Week 12 fantasy football waiver wire: Injuries and spit make for active bidding
See which players are worth adding to your fantasy football roster ahead of Week 12's action.
Now this is more like it (if you like interesting and potentially impactful fantasy football waiver wire weeks more than the physical and mental health of NFL players).
Week 11 brought a wave of injuries and one major suspension, setting up a very active Week 12 waiver wire. Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is on the IR and may not return this season, while Aaron Rodgers (wrist) could miss this week’s matchup in Chicago. Several running backs also went down, including Josh Jacobs, Jaylen Warren, Emari Demercado, and Bhayshul Tuten, though Warren and Tuten’s outlook has brightened somewhat in recent hours.
At receiver, Drake London (knee) appears likely to miss Week 12, and Ja’Marr Chase’s Roberto Alomar moment has earned him a one-game suspension, creating a sudden, if short, opportunity in Cincinnati.
Meanwhile, Calvin Ridley’s season came to an end, though he hasn’t really been on the field enough to likely be missed on most fantasy rosters. Throw in four teams on bye — the Broncos, Chargers, Dolphins, and Commanders — plus questions remaining around existing injuries to the likes of Jaxon Dart, Brian Thomas Jr., Bucky Irving, and several others, and this becomes one of the busiest waiver weeks of the season.
Below are the top players to target ahead of Week 12 — plus FAAB recommendations and matchup context for each position.
Current ownership percentage based on Yahoo fantasy football leagues at the time of publishing.
Week 12 waiver wire cheatsheet
QB injury update
🪦R.I.P. ROS: Michael Penix Jr. (ATL)
🚫 Nope: Joe Burrow (CIN); Kyler Murray (ARI)
🏴☠️ Not bloody likely: Aaron Rodgers (PIT)
🫤 Looking iffy: Jaxson Dart (NYG); C.J. Stroud (HOU)
🏖️ On a bye: Bo Nix (DEN): Justin Herbert (LAC); Tua Tagovailoa (MIA); Jayden Daniels (WAS); Marcus Mariota (WAS)
Quarterbacks to add in Week 12
Jacoby Brissett (ARI) — Top Priority
34% owned
“Brissett has turned into a must-start Fantasy quarterback since taking over for Kyler Murray,” writes CBS Sports’ Jamey Eisenberg. He’s scored 23.4+ fantasy points in every start, with three games over 44 pass attempts, and set the NFL single-game completions record (47) in Week 11 while throwing for 452 yards and two touchdowns, finishing as the QB3 for the week. Brissett ranks 4th among all QBs in fantasy points since Week 6 and gets another great matchup vs. Jacksonville. He should be owned everywhere. FAAB: 5%+
Others to stream: Trevor Lawrence (JAC); Mason Rudolph (PIT); Jameis Winston (NYG)
Bryce Young (CAR) — Streamer
13% owned
Young posted a career-high 448 yards and three TDs in Week 11 and led Carolina to an OT win. Despite briefly exiting with an ankle injury, he showed improved command and chemistry with Tet McMillan and Xavier Legette. He’s risky — last week was only his 3rd game over 20 fantasy points — but a matchup with the 49ers (7th-most FPTS allowed to QBs) makes him a viable low-end streaming option. FAAB: 1%
Week 12 running backs
RB injury update
🪦R.I.P. ROS: James Conner (ARI); Austin Ekeler (WAS); Antonio Gibson (NE); Najee Harris (LAC); Miles Sanders (DAL); Cam Skattebo (NYG)
🚫 Nope: J.K. Dobbins (DEN)
🏴☠️ Not bloody likely: Trey Benson (ARI)
🫤 Looking iffy: Emari Demercado (ARI); Bucky Irving (TB); Josh Jacobs (GB); Isiah Pacheco (KC)
🙏 Cautiously optimistic: Rhamondre Stevenson (NE); Bhayshul Tuten (JAC); Jaylen Warren (PIT)
🏖️ On a bye: De’Von Achane (MIA); RJ Harvey (DEN); Kimani Vidal (LAC), Chris Rodriguez Jr. (WAS); Jacory Croskey-Merritt (WAS)
Running backs to add in Week 12
Emanuel Wilson (GB) — Top Priority
8% owned
With Josh Jacobs leaving early due to a knee injury, Wilson took over and delivered 11 carries for 40 yards and a TD. Reports indicate Jacobs may miss a week or two. In that window, Wilson becomes a locked-in RB2/flex and a priority add, especially for Jacobs managers. FAAB: 10–15%
