Pigskin Papers- 2022 Cheatsheet Week 12

Is Justin Herbert Heating Up?

(Published November 24, 2022, updated for injuries and weather November 27, 2022, 9:30 a.m.)

***Follow the blog on social media: Twitter: @PigskinPapers, Insta: @thepigskinpapers***

     Happy Thanksgiving! With apologies, due to the holiday and family commitments I didn’t have time to write the full fantasy preview column this week. So you’re getting a cheatsheet instead, with my list of Rides, Fades, and Sleepers. Here are links to this week’s other columns (Week 12 Waiver Wire and Week 11 Take Two):

• https://www.thepigskinpapers.com/posts-1/pigskin-papers-2022-waiver-wire-week-12

• https://www.thepigskinpapers.com/posts-1/pigskin-papers-take-2-2022-week-11

******SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE******

INJURY UPDATE:

Players already declared OUT: M. Stafford, J. Mixon, L. Fournette, J, Warren, Mike Williams, J. Jeudy, K.J. Hamler, K. Toney, R. Doubs, Rondale Moore, R. Gage, I. Likely

Players declared OUT for the 1 p.m. games: J. Fields, R. Mostert, J. Chase

Other Players NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: A. Robinson, G. Dortsch

Players Questionable, but EXPECTED TO PLAY: J. Jacobs, G. Edwards, G. Bernard, Deebo, M. Brown, D. Duvernay, D. Robinson, T. Marshall, L. Thomas

WEATHER UPDATE:

No awful weather is expected today, but several games do have some rain and wind in the forecast:

TB@CLE: Steady rain plus moderate winds are expected for most of the afternoon

ATL@WAS: Similar to the game in Cleveland, steady rain plus moderate winds expected for most of the afternoon

DEN@CAR: Intermittent showers and steady moderate winds expected throughout the game

CHI@NYJ: Occasional rain is forecast throughout the game, but winds are fairly light

LV@SEA: Intermittent rain expected, and it will be cold

GB@PHI: A steady rain is likely to end before kickoff, but moderate winds are expected

**********

A few quick notes on this week’s games. First, there are NO BYES this week. Second, 3 teams are making switches at QB. The Panthers (vs. DEN) are going with Sam Darnold, the Jets (vs. CHI) are trotting out Mike White, and the Texans (@MIA) are starting Kyle Allen. Things can’t get much worse for the pass catchers on these teams, so fantasy managers should feel OK about these changes. Third, unless you live under a rock, you know that there are 3 games on Thanksgiving Day: BUF@DET, followed by NYG@DAL, and NE@MIN in the night game. Finally, here are the teams with the highest and lowest implied totals for the week:

• Highest: BUF (32.25), MIA (30.25), KC (29), DAL (27.75), SF (26.75)

• Lowest: LAR (14), CAR (16.75), HOU (16.75), CHI (17), NO (17.27)

Week 12 Rides, Fades, and Sleepers

For those who are familiar with this column, you know the drill. For everyone else - The Rides, Fades and Sleepers is an analysis of players that I think are primed for an especially strong or poor performance, including in comparison to consensus expectations. This isn’t a straight-up Start/Sit exercise, and as a general rule, always start your studs. I’ll rarely list the very top options at a position as “Rides” because those players are “matchup-proof” and are almost always expected to have strong performances, plus you don’t need me or anyone else telling you to start Mahomes, Ekeler, Tyreek Hill, or Kelce every week. While this analysis is intended for season-long play, it works for DFS formats too.

     Each week, I’m picking a Ride of the Week, a Fade of the Week, and a Sleeper of the Week at QB, RB, WR and TE. The rules: the Ride of the Week can’t be a truly elite option, the Fade of the Week can’t be someone who almost nobody is starting anyway, and the Sleeper of the Week has to be an actual sleeper, from down in the rankings. 

Kenneth Walker is in a Smash Spot in Week 12

QB

Ride of the Week: J. Herbert

Fade of the Week: K. Cousins

Sleeper of the Week: T. Heinicke

Other Rides: Burrow, G. Smith, Tua, D. Prescott

Other Fades: A. Rodgers, D. Jones, J. Goff, M. Mariota, R. Wilson, S. Darnold

Other Sleepers: M. Ryan, R. Tannehill, Mike White

RB

Ride of the Week: K. Walker

Fade of the Week: A. Kamara

Sleeper of the Week: R. White

Other Rides: J. Wilson and R. Mostert, M. Sanders, D. Singletary, J. Conner, L. Murray, A. Gibson

Other Fades: D. Swift, D. Foreman, C. Akers

Other Sleepers: M. Carter, J. Cook, K. Drake, E. Elliott (ranked below 30 - sleeper territory!)

WR

Ride of the Week: T. McLaurin

Fade of the Week: D.J. Moore

Sleeper of the Week: G. Wilson

Other Rides: M. Evans and C. Godwin, T. Lockett, G. Davis, M. Pittman, J. Waddle, J. Palmer

Other Fades: A. Lazard, D. Mooney, DPJ

Other Sleepers: T. Burks, T. Boyd, P. Campbell

TE

Ride of the Week: T.J. Hockenson

Fade of the Week: C. Kmet

Sleeper of the Week: L. Thomas

Other Rides: D. Knox, D. Schultz, F. Moreau, T. Higbee

Other Fades: J. Johnson, R. Tonyan, Taysom Hill, D. Njoku

Other Sleepers: N. Fant, G. Everett (if active*)

Good luck to all in Week 12!

DH

***This column appears each Thursday, and the weekly waiver wire and weekly fantasy recap columns post each Monday/Tuesday. Please bookmark the site and come back often. We appreciate your patronage and welcome your feedback. You can post in the comment boxes or email us at pigskinpapers@gmail.com.***