Top-40 RB Rankings - Week 12

5 Starts & 5 Sits - Week 12

Week 12 DFS: Top Picks & Targets

Streamers For The Desperate - Week 2

Leonard LaPadula

I hope you all had a great start to your fantasy football season. My teams all struggled through the weekend. At one point I thought I would go 0-3. One team was given only a 1% chance to win from the site's game-time win probability calculator. However, I ended up winning all three of my matches. I was pleasantly surprised and had some interesting takeaways, which I describe in Dynasty: What I Learned From Week 1

While it is too early in the season to be desperate for streamers, especially since we aren't into the bye week part of the season yet, I name this article as such because it is generally for deeper roster leagues (18-to-24-man rosters) and as the season progresses, especially in the 24-man roster leagues, the pickings can get very thin. For example, you won't see Isaiah Likely (TE), Bal, in this article because he isn't available in any of my leagues. However, you will see him in Alex Cuilla's article, Week 2 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds, because he is less than 50% owned in Yahoo leagues.

I list the players that are available on waivers in my three leagues and generally that scored more than 10 fantasy points (PPR). The players with an asterisks are available in my 24-man roster league. As we get deeper into the season, no matter how slim the options, I always list a couple available players for each position from my 24-man league.

This is not meant to be a ranking of the available free agents. I have just done a first layer of research so you can decide which players are right for your team. Your criteria for deciding will be different depending on your need and if you are in a redraft, keeper or dynasty league.

The ranking in parenthesis after each player is the strength of the Week 2 opponent against that position. So a "1st" indicates the most difficult opponent for that position, and a "32nd" indicates the weakest opponent against that position.

As much effort as it is, I make waiver requests every week for all of my teams. I don't just try to fill in obvious immediate needs, but look to make my team better to the last man on the roster. A deep roster creates resilience against injury. It also results in other teams having less good options, increasing the opportunity to trade to teams that truly are desperate and thereby building my draft pick stock pile. You can't own the waiver space in your league completely, but you should try as best you can.

For example, in my dynasty league I came in 2nd place last year, I had the 2nd highest score in the league in Week 1, I have 7 rookies on my 24-man roster and still I have arsenal of three 1sts, two 2nds, one 3rd picks for 2025 and three 1sts, three 2nds and five 3rds picks for 2026. Active waiver wire participation has been a big part of building that arsenal.

Quarterbacks

  • Baker Mayfield, TB @ DET (20th) - Baker looked like a stud against a soft Commanders defense, completing 24 of 30 passes for 289 yards, 4 TDs and no interceptions. Possibly a QB1 in 2024. If he's available in your league, snag him if you can.
  • Derek Carr, Min @ Dal (13th) - Carr looks like a new man under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Against a soft Panthers defense he completed 19 of 23 passes for 200 yards and 3 TDs amd 1 interception. He led the Vikings in a 49 to 10 route over Carolina, scoring in all of the Vikings first nine possessions. The Vikings first punt came midway through the fourth quarter. This could be a one-week blip, or it could be the real thing. A worthy pick up if you have the space on your roster.
  • Sam Darnold, Min v SF (19th) - Darnold played well in the season opener, completing 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, 1 TD and no interceptions. Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones might end up being okay with the Vikings QB change. Expect continued QB2 results.
  • Gardner Minshew, LV @ Bal (21st) - Minshew isn't going to awe us, but he is a reliable pedestrian QB if you need a band-aid.
  • Justin Fields, Pit @ Den (23rd) - The Steelers went with a run-heavy game plan, but Fields did enough in the passing game for an 18 to 10 win over the Falcons, completing 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He connected with George Pickens for gains of 40 and 33 years, and he rushed 14 times for 57 yards. With Russell Wilson sidelined and a softer Denver defense in Week 2, look for the Steelers to continue to play conservative ground-oriented ball, but to open the throttle a little bit more in the passing game.
  • *Jacoby Brissett, NE v Sea (14th) - The Patriots D and ground game got the job done. The experienced Brissett was the consumate game manager and didn't need to rely much on his arm. With that said, he is capable of making throws, and it might be necessary in Week 2 against the Seahawks.
  • *Tyrod Taylor, NYJ @ Ten (1st) - Only take Tyrod if you are really desperate. He did out perform Aaron Rodgers in 4th quarter garbage time with the game out of hand, completing 6 of 8 attempts for 36 yards, 1 TD and no interceptions. Is it possible he could take the starting position from the rusty and aging Rodgers later in the season? I think yes, it's possible, so from that perspective he is a deep sleeper. But he is not anyone you want to start in Week 2. Even if he comes off the bench, the Jets are up against the Titans league-leading defense against QBs.

