It's hard to be patient during a Fantasy Football season. We always want immediate results, especially with a 13-week schedule in most leagues.
But this week, your patience could pay off with two players who have been busts in the majority of leagues thus far — Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham. Both are ready for big games against the Dolphins.
Mayfield has been building toward a big game already. He's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in consecutive games prior to Week 12 in tough matchups against Buffalo and Pittsburgh, but this should be his best game to date.
The Dolphins have allowed at least 20 Fantasy points to seven of 10 quarterbacks this year. For the season, quarterbacks are averaging 25.6 Fantasy points per game against Miami, and I could see Mayfield finishing as a top-five quarterback in all leagues.
For Beckham, he's been frustrating all season. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 2 and has topped 75 receiving yards just three times all year. The Browns have tried to get him going of late with 22 targets in his past two games against the Bills and Steelers, and hopefully that continues against Miami. The Dolphins are No. 2 in the NFL with 16 touchdowns allowed to receivers, and I expect Beckham to go nuts this week.
You should also get strong performances from Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry and Kareem Hunt this week, but they have been trustworthy Fantasy options. Mayfield and Beckham have been disappointments for most of the year, but they should reward your patience with a big game against Miami.
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Start of the Week
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Matt Ryan has not been a great Fantasy quarterback the past two games, but he should go off this week against Tampa Bay. He has the chance to be the No. 1 quarterback in Week 12. In his past two games against New Orleans and Carolina, both on the road, Ryan has scored 18 Fantasy points in both outings. But that should change in a big way against the Buccaneers, who allow the second-most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Only Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 1 and Cam Newton in Week 2 failed to score at least 21 Fantasy points against Tampa Bay. And the past four quarterbacks against the Buccaneers have each scored at least 25 Fantasy points.
Ryan averaged 32.5 Fantasy points in his past two games against Tampa Bay last season. And in his past five games overall against the Buccaneers he's averaging 328.8 passing yards per game with 11 total touchdowns and three interceptions.
It would be great if Ryan had a healthy Austin Hooper (knee) and Devonta Freeman (foot) for this game, but he should get by with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. I love the setup for Ryan in Week 12, and he's poised to go off against the Buccaneers at home.
I'm starting Ryan over: Drew Brees (vs. CAR), Aaron Rodgers (at SF), Dak Prescott (at NE), Tom Brady (vs. DAL) and Deshaun Watson (vs. IND)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
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Mayfield was a candidate for the Start of the Week in Week 12 given his recent level of play and the matchup against Miami. He comes into this game having scored at least 21 Fantasy points in his past two outings against tough Buffalo and Pittsburgh defenses. It seems the return of Kareem Hunt has been a nice boost for Mayfield as another reliable target, and now David Njoku (wrist) is back for the Browns. All of this should help Mayfield in a big way against the Dolphins, who have allowed at least 20 Fantasy points to seven of 10 quarterbacks this year. For the season, quarterbacks are averaging 25.6 Fantasy points per game against Miami, and Mayfield has the chance to be a top-five quarterback in Week 12.
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Brissett has been under 17 Fantasy points in each of his past three games, so he's due for a big outing this week. And the last time he had a quality Fantasy performance was Week 7 against Houston when he scored 35 Fantasy points. He is one of five quarterbacks to score at least 24 Fantasy points against this defense in the past six games, and Gardner Minshew in Week 9 is the lone quarterback who struggled against the Texans. Brissett could get T.Y. Hilton (calf) back for this game, which would be great, but even without Hilton, I still expect Brissett to have a strong performance on the road. He's a top-10 quarterback in Week 12.
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I thought Carr would play well in Week 11 against Cincinnati, and he did OK with 21 Fantasy points. He's now scored at least 21 points in three of his past four games, and he should once again have the chance for a quality performance in Week 12 at the Jets. Four quarterbacks in a row have played well against the Jets with at least 20 Fantasy points, including Minshew, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins. This is not a good defense, and Carr should have the chance for a big game.
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I was originally a little nervous about Winston this week. He's struggling again with six interceptions in his past two games, and this Falcons defense has turned the corner of late. In their past three games, Atlanta has held Russell Wilson, Drew Brees and Kyle Allen to fewer than 20 Fantasy points in each outing. But Winston's track record against the Falcons is amazing. In his past five meetings with Atlanta, Winston is averaging 316.2 passing yards per game with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. I expect this game to be high scoring – it's the highest over/under for the week at 51.5 – and both quarterbacks should do well, including Winston.
