Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)

by Optimus Staff

Published On: November 21st, 2025

As we approach the fantasy playoffs, the stakes are at an all-time high. Many matchups are “win and in” or “lose and go home.” If you are vying for your spot in the playoffs, our Optimus team is here to help you make some of those tough start/sit decisions. Buckle up, strap in, and get ready to find out who our writers are higher or lower on for Week 12.

a woman in a purple dress is smiling and holding a microphone with the words may the odds be ever in your favor

Don’t see a name you are having trouble deciding whether to start or sit? Head over to our Discord and someone from the Optimus team will be ready to help you out!

Higher or Lower? Fantasy Football Players We’re Backing or Fading in Week 12

Players We Are Higher On:

Harold Fannin, TE, Cleveland Browns

Consensus Rank: TE16 

Nate’s Rank: TE10 (+6)

If you read our latest edition of Friday Vibes, you know that I am a big fan of Browns TE Harold Fannin. The rookie bookend has exceeded many expectations this season and shows no signs of slowing down, despite Cleveland’s otherwise atrocious passing offense.

This week, rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will get his first NFL start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. In addition, veteran TE David Njoku is likely to play but missed two practices this week with a knee injury. That leaves very limited healthy options for Sanders in the passing game, and Fannin is the best among them. 

To be fair, the bar for being a top-12 TE this season has been low, with nine fantasy points being the line of demarcation. While Sanders being behind center isn’t ideal, they are up against a very bad, no good, downright ugly Raiders defense. This week, Fannin should easily fall into double-digit points with limited options for Sanders against a bad team.  

Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Consensus Rank: WR28

Bryan’s Rank: WR24 (+4)

Do not be entirely disappointed by Pearsall’s quiet return. We’ve seen this a few times with the 49ers’ weapons returning from an injury. Jauan Jennings had a slow start when he came back in the lineup. George Kittle almost completely goosed in his first game back. And as we all know, things come in threes, so we should have tempered our expectations for Pearsall’s return. 

I believe a bounce-back is on the way because the 49ers need to win their upcoming matchup against the Panthers. Shockingly, this game has significant playoff implications for both teams. With Purdy back at the helm, a healthy Pearsall could torch a streaky Panthers secondary. Put your trust in Slick Rick to provide the WR2 numbers you need this late in the season. 

Parker Washington, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Consensus Rank: WR37

Lou’s Rank: WR24 (+13)

In Weeks 7-10, Parker Washington earned 13, 9, and 9 targets, respectively, thanks to the Jaguars’ Week 8 bye. Then, in Week 11, Washington only earned two targets. I understand if people get nervous about this. I’m going to take you by the hand as I say this – The odds of the Jaguars beating another team 35-6 this year are practically zero. Or rather, they should be practically zero. 

I’m sure the Jaguars would like to run more than they do, since typically that means a team is winning. The Jaguars are simply not a good enough team to consistently beat other teams by that kind of margin. This means we can expect a lot more passing volume from the Jaguars than we saw in Week 11, both this week and going forward. After all, the Jaguars average 34 passing attempts/game, and had only 22 in Week 11.

Just looking at these patterns, it’s easy for me to expect Parker Washington to return to his low-end WR2 status.

Players We Are Lower On:

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

Consensus Rank: QB18

Nate’s Rank: QB24 (-6)

It’s happening again. After an eye-opening Week 11 performance from Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, the “breakout” discussion is happening again. Don’t buy into it, folks.  

Young, who is QB31 in FPPG (13.6) this season, had a big game last weekend against a reeling Atlanta Falcons squad. His 31.8 fantasy points landed him as QB2 for Week 11 behind only Buffalo QB Josh Allen. 

But, he’s done this before in 2025.

First, in Week 2, he beat up on the Arizona Cardinals, completing 35 of 55 passes for 328 yards and 3 TDs, finishing as QB8. Then, in Week 6 against Dallas, Young again threw for three touchdowns on a more reasonable 17 completions, finishing the week as QB12. 

The pattern is clear. Against mediocre defenses, you can thrive. However, he’s been unable to put together back-to-back big games at any point this season. Before his Week 11 blow-up, he had two consecutive games of four or fewer fantasy points. Furthermore, has only exceeded 15 fantasy points in the three previously referenced games. Yes, the 49ers are giving up an average of 19.2 FPPG to QBs. However, I still don’t trust Young this week, and I’ll be leaving him on my bench in most situations this weekend.    

