X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 12 Deeper Waiver Wire Sleepers: Standard Leagues

What's up RotoBallers. Welcome to my deeper standard league sleepers column for Week 12 of the NFL season. In this weekly article we are going to take a look at some deeper waiver wire options for standard leagues, who could help out your team in this upcoming week.

For reference's sake, we are looking at standard scoring leagues and will be using ownership percentage data from Fleaflicker. In order to qualify as a deep sleeper, a player must be 20% owned or less.

Let's get to the picks!

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 12 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

 

Quarterback

Josh McCown (CLE) vs. New York Giants

(Ownership: 7%)

Expect Josh McCown to be under center in Week 12 when the Browns take on the Giants at home. Rookie Cody Kessler suffered his second concussion of the season against the Steelers in Week 11, and the Browns are expected to shut him down for at least a few weeks as a result. McCown has been up-and-down all season, but he does have multiple-touchdown upside if he's able to play the entire game.

McCown makes for a decent sleeper option in deeper leagues if you are desperate this weekend. He theoretically has several explosive weapons to target in Terrelle Pryor, Corey Coleman and old friend Gary Barnidge. Keep in mind McCown and Barnidge have shown a nice chemistry together, dating back to last season. Furthermore, the Giants have been weak against opposing tight ends for a few years now.

 

Running Back

Wendell Smallwood (PHI) vs. Green Bay Packers

(Ownership: 15%)

Wendell Smallwood is in line to see a heavy workload in Week 12 following injuries to both Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles this past weekend. Mathews has an MCL sprain and is expected to be out for several weeks. Sproles has a rib injury, making his status unknown at this point. If Sproles is out for Week 12, Smallwood should operate as Philadelphia's lead back and would be a solid play who is widely available on the waiver wire.

Green Bay's run defense has been strong this year, but they have shown some signs of springing a few leaks as of late. They are fresh off allowing Robert Kelley to smoke them for 137 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday night. The week prior, DeMarco Murray rolled up 117 yards and a touchdown. Smallwood is a priority waiver pickup this week for any team that is thin at running back.

 

Wide Receiver

Cordarrelle Patterson (MIN) @ Detroit Lions

(Ownership: 12%)

Patterson has quietly carved out a solid role in the Vikings' offense. He has seen six or more targets in five of his past seven games, scoring two touchdowns over that span. With Detroit's top cornerback Darius Slay expected to shadow Stefon Diggs, look for the secondary options in Minnesota's passing attack to see some extra work on Thursday. As an added bonus, if you play in leagues that award points for return touchdowns, Patterson is one of the best bets in the league to take a kickoff to the house, like he did in Week 11 against the Cardinals.

 

Tight End

Will Tye (NYG) @ Cleveland Browns

(Ownership: 8%)

Will Tye has put together a solid three-game stretch, during which he has caught 11-of-20 targets for 98 yards and a touchdown. Not huge numbers, but still useful from the tight end position. The main reason to take interest in Tye is his matchup this weekend. The Browns have been one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to stopping opposing tight ends. Before Week 11's action, Football Outsiders had them ranked dead last in DVOA against tight ends, which coincides with them also allowing the most fantasy points per game in the league to the position. Tye shapes up as a nice sleeper option at tight end this weekend.

 

Defense/Special Teams

Tennessee Titans (TEN) @ Chicago Bears

(Ownership: 16%)

The Titans' defense has been a decent fantasy option this season, ranking second in the league with 30 quarterback sacks and tied for fifth with nine interceptions. It is a mild surprise that the Tennessee defense is this widely available on waiver wires, so be sure to take advantage.

They draw a prime matchup in Week 12 against a Chicago Bears team that has really struggled on offense this season and is without top wideout Alshon Jeffery, who is suspended. They rank 31st in the league in points scored, in front of only the Los Angeles Rams. With news breaking Monday afternoon that Jay Cutler may possibly be out for the season, the Bears will have to turn their hopes to Matt Barkley. Barkley was a disaster in his only 2016 appearance in Week 7 against the Packers. Cutler's absence would just make the Titans defense all the more attractive of a fantasy option in Week 12.

 


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Arenado8 hours ago

Red Sox Emerge As Strong Candidate To Land Nolan Arenado
Christian Watson9 hours ago

Packers Confirm Torn ACL For Christian Watson
Ezekiel Elliott9 hours ago

Signing With Chargers
Jalen Johnson10 hours ago

Ruled Out For Tuesday
Bilal Coulibaly10 hours ago

Could Be Ready To Return Against Houston
Malcolm Brogdon10 hours ago

Will Not Play Tuesday
Jordan Poole10 hours ago

Uncertain Against Houston
Bub Carrington10 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Tuesday
Jalen Green10 hours ago

Questionable Against Washington
Tari Eason10 hours ago

Doubtful Tuesday Against The Wizards
Josh Richardson11 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Lauri Markkanen11 hours ago

Could Return Tuesday Against Atlanta
Keyonte George11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Tuesday
John Collins11 hours ago

