Quarterback
Bo Nix, Broncos (Rostered on 47% of Yahoo leagues)
Nix has gone from a run-first, Konami scam early in the year to a true passing threat over the past six weeks. During that stretch, he ranks 16th in EPA per play, 12th in CPOE, and ninth in PFF passing grade. He is averaging 21.6 fantasy points per game since Week 5 and punctuated that run with 307 yards and four scores versus the Falcons. A date with the Raiders will ensure he keeps the ball rolling as a QB1 in Week 12.
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Anthony Richardson, Colts (48%)
Richardson returned to the lineup in Week 11 with a bang, throwing for a career-high in passing yards (272). He also earned his best mark in PFF’s passing grade (80.3) and completion rate (67 percent) on at least 15 attempts. The most important development by far was his usage as a runner. The Colts called eight designed carries for Richardson. For one final time: That was a career-high. He scored two short touchdowns and came one point shy of a 30-point fantasy outing.
Jameis Winston, Browns (48%)
Winston gets a tough run of matchups over the next month, starting with a game versus the Steelers. We do not care. Winston has attempted at least 40 passes in all three of his starts. He is averaging 321 yards and two touchdowns per game. Winston has amassed at least 400 air yards in all three starts as well. Winston is the rare volume-based quarterback who can ride the attempts to QB1 numbers.
Others receiving votes: Drake Maye and Derek Carr
Running Back
Ameer Abdullah, Raiders (0%)
Alexander Mattison left Week 11 with an ankle injury and was ruled out. Zamir White suffered a quad injury and was listed as questionable to return. He never did. That left only Abdullah in the backfield for much of the second half. He made the most of the newfound role with three receptions for 10 yards and a touchdown. If both backs are out for Week 12, Abdullah would presumably draw the start, vaulting him into the RB3 ranks. Dylan Laube, who has been a healthy scratch for most of the season, will be active this time around and is worth an add in deeper leagues.
Cam Akers, Vikings (17%)
Ty Chandler no longer has a presence in the Minnesota backfield and Akers is now pushing Aaron Jones for a 1B role. Akers has 23 carries for 63 yards and three catches for an additional 20 yards and a score over the past two weeks. Jones has been banged-up and the Vikings are less committed than ever to passing the ball, creating enough backfield touches to make a 1B back relevant for fantasy managers.
Roschon Johnson, Bears (7%)
D’Andre Swift quietly earned his second-lowest snap share and carry share of the year, paving the way for Johnson to run 10 times for 33 yards and a touchdown. Johnson posted season-highs in snap share (44 percent) and carry share (34 percent). This is a struggling offense and Johnson is firmly behind Swift in the backfield rotation, but touches are hard to come by and Jonhson is getting enough to clock in as an RB4 for Week 12.
Jerome Ford, Browns (39%)
Ford is the Browns’ primary back on passing downs and that was the baseline situation for Cleveland in a losing effort on Sunday. Ford ran 28 routes and caught all four targets for 29 yards. He also saw five carries. With the Steelers sitting as four-point favorites over the Browns for Week 12, Ford could run a PPR scam of sorts for fantasy managers desperate at running back.
Others receiving votes: Blake Corum, Jaylen Wright, and Gus Edwards
Wide Receiver
Elijah Moore, Browns (8%)
The Browns’ receivers shook things up in Week 11. Jerry Jeudy led the starting trio with a 23 percent target while Elijah Moore narrowly edged him out in air yards share at 32 percent. Cedric Tillman still earned respectable target and air yards shares of 19 and 27 percent. Tilman is holding onto a one target per week lead in games without Amari Cooper. All three wideouts are averaging at least 8.5 looks and over 100 air yards per game sans Cooper. Jeudy, who is one point over the 50 percent roster threshold I use for this article, was the big winner last week, coming down with this house call versus the Saints.
