The Pigskin Papers Waiver Wire - Week 12
This week’s JET-stream: Tyrod Taylor
(Posted November 23, 2021)
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LINK to our Week 11 Fantasy Recap: https://www.thepigskinpapers.com/posts-1/the-pigskin-papers-postscript-week-11
Welcome to the Week 12 Waiver Wire. Does your roster need help? Don’t they all? Well, I’ll warn you upfront that the cupboard is bare this week. Like, senior year of college apartment kitchen bare. That said, as the fantasy season heads down the stretch it’s as important as ever to work the wire to your advantage. I’ll try to give you some names below that might be able to help you over the next month, mostly as streamers or depth adds. But temper your expectations. No fantasy manager should be jumping up and down when they see the name DeeJay Dallas, unless maybe if they’re playing against him. But before we get to those names, here are some important things to bear in mind:
The bye weeks are far from done. All of the remaining byes are in the next 3 weeks - 2 teams this week, and 4 teams each in Weeks 13 and 14. So most fantasy managers are going to need some roster help, at least at PK or TE where most only carry one player, and maybe at QB and especially for those in 2 QB leagues. Check your roster and make sure you know where and when you might need help from waivers.
This season continues to be the most annoying in history, from the standpoint of late-breaking news impacting player availability - which often doesn’t only impact the player in question, and especially when it’s a QB. If a star QB isn’t playing, then the supporting cast gets downgraded. Help from the Waiver Wire can be critical in those instances. It’s not just COVID that’s been the culprit, although that’s part of it (and I think it’s safe to say that the COVID problems will worsen after Thanksgiving travel). It’s also other things - cut to all the Lamar Jackson owners nodding their heads. I had to scramble for a Lamar replacement and the best I could get on waivers was Trevor Lawrence. Speaking of which…
Not all leagues are the same. Leagues vary by size and by roster size. I play in a 14 team league with deep benches - most of the players listed below aren’t available in my league. When I see other Waiver Wire columns this week recommending Cam Newton, Elijah Moore, Brandon Aiyuk or Pat Freirmuth, I don’t know who they’re talking to because at this point, those 4 players shouldn’t be available in any league, but I guess in some, they are. Anyway, I’m not going to give you super-obvious names like those, on the theory that you can’t get them.
OK, on to the Week 12 Waiver Wire:
WEEK 12 BYES: Kansas City, Arizona
QB:
Need QB Help? Grab a Heinicke.
Tyler Heinicke. He’s not going to win any leagues, and yes he’s coming off his best game of the year and chasing performance is always dangerous but he’s been pretty decent the last month or so, and the WFT are playing a lot better overall. He’s also got some rushing upside which is always a plus. If you need a streamer in the next 2 weeks the schedule is pretty favorable (home vs. SEA, @LV). You could do worse (um, like I did on Sunday with Trevor Lawrence).
Tyrod Taylor. This one is tougher, because he’s got so little talent around him. Like Heinicke, he can run (he had 2 rushing TDs on Sunday), and the schedule is good. His next 3 are at home: NYJ, IND, SEA. This week would be the best one to start him, if you need a QB.
Mac Jones. He’s been a much better real-life QB than fantasy QB. But this week the Pats are at home against the Titans, who’ve allowed the 6th most fantasy points to QBs. He’s a decent streaming option for Week 12 - but the following 2 weeks are against the Bills and then the Bye.
Speaking of one week options, Andy Dalton gets the Lions on Thursday, indoors. If you’re truly desperate, you can talk yourself into the red rifle.
RB:
Ty Johnson - ready for a bigger workload
DeeJay Dallas. It’s hard to get excited about Dallas, who has never been more than a 3rd string RB in his short career. But once again the Seahawks have multiple injuries at the position and Dallas is seeing meaningful touches, this time alongside Alex Collins who has done little with his opportunity. Dallas is a decent stash for the stretch run, provided that the Seahawks can turn it around and get their offense going.
Ty Johnson. Michael Carter left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury and didn’t return. It’s a sprain and he’s likely out for a couple of weeks. Johnson figures to be in line for the most work, although Tevin Coleman will also be involved. Both are mainly bench adds, although the matchup this weekend (@HOU) is decent.
