Most leagues are in their last week or two of the regular season and starting (or sitting) the right players at this point is key, and could be the difference between you pulling in a little extra holiday spending cash, or becoming the laughing stock of your league for the 2019 offseason. Below are the players we like (and don’t like) in Week 12.
Studs:
Julio Jones, WR, ATl:
Ask most fans and fantasy owners, and they would probably tell you Jones is not having a very good year. However, Jones ranks 5th amongst all receivers in yards per game (88.6) and will be matching up against the second worst pass defense in the league in terms of passing touchdowns surrendered (25) and passing yards allowed per game (290.9). Sunday should be a great game for Jones and Matt Ryan.
Derrick Henry, RB, Ten:
Henry is following up his breakout 2018 campaign with an even better performance in 2019. He ranks 3rd in rushing touchdowns (8) and 9th in yards per game (83.2) and is coming off a huge week against the Chiefs 30th ranked run defense where he put up 188 yards on the ground, averaging an astonishing 8.2 yards per game and punching in two touchdowns. Things look good for him again this week going up against a Jaguars defense which is surrendering a league worst 5.3 yards per carry on the ground and only rank one spot above the Chiefs in terms of rushing yards per game (29th).
Alvin Kamara, RB, NO
With just 472 rushing yards and two total touchdowns, Kamara is having a very disappointing season, but he looks to be healthy again and is coming off a week which saw him pull in 10 receptions and put up 122 all-purpose yards. He will get a Panthers defense which ranks 29th in terms of rushing yards per carry (4.9), 27th in terms of rushing yards per game (128.4) and dead last in terms of rushing touchdowns surrendered. The Panthers have managed to give up a league worst 18 rushing touchdowns….five more than the second worst team (Bengals).
Matt Ryan, QB, Atl:
The Falcons have a modest two-game win streak going and Ryan is coming off one of his best games of the season (statistically). In fact, since Week 2, he has 13 passing touchdowns (14 total) to just four interceptions, and, as I mentioned above, the Bucs have the second worst pass defense in the league…and Matt Ryan has Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Translation? This should be a fantastic fantasy week for everyone involved in the Falcons passing game.
Chris Godwin, WR, TB:
This Bucs/Falcons matchup could be an offensive shootout, with two good offenses and two terrible defenses, there will be a lot of solid fantasy players in this matchup. Despite his quarterback leading the world in turnovers, Godwin is having a huge year: 4th in yards per game, t-4th in touchdowns (7), t-6th in catches (63), and 7th in yards after the catch (359). He should have a big game against this Falcons defense.
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Duds:
Any Cincinnati Pass Catchers:
The Bengals have a historically bad offensive line and will be starting Ryan Finley again. His health (and possibly his life) could be in jeopardy against a Steelers defense which has been amazing championship caliber since acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers rank 4th in terms of sacks (34) and their 14 interceptions trail only the Patriots. Throw in another week without A.J. Green, and Finley and anyone attempting to catch his passes are going to have a long day.
Any Pittsburgh Pass Catchers:
Things aren’t going to be much better on the other side of the field. While the Bengals don’t have the defense the Steelers have, they have a formidable defensive line which can put pressure on the quarterback and Mason Rudolph has been terrible of late. Throw in the fact that he will be without his pro-bowl center, and will likely be without his top threat receiving threat (JuJu Smith-Schuster) and running back (James Conner), and it could be a long day for Rudolph and the Pittsburgh pass catchers as well. This football game may set offenses back 30 years.
Jared Goff, QB, LAR:
After back-to-back huge seasons, it looked like Jared Goff had turned the corner and was on his way to living up to his first overall selection, but the 2019 version of Goff is looking more like the rookie version – the one which looked like a bust. Through 10 games, he has just 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and six fumbles…and he gets a matchup against a very tough Ravens defense.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Oak:
Jacobs is having a great rookie season, ranking 4th in terms of yard per game (92.3) and t-6th in terms of rushing touchdowns (7). However, he will be going up against a Jets run defense which leads the league in terms of yards per game (79.1) and yards per carry (3.0). Over their last two games combined, the Jets have surrendered just 77 rushing yards. Of those 77 yards, only 52 came from running backs and that was on 30 carries…or 1.7 ypc. Two weeks ago, they held Saquon Barkley to a whopping one yard on 13 carries. One. Yard. Less than 0.1 ypc.
Dak Prescott, QB, Dal:
Prescott is having an MVP season, however, he has never faced Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Most quarterbacks do not fare well when facing Belichick, let alone for the first time, and on the road.
Sleepers:
Kareem Hunt, RB, Cle:
It is tough starting a running back who you know will not be the lead back, but Hunt (and this game) may be the one time it makes sense. Hunt is fresh and will be going against the league’s second worst run defense. If the Browns were smart, they would just run Chubb and Hunt until the Dolphins show they can stop them. I don’t think it is outside the realm of possibility that both backs go over 100 yards from scrimmage in this game.
Bo Scarbrough, RB, Det:
Less than 24 hours after being picked up by the Lions, the big second year back from Alabama put up 55 yards on 14 carries and found the endzone as well. With a full week of practice and a more favorable matchup against a bad Redskins defense, Scarbrough is worthy of a flex play this week if you were able to land him on the waiver wire.
Kalen Ballage, RB, Mia:
Ballage hasn’t done anything of note this season, but due to trades and suspensions, he finds himself as the starter in Miami and he could be in for a big week this week against the Browns. Despite the Browns having a solid defense, they will be without two starting defensive lineman, including the best player on their defense (Myles Garrett). Those two lineman account for half of the Browns 30 sacks, meaning the Dolphins may find an ability to pass the ball as well, further opening things for the big second year back.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Det:
Brissett is having a great season and while he may not be 100% healthy, he was healthy enough to make an impact last week, completing 15 of 24 passes and putting up two total touchdowns. While I normally stay away from the Thursday night games, I like this matchup against a Texans pass defense which has surrendered 22 touchdowns through the air and ranks 29th in terms of passing yards per game (272.4).
Jacob Hollister, TE, Sea:
Hollister has slowly been making up for Will Dissly’s loss in production and is coming off his best game of the season, and he did that against the league’s top pass defense, Hollister pulled in eight of his ten targets for 62 yards, nearly one third of the team’s 189 passing yards and caught Russell Wilson’s only touchdown pass of the game. To put that in perspective, the Niners give up just 142.5 yards per game in the air per game…Hollister, a backup tight end, got nearly half of that. This week, the Seahawks face a much more pass friendly defense in the Eagles.