JEUDY 89-YARD TD!! 😳
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
📺: #CLEvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/pPwT9dYWZs
All three players are at worst WR3s in this version of the Browns offense.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Saints (27%)
MVS is on bye this week, so fantasy managers needing an immediate starter should look elsewhere. If not, you’ve come to the right place. Valdes-Scantling found the end zone again in Week 11. He also upped his route rate to 87 percent, operating as the Saints’ only full-time receiver. He has yet to hit a target share of 20 percent, so I’m still hesitant to unload the FAAB clip on him. But it’s impossible to ignore MVS after another big game.
Christian Watson, Packers (44%)
Fantasy managers finally threw in the towel on Watson and cut him in enough leagues to get him under a 50 percent roster rate heading into Sunday. Sensing their fear, Watson caught four passes for 150 yards. He earned a 25 percent target share and ran a route on 75 percent of Jordan Love’s dropbacks. It was his second-highest route rate of the year and coincided with Dontayvion Wicks’ second-lowest route rate. Watson will spring big plays at a far higher clip if he continues to phase Wicks out of the offense.
Quentin Johnston, Chargers (41%)
Johnston had another inefficient outing in Week 11, catching just 2-of-8 targets. He did, however, turn those two grabs into 48 yards and his sixth touchdown of the year. Most importantly, a 27 percent target share was his second-highest mark of the season. His efficiency has been a mixed bag this year, but Johnston is finding his stride as a splash play artist and is now showing a target ceiling that was previously off the table.
Demario Douglas, Patriots (28%)
The Pats’ receiving room is a weekly nightmare that fantasy managers should try to avoid for sanity purposes, but there are targets to be had and FLEX spots to be filled. Kayshon Boutte ran a route on nearly every Drake Maye dropback on Sunday but only earned a 16 percent target share. That was still good for six targets, marking his fourth game in a row with exactly six looks. Pop Douglas led the receivers with seven targets, five of which he caught for 59 yards. Lastly, there’s Kendrick Bourne. The veteran wideout was benched two weeks ago but came back with a vengeance on Sunday, catching all five of his looks for 70 yards and a score.
Douglas has been the most consistent producer of the bunch and should be the priority pickup of the three. Bourne and Boutte are nothing more than deep league stashes.
Others receiving votes: Jalen Coker, Devaughn Vele, Rashod Bateman, and Alec Pierce
Tight End
Will Dissly, Chargers (23%)
Dissly has been on a tear—for Will Dissly standards—over the past month. He is averaging 10.1 fantasy points since Week 6. That comes on the back of a 22 percent target share and .25 targets per route run. The Chargers’ uptick in passing volume plus an expanded role for Dissly has him pushing for a weekly TE1 ranking.
J’Tavion Sanders, Panthers (3%)
Sanders ran a route on over 70 percent of the Panthers’ dropbacks for the first time in Week 5. He has mostly held serve as an every-down player since then, running a route on at least 69 percent of the team’s dropbacks in all but one of six games. The rookie has a 15 percent target share since Week 5 and is averaging 8.1 PPR points.
Isaiah Likely, Ravens (26%)
Likely missed Week 10 but was on the field last week for just over half of Lamar Jackson’s dropbacks. That’s not enough to put most tight ends on the fantasy radar, but Likely isn’t most tight ends. He earned a 19 percent target share and caught four balls for 75 yards. He and the Ravens get a potential shootout with the Chargers next week, making Likely a high-ceiling TE2 for Week 12.
Luke Schoonmaker, Cowboys (0%)
Jake Ferguson went down with a concussion early in Week 11 and did not return. Schoonmaker only took on 52 percent of the routes in his absence but parlayed that role into an 18 percent target share. He caught 6-of-10 targets for 50 yards. With a short turnaround to Week 12, Ferguson can already be considered on the wrong side of questionable. Schoonmaker will be a solid start in FFPC (TE premium) leagues assuming Ferguson sits.
Hunter Henry and Zach Ertz
I’m tired. Please stop making me write about these two. They are the two highest-scoring tight ends available in over half of all Yahoo leagues. Both players are top-10 in most volume metrics this year as well. It’s not flashy, but these two are the best long-term adds at the position.
Others receiving votes: Theo Johnson and Dalton Kincaid
