NFL Waiver Wire: Week 12 Pickups

Another wacky week is in the books for the NFL. The Dolphins had their winning streak snapped, the Bengals found a way to lose once again and some Cardinals bettors (like Chad Ochocinco) were dealt a horrible bad beat. 

Both Deebo Samuel and Derrius Guice were discussed last week; you won't see them mentioned. We still seem to be looking for that late-season sleeper who will carry us to fantasy titles much in the way of Tim Hightower, Jerome Harrison and Jamaal Charles (rookie season). Maybe that player is finally there this week.

QUARTERBACK

PRIMARY TARGETS

Sam Darnold, NYJ - Darnold is something of an enigma, looking good at times this season and then having games where he mutters "I'm seeing ghosts." The attraction is his receiving options are healthy and arguably the best he's had, and he has a three-game schedule on tap that should be a cakewalk — Oakland,  at Cincinnati and Miami. I challenge you to find a better three games coming up for fantasy purposes. Ryan Griffin (more on him later) has looked the part we thought Chris Herndon would be, Robby Anderson still has elite speed to stretch the field and Jamison Crowder recently has showed why the Jets paid up for him. He's a great add, especially if you need a bye-week quarterback. FAAB: $10-$15

Nick Foles, JAC - Like Darnold, Foles has a nice schedule overall the next few weeks with Tampa Bay, at Oakland and at Atlanta in the next five games. While Atlanta might have turned a corner, that matchup is indoors where weather won't play a factor. Leonard Fournette commands the attention of most teams, leaving the secondary vulnerable, and D.J. Chark and Dede Westbrook are a pair of underrated wide receivers. Depending on the matchups and your current starter, Foles could end up being useful. FAAB: $8-$12

RUNNING BACK

PRIMARY TARGETS

Bo Scarbrough, DET - So, it wasn't J.D. McKissic or Ty Johnson but Scarbrough who led the Detroit backfield with 14 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. The Lions should continue to use him heavily, and he has a decent pedigree as a graduate from Alabama. He won't do a lot in the passing game but will get the goal-line work and double-digit carries every week. Scarbrough has a juicy matchup this week facing Washington, a team which has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to  running backs. He's a preferred add over any of the Colts' running backs given the team appears to have an RBBC. FAAB: $15-$25

Jonathan Williams, Jordan Wilkins, Nyheim Hines, IND - While it appears Marlon Mack will be back this season, there's no timetable for his return. He probably won't be back until after the fantasy playoffs, so he's droppable in almost every place. Coach Frank Reich said Monday that both Williams and Wilkins would split the work with Mack out. This means both the goal-line work and early down work will fall to those two while Hines likely will handle third-down and passing-down situations. While Williams had a stellar week with Wilkins out, Wilkins is higher on the depth chart and should be sought after more, from my perspective. Keep in mind that Wilkins missed Sunday's game and Monday's practice with an ankle injury and that could force him to continue to miss time. Adjust your bids accordingly if this situation becomes clearer. FAAB: Wilkins - $15-$25, Williams - $12-$18, Hines - $4-$8

SECONDARY TARGETS

Darrel Williams, KC - It's unknown how long or if Damien Williams will miss time after suffering an injury in Mexico City on Monday Night Football. Darrel might end up with a significant role in the backfield with Damien banged up and LeSean McCoy so old he takes games off for rest maintenance. This is still one of the most high-powered offenses in the league and Williams has it in his skill set to potentially be a three-down back. FAAB: $4-$8

HAIL MARY

Patrick Laird, MIA - I mentioned him last week but he's worth mentioning again. The fish are a full two games behind the Bengals for the Burrow Bowl (yes, he'll be the No.1 pick now with the Tua injury), so they might want to re-evaluate the Kalen Ballage starting running back situation. Ballage had nine carries for nine yards while Laird had one carry for seven yards. The efficiency between those two might suggest more carries for Laird. (For the record, I'd go Andrew Laird > Patrick Laird but it's close.) FAAB: $1-$2