Sean Tucker (TB) — Streamer/Stash
27% owned
Tucker exploded for 140 total yards and 3 TDs with Bucky Irving sidelined, out-touching every Buccaneers RB. Irving may return soon, but Tucker has earned a greater role even when that happens. If Irving remains out, Tucker is a volume-based RB2. If Irving returns, Tucker becomes a flex stash with upside. FAAB: 5–8%
Others to stream: Kenneth Gainwell (PIT); Bam Knight (ARI)
Others to stash: Chris Rodriguez Jr. (WAS); Tank Bigsby (RB)
Week 12 waiver wide receivers
WR injury update
🪦R.I.P. ROS: Malik Nabers (NYG); Tyreek Hill (MIA); Calvin Ridley (TEN)
🚫 Nope: Drake London (ATL)
🏴☠️ Not bloody likely: Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC); Garrett Wilson (NYJ)
🫤 Looking iffy: Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI); Chris Godwin Jr. (TB); Tory Horton (SEA)
🙏 Cautiously optimistic: Kayshon Boutte (NE)
🏖️On a bye: Ladd McConkey (LAC); Quentin Johnston (LAC), Courtland Sutton (DEN); Troy Franklin (DEN), Jaylen Waddle (MIA); Deebo Samuel (WAS); Terry McLaurin WAS).
WRs to add in Week 12
Alec Pierce (IND) — Top Priority
49% owned
A top priority add last week heading into the bye, he’s still under 50% owned, so I’ll just do a little copy and paste from last week: “Since Week 7, he leads the NFL in receiving yards (366) and ranks in the top 10 in targets per route. Over his last four games, he’s averaging 91 yards per contest and finally found the end zone in Week 10. Pierce’s combination of deep-ball usage and target volume makes him a WR3 with WR2 upside.”
Michael Wilson (ARI) — Top Priority
47% owned
Wilson erupted for 15 catches on 18 targets for 185 yards, the largest yardage total by any WR in a single game this season. With Marvin Harrison Jr. still recovering from an appendectomy, Wilson is operating as Brissett’s clear WR1. He won’t repeat 18 targets, but his recent volume makes him a high-end WR3/flex until Harrison returns. FAAB: 8–10%
Andrei Iosivas (CIN) — Steamer
1% owned
With Ja’Marr Chase suspended, Iosivas steps into the WR2 role. He has two games this season with seven targets, scoring 13.2+ PPR points in both. With Chase out and Tee Higgins drawing tough coverage from CB Christian Gonzalez, Iosivas could soak up volume in a pass-heavy game script. FAAB: 3–5%
Others to stream: Christian Watson (GB); Darnell Mooney (ATL); Troy Franklin (DEN)
Others to stash: Luther Burden III (CHI); Tory Horton (SEA)
Week 12 tight ends
TE injury update
🪦R.I.P. ROS: Tucker Kraft (GB)
🚫 Nope: Sam LaPorta (DET)
🫤 Looking iffy: Dalton Kincaid (BUF)
🏖️ On a bye: Oronde Gadsden II (LAC); Zach Ertz (WAS)
Tight ends to add in Week 12
Juwan Johnson (NO) — Streamer
46% owned
Johnson has at least 10.3 PPR points in all but three games this season and has rediscovered early-season form. With Rashid Shaheed gone, Johnson is essentially the Saints’ No. 2 target. He enters Week 12 off a 92-yard, 1-TD game and remains a top-12 fantasy option rest of season. FAAB: 5–10%
Others to stream: Coleston Loveland (CHI); Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE); Dalton Schultz (HOU)
Week 12 waiver wire defense/special teams
Browns (CLE) — Streamer
48% owned
Cleveland gets two of the league’s lowest-scoring offenses (Raiders and Titans) in the next three weeks. Coming off a 17-point fantasy outing against Baltimore, the Browns are positioned for a multi-week run to help anchor fantasy playoff pushes. FAAB: 1–2%
Others to stream: Jaguars (JAC); Bears (CHI); 49ers (SF)
Week 12 waiver wire kickers
Jake Elliott (PHI) — Streamer
31% owned
Elliott drilled three more field goals in Week 11, including one from 49 yards, and now gets a high-scoring matchup against Dallas. He already posted 8 points against the Cowboys in Week 1 and has been one of the league’s most stable kickers.
Others to stream: Cairos Santos (CHI); Nick Folk (NYJ); Cam Little (JAC)