Rizzla provides his waiver wire rankings while singling out the priority targets in his hot pickups column for week twelve.
With the fantasy football regular season rapidly coming to a close and bye weeks all but over (only two teams are on bye this week) going forward we will be focusing our weekly column on priority adds worth at least 15 percent of your total budget. As for the non priority adds you can see them ranked against the top targets in the waiver wire ranking tool below provided thanks to our friends over at FantasyPros.
Likely already scooped up in most competitive formats Lamar Jackson is still sitting on the waiver wire in 82 percent of yahoo leagues. Jackson got the start this past Sunday and led the Baltimore Ravens to a much needed win over division rival Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Flacco may indeed be sidelined for at least one more week but Jackson seems to have sparked a quarterback controversy nonetheless. There is some risk here as Joe Flacco may inexplicably be handed back the starting job upon his return to health but the upside is undeniable. Jackson threw for only 150 yards in his debut as an NFL starter but dazzled with 117 rushing yards setting a Ravens franchise record in the process. While Jackson’s floor as a passer is as low as any NFL starter his ability to couple that with upside RB2 performances on the ground give him a significant QB1 ceiling. Add Jackson wherever possible ahead of week twelve date with an Oakland Raiders team in which he will be a serious candidate to top Colin Kaepernick’s single game rushing record.
Gus Edwards went from unknown to the new potential starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens in week eleven. Edwards went bonkers to the tune of 115 yards rushing on seventeen carries, a feat that is even more impressive when you consider no Ravens running back had run for 100 yards the entire season. Edwards obviously benefited from the threat elite rushing quarterback Lamar Jackson presented the banged up Bengals defense but regardless he was able to provide a spark to a running game that has been running on fumes for most of the season. Available in 99 percent of yahoo leagues Edwards is likely to be the hottest pickup this week in competitive leagues as the rest of the names listed below are likely to be long gone. Edwards looks like an upside flex play the rest of the way as the current favorite to lead the Ravens backfield in carries as long as Lamar Jackson remains under center. Alex Collins will remain a factor but will remain a low floor RB3 timeshare back as he continues to deal with the migraines that have necessitated one to this point in the season. Edwards is not a burner (4.57 40 time) but at 6’1, 238 lbs his 105.0 speed score is an indicator he has the potential for continued success in a hammer role beside Lamar Jackson.
The 61 percent available DJ Moore exploded this past Sunday for 157 receiving yards and a touchdown off of seven receptions. Already owned in all dynasty and keeper leagues, redraft owners should take notice. Moore, who was a recommended pickup earlier in the season before becoming all but in invisible for fantasy purposes, reminded everyone today why he was so highly touted earlier in the campaign and is a priority target this week, even if it is just to block rival owners. Moore has weekly WR2 upside but retains his Cam Newton fueled bench floor despite the strong week.
Josh Adams was limited by both game flow and an injury he suffered during the week eleven but looked impressive when he did get work, doing nothing to dispel the notion that he is the Eagles most talented runner. Adams impressed with 53 yards and a touchdown on the ground at a 7.6 yards per carry clip and most stunningly was second on the team with six targets, hauling in three of them for nineteen yards. If Adams continues to be used in the passing game his stock will virtually double making him a high priority add in the 68 percent of yahoo leagues he is still available in.
Given up on in 75 percent of yahoo leagues after Tre’quan Smith followed up his breakout week five with four consecutive forgettable performances, Smith did his best to state his case to remain in the game plan once Brandon Marshall is activated next week. Tre’Quan exploded for 157 receiving yards off of career high ten receptions, a feat even more impressive when one considers his reception total exceeds his target total in any two combined games this season coming into week eleven. Expectations need to be tempered as Smith is not likely to see thirteen targets again this season but this outing returns him squarely in the upside WR4/flex2 mix.
Available in 78 percent of yahoo leagues Cameron Brate received a huge fantasy value boost this week with the shocking placement of star tight end OJ Howard on injured reserve. A long time favorite of once again starting quarterback Jameis Winston, Brate is now staring at TE1 value down the stretch. A feature in our week ten edition of dynasty league dive Brate has always had talent and upside but was blocked by a top three talent at the position in OJ Howard. Add Brate wherever available as the only tight end this season worth 15 percent or more of your total FAAB budget.
Josh Reynolds had a coming out party this past Monday night. Reynolds posted a shootout aided 6-80-1 line which may leave some to worry about his true usage in non scoring barrages after leading the team in PPR fantasy points against the Chiefs. Reynolds did see considerably less air yards than Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods but was highly involved in the red zone where he saw three looks corralling one for a score and narrowly missing a second in the first half. Reynolds is one of the top pickups of the week and is worth a look in the 55 percent of yahoo leagues he is still somehow available in.