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Sleepers
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Driskel just scored 31 Fantasy points against Dallas in Week 11. He also had 18 points at Chicago in Week 10, and Washington just allowed 33 Fantasy points to Sam Darnold in Week 11. One of my favorite stats for Driskel this week is he has more rushing yards in his past two games (88) than Kalen Ballage has in his past five games combined (86). With Matthew Stafford (back) out again, Driskel is worth using as a low-end starting option in all leagues.
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Darnold comes into Week 12 against Oakland with consecutive games of at least 23 Fantasy points. And while the Raiders have been better against quarterbacks of late, holding Philip Rivers and Ryan Finley to a combined 18 Fantasy points in the past two games, they still allow an average of 24.8 Fantasy points to the position for the year. I like Darnold as a low-end starter and top streaming option for this week.
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Tannehill doesn't have an easy matchup in Week 12 against the Jaguars, although two of the past four quarterbacks against Jacksonville have scored at least 20 Fantasy points. But Tannehill went into his bye in Week 11 having scored at least 22 Fantasy points in four games in a row. Hopefully, he stays hot in a key AFC South showdown.
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Sit 'Em
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Wentz has not been a good Fantasy quarterback lately, and it's hard to trust him this week against the Seahawks, especially with the receiving corps banged up. Alshon Jeffery (ankle) missed Week 11 against New England, and he could be out again. And Nelson Agholor (knee) missed practice on Wednesday. Wentz is running out of healthy bodies to catch passes, and he's scored fewer than 16 Fantasy points in four games in a row. I would only use Wentz in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues in Week 12.
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I'm torn on Rodgers this week because he should be good coming off his bye, and San Francisco is dealing with injuries on defense with Dee Ford (hamstring) out. But Rodgers doesn't have a great track record coming off a bye, scoring fewer than 18 Fantasy points in four of his past five games after a break. And he's combined for just 23 Fantasy points in his past two outings prior to Week 11 against the Chargers and Panthers. The 49ers have given up two big games to Kyler Murray in the past three weeks, but for the season San Francisco is allowing just 11.2 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Rodgers is risky as a starter in one-quarterback leagues this week.
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Foles did a nice job with 21 Fantasy points in Week 11 at Indianapolis in his first outing since Week 1 because of a collarbone injury. But I expect him to regress slightly this week with his Fantasy production. Not so much because of the Titans, who have allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 23 Fantasy points. And Minshew had 21 Fantasy points as the starter for the Jaguars against Tennessee in Week 3. But the Jaguars are going to hammer Leonard Fournette in this game after just nine carries as a team in Week 11 at the Colts. Foles may have to throw, but it's doubtful he comes close to the 47 attempts he had against Indianapolis. He's a low-end starter at best in one-quarterback formats.
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Goff should get some help this week if Brandin Cooks (concussion) and Robert Woods (personal) return as expected, but I'm not sure that will matter against the Ravens. Baltimore has allowed just one quarterback to score more than 17 Fantasy points this season, which was Patrick Mahomes in Week 3, including matchups with Deshaun Watson, Brady, Russell Wilson and Murray. And Goff has combined for just seven Fantasy points in his past two games against Pittsburgh and Chicago. He's someone to avoid in all leagues if possible in Week 12.
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Bust Alert
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I loved Allen going into Week 11 at Miami, and he had one of the best performances of his career with 39 Fantasy points. He passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns, and he had seven carries for 56 yards and a touchdown as well. He's scored at least 20 Fantasy points in five of his past six games, and he should be in that range this week against the Broncos if things go right. But Denver has allowed an average of just 12.6 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks for the season, and only Minshew in Week 4 and Kirk Cousins last week have scored more than 19 points against the Broncos this year. I'm expecting some regression for Allen this week, and he's a low-end starter at best in Week 12.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
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Lindsay is due for a big game, and it could easily come this week against Buffalo. While the Bills defense has been great overall this year, they have struggled against the run. Buffalo has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 120 total yards in every game this season. Lindsay has at least 75 total yards in three games in a row, but he has only one touchdown over that span. Lindsay will continue to share touches with Royce Freeman, who should be considered a sleeper this week, but he saw a larger share of the work last and has the chance to be a top-10 running back in Week 12.
