DeVonta Smith (hamstring) won't play in Week 12 at the Rams, which could be good for guys like Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson. However, I hope it means more chances for Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert to make plays, and I want to focus on Goedert here.
He should be considered a top-10 Fantasy tight end in all leagues in Week 12, and he's one of my favorite sleepers. Goedert had two big games earlier this season when A.J. Brown was out, including 27 PPR points in Week 3 at New Orleans and 13.2 PPR points in Week 4 at Tampa Bay.
Goedert missed three games with a hamstring injury from Weeks 7-9, but he returned in Week 10 at Dallas to catch a touchdown with two receptions for 25 yards on three targets. And then he caught five passes for 61 yards on five targets in Week 11 against Washington.
He's now scored at least 10.5 PPR points in four healthy games in a row, and that threshold is attainable again with Smith out. This is also a great matchup against the Rams, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends.
Seven tight ends have scored at least 8.5 PPR points against the Rams this season, and Goedert should be a focal point for Jalen Hurts on Sunday night. It stinks that Smith is out, but Goedert will hopefully benefit in a big way.
More Week 12 content:
- Full Week 12 Fantasy Projections
- Fantasy Football Start 'Em and Sit 'Em
- Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions
- QB Fantasy preview | RB Fantasy preview | WR Fantasy preview | TE Fantasy preview
Week 12 Sleepers
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
DFS lineups
Week 12 Preview
Sleepers
Sleeper QBs
Tagovailoa finally had the breakout game we've been waiting for in Week 11 against Las Vegas with a season-high 29.5 Fantasy points. He's now scored at least 21.5 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, and hopefully, he's getting hot at the right time heading into the Fantasy points. This week, Tagovailoa should have another solid outing against the Patriots, who have allowed at least 21.3 Fantasy points to three of the past four opposing quarterbacks. I like Tagovailoa as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 12.
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Stroud has been a terrible Fantasy quarterback this season, and he comes into Week 12 having scored 14.4 Fantasy points or less in five games in a row. Granted, he only had Nico Collins for one of those outings, but Stroud is due for a big game, which hopefully will happen in Week 12 against the Titans. It helps that Tennessee has allowed four of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21.7 Fantasy points, including two in a row. It would be great to get Stroud back on track heading into the Fantasy playoffs.
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Maye comes into Week 12 having scored at least 21.9 Fantasy points in three of his past five healthy games, and I hope he takes advantage of this matchup against the Dolphins. Ironically, Miami has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21.9 Fantasy points, so hopefully, that's a good number for Maye again. He's a great bye-week replacement quarterback in all leagues in Week 12.
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I'm not starting Levis in one-quarterback leagues, but I would consider using him in Superflex and two-quarterback formats in Week 12 at Houston. The Texans are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and Levis has scored at least 17.6 Fantasy points in his past two games against the Chargers and Vikings. It might be garbage-time production for Levis with Tennessee chasing points, but Levis could be a surprise quarterback in Week 12, given the matchup.
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Sleeper RBs
I'm not sure what Sean Payton will do with Williams and Audric Estime in Week 12 against the Raiders, but both have sleeper appeal. I like Williams as a No. 2 running back in all leagues, with Estime more of a flex. Williams was great in Week 11 against Atlanta, with nine carries for 59 yards and a touchdown, along with four catches for 28 yards on five targets. And he had 13 carries for 61 yards and five catches for 50 yards on six targets in Week 5 against the Raiders. Las Vegas is No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and a running back has scored at least 13.3 PPR points against the Raiders in every game this season.
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Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) are doubtful for Week 12, so we could be looking at Abduallah in a featured role for the Raiders against Denver. His best game of the season actually came against the Broncos in Week 5 when he had five carries for 42 yards, a touchdown, and three catches for 9 yards. He also had three catches for 16 yards, a touchdown on three targets, and one carry for 1 yard in Week 11 at Miami when Mattison and White were injured. Most of Abdullah's production will likely come in the passing game, and Denver has allowed eight running backs to score at least 6.8 PPR points this season with just their receiving totals alone. He's worth using as a flex option in all leagues.
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Brian Robinson Jr. is my Start of the Week, but I also like Ekeler as a flex option in all leagues. He comes into Week 12 having scored at least 17.3 PPR points in three games in a row, and he has eight games this season with at least 10.2 PPR points. In Week 11 at Philadelphia, Ekeler made a huge impact in the passing game with eight catches for 89 yards on nine targets, and he should be a nice complement to Robinson in this matchup.
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Sleeper WRs
Ridley had a disappointing game in Week 11 against Minnesota with four catches for 58 yards on six targets, which snapped his three-game streak of scoring at least 12.3 PPR points. It also was his fewest targets since Week 4. I expect him to get back on track in Week 12 against the Texans, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. It might come in garbage time if Houston is playing with a lead, and the Texans have allowed eight receivers to score at least 13.8 PPR points in their past five games. You can also use Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as a sleeper in deeper leagues, and he has five touchdowns in his past six games.
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Hopkins hasn't been a reliable Fantasy receiver since joining the Chiefs, with one game of significance in four outings, but I like him as a No. 3 option in Week 12 against the Panthers. Xavier Worthy is also worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, and I expect Patrick Mahomes to pad his stats in this matchup coming off Kansas City's first loss of the season in Week 11 at Buffalo. There have been 10 receivers with at least 12.0 PPR points against Carolina this season, and two times where a pair of receivers did that in the same game. Hopkins and Worthy will hopefully join that list in Week 12.
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As expected, Williams played well in Week 11 against Jacksonville, with four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown on six targets for 22.6 PPR points. That's now five games with at least 14.4 PPR points in the eight games he's played, so he's worth the risk of starting almost every week for the chance of him having a big performance. That includes Week 12 at the Colts, who have allowed 13 receivers to score at least 12.6 PPR points this season. Williams is a boom-or-bust wide receiver, but I expect him to be great in this matchup on the road.
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Douglas had six catches for 59 yards on nine targets in Week 5 against Miami in the final start for Jacoby Brissett. I hope he gets nine targets against the Dolphins in the rematch, with Drake Maye now under center. Douglas has five games this season with at least seven targets, and he scored at least 10.5 PPR points in all of them, including two outings with at least 14.8 PPR points. Five receivers have scored at least 14 PPR points against the Dolphins in their past four games, and I like Douglas as a No. 3 PPR receiver in Week 12.
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I wrote about Ladd McConkey as a start in Start 'Em & Sit 'Em, and Johnston is worth using as a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues. He has scored a touchdown in three games in a row, and this is a fantastic matchup against the Ravens. Baltimore has allowed 70 catches, 962 yards, and six touchdowns to receivers in its past five games on 119 targets, with seven guys scoring at least 12.9 PPR points over that span. I'm excited to see what McConkey and Johnston can do in Week 12.
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Sleeper TEs
Ertz was awesome in his revenge game against the Eagles in Week 11, with six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, as well as a two-point conversion. He's now scored at least 14 PPR points in three of his past five games. The Cowboys have allowed five tight ends to score a touchdown in their past six games, and six tight ends have scored at least 8.3 PPR points against Dallas over that span.
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Jake Ferguson (concussion) is not expected to play in Week 12 at Washington, and Schoonmaker is a good replacement option in deeper leagues. He stepped in for Ferguson in Week 11 against Houston and caught six passes for 56 yards on 10 targets, and hopefully, he continues to get that much attention against the Commanders. It helps that Washington has allowed four tight ends to score at least 10.7 PPR points in the past five games, with three touchdowns allowed over that span.
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Adam Thielen (hamstring) is expected to play in Week 12 against Kansas City, and we'll see what kind of impact he'll make in his first action since Week 3. I hope he doesn't slow down the momentum for Sanders, who was playing well prior to the Panthers' bye in Week 11. Prior to the bye, Sanders had scored at least 8.8 PPR points in four of his past five games, including his first touchdown in Week 10 against the Giants. He has a great matchup in Week 12 against the Chiefs, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. In deeper leagues, Sanders is worth using as a bye-week replacement, and hopefully, Bryce Young continues to feature him against Kansas City.
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Defense/Special Teams
Buccaneers (at NYG)
Cardinals (at SEA)
Bears (vs. MIN)
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Kickers
Wil Lutz (at LV)
Chase McLaughlin (at NYG)
Jake Bates (at IND)