
Adam Ronis recaps the biggest takeaways from the Week 12 fantasy football Sunday slate.
Picking up a player off the waiver wire and putting them in the lineup and getting a great performance feels extra special. Those with Emanuel Wilson felt that way in Week 12. Josh Jacobs didn’t play due to a knee injury and Wilson received a massive workload. Wilson rushed for 107 yards on 28 carries with two TDs and caught both passes for 18 yards in the Packers’ 23-6 win over Minnesota. It might only be a one-week fill-in since Jacobs could return on Thursday when the Packers visit Detroit. Hold on to Wilson, especially if you have Jacobs.
As for the rest of the slate? Let's dive in.
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There aren’t enough accolades to describe how great Jaxon Smith-Njigba is. He set the Seahawks’ single-season record for receiving yards in the 11th game of the season. JSN had eight catches for 167 yards with two TDs on 10 targets. He has 80 catches for 1,313 yards with seven TDs.
The Chiefs ran 91 plays, and it took a lot of plays on each drive just to move down the field. Kareem Hunt had 30 carries for 104 yards with a TD and caught three passes for 26 yards with Isiah Pacheco missing another game with a knee injury. After a few down games, Rashee Rice showed why he can be a difference maker down the stretch with eight catches for 141 yards on 12 targets and came close to scoring twice.
D'Andre Swift was getting most of the touches in the backfield until he lost a fumble in the second quarter. Kyle Monangai had most of the touches the rest of the way. Monangai played 56% of the snaps, and ran 16 routes to finish with 12 carries for 48 yards with a TD. Swift played 43% of the snaps and ran 13 routes and had eight carries for 15 yards with a 14-yard catch on his only target. A split is going to hurt both players.
TreVeyon Henderson started and got the bulk of the touches in the Patriots’ backfield, even with Rhamondre Stevenson back from his toe injury. Unfortunately, the team had five goal-line carries, and Henderson received one. Henderson played 65% of the snaps compared to 32% for Stevenson. Henderson rushed for 66 yards on 18 carries and caught three passes for 15 yards. Stevenson had six carries for five yards and caught a five-yard pass. Since neither Stevenson nor Terrell Jennings converted at the goal line, it’s possible Henderson gets more chances in the red zone. Henderson can be started with confidence.
George Pickens was one of the biggest steals in fantasy drafts. He was often drafted in Round 5 and has been the best Cowboys receiver. Pickens made some great grabs and caught all nine targets for 145 yards with a TD. He has at least 78 receiving yards in six straight games. Pickens has 67 catches for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns.
As soon as he pulls back in, Jameson Williams drops a zero on us. Should we be surprised? On a day the Lions had 494 yards of offense, Williams had three targets without a reception. Jahmyr Gibbs getting 12 targets didn’t help. It’s the second time in five games Williams hasn’t caught a pass. In the other three games, Williams had 66 yards with a TD, 119 yards with a TD and 88 yards with a TD. This is a part of playing Williams. The floor is very low every week.
The Ravens offense didn’t look good again. Lamar Jackson didn’t have a TD for the second straight game. He passed for 153 yards and rushed for 11 yards on seven carries. Jackson has rushed for 14, 36, 10 and 11 yards since returning from a hamstring injury. Jackson said he’s healthy, but his performance says otherwise. If Jackson can’t produce against the Bengals on Thursday night, it’s time to panic.
Ashton Jeanty bounced back after a bad game. The volume was there after he got six carries last week. Jeanty rushed for 50 yards on 17 carries and caught all eight passes for 58 yards with a TD. The offensive line is horrible, so Jeanty will need the targets to get fantasy production.
The Bhayshul Tuten takeover didn’t happen. Travis Etienne rushed for 86 yards on 15 carries and caught three passes for 30 yards with a TD. Etienne has been good and has had a very difficult schedule for a stretch of the season. Tuten rushed for 17 yards in seven carries and had no catches. Etienne is the lead back.
Darnell Mooney came through late if he was in the lineup. He had three catches for 74 yards with a TD on three targets. He’s in consideration for a flex play as long as Drake London is out.