Out Tuesday Against Atlanta
Jordan Clarkson11 hours ago

Will Miss At Least Two Weeks
Yuki Kawamura11 hours ago

Available To Play Monday Against The Mavericks
Luke Kennard12 hours ago

Available To Play Monday
Desmond Bane12 hours ago

Downgraded To Out Against Dallas
Jalen Brunson12 hours ago

Cleared To Face Orlando
Karl-Anthony Towns12 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Michael Lorenzen12 hours ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Kansas City
Luke Kennard12 hours ago

Available For Monday's Game
Andre Drummond12 hours ago

Unavailable Against Suns
Gavin Lux12 hours ago

Traded To Cincinnati
Deandre Ayton12 hours ago

Available On Monday
Ben Simmons12 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Kyler Murray13 hours ago

"100 Percent" Chance That Kyler Murray Will Start For Cardinals In 2025
Brock Purdy13 hours ago

Wants Contract Done Sooner Than Later
Christian McCaffrey13 hours ago

"Definitely Close" To Being Fully Recovered
Jayden Daniels13 hours ago

Commanders "Not Concerned" With Jayden Daniels' Leg Soreness
Amari Cooper13 hours ago

Bills Hopeful Amari Cooper Will Be Available In Wild-Card Round
Erik Haula13 hours ago

Expected To Miss "A Few Weeks"
Patrik Laine14 hours ago

Misses Third Consecutive Game
Adam Larsson14 hours ago

Available Monday
Dakota Joshua14 hours ago

Out Week-To-Week
Elias Pettersson14 hours ago

Remains Out On Monday
Quinn Hughes14 hours ago

A Game-Time Decision For Monday
Aaron Ekblad14 hours ago

Unlikely To Play On Monday
Chicago Bears15 hours ago

Bears Seek Permission To Interview Mike McCarthy For Head-Coaching Job
Jalen Hurts15 hours ago

Still In The Concussion Protocol
Anthony Richardson16 hours ago

Will Be Colts Starter In 2025
Luis Arraez16 hours ago

Yankees Talking With Padres About Luis Arraez
Las Vegas Raiders17 hours ago

Antonio Pierce Expects To Return As Raiders Head Coach
Chicago Bears17 hours ago

Chicago Requests Interview With Mike Kafka For Head-Coaching Job
Geno Smith18 hours ago

Expected To Return To Seattle
Christian Watson18 hours ago

Believed To Have Suffered A Torn ACL
Seattle Seahawks19 hours ago

Seahawks Fire Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb
Chicago Bears19 hours ago

Bears Formally Request To Interview Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn For Head-Coaching Job
Zay Flowers19 hours ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Michael Pittman Jr.19 hours ago

Dealing With Fracture In His Back
Brian Thomas Jr.19 hours ago

Tops Century Mark In Loss To Colts
New England Patriots20 hours ago

Patriots Request To Interview Ben Johnson
New York Jets20 hours ago

Jets Request Interviews With Arthur Smith, Bobby Slowik, Joe Brady
Frank Vatrano23 hours ago

Nets Two Goals On Sunday Evening
Sebastian Aho24 hours ago

Leads Carolina To Victory With Three-Point Night
Bo Horvat24 hours ago

Scores Game-Winner On Sunday
Filip Chytil24 hours ago

Scores Twice On Sunday
Jake McCabe24 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Philip Tomasino24 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Kris Letang2 days ago

Returns To Penguins Lineup
William Carrier2 days ago

Misses Sunday's Game With A Lower-Body Injury
Aaron Ekblad2 days ago

Sits Out Sunday's Practice
Travis Hamonic2 days ago

To Miss Up To Four Weeks
Linus Ullmark2 days ago

Out Week-To-Week
Frank Vatrano2 days ago

Signs Three-Year Extension With Ducks
Clayton Kershaw3 days ago

Intends To Pitch In 2025, Expected To Return To Los Angeles
Thatcher Demko3 days ago

Joining Team For Five-Game Road Trip
Pyotr Kochetkov3 days ago

Starts Against Wild On Saturday
Charlie Morton4 days ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Baltimore
Pete Alonso4 days ago

Angels "Looking At" Pete Alonso
Xander Schauffele6 days ago

Hoping To Find Success Again At Majors In 2025
Chris Kirk6 days ago

Starts 2025 Defending The Sentry Title
Max Homa6 days ago

Hopes To Rebound After Disappointing 2024 Season
Nick Dunlap6 days ago

Looks To Build On Impressive Rookie Season
Collin Morikawa6 days ago

Heads To The Sentry After Excellent 2024 Season
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Hoping To Start 2025 Season Strongly At The Sentry
Russell Henley6 days ago

Closes Out 2024 Season Strong
Jason Day6 days ago

Looks Ahead To 2025 Season At The Sentry
Akshay Bhatia6 days ago

To Repeat Last Year’s Sentry Performance?
Ludvig Aberg6 days ago

Returns To The Sentry
Jesús Luzardo6 days ago

Jesus Luzardo Feeling 100 Percent
Maverick McNealy6 days ago

Making First Career Start At Kapalua
Corey Conners6 days ago

Making Third Consecutive Start At Kapalua
Viktor Hovland6 days ago

A Gametime Decision For Year's First Event
Tony Finau6 days ago

Making Sixth Start At Kapalua After Rumor-Filled Offseason
Justin Thomas6 days ago

Looks To Get Off To Fast Start In 2025 At Kapalua

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP