Week 12 of the NFL is here, as fantasy football owners everywhere are working on making the final push for the playoffs. Injuries have dramatically affected some teams, as Gus Edwards has flied up the Week 12 running back rankings. With injuries aplenty, which running backs are set to win your week?
Note that these rankings are for PPR scoring formats. Obviously, if you’re using a different scoring format, there will be some minor changes to these rankings.
Week 12 Wide Receiver Rankings
Gus Edwards, Antonio Gibson Leap In Fantasy Football Week 12 Running Back Rankings
Tier 1: Projected RB1
1. Dalvin Cook
2. Derrick Henry
3. Nick Chubb
4. Austin Ekeler*
5. Aaron Jones
6. Josh Jacobs
7. James Robinson
8. Ezekiel Elliott
9. Alvin Kamara
10. Kareem Hunt
11. Antonio Gibson
12. Wayne Gallman
Dalvin Cook are Derrick Henry go without saying, as both players are generally considered to be the two most reliable running backs in fantasy football. After that, things get a little more interesting. Nick Chubb takes the RB3 spot in what should be an incredibly favorable gamescript against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As of this posting, Austin Ekeler is expected to play in Week 12, and will probably get a full workload. If he does, he should dominate in this high-powered offense. Keep an eye on his status as the week progresses.
Alvin Kamara has one career game without a reception, and it came during Taysom Hill’s lone start. Kamara will probably catch at least one pass next week, but the fact remains that Kamara’s receiving work will dramatically decrease with Hill calling the shots.
The biggest hot take on here is Wayne Gallman, but I can defend this decision. Gallman was the RB5 from Weeks 8-10 (New York had a bye in Week 11) and faces the best possible matchup imaginable. The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the worst defenses in the league, and Ryan Finley is going to be starting. This means that the Giants should have a lead throughout the contest, which means plenty of carries and scoring opportunities.
Tier 2: RB2
13. Chris Carson
14. Gus Edwards
15. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
16. Miles Sanders
17. Mike Davis
18. James Conner
19. Todd Gurley
20. Salvon Ahmed
21. Ronald Jones
22. Kenyan Drake
23. Jonathan Taylor
24. J.D. McKissic
Chris Carson should be against a solid Philadelphia Eagles defense, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll receive his full workload. Considering how well Carlos Hyde played last week, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Seahawks give him 70-80% of his normal workload to ease him back onto the field. Gus Edwards is a must-play in just about all formats, as Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins are both on the COVID-19 list.
For the first time since Week 6, Clyde Edwards-Helaire recorded double-digit carries in Week 11. Fresh off the bye week, Kansas City seems to be putting more trust in the rookie. Look for him to continue his success against a Tampa Bay defense that hasn’t played too well in recent weeks. Miles Sanders has been a fantasy godsend this year, but Doug Pederson is openly discussing lowering his workload to the press. The recent signing of Jordan Howard combined with Philadelphia’s underwhelming offense puts a clear cap on Sanders’ potential.
Ronald Jones is probably the riskiest name in this group, as he can easily get gamescripted away. However, the high over/under on Tampa Bay’s battle against the Chiefs gives him too much touchdown upside to ignore. The Jonathan Taylor breakout game sort of happened last week, and only time will tell if it was a fluke or not.
Tier 3: Flex
25. Giovani Bernard
26. Nyheim Hines
27. Duke Johnson
28. David Montgomery
29. James White
30. Zack Moss
31. Chase Edmonds
32. Melvin Gordon
33. Leonard Fournette
34. Damien Harris
35. Darrell Henderson
36. Adrian Peterson
Giovani Bernard has been everything fantasy football owners could have hoped for in Joe Mixon’s absence. However, with Ryan Finley running the offense, Bernard does not have much of a ceiling. Duke Johnson has all the opportunity in the world with David Johnson sidelined, but has done nothing with it. If he can’t make it happen against an atrocious Detroit Lions defense, then it’s time to give up on him.
Assuming he’s cleared concussion protocol, David Montgomery will be his usual inefficient self. It won’t feel good, but Montgomery is a safe bet for a high volume and snap share. With Rex Burkhead injured and Sony Michel coming back, James White is the only pass-catching running back on the team. He had a great day once Burkhead went down and, in PPR leagues, is probably the Patriots running back to own.
As discussed ad nauseam, Zack Moss is more valuable in fantasy than Devin Singletary. While the two see the field at relatively equal rates, Moss is the guy that gets the targets and goal line carries. Darrell Henderson has the potential to explode on any given week, but good luck trying to figure out what Sean McVay will do with his backfield.
Week 12 Wide Receiver Rankings
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