Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 12 (2023)

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Welcome to Fantasy In Frames’ Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 12 (2023)!

What is up, my fantasy football family?  Before we get started, I wanted to let you all know that I am thankful for you as well as your support; it really means a lot!   We have made it to a crucial part of the season as we jockey for position in the playoffs, so, we need to see which players are the turkey leg and which players are your cousin’s weird recipe that no one is eating at Thanksgiving dinner.  The NFL decided to help us out with no teams on bye this week, so we have the full gambit of players available to us.  Gobble, Gobble…Let’s go be great!

Here are my Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 12 (2023)!

Start

1. Josh Dobbs (Minnesota) vs Chicago

• How can you not love the story of Josh Dobbs? He has taken the opportunities given to him this year and played his heart out. Since joining the Vikings, Dobbs has shown a floor of 18ppg and has played very well.

2. Justin Fields (Chicago) @ Minnesota

• Aren’t you thankful for a Monday Night Football game in which you can root for both quarterbacks? Fields is back from injury and put up a solid performance in week 11. This week he faces a Vikings that has the potential to put up a lot of points, and he will have to put up numbers to keep up.
• Fields has a solid floor for fantasy because of his elite rushing ability as a quarterback. Under the bright lights and in a dome, Fields should make some dynamic plays with his legs as well.

3. Gardner Minshew (Indianapolis) vs Tampa Bay

• Minshew and the Colts come fresh off their win over in Germany and the bye to face the Tampa Bay Bucs. A rested Pittman Jr and Downs will face a TB secondary missing Jamel Dean, a starting DB.
• The Bucs have given up a lot through the air the past 6 weeks, allowing 4 opposing QBs to top 300 yards passing against them. This is a nice spot to be in for Minshew; sort of like being right between the stuffing and mashed potatoes at the Thanksgiving dinner table!

Sit

1. Justin Herbert (LAC) vs Baltimore

• .Let’s be honest, if you’re rostering Herbert, then more than likely, you’re going to start him. But if you are torn between him and another QB, you may want to pass this week. It’s just like passing on that third plate on Thursday! Keenan Allen is a little banged up and is by far the most reliable weapon on that team. If, for some reason, he’s limited, then things get tougher for Herbert. 
• The Ravens boast the 2nd best coverage defense which is often elevated because of their top-10 pash rush and run defense. If Ekeler can’t get going and slow the rush down, it bodes to be a long day for Herbert; like a Thanksgiving where you’re not allowed to watch football! Brutal!

2. Sam Howell (Washington) @ Dallas

• The Dallas defense has been a problem for a lot of offenses they have faced this year and it’s shaping to be the same for Sammy and his crew this week. Dallas is coming into the week with a top 3 pass rush grade on PFF.
• In addition to Micah Parsons and crew getting after the QB like you getting after those Thanksgiving rolls, the Dallas defense has been stellar in pass coverage even without Diggs. If Dallas gets out to a big lead, and Howell must throw 40 times to keep pace, this defense is ready to attack.

2. Brock Purdy (SF) @ Seattle

• Purdy has continued to thrive in his first full season as a starter but this week you should temper expectations. The Seattle secondary has played much improved over the past month and are ballhawks.
• Christian McCaffrey has been playing lights out and will get a lot of work in this matchup. With Kenneth Walker probably out and Geno possibly missing this game, expect Seattle to try to slow down the game and limit SF time of possession, which favors CMC and that SF run game.

Start

1. Jaylen Warren (Pittsburgh) @ Cincinnati

• The past two weeks have seen Jaylen Warren get the start of running mate Najee Harris and he has not disappointed with back-to-back 100-yard games.
• With no Joe Burrow, that Cincy offense will have a hard time staying on the field, which leads to a positive game script for the Pittsburgh run game.

2. Gus Edwards (Baltimore) @ Los Angeles Chargers

• The “Gus Bus” has rolled this season to the tune of 10 touchdowns, which is 2nd in the league behind only Raheem Mostert.
• The Baltimore Ravens have been dominant running the ball and have a top 5 run game unit coming into this matchup. They are facing a bottom 10 run defense this week, so you can plug Edwards into your lineup as his floor seems safe.

3. Alexander Mattison (Minnesota) vs Chicago

• Mattison is back and is gearing up for a soft matchup with the Chicago Bears.  Mattison figures to be the lead back in the Minnesota backfield and should get plenty of work if this game follows the Vegas script of Minnesota being ahead and running the ball late.
• The return of Justin Jefferson is a good thing for the Vikings. Having another threat in the passing game makes the boxes lighter for Mattison and company to find running lanes.

