It’s officially week 12, and we have our entire arsenal of players to choose from with no teams on a bye. Playoffs are just around the corner, and start-sits are even more important as every point matters. This week’s Fantasy Football Start ‘EM Sit’ Em Week 12 article will help you make the best decisions for your fantasy football lineups.
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QUARTERBACKS
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Taylor Heinicke– Washington Commanders – The last two weeks were ugly for Heinicke, but he played against Philly & Houston, who are both top 3 vs. the QB position. Before that, he had 3 top 15 finishes against GB, Indy & Minn. This week, he gets ATL, the 9th worst vs. QB, allowing 18.86 fantasy pts per game to opposing QBs.
Matt Ryan – Indianapolis Colts – Matt Ryan has been Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 2022. He has two top 5 finishes this season, two bottom-five finishes, and everything in between. His impressive starts have been at home and/or vs. soft defenses. The good news is that he gets both of those in week 12 as he faces off against the Steelers at home. The Steelers are giving up 19.65 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs on the season, the 4th most in the league. So if you are looking for a streaming option in week 12, look no further than Matt Ryan.
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Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers- Despite a lackluster 2023, Rodgers is still QB 11 for the year. He’s QB6 in passing yards, QB4 in passing TDs with 19, and QB5 in pass attempts. However, in week 12, he faces off against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are the #1 ranked defense vs. the quarterback position on the year, only allowing 9.34 fantasy points per game to the position. I expect Rodgers to score more than 9.34; I do not have him in my top 15 this week. I’d look elsewhere for a starting QB this week.
Jacoby Brissett – Cleveland Browns – Jacoby Brissett is the QB13 since week 9. He has finished QB10, QB18, and QB4 during that span. However, in Week 12 he faces off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are the 13th-best defense vs. opposing quarterbacks on the year, allowing 15.72 fantasy points per game. Expect them to pressure Brissett struggles mightily vs pressure. Brissett has a 34.6% completion percentage under pressure which is QB28, he has a 5.3 accuracy rating under pressure which is QB30 and he is QB19 in pressured catchable balls.
RUNNING BACKS
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Kyren Williams – Los Angeles Rams – The Rams cut ties with Darrell Henderson this week, paving the way for Cam Akers and Kyren Williams to be the one-two punch in LA. Kyren is the preferred passing down back. He saw 7.4% of targets out of the backfield in Week 11 vs. Akers’s 2.7% and 8.1% in week ten vs. Akers’ 0%. Kyren has also out-snapped Akers 51-35 over the last two weeks. In a game where inexperienced Bryce Perkins is at the helm, without Cooper Kupp, with a questionable Higbee and questionable Robinson, we can expect more passing work for the running backs and for them to lean on the position to move the ball.
Rachaad White – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – White saw his first 100-yard game last week when he carried the ball 22 times for 105 yards in the win over the Seattle Seahawks after Leonard Fournette sustained a hip injury. . Weeks 1-3 Fournette averaged 84% of snaps while White averaged 16.6%. In Weeks 4-6, Fournette snaps dropped to 61% while White saw 33.16%. That trend continued in weeks 7-10. Fournette saw 56% snaps and White saw 43.05%. Fournette is now listed as doubtful for Week 12. White now gets the backfield to himself in a plus matchup vs. a bottom-5 run defense that gives up 29.92 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, 2nd most in the league and only behind the Houston Texans.
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D’Onta Foreman – Carolina Panthers- Last week foreman saw his lowest-snap count of the year since taking over the starting role in week seven after the CMC trade. Since week 7, he has averaged 51.7% snaps. In week 11, he only saw 38.6%. Chuba Hubbard seemed healthy, seeing 40.4%, and Blackshear saw 19.3%. It’s clear that Blackshear and Hubbard are the favorites for passing downs; combined, they saw 19.4% target share in week 11, while foreman saw 3.7%. Foreman is an RB 3 and game script dependent.
Samaje Perine – Cincinnati Bengals– In Mixon’s absence, Samaje Perine had a big day with three receiving touchdowns. However, this is a tough matchup for Cincy’s backs as they face the Tennessee Titans, who have been good at restricting RBs this season. The Titans are the 3rd ranked run defense and number two EPA run defense. With no teams on a bye in week 12, you most likely have better options at RB and the flex.
WIDE RECEIVERS
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Joshua Palmer – Los Angeles Chargers – Josh Palmer saw 92.3% snaps last week after Mike Williams reaggravated his ankle injury. He has averaged ten targets a week since week 6. He has two 100-yard games and a pair of scores in that span. This week he should draw coverage from Marco Wilson, the 43rd-ranked CB, in a shootout match that has the 2nd highest over-under of the week with 47.5 points.
Parris Campbell – Indianapolis Colts – Campbell has been sneak good lately. He is the WR20 over the last three weeks with 14 catches on 20 targets, totaling 158 yards and one score. This week he squares off vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are giving up 42.68 fantasy points to the WR position per week, which ranks last in the NFL. The Steelers have given up 2025 yards and 14 scores on the season. Campbell has also seen an 86.66% route rate the last three weeks and faces off against Arthur Mallet, the 65th-ranked CB on the season.
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Allen Robinson – Los Angeles Rams- Even with Cooper Kupp sidelined, Robinson saw a reduced snap count in week 11, totaling 82.8% snaps vs. his 91% average. He was out-snapped by Ben Skowronek, who saw 84.4% of snaps. Matt Stafford was also ruled out, and Bryce Perkins was announced as the starter. Add in his bum ankle, and Allen Robinson is an iffy play for week 12.
Tyler Boyd – Cincinnati Bengals – Boyd has been less than stellar in the absence of Ja’Marr Chase. Even in a smash matchup last week against the Steelers, Boyd finished the week as WR 56, catching two of seven targets for 42 yards. With Chase out of the lineup, Boyd has seen a 17% target share. Chase is due back this week and will eat into that target share. Even in another cake matchup, Boyd will be hard to trust as anything more than a middling WR3.
TIGHT ENDS
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Foster Moreau – Las Vegas Raiders – It’s taken a few weeks to get into a groove, but it appears Foster Moreau has found it. Over the past two weeks, Moreau has been the TE 12 in PPR leagues, averaging 8.8 fantasy points per game. Since week 7, Moreau has had a 14.8% target share, 97.96% snap share, and an 83.54% route rate. In week 12, he gets the Seahawks. Seattle is he 2nd worst team vs. the TE position, allowing 19.01 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs.
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Juwan Johnson – New Orleans Saints- Juwan Johnson is the TE 3 in PPR leagues over the last three weeks, averaging 13.8 fantasy points per game. He has ten catches for 133 yards and three touchdowns during that stretch. The touchdowns are what have pushed him over the edge. However, his snaps haven’t been impressive; he has only seen 67.9% over that span. In week 12, he faces off against the San Francisco 49ers who are the 4th most formidable vs. the TE position allowing 8.67 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs. They have only given up one score the entire year to the position.
