2021 Fantasy Football Week 12 PPR Rankings

With just a few weeks left until the fantasy playoffs, Week 12 is a pivotal week. In addition to three Thanksgiving games, we have a tremendous slate filled with close games, and a lot of talented players that you’ll have to decide between starting or sitting. The best resource to make those tough decisions? Well, I am glad you asked; my Week 12 PPR Rankings! Every week, I’ll be providing you with my personal rankings for every position, excluding defense and kicker, who will be ranked later in the week. Who’s positioned to do some damage this week? Who might not be the ideal player to start this week? We’ll answer all of that in the paragraphs ahead.

More fantasy football fun for Week 12: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers

Week 12 Positional Notes

Quarterback

• Although Matthew Stafford has struggled the past two games, a lot of that is due to poor turnover luck and third-down luck. I expect a rebound here, even against a tough Packers defense. He’s well within the top-ten quarterbacks in my Week 12 PPR Rankings.
• It’s been rough for Russell Wilson since coming back from his thumb injury, but he does get to face the Washington Football Team, who is allowing the most fantasy points to quarterbacks. If there’s a time for him to get back on track, it’s now.
• Is Cam Newton a low-end QB1? That’s the case in my Week 12 PPR Rankings. He was the focal point of the team’s rushing attack with ten rush attempts, and has the rushing volume to be a productive fantasy quarterback. If you need a quarterback, he’s a top waiver wire target this week.
• Derek Carr has had an average depth of target lower than his season average of 8.7 yards in three straight games, which aligns perfectly with the release of deep threat Henry Ruggs III. This is hurting his fantasy ceiling, though he remains a high-floor streaming option.
• Ryan Tannehill is seeing more passing volume, but it’s going to be tough for him to be efficient against the Patriots, especially if AJ Brown is out due to a rib injury.
• Tyrod Taylor is a great streamer this week against a poor Jets defense. He’s willing to be utilized as a runner, and has had over 20 PFF expected points per game in the three games that he started and finished.
• Trevor Siemian has been a QB1 in three straight weeks, thanks in large part to his fourth-quarter prowess:
  

  Trevor Siemian PFF passing grade:

  1st-3rd quarters: 50.3 (dead last out of 46 QBs)
  4th quarter: 92.3 (1st)

  — Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 22, 2021

  • This doesn’t feel sustainable, though, especially against a Bills defense. He might offer some value in SuperFlex leagues, but if he struggles, they may also go to Taysom Hill after this game.

Running Back

• Injuries to monitor this week: Alvin Kamara, Elijah Mitchell, and Cordarrelle Patterson. Kamara is the one I’d be least optimistic about playing since he has to play on Thursday, but hopefully all three are back in action this week.
• Jonathan Taylor against the top-notch Buccaneers’ run defense is going to be a world-class matchup.
• The Steelers have struggled to defend the run as of late, allowing top-five performances to D’Andre Swift and Austin Ekeler in back-to-back weeks. As such, fire up Joe Mixon as a clear RB1 this week, as is the case with my Week 12 PPR Rankings.
• Speaking of Swift, his usage could go down if their Thanksgiving game against the Bears is close, allowing for more rush attempts for Jamaal Williams. Thus, this could be one of his less impressive fantasy performances.
• After a costly fumble in Week 10 by Melvin Gordon, Javonte Williams out-snapped him by a significant margin. Add in the general post-bye rookie bump, and Williams could be ready to take off, starting with an easy matchup against a very poor Chargers run defense.
• The Damien Harris/Rhamondre Stevenson split is confusing, but with how run-heavy the Patriots are, both can serve as FLEX plays/high-end RB3s moving forward.
• Miles Sanders may still not be the clear workhorse for the Eagles, yet the offense has so much rushing volume that he can operate as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3, especially with Jordan Howard out with an injury and an easy schedule coming up.
• Even with Latavius Murray back, De’Vonta Freeman was the clear lead back, a shift from when Murray was last healthy. Thus, Freeman can be a low-end RB2 moving forward.
• Against a very poor Jets defense, David Johnson is a viable starting option this week with Scottie Phillips (injury) and Phillip Lindsay (cut) out of the picture. Rex Burkhead also offers some value if you’re chasing touchdowns this week.
• With Michael Carter injured, expect Tevin Coleman to benefit the most in terms of carries. Without a significant amount of targets going to running backs anymore, though, he and Ty Johnson aren’t players to trust this week.
• Speaking of lack of trust, stay as far away from the Bills and Titans running back rooms as possible.

Wide Receivers

• With double-digit targets in three out of his last four games, we need to acknowledge Diontae Johnson as a clear WR1 moving forward. He’s had over 15 PFF expected fantasy points in five of his last seven games.
• It’s time to buy low on DK Metcalf. Russell Wilson should play better over time, and Metcalf has seen three end-zone targets and 15 overall targets in the past two games. He’s still a low-end WR1 moving forward.
• Michael Gallup is someone that HAS to be in your lineup this week with CeeDee Lamb (concussion) and Amari Cooper (COVID) unavailable for their Thanksgiving game against the Raiders.
• Elijah Moore finally ran over 80% of the Jets’ routes in Week 11. With utilization and talent on his side, I now can get on board with him as a top-30 option for the rest of the season, and his future is as bright as it gets.
• After signing a $60 million extension, will Courtland Sutton see more targets? That’s the hope!
• Brandon Aiyuk is back to being a full-time receiver in the 49ers’ offense. The run-heavy nature of it is unappealing, yet his talent and usage is. Expect him to finally meet his preseason expectations for the rest of the year, starting with a favorable matchup against the Vikings.
• It’s time to see what the target split looks like for the Rams with Odell Beckham Jr. as a full-time player and Robert Woods out for the year after tearing his ACL. I’d expect Beckham to be a big part of the offense’s plans coming out of their bye week.
• Laviska Shenault Jr. could be in line for extra usage in the slot and more targets with Jamal Agnew out for the year with a hip injury. Let’s see if he can come closer to meeting preseason expectations.
• Don’t look now, but DeAndre Carter has been a WR2, WR1, and WR3 in his past three games, respectively. As such, it’s time to show him some recognition as someone who can be worth having in deeper leagues.

Tight End

• The Darren Waller bounceback game came with 116 receiving yards and 8 targets, and I expect more of the same given his elite utilization. That’s why he’s the #1 tight end in my Week 12 PPR Rankings with Travis Kelce on his BYE week.
• Dalton Schultz can be a top-five tight end this week as the second option in the passing game with Lamb and Cooper unavailable.
• Dalton Knox played 55 of the Bills’ 56 snaps last week, and if that usage continues, he’s a top-10 tight end independent of the matchup.
• Logan Thomas is expected to be back from injury to be the Washington Football Team’s starting tight end, and he should see over 90% of the snaps based on the team’s usage of tight ends this year. That all means that he should be in your lineup this week.
• With Eric Ebron out for the rest of the year due to injury, Pat Freiermuth could be in line for excellent production to cap off the season.
• Anthony Firkser turned seven targets into 11 fantasy points with Geoff Swaim out due to injury, and he could be in for a similar role if the Titans’ tight end room remains depleted due to injury this week.
• Jack Doyle seems to be building a bond with Carson Wentz, seeing five targets in back-to-back games. Against a Bucs defense that struggles against tight ends, he’s a deep-league streaming option, along with Firkser.

Week 12 PPR Rankings

More Week 12 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex

• QB

• RB

• WR

• TE

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