Sit

1. Javonte Williams (Denver) vs Cleveland

• Credit to the Broncos for playing much better football than they had earlier in the season. Williams bounced back from a slow start and has been looking well the past few weeks. Unfortunately, he’s running into a buzz-saw that is the Browns defense.
• Until last week, the Browns were dominating running backs and limiting teams to 90 rush yards against them and no rushing TDs. Expect to see the Browns run defense to return to their strength and slow down the entire Bronco offense.

2. Raheem Mostert (Miami) @ New York Jets

• Going into the bye, Mostert was seeing a drop in productivity as Miami has had a hard time getting the run game going. He now faces a Jets team that, despite its record, has been very good against the run.
• Devon Achane is expected to play despite the re-aggravating of his injury that had him sidelined for a while. With Achane back in the fold, Mostert will cede touches to the dynamic rookie, which caps his upside.

3. Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas) vs Kansas City

• The beginning of the season was pretty lame for Jacobs, but he’s shown signs of life after the firing of coach Josh McDaniels. Last week, however, Jacobs did not find success against a beatable Miami run defense, tallying just 39 yards on 14 carries.
• The KC defense can slow down offenses, especially if the passing game isn’t sound. O’Connell at QB allows this swarming defense to cheat toward the run a little more, which can make things more difficult for Jacobs on game day.

Start

1. Tank Dell (Houston) vs Jacksonville

• The little tank that could have been playing big for the Texans this season; leading the team in touchdowns and second in receptions as well as receiving yards. Last week, Dell had 8 receptions for 146 and a touchdown.
• Tank Dell has been red hot the past few weeks but looks to continue where he left off against the Jaguars. The last time he played Jacksonville, Dell amassed a whopping 145 yards and a touchdown. The rookie is ready to run wild!

2. Zay Flowers (Baltimore) @ Los Angeles Chargers

• The LA Chargers have been prone to giving up production to offenses throughout the year. Their pass defense is ranked 17th in the league right now; making this a plus matchup for Baltimore.
• With Mark Andrews done for the year, Flowers is in line to see more targets since he operates in the slot and can run routes similar to what Andrews ran. All pass catchers will see a bump, but Flowers has proven to be the most consistent.

      3.  Josh Downs (Indianapolis) vs Tampa Bay

• Downs is coming off the bye and has had time to rest up.
• When healthy, Downs has really flashed talent and playmaking ability, which has led to fantasy point production.
• Downs faces a Tampa Bay defense that comes in with the 3rd worst pass coverage grade from PFF this week. This sets up well for the rookie to get loose in the secondary and have a productive day.

Sit

1. Deebo Samuel (SF) @ Seattle

• The way the 49ers are playing right now, Deebo is not the first option for this offense right now. McCaffrey, Aiyuk, and even George Kittle have used ahead of Deebo as he works his way back from that multiple-week injury.
• As mentioned before with Brock Purdy, the Seattle secondary has strongly played the past month or so and is currently ranked top 10 in the league. Still coming back from injury and facing an elite secondary are good reasons to start another WR if you have them this week.

2. Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati) vs Pittsburgh

• It pains me to list Chase here in the sit section because he is arguably one of the top 3 WRs in the game right now. But the loss of Joe Burrow is a huge blow to his productivity. Jake Browning takes the reigns for the Bengals, and when he came in against the Ravens, he only targeted Chase once. Hopefully, he learns to go to his best receiver, but I need to see Browning do it before I can trust Chase.
• The Steelers have an elite pass rush, and you can expect them to be unleashed against an inexperienced quarterback in Jake Browning. Putting a lot of pressure on Browning could lead to turnovers and lots of dump-offs to Mixon versus looking for Chase downfield.

      3. Davante Adams (Las Vegas) vs Kansas City

• The removal of former coach Josh McDaniels has been great for the Raiders, but this week, they face division rival Kansas City, which is coming off a disappointing loss in week 11.  Division games are tough enough, but this Kansas City defense has been playing better as the season has progressed and will be tough on the Raider offense.
• Aiden O’Connell has had a roller-coaster ride of production since taking over as the Raider QB with inconsistent play. His being hard to trust means that on any given Sunday, we can see Adams with a floor of under 5 points in PPR scoring.

Start

1. David Njoku (Cleveland) @ Denver

• In week 11, we saw new Brown QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson pepper Njoku with 15 targets. That is a great sign that DTR trusts Njoku and will continue to look for him first when he drops back to pass. 
• While the Denver Broncos’ defense has been much improved over the past month, they haven’t been great against opposing TEs. The Broncos this year versus the TE have given up on average eight targets, 72 yards, and 10pts. This is a smash spot for Njoku.

2. Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh) @ Cincinnati

• Patty Fries is back and looks to pick up being the big-bodied target that Kenny Pickett desperately needs. Freiermuth possesses strong hands and accesses the parts of the field that make things easier for Pickett.
• Last week in Freiermuth’s return, there was not much meat on the bone for him as the entire offense seemed to have trouble getting going sans Jaylen Warren. The Cleveland Browns have one of if not the best defenses in the league. Look for Pat to be more involved in week 12 with a much more favorable matchup.

