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Fantasy Football Week 12: Waiver-Wire Pickups, Rankings and Stat Projections
- Updated: November 21, 2016
Many people associate Thanksgiving week with food or family gatherings, but fantasy football players know it means one thing—crunch time.
The fantasy football playoffs are rapidly approaching, and every game is magnified as teams fight for positioning and seeding. One timely waiver-wire pickup or change to the flex position can mean the difference between a spot in the playoffs and an offseason of disappointment.
With that in mind, here is a look at some potential waiver-wire pickup candidates before Week 12 as well as rankings and stat projections for the top options at different positions.
A player was considered a waiver-wire candidate if he was owned in less than 20 percent of ESPN.com leagues as of Sunday.
Waiver-Wire Options
Wendell Smallwood, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles announced that running backs Ryan Mathews (knee) and Darren Sproles (ribs) each missed the end of Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks with injuries.
While it wasn’t officially determined how long they will be out, it opens up a chance for rookie Wendell Smallwood to shine in the coming weeks if they miss extensive time.
Smallwood didn’t do much on the ground against Seattle’s stingy defense with 48 rushing yards on 13 carries, but it was just the third time all year he reached the double-digit plateau for touches. He did prove to be a threat in the aerial attack with four catches for 31 yards.
Smallwood has touched the ball at least 10 times in just three games this year, and he impressed with 228 total yards (76 per contest) and a touchdown in those outings. While those aren’t amazing numbers, they are viable for a deeper waiver-wire target.
There is also no need to worry about Kenjon Barner vulturing much production considering he has never topped 42 rushing yards in a single game.
Alex Gelhar of NFL.com called Smallwood a “must-add,” especially with an impending showdown against a Green Bay Packers defense that “has shown plenty of cracks in recent weeks.”
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