There are three weeks left to lock in a spot in your league's playoffs. Currently, your team is in one of three states - confidently in the playoffs, fighting to ensure a berth, or preparing for next year in dynasty and keeper leagues.

No matter what state, as a team manager, you should be actively seeking to make trades and/or waiver wire moves to help your team, either for this year or next.

There are so many factors to consider: the Week 12 and Week 14 bye-week effects on your team and others, the match-up schedule, and which weeks going forward your top starters have tough matchups.

Having won all three of my Week 12 matches, my teams are currently in 1st (keeper), 3rd (keeper), and 5th (dynasty) place, with 8-3, 8-3 and 7-4 records, respectively. So as I map out my plan for Week 12, here is what I am thinking for each of my teams:

1st Place Keeper League: This team is so far ahead of the 2nd and 3rd place teams that I have all but procured the 1st seed into the playoffs. I no longer need to be concerned about the rest of the regular season and need only focus on optimizing my team for a deep playoff run.

3rd Place Keeper League: I am just a little behind the 2nd place team, and though a playoff berth is not assured, it seems highly probable. I have looked at my bye weeks and matchup schedule, as well as the 2nd place team's bye weeks and matchup schedule. My team has no bye week issues through the rest of the season. The 2nd place team is losing Breece Hall (RB, NYJ) and Darnell Mooney (WR, Atl) in Week 12, and Lamar Jackson (QB, Bal) in Week 14. We have about equally difficult schedules from Weeks 12 to 14. Therefore, I am going to try to pick off the 2nd place team and get the 2nd seed into the playoffs so that my team will get a Week 15 bye.

5th Place Dynasty League: This team's playoff berth is likely but not assured and there are tough challenges ahead. My team is solid at QB, RB, and TE, but has been struggling at WR. Additionally, my team has some significant bye-week challenges. In Week 12 my team loses James Cook (RB, Buf), Brian Thomas, Jr. (WR, Jax), and Evan Engram (TE, Jax), and in Week 14 my team loses Joe Mixon (RB, Hou) and Brian Robinson (RB, Hou). I have a favorable Week 12 matchup because the other team has worse Week 12 bye week issues, losing Josh Allen (QB, Buf), Amari Cooper (WR, Buf), and Tyler Conklin (TE, NYJ). However, my team's Week 13 and Week 14 matchups are against the 1st and 2nd place teams, respectively.

In Week 12 my team scored 149 fantasy points and if it can continue to score in that range, will procure a playoff berth and be competitive. The real question mark for this team is if its WR corps will bounce up in the postseason or not. My top receivers are Tyreek Hill (Mia), Jayden Reed (GB), Deebo Samuel (SF), and Thomas Jr.  There are signs Hill and Reed could bounce back to WR1 potential going forward.

So for now, my plan is to stay put and review again next week. If I think my team will need WR help, I will attempt to trade for a solid WR1 or WR2, and I have already identified some potential trade targets from teams that are not likely playoff contenders: Malik Nabers (NYG), Davante Adams (NYJ), DK Metcalf (Sea), Josh Downs (Ind), Puka Nacua (LAR), Khalil Shakir (Buf), Terry McLaurin (Wsh) and Zay Flowers (Bal).

Tip Summary:

1) If your team has already procured its place in the playoffs, start to plan for it. Acquire what you need for better matchups in the postseason. For example, perhaps you can pick up an extra defense or kicker ahead of the rest of the league.

2) If your team is a playoff contender, but its playoff berth is not assured, look at your matchup schedule and your top-player bye weeks versus your opponent's top-player bye weeks and plan those matchups accordingly. Use trades and the waiver wire now, not only for Week 12 but also through the rest of the fantasy regular season. The best chance of making trades is with teams out of playoff contention, helping them prepare for next year.

3) If your team is not a playoff contender, build for next year - get draft picks and younger players with upside. Try to find the teams that are more desperate for help in their race for the playoffs so you can get the most value for the players you trade away. For example, in addition to their standing in the league, look at their matchups and top-player bye weeks to find their greatest needs.

This week, my article includes the strength of schedule for all weeks from Week 12 to Week 17 to help you align your waiver wire pickups to the weeks you need the most help.

On to the Week 12 streamers...

If you are familiar with my format of "Streamers for the Desperate" articles, then skip the following introduction.

This article is based on the principles I wrote about in How To Own Your League's Waiver Wire.

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 QB's Matthew Stafford (LAR), Bo Nix (Den), or Anthony Richardson (Ind) in this article because they aren't available in my leagues. However, you will see them in Alex Cuilla's article, Week 12 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds, because they are less than 50% owned in Yahoo leagues.

I list the players who are available on waivers in my three leagues and who generally 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 are, I always list a couple of available players for each position from my 24-man league.

I have loosely ranked the players but you need to 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 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 fewer good options, increasing the opportunity to trade to teams that truly are desperate and thereby building my draft pick arsenals.