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Singletary was good in Week 11 at Miami, but I had much higher expectations for him as the Start of the Week. He had 15 carries for 75 yards but failed to score a touchdown and had just one catch for 4 yards on one target. I'm sticking with him again this week against the Broncos, who have allowed six touchdowns to running backs in five road games this year, including two in a row at Indianapolis in Week 8 and at Minnesota in Week 11. This also could be a big game catching the ball for Singletary since Denver has allowed 24 receptions to running backs in the past four games, and Singletary had 10 catches in his three previous outings prior to Week 11.
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I'm excited about Samuels if James Conner (shoulder) is out as expected, even though Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey (suspension) won't be on the field. Samuels had a fun game against Cincinnati the first time these teams met in Week 4 when he was the trigger man for the Wildcat. He finished with 10 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown, as well as eight catches for 57 yards. He's now had four games this season with at least 10 total touches, and he has at least 14 PPR points in three of them. The Steelers could lean heavily on Samuels this week with Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion/knee), and Diontae Johnson (concussion) all banged up. Benny Snell could also help Samuels in the ground game, and I like Snell as a sleeper this week. The Bengals have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 120 total yards in every game this season.
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Nick Chubb is a must-start running back this week against the Dolphins, but I also like Hunt as a low-end starter in all leagues, especially PPR. In two games back from his eight-game suspension to open the year, he has at least 11 PPR points in each game, including 13 catches for 90 yards on 17 targets. He's yet to find the end zone, but that could change this week against the Dolphins, especially if the Browns are playing with a lead at home. Five running backs against Miami this season have also scored at least seven PPR points with just their receiving totals alone, which bodes well for Hunt in that format.
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If there's a week to buy back into Montgomery, it's here against the Giants. The Bears are at home and facing a Giants run defense that has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in five of their past six games. The quarterback situation could be messy for Chicago depending on what happens with Mitchell Trubisky (hip), but I expect Montgomery to get a heavy workload this week (he's had at least 17 total touches in four games in a row). Tarik Cohen should also be considered a starter in PPR and a flex in non-PPR leagues, but I expect Montgomery to be at least a top-20 running back in all formats.
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Sleepers
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Scarbrough is the new lead running back in Detroit after he had 14 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against Dallas. His 14 carries were the most for a Lions running back since Kerryon Johnson had 26 in Week 4. Now, it's the Lions, and they'll still continue to give touches to J.D. McKissic, especially in the passing game, as well as Ty Johnson. And Scarbrough didn't have a catch or target against the Cowboys. But the matchup against Washington is great in Week 12 since the Redskins have allowed a running back to score in four of the past five games.
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You should stick with Williams as a flex option this week against the 49ers, who have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 80 total yards in five games in a row. Aaron Jones is still the best running back for the Packers and a must-start option, but Williams has scored at least 12 PPR points in four of his past five games in a secondary role, with four receiving touchdowns over that span.
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I wouldn't be shocked if this is a breakout game for Guice, who returned from an eight-game absence with a knee injury in Week 11 against the Jets and finished with 69 total yards and a touchdown. He's still sharing work with Adrian Peterson, who can also be considered a sleeper this week, and it's a great matchup against the Lions. Detroit allows the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs, giving up 17 total touchdowns to the position this year.
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Murray is worth using as a flex option this week with the hope he finds the end zone against the Panthers, who have allowed the most touchdowns to running backs this year with 18 total. Carolina has allowed 14 of those touchdowns in the past six games – hello Alvin Kamara – and multiple running backs have scored in two of those outings over that span.
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I'll stick with Sanders this week as a low-end starter if Jordan Howard (shoulder) remains out for the Eagles. While Sanders didn't have a great game in Week 11 against New England with just 47 total yards on 13 total touches, he should do better with a similar workload against Seattle, especially in the passing game. Seven running backs have caught at least three passes against the Seahawks this year, and Sanders came into Week 11 with 16 catches in his previous five games.
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Sit 'Em
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Hyde's been doing a nice job lately with back-to-back games of at least 12 PPR points against Jacksonville and Baltimore. He scored against the Ravens on a 41-yard run, but I'm concerned about his production this week against the Colts. He struggled at Indianapolis in Week 7 with 12 carries for 35 yards and no catches, and he now has no receptions in four games in a row. The Colts run defense has been exceptional this season with only five total touchdowns allowed to running backs, and Trey Edmunds in Week 9 is the lone running back with more than 60 rushing yards in the past six games against Indianapolis. Duke Johnson is worth using as a flex in PPR, but I'm nervous about Hyde playing well Thursday night.
