Ladies and gentlemen, we’re entering Week 12 with a whopping SIX teams getting a breather: the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars (mercifully), New Orleans Saints, and the New York Jets.
We set off to find the best waiver wire options of the week so you don’t have to, because we know how important having a ton of information will be now that we’re inching closer to the fantasy playoffs. We’ll get you set up for success heading into Week 12’s action.
Note: All rostership percentages use Sleeper for this Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Wire (2024) article.
Quarterback:
Anthony Richardson – Sleeper Roster – 44%
- The much-maligned Anthony Richardson escaped from Colts purgatory over his post-Week 8 benching to put up a 28-point QB4 week against the spiraling New York Jets. Richardson upped his efficiency, with a 66.6% completion percentage, 272 yards, a passing touchdown, plus two rushing touchdowns. The big takeaway is the final Colts drive that he led with 2:41 left to take the Colts down the field 70 yards in six plays for Richardson’s second rushing touchdown of the game which put the team ahead for good.
- The dynamism with Richardson was on full display, and with a tougher schedule coming up including next week at home against Detroit, it’s going to be tougher to start him, but somebody of his caliber should be universally rostered in fantasy now that he’s starting.
Drake Maye – Sleeper Roster – 25%
- Drake Maye has been perfectly fine for a streaming quarterback for fantasy and put up one of his better games against the Rams where he threw for a career-high 282 yards, two touchdowns, and 27 rushing yards for 19 fantasy points. In Maye’s last six starts, he has averaged 41 yards rushing over his past six starts.
- This Patriots’ offense should have been left for dead by now, but Maye is lifting the boats way higher than anticipated. Because of that, in addition to the plus rushing upside, I’d ride with him as a streaming option. With six teams on bye, if you’re itching for a quarterback, I’d be at least grabbing Maye who has rushing upside and is also getting opportunities to throw the ball with 40 pass attempts in two of the last three weeks.
Jameis Winston – Sleeper Roster – 18%
- In what might be the quietest 395 yards and two touchdowns in NFL history, Jameis Winston will get opportunities to throw, throw, and throw some more. Yes, interceptions may be the bane of people’s existence, but if you attach yourself to the Winston train, you know what you’re getting into.
- Winston put up that QB6 week in Week 11 against the Saints but gets the Steelers at home in Week 12. Again, six teams on bye and beggars can’t be choosers. Streaming quarterbacks are at a premium with Kirk Cousins, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Aaron Rodgers all sitting this week. I wouldn’t go out and seek out Winston, but he’s a fallback option where if you do get him, you’re at least getting somebody that will put up stats, get pass attempts, and likely some garbage time to be able to accumulate.
Running Back:
Roschon Johnson – Sleeper Roster – 13%
- With public enemy number one Shane Waldron fired as offensive coordinator and former Panthers’ offensive coordinator Thomas Brown calling plays for the sinking Bears, it was going to be interesting not only to see how their passing game would work out, but if the Roschon Johnson would earn a bit more of a role going forward. After one week, that could be coming to fruition.
- Johnson tied a season-high in carries with 10, for 33 yards and a touchdown plunge against the Packers in Week 11. Not only that, but Johnson also ran a season-high 36% routes per dropback and earned 42% snaps next to D’Andre Swift. While it’s a bit premature to anoint Johnson as a startable back, the contingency factor has always been there for Johnson if something happens to Swift. Now is the time to get in on the ground floor and scoop up Johnson to stash on your bench though.
Trey Benson – Sleeper Roster – 31%
- The running back position potentially has a ton of contingent value just waiting to be added in a number of fantasy leagues, given the rostership percentages of backs like Roschon Johnson, Cam Akers, and Trey Benson. Players like Benson, Blake Corum, Ray Davis, and others with huge contingent value need to be at the end of your benches instead of roster-clogger players like Dontayvion Wicks, Troy Franklin, Andrei Iosivas and others who are two injuries away from being two injuries away.