WIDE RECEIVER

PRIMARY TARGETS

James Washington, PIT - Both Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster left last Thursday's game with concussions and their status for this week's game is up in the air. If both are out (or even just JuJu) that leaves Washington as the top target in the passing game for the Steelers. He'll have a prime matchup this week against the Bengals and should be penciled in for double-digit targets. If this plays out that Washington is the top wide receiver, plan to hear that he was college teammates with Mason Rudolph plenty of times during the game. FAAB: $6-$12

SECONDARY TARGETS

Tim Patrick, DEN - DaeSean Hamilton has been something of a disappointment since the Emmanuel Sanders trade as it was expected for him to step up and be the No. 2 wide receiver behind Courtland Sutton. Patrick made his case for that role in the almost-upset in Minnesota on Sunday but finished with a respectable 8-4-77 stat line. He almost had the game-winning touchdown (he was grabbed by the facemask as the ref swallowed the whistle), and Sutton will attract a lot of attention given his play this season.  FAAB: $4-$8

Kendrick Bourne, SF - Emmanuel Sanders clearly isn't 100 percent healthy and Deebo Samuel left the game Sunday as well with a shoulder injury. That could put Bourne, who has touchdowns in three consecutive games, in a good spot. While this remains a run-heavy offense, it's clear Jimmy G has looked for Bourne inside of the red zone. FAAB: $3-$6

Kelvin Harmon, WAS - Raise your hand if you knew who Harmon was before this last game. Harmon is an N.C. State product who fell to the sixth round due to poor Combine results despite having physical upside (6-foot-2, 215, maybe more depending on reports). Harmon led the Washington receivers with six targets (6-5-53 to be exact) and should have a significant receiving role with Terry McLaurin banged up and no other good options. FAAB: $2-$4

HAIL MARY

N'Keal Harry, NE - Harry was written up in this the column during preseason after he was the 32nd overall draft pick by the Patriots, which suggested he could have an immediate role. He was banged up to start the season and sent to IR but now is on the fantasy radar with Phillip Dorsett injured. Harry had a modest 4-3-18 line against the Eagles but that could improve if Dorsett misses time.  FAAB: $1-$2

TIGHT END

PRIMARY TARGETS

Cameron Brate, TB - Just when we were all duped into getting back on the O.J. Howard bandwagon, he gave up a back-handed (literally) interception and was subsequently benched for the rest of the game. Playing from behind, the Bucs were forced to throw a lot and Brate finished with a 14-10-73, putting him at the top of the list to get this week. Howard, who barely saw the field in the second half, is easily a drop as he may never find his way out of coach Bruce Arians' doghouse. FAAB: $6-$12

Ryan Griffin, NYJ - Griffin has had some solid games  lately and with Chris Herndon going on IR, he'll be the main tight end for the rest of the season. Griffin had games of 19.4 and 20.6 fantasy points in two of his last four and appears to have a good rapport with Sam Darnold. This week, he'll get Oakland at home, the team allowing the third-most fantasy points to tight ends. FAAB: $5-$10

Jacob Hollister, SEA - Coach Pete Carroll has already said he doesn't think Luke Willson (hamstring) will be back this wee, putting Hollister in line to be the top tight end. Russell Wilson has always loved using his tight end, and Hollister is coming off games of 16.2 and 17.7 fantasy points. Hollister would be the preferred target over Brate or Griffin, but Willson should be back at some point and the former two have starting gigs to themselves. While Willson's out, Hollister is a great target, though. FAAB: $5-$10

SECONDARY TARGETS

Ross Dwelley, SF - Dwelley proved Sunday that George Kittle is merely a result of the Kyle Shanahan offense after Dwelley scored twice and had a third called back in the win over the Cardinals. Seriously, though, the tight end is an important position in a 49ers offense that uses a lot of play-action after establishing the run. Dwelley would be higher on this list, but it seems as if Kittle might be back soon, putting Dwelley into a primary role of blocking. FAAB: $4-$8

DEFENSE

PRIMARY TARGETS

Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons' stout defense from the Saints game carried over to Sunday's game as Atlanta was dominant once again against the Panthers. It's now a two-game sample since head coach Dan Quinn relinquished play-calling duties on the defensive side of the ball, which could be the reason for the turnaround. This week, they'll go back home and get Jameis Winston and his turnover-prone ways. Even if it's for a week, throw a bid on them and realize they might actually be very good for the rest of the season.  FAAB: $5-$10