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I wouldn't be shocked if the Patriots start giving more work to Rex Burkhead with Michel struggling. And he continues to have minimal production whenever Burkhead is active. In the three games Burkhead missed this year, Michel averaged 18.7 PPR points, but he's at 6.0 PPR points per game when Burkhead is playing. He's gone three games in a row without finding the end zone, and maybe he scores here against the Cowboys, who have allowed a running back to score in back-to-back games against Minnesota and Detroit. Still, given the way Michel has played of late, he's tough to trust, and we'll see if Burkhead gets an expanded role. James White in PPR is the lone Patriots running back to rely on this week against the Cowboys.
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Hill was a huge letdown in Week 12 against Carolina with four PPR points on 15 carries for 30 yards, along with one catch for 8 yards on three targets. He had a touchdown called back by a holding penalty, but he also lost a touchdown to backup Qadree Ollison. There's a chance Devonta Freeman (foot) could return this week, although I wouldn't count on it. And Hill could have a tough time against Tampa Bay as the starter since the Buccaneers are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs. They haven't allowed a rushing touchdown to a running back since Week 6 and only Christian McCaffrey and Todd Gurley have scored against them this season. Hill is a flex at best if Freeman remains out.
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Wilkins should be the lead running back for the Colts with Marlon Mack (hand) out, but it will likely be a committee with Jonathan Williams and Nyheim Hines as well. It's also a tough matchup against the Texans, who have allowed just seven total touchdowns to running backs this year. Three of those came last week at Baltimore, and Houston held the Colts' running backs, with Mack, to 56 rushing yards and 31 receiving yards in Week 7. Wilkins has yet to score this season and is limited in the passing game with four receptions on the year. And in three games without Mack in 2018, Wilkins combined for 13 PPR points. Wilkins is only worth using as a flex in non-PPR leagues, and Hines might be the best Colts running back this week in PPR.
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Bust Alert
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Jones went from playing at least 45 percent of the snaps in two games prior to Week 11 to just 31 percent against the Saints last week. He only had four carries for 13 yards against New Orleans, along with two catches for 1 yard on four targets. It's a typical situation for Jones and his Fantasy managers that every time you buy into him this year, he lets you down, whether due to his performance, game flow or Bruce Arians changing his mind with Peyton Barber. The Falcons defense has improved of late against New Orleans and Carolina, and we'll see how they do against Tampa Bay. Now, Kamara had 74 total yards in Week 10, and McCaffrey had 191 total yards in Week 11. But no one is putting Jones on that level, and he's only worth using as a flex option in Week 12.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
Ridley finally had the big game we were waiting for in Week 11 at Carolina with eight catches for 143 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. It snapped a three-game skid without him finding the end zone, and he should have the chance for another big outing in Week 12 against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers allow the most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and Ridley scored against Tampa Bay in one of two meetings with the Buccaneers last year. Along with Julio Jones, I also like Russell Gage as a sleeper this week.
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This should be the breakout game for Odell Beckham against the Dolphins, and Landry should continue to play well in the revenge game against his former team. He's scored a touchdown in three games in a row coming into Week 12, and he has four games in a row with at least 11 PPR points. The Dolphins are No. 2 in the NFL with 16 touchdowns allowed to receivers, and Landry and Beckham should have the chance to both finish as top 10 Fantasy options in Week 12.
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Robinson struggled as expected in Week 11 against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams, finishing with four catches for 15 yards on six targets. He hasn't scored a touchdown in four games in a row, and he's been at five PPR points or less in two of his past three games. But he should break out of his funk this week against the Giants. In their past five games, the Giants have allowed seven receivers to either score or gain at least 95 receiving yards. Robinson could be a top 10 Fantasy receiver against the Giants at home.
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Crowder is hot coming into Week 12 against the Raiders. He's scored in three games in a row and has 18 catches for 240 yards on 23 targets over that span. This week, he's facing a Raiders secondary that has allowed 57 catches for 905 yards and four touchdowns to receivers in their past five games, with five guys either scoring a touchdown or gaining at least 100 receiving yards over that span. Crowder has excelled as the slot receiver for Adam Gase this year.
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Parker is having a breakout season for the Dolphins and continues to produce in tough matchups. He just had seven catches for 135 yards on 10 targets against Buffalo in Week 11, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in seven games in a row. He has either a touchdown or 100 receiving yards in five of those outings, and he should be trustworthy at this point heading into Week 12 against the Browns. Cleveland has allowed seven receivers to score at least 10 PPR points in the past five games, with five touchdowns allowed to the position over that span.
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Sleepers
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