Running Backs

  • Jordan Mason, SF v Min (5) - Mason had a monster game against the Jets, rushing 28 times for 147 yards and a TD, while filling in for an injured or resting Christian McCaffrey. The Viking run defense will not be so generous, and Mason is no McCaffrey especially with respect to McCaffrey's involvement in the passing game. Still McCaffrey is now an aged 8-year veteran and Mason is a 3-year veteran, the prime of an RB's career. Mason should be picked up in dynasty and keeper leagues and as a handcuff to McCaffrey. He could take the 49ers RB throne down the road, but don't expect him to continue to have such opportunity in 2024 as long as McCaffrey is healthy.
  • *Alexander Mattison, LV @ Bal (9) - Mattison rushed 5 times for 19 yards and caught 4 of his 6 targets for 43 yards and the Raiders sole TD of the game. Mattison is a medium volume (10 touches) RB that is touchdown dependent. He can occupy your flex spot if you have no better options.
  • Jamaal Williams, NO @ Dal (19) - Williams was mostly 2nd half filler against the hapless Panthers to rest work horse Alvin Kamara, rushing for 38 yards on 11 carries, only three of which were in the 1st half. He scored a TD in garbage time during the Saints 47 to 10 rout. So Williams is both game script and TD dependent and should probably be left on the waiver wire, unless you are really desparate for an RB.
  • Justice Hill, Bal v LV (22) - Hill was active in the passing game catching 6 of his 8 targets for 52 yards and no TDs in the Ravens loss to the Chiefs. (He rushed only once for 3 yards - no TD.) With this type of volume he is a decent flex option in PPR leagues with TD upside potential. Hill is a 6-year veteran RB so his keeper and dynasty value is minimal.

