Fantasy football is often treated as a week-to-week game and that is for good reason. So much changes in the NFL over the course of a full season and it is up to owners to monitor those trends and react accordingly. That often means taking fliers off the waiver wire and hoping something sticks. But this late in the season, the script flips. This is the final week of the byes and there are only two weeks left in the regular season. It is time to flip that strategy script. What do I mean by that? It’s time to treat things differently than you have been told to all year.
First, I wrote about it last week, but you want to have your handcuffs this time of year. When the byes are behind us it means that you should have a lineup that is set for the most part each week. Sure, you still want to have some options so you can play the matchups. You also still want to take those upside shots on the waiver wire. But you can afford to give up a bench spot or two to cover your you know what in case your top back gets injured. You do not want to risk seeing your RB1 get hurt and you miss out on the backup and are screwed in the fantasy playoffs.
Second, it is ok to plan ahead at this point in the season. Have you been streaming defenses all year? Well look ahead at the schedule and find out which defenses you will want to use in Week 14 and beyond and throw them on your bench. Same thing if you’ve been streaming tight ends, quarterbacks, or anything! You may have to wait until after the Week 12 byes to do so, but still, stay ready, don’t get ready! Here are some teams to stream defenses against and their fantasy playoff schedule:
Redskins- Packers, Eagles, Giants
Dolphins- Jets, Giants, Bengals
Bengals- Browns, Patriots, Dolphins
Week 12 Rankings Notes:
– It took until Week 12 to say this, but start your Browns with confidence! This is the get right game that fantasy players have been waiting for as the Dolphins defense has been torched all year. They are in the Top 5 in fantasy PPG allowed to QBs, yards allowed to RBs, and touchdowns allowed to WRs. Odell Beckham Jr is a WR1 for me, Baker Mayfield is a QB1, Nick Chubb is an RB1, while Jarvis Landry is a WR2, and Hunt is an RB2/flex option!
– Two Falcons receivers in the Top 10? Yup! The Bucs have been great at stopping the run and Brian Hill likely won’t change that. But no team has allowed more fantasy points to receivers than the Bucs. Julio Jones is always a WR1, but Calvin Ridley exploded for nearly 30 fantasy points with no Austin Hooper in Week 11. He had eight targets last week and led the Falcons in air yards (124). Expect more volume and production this week. Russel Gage is also a flex option, as the Bucs have been torched by slot receivers in two straight seasons (not weeks!).
– Look to get your Raiders and Jets into your lineup this week! The Raiders have allowed the third-most passing touchdowns to QBs. That puts Sam Darnold in the QB1 discussion. His top target, Jamison Crowder, has scored in three straight and should definitely be started this week. Demaryius Thomas and Robby Anderson are flex options in a favorable matchup and you can start Ryan Griffin who has become a consistent weapon the last month. As for the Raiders, the Jets have allowed the fifth-most fantasy PPG to QBs since Week 8, meaning you should fire up Derek Carr. But the Jets also allow the second-most fantasy PPG to WRs this season, making Tyrell Williams a WR2. The Jets also struggle against slot receivers and with Hunter Renfrow seeing more consistent work, he is a flex option.
– DJ Chark Jr. has become a must-start option every week. But his teammate, Dede Westbrook should be fired up as well this week. The Titans have allowed the most fantasy PPG and yards to slot receivers since Week 8 and it just so happens that Westbrook led the NFL in slot routes in Week 11. Start him!
Week 12 Fantasy Football Rankings
Got a beef with Michael’s Week 11 Fantasy Football Rankings? Let him hear it in the comments below!
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