- Benson has seen 18 of his 49 carries this season in the past two weeks, and you can thank the game scripts that allowed that to happen as the Cardinals took care of business against the Bears and Jets. It’s the time of the fantasy season when you need to stock up at the end of your rosters if you’re in a good position to do so. We know the chaos of the NFL season can strike at any time, so grabbing Benson to stash away makes all the sense in the world.
Cam Akers – Sleeper Roster – 22%
- While it was very unlikely that anybody started Cam Akers in Week 11, he ended up with double-digit carries and touchdown reception on the afternoon. He’s been taking some carries with starter Aaron Jones less than 100% with a rib injury with double-digit carries in two straight games. If anything, this kind of utilization highlights the need to roster Akers in many more leagues than the 22% rostership that’s shown.
- With some standalone value and six teams on bye, Akers could be an under-the-radar start for fantasy managers, but his real value lies in the contingency in a good offensive system that will get him work if Jones goes down. While Akers does have a lower ceiling than most backs, the situation in Minnesota affords some leniency in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s ability to put players in the best position to succeed. I’m happy to grab Akers and stash him for any potential contingency scenarios that pop up thanks to the never-ending chaos of the NFL season.
Wide Receiver:
Elijah Moore – Sleeper Roster – 19%
- The Browns have been a passing machine under the Jameis Winston regime and have averaged 44 pass attempts per game; the opposite of what they were with Deshaun Watson at the helm with 33 pass attempts per game and none of his six starts reaching even 200 yards passing. Obviously, Winston is a great thing for fantasy managers and especially for those rostering any of the passing game options. While Cedric Tillman, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku have had awesome games, Elijah Moore has been lurking in the shadows wondering when he’s going to get some notoriety.
- In Winston’s three starts, Moore has 30 total targets and has averaged 13.6 fantasy points in that span. As the Browns’ primary slot man, Moore deeper than usual lately with a 13.1 and 18.8-yard aDOT with eight targets in those two games. The intent for deep plays with Moore is evident and he hit for a 6-66-1 line last week in New Orleans. How Moore isn’t getting noticed is beyond me, but this Browns offense can support multiple targets thanks to the passing volume available each week. Go snag Moore and plug him into your flex each week.
Christian Watson – Sleeper Roster – 49%
- To say that Christian Watson is a volatile option is an understatement, but that hasn’t stopped us from talking about Marquez Valdes-Scantling, now has it? Watson exploded for 150 receiving yards last week in the Packers’ victory over the rival Bears, and against the 49ers, the Packers are going to need all hands on deck.
- Lately they haven’t had much in the of downfield targets to their wide receivers, but a healthy Watson would be a huge step toward establishing that Jordan Love-to-Watson connect. We know the capability of Watson and his penchant for big plays. At the very least, Watson is worth a stab in leagues he’s available in for the sheet upside. Two of the next three weeks have six teams on bye, so pickings are going to be VERY slim for wide receivers you can plug in.
Xavier Legette – Sleeper Roster – 48%
- With the imminent return of Adam Thielen to the Panthers’ receiving corps, one has to wonder how that will affect the Panthers going forward with Xavier Legette. Well, with Legette running such a robust number of routes out wide and having first-round draft capital, Legette is unlikely to come off the field. With the 34-year-old Thielen working in the slot in three-wide sets, the casualty here is likely Jalen Coker, who would likely be out wide in three-wide receiver sets but coming off the field when the formation condenses to two, leaving Legette and Thielen.
- So… Legette stays on the field. Cool! He’s averaged just shy of six targets per game in his last three contests with a touchdown in two of the three games. Legette isn’t the most exciting play; he has only one game above 42 receiving yards, but he’s scored four times and three in the last five games. With the Panthers playing catchup, Legette is a dart-throw flex, but one that could improve even more now that he’s got several games under his belt in his rookie season.