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Consensus Rank: WR10

Bryan’s Rank: WR14 (-4)

It brings me no joy in reporting that J.J. McCarthy is the one quarterback who can make Justin Jefferson mortal. I don’t know how many people out there believed it would take a first-round, national championship-winning QB to do it, but here we are. JJ McCarthy has neutered one of the all-time great players. And now this fantasy analyst has to drop Jefferson to an embarrassingly low WR14 rank. What a time to be alive. 

I don’t think the Vikings offense will get much going against a solid GB defense. As a result, it’s going to be tough to have high expectations for Jefferson this week. The only reason he isn’t outside the top-24 is purely due to name value. We know Jefferson is getting 10 targets a game. That’s enough opportunity for us not to bench him completely.

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants

Consensus Rank: WR22

Lou’s Rank: WR41 (-19)

Embed from Getty Images

I get the appeal of ranking Wan’Dale Robinson that highly, I really do. We know Detroit is going to score, and score a lot. We know that the Giants can’t stop the run, and the Lions love to run the ball. We know that Robinson will earn a metric crapton of targets. So overall, I understand the hype that Robinson will be a WR2 this week.

Unfortunately for Robinson and his managers, history tells a different story. Despite earning 35 targets over his last four games, Robinson’s highest finish in that time period is WR32, which he did twice. In a statistical oddity, he finished as WR48 in the other two games. The least any team scored against the Giants in that span is 24, so it’s not like the Giants didn’t have frequent reason to throw. In other words, there’s no reason to think we will see something in Week 12 that we haven’t seen in Weeks 8-11.

You may not have a better option than Wan’Dale Robinson this week, thanks to bye weeks and injuries, but I hope that you do. Even as a Flex, Robinson doesn’t offer much outside of a guaranteed non-zero.

For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

As we approach the fantasy playoffs, the stakes are at an all-time high. Many matchups are “win and in” or “lose and go home.” If you are vying for your spot in the playoffs, our Optimus team is here to help you make some of those tough start/sit decisions. Buckle up, strap in, and get ready to find out who our writers are higher or lower on for Week 12.

a woman in a purple dress is smiling and holding a microphone with the words may the odds be ever in your favor

Don’t see a name you are having trouble deciding whether to start or sit? Head over to our Discord and someone from the Optimus team will be ready to help you out!

Higher or Lower? Fantasy Football Players We’re Backing or Fading in Week 12

Players We Are Higher On:

Harold Fannin, TE, Cleveland Browns

Consensus Rank: TE16 

Nate’s Rank: TE10 (+6)

If you read our latest edition of Friday Vibes, you know that I am a big fan of Browns TE Harold Fannin. The rookie bookend has exceeded many expectations this season and shows no signs of slowing down, despite Cleveland’s otherwise atrocious passing offense.

This week, rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will get his first NFL start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. In addition, veteran TE David Njoku is likely to play but missed two practices this week with a knee injury. That leaves very limited healthy options for Sanders in the passing game, and Fannin is the best among them. 

To be fair, the bar for being a top-12 TE this season has been low, with nine fantasy points being the line of demarcation. While Sanders being behind center isn’t ideal, they are up against a very bad, no good, downright ugly Raiders defense. This week, Fannin should easily fall into double-digit points with limited options for Sanders against a bad team.  

Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Consensus Rank: WR28

Bryan’s Rank: WR24 (+4)

Do not be entirely disappointed by Pearsall’s quiet return. We’ve seen this a few times with the 49ers’ weapons returning from an injury. Jauan Jennings had a slow start when he came back in the lineup. George Kittle almost completely goosed in his first game back. And as we all know, things come in threes, so we should have tempered our expectations for Pearsall’s return. 

I believe a bounce-back is on the way because the 49ers need to win their upcoming matchup against the Panthers. Shockingly, this game has significant playoff implications for both teams. With Purdy back at the helm, a healthy Pearsall could torch a streaky Panthers secondary. Put your trust in Slick Rick to provide the WR2 numbers you need this late in the season. 

Parker Washington, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Consensus Rank: WR37

Lou’s Rank: WR24 (+13)

In Weeks 7-10, Parker Washington earned 13, 9, and 9 targets, respectively, thanks to the Jaguars’ Week 8 bye. Then, in Week 11, Washington only earned two targets. I understand if people get nervous about this. I’m going to take you by the hand as I say this – The odds of the Jaguars beating another team 35-6 this year are practically zero. Or rather, they should be practically zero. 

I’m sure the Jaguars would like to run more than they do, since typically that means a team is winning. The Jaguars are simply not a good enough team to consistently beat other teams by that kind of margin. This means we can expect a lot more passing volume from the Jaguars than we saw in Week 11, both this week and going forward. After all, the Jaguars average 34 passing attempts/game, and had only 22 in Week 11.