Quarterbacks

• Will Levis, Ten @ Hou (21st, 15th, 31st, 28th, 23rd, 31st) - Levis completed 17 of 31 passes for 295 yards, 1 TD and 1 Int, and rushed 7 times for 18 yards in Week 11. Levis is a struggling sophomore, but he's not the worst streaming option against a sub-par Houston defense in Week 12, and he has favorable matchups in Weeks 14 through 17.
• ^*Cooper Rush, Dal @ Wsh (15th, 18th, 28th, 27th, 32nd, 4th) - Rush completed 32 of 55 passes for 354 yards, 1 TD and 1 Int, and added 2 yards on 2 rushes in Week 11. With Dak Prescott now officially on IR, Rush is a decent streaming option from Week 12 through Week 15, and possibly Week 16 if Prescott is not back then.
• Jameis Winston, Cle v Pit (3rd, 5th, 3rd, 22nd, 28th, 2nd) - Winston had a monster game in Week 11, completed 30 of 46 passes for 395 yards and 2 TDs, and rushed once for 8 yards in Week 11. I would rank him higher, but he has tough matchups for the rest of the fantasy regular season. However, even against tough match-ups, Winston has big play ability and he has favorable matchups in Weeks 15 and 16.
• Drake Maye (R), NE @ Mia (2nd, 23rd, Bye, 14th, 9th, 17th) - Maye completed 30 of 40 passes for 282 years, 2 TDs, and 1 Int, and rushed 3 times for 27 yards and a lost fumble. Maye is not in the best situation with a lack of talent around him, and he has as many turnovers as TDs. Although he seems to be improving, he should only be started in Week 12 against a tough Dolphins D if you have no other choice.
• Minshew Gardner, LV v Den (5th, 22nd, 32nd, 29th, 31st, 13th) - Minshew completed 30 of 43 passes for 2 TDs and 1 Int, and rushed twice for 7 yards. Minshew has a tough matchup against the Broncos D in Week 12 but could be an okay streaming option in Weeks 13 thru 16 if needed.

Running Backs

• ^*Cam Akers, Min @ Chi (20th, 25th, 13th, 20th, 22nd, 16th) - Akers rushed 10 times for 25 yards and caught both his targets for 11 yards and 1 TD. Akers has been getting more touches since Aaron Jones was injured in Week 10 and might continue with his greater role behind Jones going forward.
• Roschon Johnson, Chi v Min (2nd, 4th, 17th, 2nd, 4th, 22nd) - Johnson rushed 10 times for 33 yards and caught his only target for 8 yards. Thomas Brown, the Bear's new offensive coordinator, might be changing up the team's emphasis on rushing and rotating Johnson in more often. If Johnson has consistently higher volume going forward, he could make for a decent streaming option.
• *Ameer Abdullah, LVR v Den (15th, 1st. 28th, 13th, 31st, 27th) - With Zamir White and Alexander Mattison both injured early in Week 11, Abdullah rushed once for 1 yard, and caught all 3 of his targets for 16 yards and a TD. If White or Mattison are out for Week 12, Abdullah could be in line for moderate volume.
• *Emari Demercado, Ari @ Sea (22nd, 2nd, 22nd, 21st, 32nd, 11th) - Demercado rushed 3 times for 22 yards in Week 11. Demercado is no more than a dart throw if you are desperate for an RB even with a favorable matchup in Week 12.

Receivers

• ^*Marquez Valdes-Scantling, NO (Bye, 22nd, 13th, 16th, 11th, 6th) - MVS is on a bye week, but is worth stashing ahead of the rest of the league if you need help at WR. MVS caught 2 of 4 targets for 81 yards and a TD in Week 11. With Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave both on IR, MVS should continue to see increased volume after the Saints bye week.
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ten v @ Hou (25th, 16th, 31st, 20th, 19th, 31st) - NWI caught 2 of his 6 targets for 117 yards and a TD. He has now caught a TD in 5 of his last six games. Westbrook-Ikhine is not a reliable streaming option, but he has a high ceiling on any week.
• Demarcus Robinson, LAR v Phi (7th, 26th, 9th, 11th, 2nd, 17th) - Robinson caught 2 of his 4 targets for 19 yards in Week 11. He has been averaging over 5 targets a game, but he has a low catch percentage (only 25 catches on 47 targets this season). He also has 4 TDs in the last 4 weeks (2 in Week 8 and 2 in Week 9), so he is a hit-or-miss streaming option, with a low floor and a high ceiling.
• Darius Slayton, NYG v TB (27th, 18th, 26th, 32nd, 28th, 19th) - Slayton has been in the concussion protocol since Week 9. He was getting moderate volume (averaging 4.75-8-61.5) and had 1 TD in the four weeks before he was injured. He has favorable matchups for the rest of the season and is a reasonable streaming option if healthy.
• Christian Watson, GB v SF (10th, 5th, 29th, 21st, 26th, 30th) - Watson had a huge week against the league's toughest D against receivers, catching all 4 of his targets for 150 yards. Watson has some momentum going, seeing moderate volume in his last three games. Look for that to continue against the 49ers in Week 12.
• Jalen Coker (R), Car v KC (12th, 28th, 7th, 18th, 17th, 28th) - Coker had an uptick in volume the last 3 weeks before the Week 11 bye, catching 3 of 8 targets for 41 yards in Week 10, He is worth a stash in dynasty leagues, and as a developing talent, could be WR3/4 streaming option. 
• Alec Pierce, Ind v Det (29th, 23rd, Bye, 5th, 3rd, 13th) - Pierce caught 3 of his 4 targets for 74 yards in Week 11. He has had moderate and consistent volume since Week 5, is averaging 22 yards per reception, and has 4 TDs on the season. This should continue against a soft Lions D in Week 12.
• Devaughn Vele (R), Den @ LV (6th, 24th, Bye, 19th, 15th, 20th) - Vele has seen consistent moderate volume since Week 6, averaging 4.3 catches on 5.3 targets for 47 yards, and he has 1 TD in that time. Vele and Bo Nix (QB) are both in their rookie campaign are are both improving as the season progresses. Vele is certainly worth a stash in dynasty leagues and can be a decent streaming option in Week 13 and the playoffs if needed.