3. Logan Thomas (Washington) @ Dallas
   • The implied totals for this game are one of the highest for the entire week, so at least Vegas expects a lot of scoring in this game. Unfortunately, they think the Cowboys will be doing much of the scoring. That could lead to a positive game script for Thomas if the Commanders must pass a lot to stay in the game or with garbage time production.
   • Logan Thomas, over the past five weeks, has seen at least five targets, and that gives him a nice floor against a high-scoring division rival. The Commanders have not been shy in letting Howell throw the ball a ton this year, and if the script warrants it, Thomas could be in line for a large chunk of those targets.

Sit

1. Isaiah Likely (Baltimore) @ Los Angeles Chargers

• This may come as a shocker to many of you as Likely was a hot commodity to pick up from waivers this week. While Likely could be a league winner for you deeper in the season, it is best to wait and see how he is used this week. I believe that Charlie Kolar could be the TE to benefit the most from the loss of Andrews. 
• With Mark Andrews on the shelf like that can of cranberry sauce this holiday season; there are a lot of vacated targets in the Ravens passing game. I think that many of those targets will be distributed between Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. OBJ has been seeing an increase in targets the past few weeks, and Flowers operates underneath and up the seams a lot like Andrews did.

2. Taysom Hill (New Orleans) @ Atlanta

• As of the writing of this article, Derek Carr has not cleared the concussion protocol even with the team on bye last week. If Jameis is the QB for the Saints this week, it limits Taysom a bit because Jameis is always looking for deep shots and turns the ball over a lot. This limits Taysom with his designed plays a bit. 
• Juwan Johnson had a couple of weeks back now and could eat into the routes run and targets that Hill was thriving on in his absence. With the uncertainty of how this offense will look because of the QB, fading Taysom this week is not the worst idea.

3. Cole Kmet (Chicago) @ Minnesota
   • With Fields back last week, Kmet saw 3 catches for 20 yards, showing that the floor can be very low for the young TE.
   • Justin Fields did not look particularly good last week and continues to underwhelm in the passing game. He clearly relies on his running ability, which limits the production of Kmet and all the Chicago pass catchers.

Start

1. Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

• The Dolphins will be taking on the inexperienced Tim Boyle in week 12 on a short week. Expect Vic Fangio to dial up schemes to confuse and exploit the newly-minted Jets starter. 
• Jalen Ramsey is back and playing well after missing the first half of the season with an injury. He hauled in two interceptions in his last game out, including the one that sealed the Dolphins victory.

       2. Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati

• The Steelers have a top 6 grade for pass rush, according to PFF, coming into week 12. Expect the front 7 to look to control the line of scrimmage in this one and limit the Bengals’ bottom half of the league run game. 
• The Steelers will face Jake Browning as he replaces Joe Burrow, who is now out for the season. Browning is very inexperienced with gameplay in the NFL and could acquire growing pains this week, facing a division rival with a strong defense.

       3. Cleveland Browns @ Denver

• The Cleveland Browns are one of the top defenses in the league in 2023. Myles Garrett and that defensive line like to get after the quarterback, and Denver has shown that it is prone to sacks when facing elite fronts.
• The Broncos’ offense has played better the past couple of weeks but look for the Browns to stunt and pressure Russell Wilson in this matchup, forcing tough throws and possible turnovers.

Sit

1. Washington Commanders @ Dallas

• The Commanders have played subpar defense this year when facing elite offenses, and in week 12 they face a top 5 offense in the Dallas Cowboys.
• The Cowboys’ offense, led by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, has been lighting up the scoreboard for the past month. It will be tough for Washington, who traded away their best pass rushers, to be able to pressure Dak enough to limit this formidable passing game.

       2. Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston

• I don’t know if you have heard this, but CJ Stroud has been as good as your grandma’s famous mac & cheese on Thanksgiving Day! With that being said, the rookie is coming back to build on his first game against Jacksonville, where he tuned them up for 280 yards passing and two touchdowns.
• Jacksonville has had a defense so far this season that has been middle of the road and has not put fear in any opponent that it has faced. This week proves to be a test for the unit, as this Houston team is better than they were in week 3 and has been on fire as of late.

       3. Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco

• The 49ers offense has been cruising against opposing defenses since ending their losing streak a few weeks ago. Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey have been putting up numbers lately, and while Seattle has played better as of late on defense, they will have a very tough time against the 9ers offense with so many weapons.
• Seattle faces a tough defense and will be without their leading rusher, Kenneth Walker, and Geno was banged up in week 11. If the offense cannot sustain drives, it will force the defense to spend a lot of time on the field against a dominant offense, which will wear them down quickly. It’s best to avoid this week for a safer option.