Tight End:
Will Dissly – Sleeper Roster – 30%
- Will Dissly’s path is amazing, to say the least. To quote Sweeney Todd, “he trod a path that few have trod.” Dissly has gone from a forgettable extra tight end for six seasons in Seattle to a tight end with the Chargers who already has his career-high in most receiving categories with seven games remaining. With Justin Herbert looking fantastic, the Chargers’ passing game features Dissly as a trusted piece. Weird, but true. As a wise man once said, “we must adjust.”
- In the next three weeks, Dissly and the Chargers face the Ravens, Falcons, and Chiefs; all of whom are bottom-10 in fantasy points per game to the tight end position. If you’re able to grab Dissly, grab him and start him for the next few weeks if you don’t have any better options or are struggling with multiple tight end decisions each week.
Ja’Tavion Sanders – Sleeper Roster – 9%
- Just like we talked about with Dissly’s matchups, the Kansas City Chiefs is the next opponent for the Panthers. The Chiefs have given up the second-most fantasy points per game to tight end position. That’s where Ja’Tavion Sanders comes in, and it’s safe to say that maybe Bryce Young has improved in some of his mechanics and decision-making since taking a seat for Andy Dalton earlier this season.
- Sanders has been a top-15 fantasy tight end in the last two weeks, with a touchdown in Week 10, and a volume-earning 4-87 game on five targets in Week 9. Looking for tight end scoring when there’s virtually none on the waiver wire is brutal, but it’s likely not many are hip to Sanders’ season-high 89% routes per dropback in Week 10. If you need him for a week, it’s a good matchup at the very least.
Theo Johnson – Sleeper Roster – 5%
- Now that the New York Giants have taken the step to move to Tommy DeVito as their starting quarterback, it’s natural to wash your hands of the whole Giants thing and move on. But looking at Theo Johnson earning six targets in his last two games and a massive group of cakewalk defenses to go against from after their bye through to the fantasy championship with the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Saints, Ravens, Falcons, and Colts in the next six weeks.
- Johnson is a solidly attractive tight end option for all of those weeks. If you have a better option, you should be starting that option, but Johnson could come on and be a potential league-winner with a schedule like that and running the routes per dropback that he’s earned, with routes per dropback at 76% on the season.
D/ST:
Washington Commanders – Sleeper Roster – 30%
- The Commanders haven’t been a very good defense except in limited matchups, like against the Deshaun Watson-led Browns in Week 5 and against Andy Dalton and the Panthers, where the Commanders had their only top-six fantasy finishes this season.
- Luckily, a matchup looms where Washington will host the hopeless Dallas Cowboys, who will either start Cooper Rush or Trey Lance. The Commanders should be able to compile some sacks, possibly a turnover or two, and limit the scoring of a neutered offensive attack. They’re a cheap defense that should be started in most leagues this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sleeper Roster – 25%
- Tampa Bay is in good position after their Week 11 bye to travel to New York and take on the Giants. The same Giants that just announced Tommy DeVito will be their starting quarterback. This is only the tip of the iceberg for the Bucs as they get one of the most fantasy-friendly stretches you’ll ever see.
- With the Giants, Panthers, Raiders, Chargers, Cowboys, and Panthers in Week 17, that’s a host of amazing matchups minus the Chargers. Any of those starts save for the Chargers in Week 15 will be a top-10 weekly start. If you want to grab the Bucs and not have to worry about a defense for the majority of your fantasy season, grab them this week.
New England Patriots – Sleeper Roster – 5%
- The Patriots aren’t a super imposing defense in Week 12, but they do get the Miami Dolphins. Even with all the Dolphins’ offensive pieces back, they still haven’t been that great of an offense with Tyreek Hill nursing a wrist injury that he’s playing through, Jaylen Waddle being on a milk carton for most of the season, and the passing game just being much less than it’s been in recent seasons.
- While De’Von Achane needs to be accounted for, the Patriots can do some damage against these Dolphins, even on the road. They’re about as free as it gets on the waiver wire and one of the sneaky good starts for D/STs in Week 12.
