Fantasy Football Week 12: Starts, Sits For Thanksgiving Weekend In NFL
There are a handful of must-starts on Thanksgiving Day
Fantasy football managers will need to make sure their lineups are set a little earlier this week with three games kicking off the Week 12 slate on Thanksgiving Day.
And there are a number of fantasy starters with the Lions-Bills, Cowboys-Giants and Patriots-Vikings all taking the field Thursday.
With that, we’ve highlighted a handful of starts and sits entering the NFL’s Week 12 schedule.
Starts
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The return of Ezekiel Elliott did not have any impact on Pollard’s touches or scoring output, which is what Cowboys fans and fantasy managers have been clamoring for. In Week 11, Pollard turned 54% of offensive snaps into 21 touches for 189 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He finished as RB1 behind 36.90 points in full-point leagues, with 46% of his rushing yards coming after contact. Pollard is a must-start entering Week 12 against the New York Giants, who rank just outside the top 10 in points allowed to running backs. He’s viewed as RB11 on Yahoo.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
Meyers should remain in lineups ahead of New England’s contest on Thanksgiving night. The host Minnesota Vikings have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. And even in a Week 11 dud where the Patriots offense scored just three points, Meyers still finished just shy of double digits behind four receptions for 52 yards. We’re counting on a bounce-back performance from Mac Jones’ most trusted target. Yahoo, however, isn’t as convinced, as he’s viewed as WR33 entering the week.
James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Conner returned from a multiweek absence and since has flirted with starting lineups. But it’s time to get him back in the rotation. Conner has averaged 16.13 points since making his Week 9 return and is RB9 in average scoring over the last two weeks. He’ll now have a very favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, who allow the third-most points to running backs this season. Conner is viewed as RB18 on Yahoo.
Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
If you’ve been streaming tight ends or had either Kyle Pitts or Dallas Goedert, both of whom have been placed on injured reserve and won’t play in Week 12, Everett is a serviceable option. The Cardinals are the second-worst defense against tight ends, having allowed 13 fantasy points per contest. Disclaimer: Everett is viewed as TE16 on Yahoo behind others like Juwan Johnson, Hayden Hurst and Foster Moreau, who all might be available on the waiver wire.
Sits
D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
The emergence and staying power of Jamaal Williams has had a massive impact on Swift, who has played 31% of snaps or fewer in three of the past four games. He’s been limited to six carries or fewer ever since returning from injury in Week 8 and has not received more than 10 touches in a game. During that time, Swift is RB32 in average scoring on 10.58 points in full-point leagues. Williams also is taking away the majority of red-area work with four rushing scores in the previous two weeks. Swift, who is viewed as RB33 on Yahoo entering Week 12, goes up against the Bills on Thanksgiving.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Cousins and the Vikings are coming off an embarrassing Week 11 loss to the Cowboys in which Dallas got after the quarterback for seven sacks and held Minnesota to just 183 total yards. Cousins finished QB29 in scoring on a brutal 2.20 points in full-point leagues. The Patriots’ defense possesses a lot of similar qualities, with their ability to get after the passer, while Cousins has a 2-3 touchdown-interception ratio against Bill Belichick’s team. Cousins is viewed as QB13 on Yahoo.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
Hunt is quickly falling out of favor with fantasy managers, averaging shy of double-digits on the season (9.55 points), which is RB39 for the campaign. Don’t expect that to change in Week 12 with Cleveland facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who allow the fourth-fewest points to running backs. Playing behind Nick Chubb (RB5; 18.79 points per game), Hunt should be stapled to the bench until further notice. He’s RB44 on Yahoo entering the slate.
Los Angeles Rams receivers
This might be obvious to some, but given the Chiefs allow the fourth-most points to wide receivers, we’re not so sure everyone would feel the same way. The Rams no longer are relevant in fantasy football after the injury to Cooper Kupp. They’re quickly becoming irrelevant in the league’s 2022 standings, as well.
