Fantasy football waiver wire Week 12: Emanuel Wilson, Michael Wilson, streamers

Well, that wasn’t a fun week, huh? We have more waiver wire pickup options in Week 12, but it’s with a sad face that we go over them. Injuries and surprise performances dominated this past week, so as we near the fantasy football playoffs, it’s time to maximize that depth and look ahead for DST stashes.

Waiver Wire Running Backs

1. Trey Benson, ARI — Barely over 60% rostered still. Would have RB2 value upon return.
2. Sean Tucker, TB — No more questions about Tucker pushing aside Rachaad White. Without Bucky Irving, Tucker is an RB2. Even if Irving returns, Tucker can still be an RB3, as the Bucs don’t need to push Irving back into 70% or more of the workload.
3. Emanuel Wilson, GB — Would lead the way as an RB2 if Josh Jacobs is unable to go.
4. Kenneth Gainwell, PIT — Jaylen Warren said he’s okay, but if he’s out, Gainwell would be an RB2. If Warren plays, Gainwell is an RB3/4 where needed.
5. Chris Rodriguez, WAS — Leading a committee, but it’s just that … a committee, which could change any given week. Won’t rank higher than RB3 tier, and that’s after their bye.
6. Bhayshul Tuten, JAX — Looked better than Travis Etienne early on but got hurt. Worth stashing anyway.
7. Tyler Allgeier, ATL 🫡
8. Tyjae Spears, TEN 🫡
9. Brian Robinson, SF 🫡
10. Blake Corum 🫡
11. Devin Singletary, NYG — Mike Kafka is at the helm and continued the backfield timeshare. Singletary saw all of the work inside the 10.
12. Jaleel McLaughlin, DEN — Saw all of the rushes inside the 10. Sean Payton’s gonna Sean Payton.
13. Keaton Mitchell, BAL — Desperation play if the Ravens are — expectedly — dominating against the Jets.
14. Ollie Gordon, MIA — We’ve been here, but it’s getting late in the season, and running backs like Gordon shouldn’t be out there, whether as a handcuff or potential RB4 timeshare.
15. Kaleb Johnson, PIT — Once Warren was done for the day, Johnson had five touches — all carries — to seven for Gainwell. He’s not the lead, but Johnson would be a desperation, touchdown-reliant RB4 if no Warren.
16. Phil Mafah, DAL — Not a must-add by any means, but with the Cowboys continued unenamoredness (that a word? I don’t care, I’m using it) with Jaydon Blue, when Mafah returns, he could be the next man up if Javonte Williams got hurt.

Cardinals … if Benson still out

• Emari Demercado, ARI — If healthy (got hurt), higher ceiling than Bam Knight. More risk.
• Bam Knight, ARI — Volume and touchdown-reliant.
• Michael Carter, ARI — Would see lesser Demercado-like value if Demercado is out.

Junk Drop

• Nick Chubb, HOU — Still over 50%. Still don’t know why.
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WAS — Even with double-digit touches in all but one game (nine) since his 26.0-point outburst in Week 5, JCM hasn’t topped 5.3 points.

Purely Next Man Up Ranks
(If an injury ahead of them)

1. Brian Robinson, SF
2. Kyle Monangai, CHI
3. Tyler Allgeier, ATL
4. Chuba Hubbard, CAR
5. Blake Corum, LAR
6. Sean Tucker, TB
7. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE
8. Bhayshul Tuten, JAX
9. Kenneth Gainwell, PIT
10. Tank Bigsby, PHI
11. Tyjae Spears, TEN
12. Ray Davis, BUF
13. Emanuel Wilson, GB
14. Ollie Gordon, MIA
15. Isaiah Davis, NYJ
16. Samaje Perine, CIN
17. Keaton Mitchell, BAL
18. Devin Neal, NO

Waiver Wire Wide Receivers

1. Christian Watson, GB 😏
2. Alec Pierce, IND 😏
3. Troy Franklin, DEN 😏
4. Tez Johnson, TB 😏 Yes, even coming off a down game — WR4s aren’t perfect.
5. Andrei Iosivas, CIN — Here as a one-week play with Ja’Marr Chase suspended one game. The Patriots haven’t been shutting down many wideouts with or without Christian Gonzalez.
6. Darnell Mooney, ATL — Even with Drake London out, Mooney is no more than a WR4 given his own struggles and now Kirk Cousins under center.
7. Michael Wilson, ARI — Can play as a WR3/4 until Marvin Harrison returns. We’ve been here before, and Jacoby Brissett won’t have another 57-attempt game.
8. Kayshon Boutte, NE 😏 (if healthy)
9. Jayden Higgins, HOU — We can hope this is a shift for the Texans, as he ran one fewer route than Xavier Hutchinson. If Higgins is finally the No. 2 option, he’ll have WR4 value the rest of the way.
10. Luther Burden, CHI — Last chance to stash? Quite possibly. He’s moved into the No. 3/slot role and was narrowly behind Rome Odunze in opportunities.
11. Darius Slayton, NYG — Would step back into the No. 2 role, though the volume might be dicier given Isaiah Hodgins’ return to the team.
12. Greg Dortch, ARI — A WR5 until Marvin Harrison is back.
13. Cedric Tillman, CLE — Highest upside on the Browns. The problem? He plays for the Browns.
14. Parker Washington, JAX — If Brian Thomas returns, Washington’s fun is over, but Thomas isn’t a guarantee to play.
15. Jalen Coker, CAR — If, and only if, Xavier Legette is out, Coker would have a clear path to the No. 2 role and WR4/5 value.
16. Chimere Dike, TEN — The only Titans receiver I’d play any week … though he might not be healthy.
17. Adonai Mitchell, NYJ — It was ugly! Mitchell still has high-upside talent, and the Jets don’t have anyone with his ceiling while Garrett Wilson is out … and kept giving him more chances.
18. John Metchie, NYJ — Always fun to root for him. Was second in opportunities and got the touchdown. If Mitchell continues to fail and/or the Jets give up, Metchie could turn into a WR4.
19. Isaiah Hodgins, NYG — The Giants love this guy. Hodgins would be a WR4 without Slayton and a WR5 with him.
20. Pat Bryant, DEN — Officially the No. 3 wideout and one injury away from a top-two role. On a bye.

Stashes

Bait Loot
(Leave them on waivers)

• Tyrell Shavers, BUF — Keon Coleman had a message sent, and the Bills don’t have a single receiver with over 75.5% of the routes, 61 targets, 46 receptions or 454 receiving yards. More on all of those in a bit, but sure, if you want a deep flier, go for it. You know I’ve never been one to chase the Bills receivers, though.
• Van Jefferson, TEN — Chimere Dike is the only Titans player I’d look to play if healthy.

Junk Drop

• DJ Moore, CHI — Outside of his 21.0-point blow-up in Week 9 (against the Bengals), Moore has no other game above 10.8 points, and he has seven where he failed to reach 7.5 points. I’d drop through his teammate, Burden.
• Xavier Worthy, KC — One game of double-digit points … in Week 4. No more than 7.8 points since Week 6. Hollywood Brown has more points since then (41.2 to 32.2). Can drop through Boutte, if returns, and even argue for more.
• Khalil Shakir, BUF — So those Bills’ numbers I listed above? They’re Shakir’s, and yet, he has just three double-digit scores (12.5, 15.4, 17.8), with the last one in Week 8, and he just had his worst game in a gift opportunity. His floor isn’t even great. I’d drop him for anyone through Tez Johnson, depending on your roster, and maybe all the way through Wilson for more immediate impact.

Reserve Heroes: Deployed
(Streaming Section)

Streaming Quarterbacks

“Thou Shall Not… Pass!”
(No thanks, not worth the risk)

Streaming Tight Ends

Streaming DST
(First team listed is streamer)

Week 12

• CLE at LV
• BUF at HOU
• LAR vs TB
• ATL at NO
• JAX at ARI
• SF vs CAR
• CHI vs PIT
• PHI at DAL
• NO vs ATL

Week 13

• TB vs ARI
• IND vs HOU
• JAX at TEN
• LAR at CAR
• MIA vs NO
• SF at CLE
• ATL at NYJ
• PHI vs CHI
• BUF at PIT
• MIN at SEA
• CLE vs SF

Week 14

• TB vs NO
• LAR at ARI
• IND at JAX
• CLE vs TEN
• MIA at NYJ
• BAL vs PIT
• MIN vs WAS

Weeks 15-17 (alphabetical, as things can change, but a list of teams with potentially three games of usability, even with a tough matchup — and yes, includes DSTs over and under 60% — bold are best few)

• ARI: HOU, ATL, CIN
• ATL: TB, ARI, LAR
• BAL: CIN, NE, GB
• CLE: CHI, BUF, PIT
• DET: LAR, PIT, MIN
• HOU: ARI, LV, LAC
• MIA: PIT, CIN, TB
• LV: PHI, HOU, NYG
• NO: CAR, NYJ, TEN
• NYG: WAS, MIN, LV
• PHI: LV, WAS, BUF
• PIT: MIA, DET, CLE
• SEA: IND, LAR, CAR
• SF: TEN, IND, CHI
• TB: ATL, CAR, MIA

All In Speed Run Podcast
(hey, listen! 🧚 it’s mine 👀)

Apple

Spotify

Manual: Rules of Play

• Players must be under 60% rostered on Yahoo
• Listed in order of preference: I’ll regularly prioritize potential upside over immediate replacement production
• No FAB suggestions: Varies wildly by league tendencies and need
• Streaming QB, TE, DST order might change in the ranks with more news and projections
• Emojis for brevity
  • 😏 = mentioned multiple times, multiple weeks — either you want him, or don’t
  • 🫡 = Next Man Up but with deeper startability

