lines from last Thursday has me salivating for this Thursday tilt in Dallas. I look for Crowder to hit triple figures in yards and add a TD or 3. –Ryan Weisse
Tyreek Hill
I think it’s time for this Chiefs offense to break out of their slump and Hill is just the one to do it. The Jets have given up the 10th most fantasy points to opposing WRs and we know he’s always able to break a long one. His 11 targets were a season-high although he went for a paltry 41 yards. When you add in the possibility for a special teams score, I think Hill has the boom potential you want. –Kyle Borgognoni
2. Which Week 12 game(s) were you most wrong about?
Definitely did not expect Arizona to score 27 points, let alone win against Jacksonville but I never expected that game to have much fantasy relevance, outside of the Jacksonville D/ST. From a fantasy perspective, I expected more scoring in the Titans vs Colts. Instead we got more clunkers from both teams WRs, especially Corey Davis and TY Hilton, and just an all around boring game unless you owned one of the TEs. –Ryan Weisse
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
I also thought Marcus Mariota would right the ship and give us some top-end QB1 numbers this week in a shootout with the Colts. Both of these teams are inept and it’s a miracle the Titans are 7-4. Also what the heck Kareem Hunt and the Chiefs? Losing at home to a Bills defense that had given up over 100 points the last 2 weeks is inexcusable. I also honestly did not give the Jets and Josh McCown much of a chance against the Panthers. Robby Anderson is absolutely beasting it right now and might end the year as a WR1. He came into the week as the WR6 in standard leagues! –Kyle Borgognoni
3. Which downtrodden RB should owners be most of confident in: Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette or Jordan Howard?
Leonard Fournette
For me it’s Fournette. The Jags are in a playoff hunt and need Fournette to get there. Arizona keyed on him and shut him down but I think he’ll bounce back for the crucial weeks 13-16. His next 3 games are at home and I think the Jags are going to feed him over and over again, starting with a juicy matchup against the Colts next week. -Ryan Weisse
Fournette’s ankle apparently looks like a “sock” which concerns me but he definitely has the best schedule and workload moving forward. Hunt is always the tantalizing fantasy specimen given his early-season upside. I played him in DFS everywhere convinced this was going to be his return to prominence. Howard is going to continue to be stuck in some negative game scripts and his receiving upside is limited. –Kyle Borgognoni
4. Give us one under-the-radar stat line owners need to pay attention to.
Dede Westbrook
Let’s stay in Jacksonville, Dede Westbrook saw 10 targets on Sunday, bringing his total to 16 in 2 games. He looks like he could end up being the de facto #1 for the Jags and, as I mentioned, they need to win games. I don’t expect to turn Blake Bortles loose anytime soon, but when he throws it wil likely go to Westbrook. Looking at their weeks 13-16, he gets Indy, Seattle, Houston, and San Fran, all of which are in the top half of the league in points surrendered to WR. I’m going to add him anywhere I can to end the season -Ryan Weisse
Norm Hall/Getty Images
Frank Gore
Old man Gore had 22 opportunities (carries + targets) on the day, his second most of the season, while looking quite spry. On his TD scamper, he looked like he shot through the line and ran with authority. You could do worse finding a low ceiling, high floor RB2. –Kyle Borgognoni