Whether due to their own play, the play of others, or injuries, players' stock increases and decreases on a weekly basis. Perhaps more than any other, the NFL is a league that experiences ups and downs at a rapid pace. With only 16 games, there’s little room for error and seemingly endless opportunities for improvement. The same goes for fantasy football, and managing rosters effectively is key to winning that championship.

Throughout the season, players get hot and see an increased role while others struggle and fight to stay relevant. Experienced fantasy players know this happens every year. In this weekly column, we’ll showcase those who have taken important steps forward and those who have taken steps back.

These are the key fantasy risers and fallers heading into Week 12 of the NFL season. Dynasty owners, check out our separate Dynasty Risers/Fallers segment each week as well.

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Week 12 Risers

Kirk Cousins (QB, WAS)

Kirk Cousins has had an interesting season. He spent the first two weeks being useless; the next four weeks as an elite QB1; the next two weeks being useless; and now he's posted back to back elite QB1 games. Last week was Cousins' third three touchdown game and fifth 300 yard game. With another favorable matchup against the Giants upcoming, the arrow is firmly pointed upwards for the Captain.

Keenan Allen (WR, LAC)

After four consecutive weeks in the single digits, Keenan Allen finally broke double digit fantasy points last week against the Bills. Well, he didn't just break double digits - he shattered them. Allen posted a career high (I think it's a career high) 40 fantasy points, catching 12 of 13 targets for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Since Allen plays the slot, he doesn't really have a single imposing matchup the rest of the season. And we know Philip Rivers has no idea there are other players on his team he can throw the ball to. Allen is back.

Samaje Perine (RB, WAS)

This may seem like the easy pick, but it's more than just putting Samaje Perine here because Chris Thompson broke his leg, leaving Perine as the only remaining healthy back (Byron Marshall doesn't count). Perine actually played well, totaling 117 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Without Rob Kelley and CT, Perine will be given all the work he can handle. The Redskins do not project to be negative game scripted out of any game the rest of the season. Perine might legitimately average 20 touches a game going forward. He is a locked in RB2 rest of season and will look to stake his claim to the starting job for 2018.

Week 12 Fallers

Sean McDermott (HC, BUF)

Yes. That's a head coach on the fallers. He finds himself here by making what I believe to be the single dumbest coaching decision of my lifetime. Coaches make dumb decisions all the time, but benching your well liked 5-4 starting QB for a fifth round rookie that no one other than you thought was good, having everyone think it will be an unmitigated disaster, and then somehow having the result be exponentially worse than even the harshest cynics could have imagined - that takes the proverbial cake. Sean McDermott probably ruined Nathan Peterman's career. Peterman threw 14 passes in one half of football last week. Three of them hit the ground. Six of them found homes in the arms of waiting Buffalo Bills. The other five went to various Chargers defenders. Peterman was so bad that McDermott had no choice but to stick his tail between his legs and beg Tyrod Taylor (I say beg because that's how I choose to envision the exchange occurring) to come back in the second half. The only way this story gets worse is if Peterman starts another game on purpose.

Dak Prescott (QB, DAL)

Oh dear. Dear, dear, dear. What has happened to the Dallas Cowboys? Dak Prescott has been getting pummeled in the backfield since Tyron Smith got hurt. The results have been catastrophic. Prescott hasn't thrown a touchdown since November 5. He rushed for a score in the first quarter against Atlanta and the team hasn't generated a touchdown since. Prescott had what has to be the worst game of his career last week. You would have been better off starting yourself at QB than Prescott, who left your team with fewer fantasy points than it had before he played football. Prescott will have a chance to rebound at home on Thanksgiving against the Chargers (the same team that probably ended Nathan Peterman's career before it even began), but will need his support cast to get healthy to do it.

Doug Baldwin (WR, SEA)

Doug Baldwin? A faller? Didn't he just post 12 fantasy points? This doesn't make sense. Baldwin has posted five consecutive weeks with double digits. He's also now posted two consecutive games with just six targets. In a game where the Seahawks were trailing wire to wire and Russell Wilson attempted 42 passes wth 26 completions, just two of them went to Baldwin. The reality is Baldwin is not an important member of this passing attack to the extent that plays are drawn up for him. He's just another guy on the field that Wilson can throw to. We are now heading into week 12 and Baldwin has been a WR1 just three times this season. In the other games, he's been a WR3 or worse. If not for a 29 yard touchdown on a free play, Baldwin likely would have finished with just one reception for 11 yards. I truly do not believe he is a must start if your team is deep enough.

Kareem Hunt (RB, KC)

It is time to remind everyone that Kareem Hunt is not an elite RB in real life or fantasy. He is good. He is not "special." Hunt hasn't scored since week 3, hasn't posted 100 rushing yards since week 5, and over 50% of his fantasy points on the season came in the first three weeks. Andy Reid is imploding before our very eyes. His innovative offense that we saw early in the season has vanished. The Chiefs have started to lose games. Alex Smith is reverting back to his old ways. Even the bye week couldn't fix things. Hunt can turn it around at any moment, but we've been waiting for weeks now.

More Week 12 Lineup Prep