Just looking at these patterns, it’s easy for me to expect Parker Washington to return to his low-end WR2 status.

Players We Are Lower On:

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

Consensus Rank: QB18

Nate’s Rank: QB24 (-6)

It’s happening again. After an eye-opening Week 11 performance from Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, the “breakout” discussion is happening again. Don’t buy into it, folks.  

Young, who is QB31 in FPPG (13.6) this season, had a big game last weekend against a reeling Atlanta Falcons squad. His 31.8 fantasy points landed him as QB2 for Week 11 behind only Buffalo QB Josh Allen. 

But, he’s done this before in 2025.

First, in Week 2, he beat up on the Arizona Cardinals, completing 35 of 55 passes for 328 yards and 3 TDs, finishing as QB8. Then, in Week 6 against Dallas, Young again threw for three touchdowns on a more reasonable 17 completions, finishing the week as QB12. 

The pattern is clear. Against mediocre defenses, you can thrive. However, he’s been unable to put together back-to-back big games at any point this season. Before his Week 11 blow-up, he had two consecutive games of four or fewer fantasy points. Furthermore, has only exceeded 15 fantasy points in the three previously referenced games. Yes, the 49ers are giving up an average of 19.2 FPPG to QBs. However, I still don’t trust Young this week, and I’ll be leaving him on my bench in most situations this weekend.    

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Consensus Rank: WR10

Bryan’s Rank: WR14 (-4)

It brings me no joy in reporting that J.J. McCarthy is the one quarterback who can make Justin Jefferson mortal. I don’t know how many people out there believed it would take a first-round, national championship-winning QB to do it, but here we are. JJ McCarthy has neutered one of the all-time great players. And now this fantasy analyst has to drop Jefferson to an embarrassingly low WR14 rank. What a time to be alive. 

I don’t think the Vikings offense will get much going against a solid GB defense. As a result, it’s going to be tough to have high expectations for Jefferson this week. The only reason he isn’t outside the top-24 is purely due to name value. We know Jefferson is getting 10 targets a game. That’s enough opportunity for us not to bench him completely.

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants

Consensus Rank: WR22

Lou’s Rank: WR41 (-19)

Embed from Getty Images

I get the appeal of ranking Wan’Dale Robinson that highly, I really do. We know Detroit is going to score, and score a lot. We know that the Giants can’t stop the run, and the Lions love to run the ball. We know that Robinson will earn a metric crapton of targets. So overall, I understand the hype that Robinson will be a WR2 this week.

Unfortunately for Robinson and his managers, history tells a different story. Despite earning 35 targets over his last four games, Robinson’s highest finish in that time period is WR32, which he did twice. In a statistical oddity, he finished as WR48 in the other two games. The least any team scored against the Giants in that span is 24, so it’s not like the Giants didn’t have frequent reason to throw. In other words, there’s no reason to think we will see something in Week 12 that we haven’t seen in Weeks 8-11.

You may not have a better option than Wan’Dale Robinson this week, thanks to bye weeks and injuries, but I hope that you do. Even as a Flex, Robinson doesn’t offer much outside of a guaranteed non-zero.

For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

As we approach the fantasy playoffs, the stakes are at an all-time high. Many matchups are “win and in” or “lose and go home.” If you are vying for your spot in the playoffs, our Optimus team is here to help you make some of those tough start/sit decisions. Buckle up, strap in, and get ready to find out who our writers are higher or lower on for Week 12.

a woman in a purple dress is smiling and holding a microphone with the words may the odds be ever in your favor

Don’t see a name you are having trouble deciding whether to start or sit? Head over to our Discord and someone from the Optimus team will be ready to help you out!

Higher or Lower? Fantasy Football Players We’re Backing or Fading in Week 12

Players We Are Higher On:

Harold Fannin, TE, Cleveland Browns

Consensus Rank: TE16 

Nate’s Rank: TE10 (+6)

If you read our latest edition of Friday Vibes, you know that I am a big fan of Browns TE Harold Fannin. The rookie bookend has exceeded many expectations this season and shows no signs of slowing down, despite Cleveland’s otherwise atrocious passing offense.

This week, rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will get his first NFL start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. In addition, veteran TE David Njoku is likely to play but missed two practices this week with a knee injury. That leaves very limited healthy options for Sanders in the passing game, and Fannin is the best among them. 

To be fair, the bar for being a top-12 TE this season has been low, with nine fantasy points being the line of demarcation. While Sanders being behind center isn’t ideal, they are up against a very bad, no good, downright ugly Raiders defense. This week, Fannin should easily fall into double-digit points with limited options for Sanders against a bad team.  

Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Consensus Rank: WR28

Bryan’s Rank: WR24 (+4)

Do not be entirely disappointed by Pearsall’s quiet return. We’ve seen this a few times with the 49ers’ weapons returning from an injury. Jauan Jennings had a slow start when he came back in the lineup. George Kittle almost completely goosed in his first game back. And as we all know, things come in threes, so we should have tempered our expectations for Pearsall’s return. 

I believe a bounce-back is on the way because the 49ers need to win their upcoming matchup against the Panthers. Shockingly, this game has significant playoff implications for both teams. With Purdy back at the helm, a healthy Pearsall could torch a streaky Panthers secondary. Put your trust in Slick Rick to provide the WR2 numbers you need this late in the season. 

Parker Washington, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Consensus Rank: WR37

Lou’s Rank: WR24 (+13)

In Weeks 7-10, Parker Washington earned 13, 9, and 9 targets, respectively, thanks to the Jaguars’ Week 8 bye. Then, in Week 11, Washington only earned two targets. I understand if people get nervous about this. I’m going to take you by the hand as I say this – The odds of the Jaguars beating another team 35-6 this year are practically zero. Or rather, they should be practically zero. 

I’m sure the Jaguars would like to run more than they do, since typically that means a team is winning. The Jaguars are simply not a good enough team to consistently beat other teams by that kind of margin. This means we can expect a lot more passing volume from the Jaguars than we saw in Week 11, both this week and going forward. After all, the Jaguars average 34 passing attempts/game, and had only 22 in Week 11.

Just looking at these patterns, it’s easy for me to expect Parker Washington to return to his low-end WR2 status.

Players We Are Lower On:

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

Consensus Rank: QB18

Nate’s Rank: QB24 (-6)

It’s happening again. After an eye-opening Week 11 performance from Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, the “breakout” discussion is happening again. Don’t buy into it, folks.  

Young, who is QB31 in FPPG (13.6) this season, had a big game last weekend against a reeling Atlanta Falcons squad. His 31.8 fantasy points landed him as QB2 for Week 11 behind only Buffalo QB Josh Allen. 

But, he’s done this before in 2025.

First, in Week 2, he beat up on the Arizona Cardinals, completing 35 of 55 passes for 328 yards and 3 TDs, finishing as QB8. Then, in Week 6 against Dallas, Young again threw for three touchdowns on a more reasonable 17 completions, finishing the week as QB12. 

The pattern is clear. Against mediocre defenses, you can thrive. However, he’s been unable to put together back-to-back big games at any point this season. Before his Week 11 blow-up, he had two consecutive games of four or fewer fantasy points. Furthermore, has only exceeded 15 fantasy points in the three previously referenced games. Yes, the 49ers are giving up an average of 19.2 FPPG to QBs. However, I still don’t trust Young this week, and I’ll be leaving him on my bench in most situations this weekend.    

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Consensus Rank: WR10

Bryan’s Rank: WR14 (-4)

It brings me no joy in reporting that J.J. McCarthy is the one quarterback who can make Justin Jefferson mortal. I don’t know how many people out there believed it would take a first-round, national championship-winning QB to do it, but here we are. JJ McCarthy has neutered one of the all-time great players. And now this fantasy analyst has to drop Jefferson to an embarrassingly low WR14 rank. What a time to be alive. 

I don’t think the Vikings offense will get much going against a solid GB defense. As a result, it’s going to be tough to have high expectations for Jefferson this week. The only reason he isn’t outside the top-24 is purely due to name value. We know Jefferson is getting 10 targets a game. That’s enough opportunity for us not to bench him completely.

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants

Consensus Rank: WR22

Lou’s Rank: WR41 (-19)

Embed from Getty Images

I get the appeal of ranking Wan’Dale Robinson that highly, I really do. We know Detroit is going to score, and score a lot. We know that the Giants can’t stop the run, and the Lions love to run the ball. We know that Robinson will earn a metric crapton of targets. So overall, I understand the hype that Robinson will be a WR2 this week.

Unfortunately for Robinson and his managers, history tells a different story. Despite earning 35 targets over his last four games, Robinson’s highest finish in that time period is WR32, which he did twice. In a statistical oddity, he finished as WR48 in the other two games. The least any team scored against the Giants in that span is 24, so it’s not like the Giants didn’t have frequent reason to throw. In other words, there’s no reason to think we will see something in Week 12 that we haven’t seen in Weeks 8-11.

You may not have a better option than Wan’Dale Robinson this week, thanks to bye weeks and injuries, but I hope that you do. Even as a Flex, Robinson doesn’t offer much outside of a guaranteed non-zero.

For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

By Published On: November 21st, 2025

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