Main Waiver Wire Targets
Check to see if they're available! Jaylen Samuels, RB, PIT; Derrius Guice, RB, WAS; Deebo Samuel, WR, SF; Darius Slayton, WR, NYG
Jacob Hollister, TE, SEA -- Since Will Dissly was put on injured-reserve Week 6, Hollister has quietly picked up where Dissly left off as Seattle's go-to tight end. Hollister has been the TE8 in fantasy points per game (12.2) with 6 or more targets in three of his 4 starts so far. Hollister is available in over 90 percent of NFL.com leagues and could be a savior for tight end streamers down the fantasy playoff stretch run.
Jonathan Williams and Nyheim Hines, RBs, IND -- Marlon Mack fractured his right hand in Week 11, allowing Williams to break out for 13/116 on the ground in Mack's place against Jacksonville. Jordan Wilkins (ankle) was inactive last week and did not practice on Monday, so the Colts may have to lean on Williams and Hines as their backfield tandem on TNF against the Texans this week. If Wilkins does not play, both Williams and Hines have RB3/FLEX appeal for fantasy managers scouring for running backs with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings all out on bye in Week 12.
James Washington, WR, PIT -- JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion, knee) and Diontae Johnson (concussion) are both questionable at best for Week 12, which could leave Washington and Johnny Holton alone atop the Steelers receiver depth chart against the Bengals beatable secondary. Mason Rudolph and Washington have rediscovered their college connection in recent weeks, hitting on 13 of 16 targets for 208 yards and a score over the last three games. If Smith-Schuster and Johnson miss, Washington will firmly be on the WR3 radar in this cake matchup.
Noah Fant, TE, DEN -- The Broncos are still desperate for better quarterback play, but at the very least, Fant's involvement has sharply ticked up since Denver traded away Emmanuel Sanders. Fant is slightly leading Denver in targets (24) over their last three games without Sanders (Courtland Sutton has 23 passing looks in this span) and this high volume is exactly what we are looking for at tight end. Jacob Hollister, Ryan Griffin, and Fant are the top two streaming options for Week 12, but I'm giving the edge to Hollister because Fant's matchup is much tougher. The Bills have allowed the fewest fantasy points to tight ends in now two straight seasons.
Ryan Griffin, TE, NYJ -- Sam Darnold and Griffin have found a quietly strong connection over the last month as the veteran tight end has hit receiving stat lines of 4/66/2, 6/50, and 5/109/1 in Griffin's three full games as the Jets starter. Look, relying on Jets in fantasy football has been frustrating for most of this season, but their schedule over the next three weeks (vs. OAK, CIN, MIA) is as easy as it gets. Jacob Hollister is in a significantly better offense and Noah Fant is more talented, but Griffin is owned in over 95 percent of NFL.com leagues and has a golden schedule moving forward.
Bo Scarbrough, RB, DET -- Ideally, you want to avoid this Lions backfield entirely but I'd be remiss to not at least mention the change Detroit made in Week 11 here. Ty Johnson and J.D. McKissic both played last week, but it was Scarbrough who led the team in snaps (49 percent) and touches (14). Scarbrough is worth an add in 12-team leagues this week but there is no way you can feel comfortable starting him in Week 12.
Randall Cobb, WR, DAL -- Cobb would be way higher up this list if Dallas' next two matchups (vs. NE and BUF) weren't so brutal. Cobb has shown signs of life over the last three weeks, racking up 6/35, 6/101/1, and 4/115/1 as Dak Prescott continues to carry Dallas' offense. Amari Cooper is clearly playing at less than 100 percent health, which could force Cobb into a bigger role down the final stretch of the regular season.
Quarterback Streamers
Baker Mayfield vs. MIA -- Mayfield has unquestionably been the biggest bust at quarterback in fantasy this season but he's quietly scored 17 or more fantasy points in four of his last 5 contests and this matchup clearly makes him this week's top streaming candidate. The Dolphins have given up 20 or more fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks in 7-of-10 games this season and their secondary has no chance at slowing down both Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry.
Jacoby Brissett vs. HOU -- Brissett has scored 16 or more fantasy points in 6-of-8 full games this season and he's squarely back on the streaming radar in Week 12 against this Texans defense that is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position. T.Y. Hilton (calf) returning would greatly help Brissett's outlook, too. If Hilton is back, I'd stream Brissett over Derek Carr and Nick Foles this week.
Derek Carr vs. NYJ -- The biggest problem facing Carr in fantasy is his own team. In a weird statistical oddity, Carr has attempted between 28-32 passes in now seven straight games as the Raiders have been the second-most run-heavy team in the league in this span behind only the Ravens. While Carr's low pass volume is a concern for his ceiling, this matchup against the Jets keeps him on the streaming radar for yet another week. Mayfield and Brissett have more upside this week, but Carr is a nice consolation prize off of the wire if you miss out on either of those two.
Other targets: Nick Foles vs. TEN; Jeff Driskel vs. WAS
D/ST Streamers
Lions defense vs. Redskins -- Detroit's D/ST has never been mentioned in this space before, but a matchup against Dwayne Haskins elevates them to top-10 status for Week 12. Haskins has only played 164 snaps this season but has somehow already absorbed 14 sacks and thrown 5 INTs.
Browns defense vs. Dolphins -- Opposing defenses have scored double-digit fantasy points against Miami in 8-of-10 games this year. Now, Cleveland is next up.
Raiders defense vs. Jets -- Oakland's D/ST has now scored 10 or more fantasy points in back to back games and they have a great chance to make it three-straight in Week 12. I'd prioritize both the Lions and Browns defense over the Raiders for this week, but this matchup is as good as it gets. Opposing fantasy D/ST are averaging 13.0 points per game against New York (second-most) while Sam Darnold has taken multiple sacks in all but one game.
- -- Graham Barfield is a fantasy editor and analyst for NFL.com. Catch him on the NFL Fantasy Football podcast with Marcas Grant and Michael Fabiano, Fantasy LIVE on NFL Network, watch him on Fantasy League One, and follow him on Twitter @GrahamBarfield. *
