Fantasy Football Week 12: Waiver-Wire Pickups, Rankings, Box Score Stat Projections
Saquon Barkley figures to have a monster day in Week 12 as the Philadelphia Eagles travel west to battle the Los Angeles Rams and continue their path of dominance to the playoffs.
Who else can fantasy managers expect to put up big numbers and which waiver wire options can they expect to pay dividends in this back-half of the 2024 season?
Find out with this preview of the week to come in fantasy football.
Rankings and Box Score Projections
Week 12 rankings and box score projections are as follows:
- Saquon Barkley, running back, PHI at LAR (17 carries, 100 yds, TD 4 rec., 50 yds, TD)
- Christian McCaffrey, running back, SF at GB (15 carries, 100 yds, TD, 3 rec., 40 yds, TD)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, wide receiver, DET at IND (9 rec., 130 yds, 2 TDs)
- Justin Jefferson, wide receiver, MIN at CHI (10 rec., 90 yds, 2 TDs)
- AJ Brown, wide receiver, PHI vs. LAR (8 rec., 110 yds, TD)
- Joe Mixon, running back, HOU vs. TEN (15 carries, 100 yds, TD 3 rec., 25 yds)
- Derrick Henry, running back, BAL at LAC (20 carries, 130 yds, 2 TDs)
- Kenneth Walker II, running back, SEA vs. ARI (14 carries, 90 yds, TD, 5 rec., 40 yds)
- Jayden Daniels, quarterback, WAS vs. DAL (200 passing yds, 2 TDs, 5 carries, 50 yds)
- Jahmyr Gibbs, running back, DET at IND (13 carries, 85 yds, TD, 6 rec., 75 yds, TD)
- Jalen Hurts, quarterback, PHI at LAR (250 passing yds, 2 TDs, 6 carries, 60 yds)
- De'Vone Achane, running back, MIA vs. NE (10 carries, 60 yds, 5 rec., 45 yds, TD)
- Malik Nabers, wide receiver, NYG vs. TB (8 rec., 90 yds, TD)
- Puka Nacua, wide receiver, LAR vs. PHI (7 rec., 90 yds, TD)
- Kyren Williams, running back, LAR vs. PHI (14 carries, 80 yds, 6 rec., 50 yds)
Waiver Wire Pickup: Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville coaching staff has destroyed any semblance of progress the Jaguars' offense made a season ago, leading to most key skill players having statistical down years and that includes backup running back Tank Bigsby.
With that said, Travis Etienne was so bad against Detroit (12 carries, 27 yards) that there is next to no chance that Bigsby will not have opportunities when the team returns from its bye week in Week 13.
A better, more consistent runner, he has two top-five finishes in fantasy this season and has scored four times. While those numbers will not impress most, managers in deep leagues and in need of an upgrade or injury replacement should take a chance on Bigsby.
He has double-digit carries in just four games this season but after returning from an ankle injury, and on the heels of Etienne's disastrous game against the Lions, do not be surprised to see that change.
Against Houston, Tennessee, the Jets, and Las Vegas, he will have opportunities to prove to his coaches why he should take over as the lead back and fantasy managers why they should have faith in him as a potential RB2.
Bigsby is currently available in 39 percent of Yahoo and 58 percent of ESPN leagues.
Waiver Wire Pickup: Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
Christian Watson has disappointed in 2024 but Sunday in Chicago, he showed flashes of the dynamic playmaker he can be for a Packers team that needs one.
The third-year wide receiver from North Dakota State shredded an excellent Chicago Bears secondary Sunday, catching four balls for 150 yards, an average on 37.5 per reception. He was the 10th-ranked receiver in Week 11 and can potentially improve upon that spot in Week 12, against an 11th-ranked 49ers defense giving up 30.46 points to his position.
The Niners will play with more urgency after a Week 11 loss to Seattle, potentially making it an even more difficult match-up for the Packers but if Jordan Love can navigate the pocket and avoid the pressure from Nick Bosa and that San Francisco front seven, he will have opportunities to find Watson down the field.
Watson came on strong in the back-half of the season two years ago and may have done the same had it not been for injury in 2023.
Fantasy managers looking for wide receiver help, in deep or regular leagues, should grab him now before he has another breakout performance and others beat them to it.
Watson is available in over 50 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
All stats via FantasyPros unless otherwise noted.