Now more powerful than ever: The Machine - DFS Lineup Optimizer

Receivers

  • *Allen Lazard, NYJ @ Ten (11) - Lazard caught 6 of 9 targets for 89 yards and 2 TDs, doubling his 2023 TD total in one game. Lazard's catchless first half was unimpressive, including dropping a pass on 3rd down. However, in the 2nd half he seemed to scrape the rust off and rekindle chemistry Rodgers from when they were both Packers. One of Lazard's TDs came in garbage time with Taylor behind center and the game out of reach. Expect Lazard to continue to receive a decent volume of passes and TD opportunities.
  • Alex Pierce, Ind @ GB (23) - Pierce caught all 3 of his targets for 125 yards and a TD. Pierce is in his 3rd-year and Anthony Richardson, QB, in his 2nd year. If the two continue to build chemistry, Pierce could see increased volume with continued big play potential.
  • Brandin Cooks, Dal v NO (15) - Cooks caught 4 of his 7 targets for 40 yards and a TD. With Jake Ferguson, TE, out for a bit with a sprained MCL, expect the 30-year old Cooks to continue to see decent volume as a low-end WR2.
  • *Tyler Johnson, LAR @ Ari (25) - Johnson caught 5 of his 7 targets for 79 yards. After Puka Nacua left the game with a knee injury, Johnson's volume went up considerably, catching only 1 of 2 targets in the 1st half versus 4 of 5 targets in the 2nd half. With Puka now on IR and out for the foreseable future, the 5-year veteran has low-end WR1 potential for the foreseeable future.
  • Ashton Dulin, Ind @ GB (23) - With Josh Downs out due to an ankle injury, Ashton made his only Week 1 target count, scoring a 54-yard TD. Expect Ashton to continue to have a low volume of opportunities, and don't expect him to catch all of those opportunities for 54-yard TDs. He will likely return to fantasy irrelevance for most weeks going forward.
  • Devaughn Vele (R), Den v Pit (3) - Vele caught all 8 of his targets for only 39 yards as Bo Nix struggled to get the ball downfield in his first NFL regular season game. If the two rookies continue to build chemistry with Vele as a trusted short yardage safety valve for Nix, Vele should continue to see decent volume, and perhaps with more experience figure out how to make those catches count for more yards. WRs take on average 3 years to reach their potential, so Vele is a worthy stash in keeper and dynasty leagues.
  • Wan'Dale Robinson, NYG @ Wsh (31) - Robinson caught 6 of his 12 targets for 44 years, and rushed once for 14 yards. The Giants overall passing game with Daniel Jones under center was unimpressive, but the soft Commanders defense against the passing game might give a bit of a boost in Week 2. The 3rd-year Robinson has potential as a young receiver, but it's very limited with Jones behind center.
  • *Jauan Jennings, SF @ Min (16) - Jauan caught all 5 of his targets for 64 yards. He missed some game time in the 3rd quarter due to injury. Expect Jennings to receive medium volume with TD upside potential.
  • *Greg Dortch, Arz v LAR (19) - Dortch caught 6 of his 8 targets for 47 years, leading the Cardinals in receiving yards against a stingy Bills D. Some believe Marvin Harrison Jr. has been way over-hyped. So while Harrison Jr. will likely get more than 3 targets as he learns the playbook and acclimates to the NFL as an outside receiver, Dortch should continue to see decent volume with upside TD potential on the inside as a slot receiver.
  • Mack Hollins, Buf @ Mia (18) - Hollins caught both his targets for 25 yards and a TD. Hollins is a low-volume TD dependent receiver. He is not worth a spot on your roster unless you are very desparate, which is unlikely this early in the season.
  • Jalen McMillan (R), TB @ Det (32) - Baker Mayfield looked elsewhere most of the game. Despite McMillan's snap count of 50, he was only targeted 3 times, making good on one target for a 32-yard TD. His volume will likely continue to be low behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as the two top options, but if the rookie can maintain his spot as the Bucs 3rd WR, ahead of Trey Palmer, and as he and Baker Mayfield build greater chemistry, he could become a viable deep threat, and is worth a stash in dynasty leagues.

Tight Ends

  • *Foster Moreau, NO @ Dal (29) - Moreau caught all 4 of his targets for 43 yards and a TD before being sidelined for a concussion in the 4th quarter. It's unclear if he will be ready to play against the Cowboys in Week 2, but it is worth noting his target count was ahead of Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill, so when healthy he could play a more prominent role on a regular basis.
  • *Colby Parkinson, LAR @ Car (12) - Parkinson caught 4 of his 5 targets for 47 yards and no TDs. Parkinson has the lead TE role for the Rams after being traded from the Seahawks in the offseason. As he learns the playbook, his receiving and scoring opportunities will likely increase. So he has a decent floor with good upside.

Kickers

  • Chris Boswell, Pit @ Den (18)
  • Blake Grupe, NO @ Dal (10)
  • Ka'imi Fairbairn, Hou v Chi (8)
  • Chase McLaughlin, TB @ Det (16)
  • Cairo Santos, Chi @ Hou (3)

Defense / Special Teams

  • Minnesota Vikings v SF (7)
  • Chicago Bears @ Hou (9)
  • Los Angeles Chargers @ Car (28)
  • New England Patriots v Sea (24)
  • Miami Dolphins v Buf (25)
  • Arizona Cardinals v LAR (18)

*Available in my league with 24-player rosters