Tight Ends

• ^*Jonnu Smith, Mia v NE (16th, 23rd, 5th, 3rd, 6th, 8th) - Smith had a breakout Week 11, catching 6 of 8 targets for 101 yards and 2 TDs against a soft Raiders D. He has been getting consistent volume since Tua Tagovailoa return from injury and is a decent streaming option in Week 12 and 13.
• ^*Will Dissly, Bal v Cin (24th, 14th, 30th, 29th, 17th, 16th) - Dissly caught 4 of his 6 targets for 80 yards and his first TD of the season in Week 11. He has been seeing solid volume since Week 6 and has some favorable match-ups through Week 17.
• Theo Johnson (R), NYG v TB (29th, 11th, 21st, 24th, 14th, 28th) - Johnson caught 4 of 6 targets for 37 yards in Week 12. He has been getting consistent moderate volume since Week 6 and makes for a reasonable streaming option for Week 12.
• Luke Schoonmaker, Dal @ Wsh (15th, 1st, 31st, 27th, 29th, 4th) - Schoonmaker caught 6 of 10 targets for 56 yards after Jake Ferguson left the game early with a concussion. If Ferguson remains on concussion protocol, Schoonmaker is a decent streaming option in Week 12.
• ^*Josh Oliver, Min @ Chi (13th, 9th, 14th, 13th, 20th, 23rd) - Oliver has averaged 3.5 catches on 4 targets for 43.5 yards and has 2 TDs in his last four games. However, he sprained his ankle in Week 11, and even if healthy, might be limited in Week 12.
• Ja'Tavion Sanders (R), Car v KC (30th, 29th, 4th, 11th, 9th, 29th) - Sanders caught both of his targets for 8 yards and a TD in Week 11. He has inconsistent, low to moderate volume, and is a hit-or-miss streamer against a soft Ds in Weeks 12 and 13.
• Dalton Schultz, Hou v Ten (7th, 26th, Bye, 22nd, 30th, 24th) - Schultz caught 5 of 7 targets for 33 yards in Week 11. He has no TDs on the season but has had relatively consistent moderate volume.

QB/TE - Honorable Mention

• ^*Taysom Hill, NO (Bye, 19th, 18th, 15th, 8th, 24th v QB, Bye, 11th, 19th, 18th, 16th, 26th v RB, Bye, 22nd, 13th, 16th, 11th, 6th v WR) - One has no idea what Hill will do week-to-week. Last week he rushed 7 times for 138 yards and 3 TDs, caught 8 of 10 targets for 50 yards, and completed 1 of 2 passes for 18 yards and an Int.  He is on a bye but might be worth a stash because of his versatility and high upside in any given week.

Kickers

• Matt Gay, Ind v Det (16th, 11th, Bye, 10th, 18th, 17th)
• Joey Slye, NE @ Mia (32nd, 22nd, Bye, 25th, 4th, 2nd)
• John Parker Romo, Min @ Chu (19th, 25th, 31st, 19th, 9th, 6th)
• Chad Ryland Ari @ Sea (9th, 1st, 9th, 11th, 29th, 21st)
• Joshua Karty, LAR v Phi (8th, 24th, 4th, 14th, 26th, 25th)

Defense / Special Teams

• Arizona Cardinals @ Sea (26th, 22nd, 26th, 28th, 23rd, 12th) 
• Houston Texans v Ten (32nd, 21st, Bye, 23rd, 5th, 2nd) 
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ NYG (29th, 22nd, 30th, 5th, 27th, 22nd)
• Washington Commanders v Dal (27th, 32nd, Bye, 24th, 18th, 17th)
• Chicago Bears v Min (20th, 4th, 8th, 20th, 4th, 26th)
• Philadelphia Eagles @ LAR (9th, 2nd, 22nd, 12th, 3rd, 27th)
• Indianapolis Colts v Det (1st, 28th, Bye, 11th, 32nd, 29th)
• New Orleans Saints (Bye, 12th, 29th, 3rd, 9th, 30th)

^*Available in my league with 24-player rosters