Week 12 of the NFL season is right around the corner, and fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to optimize their lineups. Deciding on who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially when a player like Baker Mayfield starts getting hot after a slow start to the season. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start em’, sit em’ matchups of the week to put together the best possible lineup.
Wide Receiver Start Sits
Running Back Start Sits
Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff Highlight Fantasy Football Week 12 Quarterback Start Sits
Start: Baker Mayfield
After an atrocious start to the season, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has steadily improved and is once more a reliable streaming option for fantasy. Over the past four week, Mayfield has thrown five touchdowns without throwing an interception while averaging 235 passing yards per game. He’s taking care of the ball, and his yardage total should skyrocket when he takes on the Miami Dolphins in Week 12. He’s my start of the week and should give you a strong performance in your quarterback slot.
Sit: Jared Goff
Jared Goff is only as good as Sean McVay allows him to be, and the NFL figured out Sean McVay’s offense. Over the past two weeks, Goff has thrown zero touchdowns, three interceptions, and averages just 208 passing yards per game. While he still has the ability to beat bad defenses (372/2/0 against Cincinnati three weeks ago) he faces an unfavorable matchup against a strong Baltimore Ravens defense. The Ravens have actually been a bad matchup for quarterbacks since acquiring Marcus Peters. Goff’s going to have a bad week and you’re better off leaving him on your bench.
Start: Sam Darnold
New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has officially overcome his battles with the paranormal and is starting to play like a former third overall pick. Darnold put together a solid game two weeks ago before exploding for 293 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception against the Washington Redskins in Week 11. Washington obviously isn’t a great defense, but they’re not much than Darnold’s Week 12 opponent, the Oakland Raiders. Oakland can’t stop anything through the air, and their offense is good enough to turn this game into something of a shootout. Darnold should be a safe start with fairly high upside if this game gets out of hand.
Sit: Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo is only good when he gets to play the Arizona Cardinals. In two games against his division rivals, Garoppolo has recorded 741 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions. In his other eight games, Garoppolo has recorded just 1,737 passing yards (217 yards per game), 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He’s not capable of beating even an average defense, so the Green Bay Packers should be able to keep him in check. Even if George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders make their way onto the field, you’re better off looking somewhere else for quarterback help.
Start: Derek Carr
Jon Gruden has Derek Carr playing his best football since 2016. So far, Carr is the QB17 in standard scoring and possesses the ability to produce a starting-caliber game any time he takes the field. The New York Jets have a bad defense and, as previously discussed, have a quarterback who can move the ball through the air. There’s a very real chance this game turns into a shootout, and both quarterbacks should be good plays.
Sit: Tom Brady
Predicting the demise of Tom Brady is never a smart thing to do, but you can probably find a better fantasy option in Week 12. Brady is in the midst of one of the worst stretches of his career thanks to a subpar offensive line and supporting cast. Over his past five games, Brady has thrown just four touchdowns to three interceptions while averaging 268 yards per game. Getting left tackle Isaiah Wynn back is going to help, but he probably won’t have Mohamed Sanu or Phillip Dorsett. This isn’t the end of Tom Brady, but you can probably find a better stream on the waiver wire.
Start: Jeff Driskel
Matthew Stafford probably won’t suit up in Week 12, which means Jeff Driskel is going to get another week under center. Driskel isn’t a star quarterback by any means, but he loves to push the ball deep down the field. Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones excel at winning contested catches, so Driskel always has a chance to rack up big yards on one or two plays. Additionally, Driskel’s willingness to pick up yards on the ground makes him a safe floor, making him a smart play in just about any format.
Sit: Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has put together some solid outings, but he’s also a turnover machine. The sixth overall pick is clearly trying to compensate for a bad roster by being overly aggressive, and that tends to backfire. Additionally, Jones has arguably the worst pocket presence in the league, causing him to fumble at an absurd rate. These issues aren’t problems against bad defenses, but the Chicago Bears should be able to force multiple turnovers and limit Jones’ big plays.
Auto-Starts (Better Than Baker Mayfield, No Particular Order)
Deshaun Watson, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson
Wide Receiver Start Sits
Running Back Start Sits
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