BYES: Denver, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami, Washington

Worry Report
(Scale 1-5: more ducks = more worry)

• Eagles: 🦆 — 🦆 🦆 🦆 — Jalen Hurts is QB7 in FPPG but has fantasy tallies of just 12.0 and 14.5 since their bye. Additionally, he has a high of 183 passing yards in the past three games. Saquon Barkley has one RB1 finish since Week 5 and only four on the year. A.J. Brown is WR41 in FPPG with two Top 20 finishes (both third) and five games outside the Top 50. At least DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert had been good, but Smith is coming off his worst game of the season and Goedert his second-worst. Putting this into context, the past two games have been against the Packers and Lions, plus a rematch against the Giants two weeks after the first meeting. Here’s the good news. The Eagles have one of the better overall schedules ROS with one of the best remaining WR schedules. It’s a road game in DAL, then CHI, LAC, LV, WAS and BUF. Only the Chargers are moderately worrisome, and Saquon Barkley has one of the best Week 17 matchups. It’s Groundhog Day. Every year the Eagles go through a stretch where they need to wake up, get right and start dominating. The defense is doing its part, and while the skill players won’t get back to 2024 levels, they all make for good buy-lows. Hurts and Brown get three ducks merely due to the low air yards per attempt and target, while Barkley and Smith get two because there is a chance the rollercoaster continues, and Goedert gets one, because… tight ends.
• Rome Odunze, WR, CHI: 🦆🦆🦆 — After four-straight double-digit scores to start the year and ranking third (FPPG) only behind Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown, Odunze is WR49 with four games of 5.1 or less — including a goose egg — and two double-digit scores. Caleb Williams has targeted Odunze on 19.8% of his routes since the bye (Week 5) compared to 24.8% in Weeks 1-4. Additionally, 25.0% of the targets are off target compared to 17.1% previously, thanks in part to Williams targeting Odunze more downfield (16.2 AirYD/TGT compared to 12.3 previously). Lastly, he also has just one touchdown for 2.5 TD/TGT% compared to 14.3% those first four games. Odunze is still a great talent, but Williams has been a bit too aggressive looking Odunze’s way more downfield, which draws comparisons to the Jameson Williams issues before Dan Campbell took over calling the plays. Here’s the rub. Odunze missed his window to rebound with the schedule, and now, while the Steelers are an enticing matchup, the Bears follow that up with PHI, GB, CLE, GB and SF — a worrisome wideout schedule. Sell if you can, particularly if he comes up big against the Steelers.

Power Up Players
(Scale 1-5: more Mario mushrooms = more excitement)

• TreVeyon Henderson, RB, NE: 🍄🍄🍄🍄 — More fantasy points than Henderson the past two weeks: Josh Allen. The end. Henderson finished fourth and third in Weeks 10-11 after a 20th-place finish in the first game after Rhamondre Stevenson’s injury. It doesn’t need to be “Mike Vrabel was stupid,” or “Vrabel did the right thing bringing him along so slowly.” We can have a middle ground and admit Henderson’s talent deserved more opportunities — including not running him between the tackles so much — and also agree that not throwing Henderson into 20+ touches per game was wise. Either way, here we are, and while Henderson has been as jaw-dropping as we hoped after the NFL draft, Stevenson will factor in if/when he returns. Do not sell Henderson for anything less than Top 10 RB value, but if you can get a buy-low RB and WR combo to help your roster for the playoffs, it would be wise. Like with Vrabel, we can say you came into a top-notch talent, but would also be wise to test the trade waters for a peak value return. Worst-case, Henderson is a mid-RB2 with a healthy Stevenson.
• Jameson Williams, WR, DET: ⭐️🍄 — Speaking of Williams, he’s benefiting from Campbell calling the plays, as discussed on my pod last week. After a line of 36-21-355-3 through the first eight games, Williams has 14-10-207-2 the past two, which includes a shift from 15.9 AirYd/TGT to 10.4, which wouldn’t seem like a good thing, but then you see a jump from 1.43 YPRR to 2.96 and 7.0 YAC per reception to 9.6 and 16.9 YPC to 20.7. Why? Because Williams is back to doing what aided his 2024 breakout: using his skill more than just going deep most of the time. For those 14 targets, Williams ran one post and one out-route with the rest over the middle and/or short-to-intermediate. That’s 14.3% attempted deep target types. In the previous 36 targets, Williams ran two corners, four go-routes, three posts, three out-routes and just 21 in the middle and/or short-to-intermediate. That’s 41.7% deep target types. The former is more in line with 2024, and now, Sam LaPorta is out for the season (for all intents and purposes, given it’s a “minimum” of four games with his back and IR stint), which is why Williams gets the super-powered mushroom.