It's a bit of a Catch-22 because anytime the fantasy football waiver wire is lackluster, as has been the case basically the last three weeks, it's effectively thanks to zero relevant injuries across the board. The Week 12 waiver wire is booming with available options, but it's also the direct result of a handful of cataclysmic injuries, not just for fantasy teams, but for NFL teams as well. Let's get into the options available this week.
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For the audio and video component of the article, I also went through a fully developed list on the RotoWire YouTube channel that you can view below.
Teams with Week 12 Bye: Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers
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Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals - This is a really hard recommendation. For one, I thought both Aaron Rodgers and Tua Tagovailoa would be good enough last week, and that couldn't have been further from the truth. Some of the worst offensive situations in the league just won't always yield a ton of fantasy points no matter the defense the play against. That analysis I think largely applies to Brissett, even if he's been better than the soft-benched/injured Kyler Murray (ankle/Call of Duty). Jacksonville's defense is fine, but I won't overreact to the thrashing it gave a Chargers team that has twice laid an egg on west-to-east travel. More important, there are just few obvious streaming options this week, which, of course, is problematic with Justin Herbert and Bo Nix both on bye. FAAB: 0 percent of FAAB
Kirk Cousins, Falcons - We're entering real sicko categories of backup quarterbacks to consider this week. Mason Rudolph is in this range with Aaron Rodgers likely sidelined due to a "slight" wrist break. Tyrod Taylor could probably be added to the mix too after he was named the starter for New York. Theoretically, Cousins has the best matchup against a porous New Orleans defense, though, which ultimately earns the nod from me. FAAB: 0 percent of FAAB
Running Back
Emanuel Wilson, Packers - Thankfully we got an early report Monday that Josh Jacobs will not need surgery on his injured knee and has "a chance" to play Sunday against the Vikings. Green Bay's medical staff is historically cautious with skill position injuries, and despite how tough I think Jacobs is, I'd be surprised if the veteran plays. So if we operate with the understanding Jacobs probably is unavailable in six days, do we really think he's available in four more against the Lions on shoddy Ford Field come Thanksgiving? I'm expanding the logic out here because I think that's the crux of the waiver-wire dilemma this week. Jacobs easily could play, which entirely blows up any major Wilson waiver-wire addition. And even if the 27-year-old is out, Wilson will split time with Chris Brooks, who at minimum is a valued pass blocker. But the third-year back is definitely the team's preferred bellcow and the offense by extension hyper-focuses on giving volume relative to any options available below. I'm going to roll the dice and go in the range of 85 to 90 percent of my remaining FAAB in the event I need to extend my fantasy life two more weeks, but in leagues where I'm comfortable, the keep-em-honest bid will be surprisingly low. FAAB: 85-90 percent of remaining FAAB if you need a starter, 15 percent of FAAB otherwise
Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers - Jaylen Warren injured his ankle in the win over the Bengals on Sunday, but he reportedly "could have returned" had the game been closer. That was almost the same phrase verbatim used by Bucky Irving (shoulder/ankle) in the now month-plus saga, and at this point I'm about done trusting players at their word with lower-body injuries. Gainwell isn't an especially talented player, but with Aaron Rodgers (wrist) likely unavailable against the team he owns, Mason Rudolph will submarine the offense so significantly it doesn't really matter anyway. But we've missed chances to get major one-off production in past weeks because of this ambiguity, and it's high time we get a bit more aggressive with the fantasy regular season almost at its end. FAAB: 17 percent of budget
Chris Rodriguez, Commanders - Washington is on a bye this week, which doesn't help matters. But it seemed painfully clear in the early morning Sunday that Rodriguez was simply the team's best running back, and I think we're beginning to see the coaching staff come to the same conclusion. The third-year back out-touched Jacory Croskey-Merritt 16 to 10 in the European loss, the second time in three weeks the opportunity disparity has been relatively even after weeks of Rodriguez languishing as the third wheel. We're talking about one of the worst offenses in the league and Rodriguez isn't utilized at all as a pass catcher, but he needs to be pushing closer to the 50 percent roster rate by Week 13. FAAB: 2 percent pickup in shallower leagues
Sean Tucker, Buccaneers - Speaking of the Bucky Irving (shoulder/ankle) saga, Tucker had his annual monster game predictably against one of the worst run defenses in the league. If Irving is actually closer to returning than in past weeks, which we have some reason to believe given he was a limited participant in practice last week, Tucker completely fades to obscurity. But until that point he's clearly the team's best running back, with Rachaad White more useful as a secondary pass catcher. I have zero idea how to prognosticate this backfield other than to assume it's the least valuable of the aforementioned opportunities long term. FAAB: 18 percent if you need a starter this week, 3 percent otherwise
Wide Receiver
Darnell Mooney, Falcons - Drake London appears poised to miss at least one week, if not more, after sustaining a PCL injury in the loss to the Panthers. Mooney missed a portion of Sunday's loss with a rib injury, has missed separate time with a hamstring injury earlier in the year and evidently broke his collarbone on the first play of training camp. The veteran is a far cry from a picture of health. I don't even think it matters with Kirk Cousins throwing him the ball, but in the same way Rashid Shaheed was absorbing a ton of volume in a miserable New Orleans offense, Mooney might just up being a PPR option so long as London is out. FAAB: 8 percent of budget
Michael Wilson, Cardinals - I'm operating under the assumption Marvin Harrison will not play this week after recovering from surgery to remove his appendix last last week. I've myself had this surgery, and while I'm the furthest you could possibly be away from an NFL player, I wasn't walking around the block confidently until the third week, much less taking hits from 250-pound missiles of players. I'd be a bit surprised if Jacoby Brissett ends chucking the ball 57 times against the Jaguars, but a veteran quarterback can pretty easily pepper the target range at which Wilson excels. Perhaps more important, any NFL defense would be happy to concede that as well. FAAB: 17 percent if he's available
Christian Watson, Packers - Jayden Reed (shoulder/foot) could be making his return after the team's Thanksgiving game against the Lions, but Watson pretty clearly is Jordan Love's preferred deep threat. The fourth-year wide receiver really has been exceptional in that capacity in past years, but his health has always been the biggest problem. Outside of a Week 15 game against Denver, Green Bay's schedule against pass defenses is really favorable, so I'm at the point where Watson is becoming must-play territory in deeper leagues, much less a guy who's only rostered in 32 percent of leagues.
Tight End
Mason Taylor, Jets - Tight end incredibly bleak if you need a streamer off waivers, but the rookie has looked notably better with Tyrod Taylor as the quarterback (seven catches for 49 on 11 targets across two games). Probably not worth targeting against Baltimore's defense, but there's probably worse options if you're desperate. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