Matt Breida. This one is definitely a depth add and no more - the Bills are involving 3 RBs, their offense is struggling some, and I can’t recommend starting any of their backs right now. But Breida has led this backfield in touches the last 2 weeks. It’s hard to trust that though because both games were blowouts (one a win, one a loss). If Breida emerges as the leader of this backfield, then he’s got some streaming value.
Rex Burkhead. I don’t know what to make of this one, but Burkhead led the Texans in carries and yards on Sunday. This offense hasn’t produced at the RB spot all year (other than Mark Ingram in week 1), and it’s a committee, but the opponent this week is the Jets, the #32 ranked run defense which just made Myles Gaskin look decent. If you’re desperate this week, consider Burkhead.
WR:
Ced Wilson is the Next Man Up
Cedric Wilson. Dallas is definitely going to be without Amari Cooper on Thursday, and it’s going to be extremely tough for CeeDee Lamb to clear the concussion protocol on such a short week. Wilson is the next man up and has flashed at points this year. It’s a short-term add but against the Raiders he’s a decent play.
MVS. He has always been hard to trust. Every time it looks like he’s emerging as the #2 target across from D. Adams, he either gets hurt or shows too much inconsistency. A lot of his production on Sunday came on one huge play but that’s what you get with him. He’s a home-run threat and Rodgers isn’t afraid to take deep shots. If you need to swing for the fences a little, he isn’t a bad pickup. Just be aware that Green Bay has a Bye in Week 13, after their date with the Rams this week.
Jamison Crowder. Elijah Moore is getting the attention right now, and his emergence has been great to see, but Crowder is also worth consideration, and especially for however long Joe Flacco is starting at QB. Crowder has seen at least 5 targets in every game he’s played this year, and he has a proven track record working out of the slot.
Darnell Mooney. He’s been mentioned here a few times, and at this point he may not be available in many leagues. He had a very nice stat line in Week 11, has scored in 2 straight, is a big-play threat, and is a decent play this week at the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Will Fuller V. I keep mentioning Fuller, and he keeps not returning from IR. Nobody should be shocked at his continued unavailability. Is this the week he finally suits up and gives Tua some field-stretching help? Maybe. He is nothing more than a high upside stash at this point.
Kendrick Bourne. It’s hard to count on any of the New England WRs for consistent production. He’s gotten exactly 4 targets in 4 of the last 5 games, with 7 in the other. The ceiling is low, and he’s no more than a bench stash.
TE:
Who Dat? It’s Adam Trautman
Adam Trautman. [UPDATE - Trautman is out 4-6 weeks with an MCL Sprain - skip ahead!] The Saints spread it around as much as any team, but Trautman is emerging as an important piece of this offense and seeing a very nice target share. He’s got at least 6 targets in 4 straight, and just scored his first TD. It’s hard to ask for more than that at this position, in Week 12, on the waiver wire. He’s a priority add if you’re struggling at the position.
Donald Parham. Jared Cook is still the “starter”, but they’re being targeted almost the same in recent weeks and Parham has the edge in TDs on the year, 3-2. To be clear, neither one is a good start, but if you’re desperate for someone who is playable and could get a TD, the pass-happy Chargers aren’t a bad place to look.
Logan Thomas. See Will Fuller, above. This is another player who keeps not being ready. The difference is that Thomas should be a playable option once he returns fully healthy. He’s a good stash if you have the bench space.
See? I told you not to get excited about the pickups this week. Good luck with your waiver claims. Be sure to check out our Week 11 Fantasy recap, posting Tuesday, and our week 12 fantasy preview, with our weekly Rides, Fades and Sleepers, posting Thursday.
DH
***This column (Waiver Wire) and the Weekly Fantasy Recap appear each Tuesday, and the Weekly Fantasy Preview each Thursday. Please bookmark the site and come back often. You can also follow on Social Media - on Instagram (thepigskinpapers) and Twitter (@PigskinPapers). I appreciate your patronage and welcome your feedback. You can post in the comment boxes or email pigskinpapers@gmail.com.***
