This was the best slate of games we’ve had all year in my opinion. There were some absolute big-boy matchups that lived up to the hype and some complete random ones that went into OT. Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker as two of the highest scorers of the week? Yeah, things definitely got weird. With the good also comes the bad, and this week that meant injuries.
Aaron Rodgers is thought to have suffered a “slightly” broken wrist. Don’t ask me how that works, but I have a weird feeling he specifically asked them to use that word. Sticking in Pittsburgh, Jaylen Warren exited the game with an ankle injury and didn’t return. Josh Jacobs left with a knee issue, although as of today he is believed to have avoided a major injury. Michael Penix Jr. and Dillon Gabriel were ruled out and didn’t return, although I’m not sure I see much fantasy impact from that, especially with Drake London also leaving the game.
For additional potential Week 11 pickups, check out ASL's Injuries & Opportunities - Week 12 or ASL Founder Leonard LaPadula's Streamers For The Desperate - Week 12.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into the waivers.
Quarterbacks
Jacoby Brissett (34% Rostered, Yahoo)
Are the Cardinals better without Kyler Murray? It may be time to ask that question, as Jacoby Brissett absolutely balled out this week. Going 47/57 for 452 yards and two touchdowns is insane, and they still lost the game. Arizona has, overall, the easiest remaining fantasy strength of schedule for all positions on average. Brissett has not dropped below 19 fantasy points since taking over for Kyler. If you can still get this guy off waivers and you need a QB, go pick him up. He did all of this on Sunday without Marvin Harrison Jr., who is out with appendicitis.
This week he gets to play Jacksonville. Although they ripped up Justin Herbert, as long as they can keep him upright, you can throw on that defense. He would be my primary pickup at the position.
https://x.com/NFLTDVids/status/1990209821480788054?s=20
Bryce Young (13% Rostered, Yahoo)
Bryce Young looked unbelievable in this game, and he even came out for a bit to be evaluated for an injury. He led the Panthers on an amazing comeback that pushed the game into OT, where they eventually came out with a win. Young went 31 for 45 for 448 yards and 3 touchdowns, good for 31 fantasy points.
He is a boom-or-bust play at this point. San Francisco is next week, and not only can you throw on that defense, but I think Carolina may have to pass just to keep up in the game. If you are an underdog and need to take a risk, go pick up Bryce Young and either close your eyes for 3 hours, or just don’t watch the game.
Running Backs
Emanuel Wilson (7% Rostered, Yahoo)
He was here last week, and I was laying out the exact situation that happened. As soon as Josh Jacobs went out, Emanuel Wilson absolutely took over the backfield. He rushed 11 times for 40 yards and a touchdown. If Jacobs does indeed miss a week, Wilson is a must-start.
Minnesota, after this week, is now ranked dead last in rush defense. I also think that after this week, the Packers coaching staff has to be starting to wonder a bit if Jordan Love is who we all thought he was. Love has really struggled, and if Wilson gets some momentum early, I don’t think Green Bay will have to throw on Minnesota. If you have Jacobs or need a start next week, Wilson is a great pickup.
Kenneth Gainwell (32% Rostered, Yahoo)
The guy is an absolute monster when he gets the opportunity. We don’t know the extent of Jaylen Warren’s ankle injury, but this has been a recurring issue in the past. The other thing going for Kenneth Gainwell? Aaron Rodgers is most likely going to miss at least a couple of weeks. I don’t see a world where the Steelers coaching staff leans on Mason Rudolph to pass their way to victory.
Mike Tomlin is going to play old-school smash-mouth football, and Gainwell is going to be getting the carries. With 24 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards, and two touchdowns this week, it’s clear that he can handle some volume. Rudolph is traditionally a check-down merchant as well. Start Kenneth Gainwell with confidence if Warren is out.
https://x.com/fantasyfocus/status/1990524356070682737?s=20
Wide Receivers
Michael Wilson (47% Rostered, Yahoo)
There are rumbles right now that Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to miss another week. With the Cardinals’ new strategy of throwing on essentially every play, you might as well start the only wide receiver that’s left — and that’s Michael Wilson. This week he showed exactly why that thought process makes sense, as he had 15 receptions for 185 yards in an absolute monster day.
The other thing we love for fantasy? Jacoby Brissett targeted him 18 total times. That’s like Joe Flacco to Ja’Marr Chase territory. This week he gets to play Jacksonville. As discussed above, if the Cardinals’ offensive line can keep Brissett upright, Wilson is going to be able to get into space. If Harrison misses another week, consider this a WR2 play, and if he doesn’t, I still think you can play Wilson in a flex spot in a pinch.
https://x.com/ZachAZCards/status/1990468427048501703?s=20
Andrei Iosivas (1% Rostered, Yahoo)
Ja’Marr Chase has officially been suspended for a game, and Tee Higgins fans can rejoice. The other beneficiary? Andrei Iosivas. He has already scored double-digit fantasy points on multiple occasions and seems to be a red zone target favorite, although it hasn’t quite worked out yet. I also want to highlight how big this guy actually is — 6'3” and 210 pounds.
I am going to call it in this article: he will score a touchdown against New England. This may be a bit of an ugly game, but when Joe Cool drops back to pass, it’s either going to Tee or Iosivas. If you are in a deep league and looking for a flex, Andrei Iosivas will be available in almost 100% of leagues.
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson (45% Rostered, Yahoo)
We have been down this road before with Juwan Johnson, but this could be something that sticks for the rest of the season. With Rashid Shaheed traded to the Seahawks, there are really only two people who are going to catch passes in New Orleans, and one of those is Johnson. I also may be in the minority, but I think Tyler Shough is a good player. He played a lot of college ball and understands how to get the ball into his best players’ hands.
He plays Atlanta this week, which I don’t love, but then it’s Miami and Tampa Bay. I also think it may not matter, since once again, there’s just no one else to catch the ball besides Chris Olave. With the Saints coming off the bye week, go look at your wire. There is a high probability someone had to drop Johnson to make room on their roster. In this TE economy, I love Juwan Johnson for the rest of the season.
https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1985113645563486283?s=20
Mason Taylor (17% Rostered, Yahoo)
Justin Fields has been benched, and it’s Tyrod Taylor time. This overall has to be a net positive for the passing game because, well, it can’t get any worse. Being an LSU fan, I may be biased, but Mason Taylor is just a really good player. He has great hands and is a big target. With Garrett Wilson out, I simply don’t know who else Taylor can trust.
This has the potential to be our garbage-time player of the year. The Jets are going to be down, and they are most likely going to have to throw in almost every game. Luckily, fantasy football doesn’t care about situations. Fire up Mason Taylor with confidence this week against Baltimore. If he does have a bad game, it’s because the Ravens completely shut them out.
