Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For NFL Week 12
By Matt Citak
Thanksgiving is Thursday, and we all have plenty to be thankful for this year.
I am thankful for Brandin Cooks and James White, who both began the year vastly undervalued by most, but have helped my fantasy team rise up the standings throughout the first 11 weeks of the season.
We all have some fantasy players that we are thankful for drafting, and others we wish we hadn't passed on. While we can't change the past, we can work to be better moving forward.
In terms of fantasy, that means being active on the waiver wire. With only two weeks remaining before the fantasy postseason, time is running out to make the necessary adjustments to your roster and secure your spot in the playoffs.
With that said, here are the top waiver wire adds for Week 12 of the NFL season.
Lamar Jackson (Photo Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Twenty-seven rushing attempts... for a quarterback? Jackson's debut as the Ravens' starting quarterback may have been uninspiring from a passing standpoint, but you can't help but be excited about his potential as a running QB. It remains to be seen how long Joe Flacco will be sidelined, but for as long as he is, Jackson will remain a borderline QB1 due to his rushing abilities.
RB Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
Edwards has gone from fantasy irrelevancy to fantasy darling overnight after his breakout performance. Edwards registered Baltimore's best rushing outing by a running back on the season, when he carried the ball 17 times for 115 yards and a touchdown. Alex Collins and Javorius Allen have been anything but consistent throughout the season, so Edwards will almost definitely get the opportunity to build on this strong game by leading the Ravens' backfield in Week 12.
Josh Adams (Photo Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
RB Josh Adams, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles looked atrocious in the team's Week 11 shellacking at the hands of the Saints, but Adams emerged from the game as one of the lone bright spots. The rookie has averaged 7.0 yards per carry over the last three weeks, appearing to be the most reliable running back in the crowded Eagles backfield by a wide margin. Adams should see his role continue to expand as the second-half of the season progresses.
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RB Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions
With the injury to Kerryon Johnson likely keeping him sidelined for at least a week or two, someone is going to have to step up in the Lions' backfield. Riddick has played a role in the passing game as of late, but has received just one carry over the last three games. Given LeGarrette Blount's lack of production this season (averaging 2.3 yards per carry), Detroit's best plan of action would be to give Riddick more touches.
WR Danny Amendola, Miami Dolphins
Many fantasy owners dropped Amendola during Miami's bye week, and if this happened in your league, you should move quickly to pick him up. Amendola has at least five receptions in each of Miami's last five games, while receiving 41 total targets during that stretch. He is the Dolphins' number-one receiver, and, quite frankly, it isn't really close. His volume in the passing game offers a high PPR floor, which could come in handy over the final two weeks of the fantasy regular season.
WR D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers
Moore finally enjoyed the breakout we have been expecting from him since Torrey Smith got hurt several weeks ago. The rookie caught seven of eight targets for 157 yards and a touchdown against the Lions, flashing the explosive quickness that made him a first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Panthers' passing game is a little unpredictable, but I expect offensive coordinator, Norv Turner, to find more ways to get the speedy rookie the ball in the second half of the season.
WR Tre'Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints
You can't talk about breakout rookie performances without mentioning the play of Tre'Quan Smith. The rookie receiver racked up 13 targets on Sunday, catching 10 of them for 157 yards and a touchdown in New Orleans' blowout win. The Saints have been searching for that number-two receiver to play opposite Michael Thomas, and despite signing Brandon Marshall, it appears as if Smith could end up taking that role in the lethal Saints offense.
WR Keke Coutee, Houston Texans
Coutee returned to the field for the first time in a month in Week 11, finishing the game as Houston's leading receiver with five receptions for 77 yards on nine targets. The nine targets led the team, with DeAndre Hopkins receiving six and Lamar Miller seeing five. More importantly, Demaryius Thomas put up the dreaded fantasy goose egg. Despite Thomas' presence in Houston, Coutee remains one of Deshaun Watson's favorite players to target.
Landon Collins and Cameron Brate (Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty Images)
TE Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We have yet to learn the extent of the ankle injury that forced O.J. Howard from Tampa Bay's Week 11 loss to the Giants. But if the talented young tight end is forced to miss any time, Brate would immediately become the top TE streaming option. Jameis Winston has always loved targeting Brate in the red zone, and the two should connect for several touchdowns if Brate is becomes the team's top tight end.
Matt Citak is a contributor for CBS Local Sports and a proud Vanderbilt alum. Follow him on Twitter.
