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

by Optimus Staff

Published On: November 17th, 2025

12 angry men sit around a table in an enclosed room, arguing loudly

record scratch

Oh, it’s Week 12, you say? Oh, I just heard the number 12 and went with it. Week 12, got it. Wait, how is it Week 12 already?! We just had the last preseason game the other day, and I finally had my draft that I’ve been planning so hard for! I can’t wait to nab Malik Nabers in the first round… what’s that? He got hurt when?! Man, these scriptwriters are terrible! Someone get me some new blood in that room, pronto!

It can feel like a lost cause to grind the waivers week after week, especially this time of year, as the weather gets colder and our teams fall out of contention. But Week 11 was a great reminder of exactly why it’s so important. If you picked up waiver wire darlings Sean Tucker and Michael Wilson for Week 11, you probably won. We can’t guarantee results like that every week, but that’s why we do it.

As a reminder:

Week 12 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Quarterbacks:

* As a general rule, these fantasy football waiver wire QB recommendations apply to 2QB and Superflex leagues, unless otherwise noted.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 22% | ESPN 23.6% | FAAB 35-20%

Things are getting worse for Cardinals QB Kyler Murray in Arizona. While the former number one overall pick is currently on injured reserve (IR), backup Jacoby Brissett has elevated the Cardinals offense to a level they haven’t seen this season with Murray, and he’s becoming a must-have in nearly all fantasy football formats. 

Since taking over as the starter in Week 6, the veteran journeyman is the overall QB8 (109.6) in total points and QB4 (21.9) in fantasy points per game (FFPG). This past week against San Francisco, Brissett attempted 57 passes, completing 47 – a regular season NFL record – for 452 yards, two TDs and two INTs. Those stats were good enough to land him as the Week 11 QB3 ahead of Monday Night Football. 

Given that we know Murray is likely benched for the season, Brissett is a sensible addition at QB. He has two TD passes in every game he’s started, and has only thrown three INTs total. The schedule gets tough for Brissett and company, with Jacksonville on deck and Tampa Bay in the hole, but that shouldn’t matter. He’s been producing against good teams, and in games where they’re playing from behind, we know we’ll see an insane amount of passing volume. 

It won’t be cheap to roster Brissett at this point. The secret is out. However, regardless of format, Brissett is a solid start in 1QB leagues in a pinch and a lock in 2QB and Superflex formats for the rest of the fantasy football season.  

 

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 8% | ESPN 1.2% | FAAB 3-5%

Beggars can’t be choosers, and in deeper leagues, it’s unlikely to get much better than Saints QB Tyler Shough on the Week 11 waiver wire. 

As one would expect, the rookie signal caller’s first outing wasn’t pretty, but it could have been much worse. Against a Rams’ defense that gives up the sixth fewest FPPG to QBs (16.6), Shough completed 15 of his 24 passing attempts for 176 yards, one TD and one INT. That performance was still good enough to land Shough as the overall QB23 (10.2 fantasy points) in Week 9. 

His second start in Week 10 saw a mini-breakout against Carolina – take it with a grain of salt – where Shough logged 19 fantasy points on his way to being QB12. While every week can’t be against Carolina – though they do draw them again, at home in Week 15 – the Saints’ schedule through the fantasy football playoffs is *in Larry David’s voice* pretty, pretty nice for the rookie QB.

Shough and company are heading into Week 12 coming off a bye, with an extra week of practice and offensive familiarity under their belt. The Saints will be at home against an Atlanta defense that just got shredded for 31.8 fantasy points by Panthers’ QB Bryce Young. Then, through Week 17, every opponent New Orleans faces is a bottom-15 defense in fantasy points allowed to QBs. However, in the fantasy football playoffs – Weeks 15 through 17 – Shough might be slightly more unreliable, given our normalized points score, handing the New Orleans QBs an overall C grade in those three weeks. 

Shough is far from a slam dunk, and isn’t on your radar in 1QB leagues (yet). However, in 2QB and Superflex leagues, Shough is not only rosterable but startable given the matchups the rest of the way for New Orleans. Unless your league is especially QB-needy, he should be an inexpensive roster addition heading into Week 12.  

Running Backs:

I need to start this section off with a bit of a warning/disclaimer. RB handcuffs are generally not a great idea throughout the season. They take up a roster spot. Yeah, RBs get hurt, but unless the RB you have the handcuff for gets hurt, does that help? Obviously not. So it’s easy to waste a roster spot by focusing on rostering handcuffs. And….

As we start to turn our attention to playoff runs, now is the time to start making sure you have an RB to start if, fantasy football gods forbid, you end up losing your high-end RB to injury. So every week, I’m going to highlight a ‘handcuff who matters.’ Because not all handcuffs are created equal.

Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 5.8% | FAAB 15-100%

“OK, Lou, deep breaths. Remember, Josh Jacobs avoided long-term injury.” 

Now that we’ve gotten that important disclaimer out of the way, it’s time to attend the Church of Emanuel Wilson! Alright, not really, it might only be for a week – if that. But we continue to see that Wilson is the preferred alternative if Jacobs misses time. The nice thing about Wilson’s game is that he’s active and trusted in both the passing and running game, and while he doesn’t have the power that Jacobs does, his shiftiness allows him to gain extra yards that way. 

To be clear, this is all about opportunity with Wilson, and how much you should bid will vary greatly depending on when your waivers run and what information we have by that point. If we get information that Jacobs will miss two or more games, spend whatever you have left to get Wilson. That means it’s worse than Green Bay is telling us. If it’s trending that he plays this week, don’t go over 15% as a priority backup. I know I preach “stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” a lot, but this is the time of year where it makes or breaks your season. 

Devin Singletary, New York Giants | Sleeper 44% | ESPN 32.5% | FAAB 20%

I will admit, I didn’t expect any Giants running back to do well against Green Bay. When two did, I was admittedly shocked. Tyrone Tracy dominated the touches overall in Week 11, 23 to 17 over Singletary, but while Tracy was more involved in the receiving game, we still saw Singletary receive a decent amount of work despite the terrible yards per carry. To be clear, 2.75 YPC isn’t good enough by a full yard or more. 

What’s notable about Singletary is that he was used as the goalline RB. As a result, he was the beneficiary of both Giants TDs. We can’t count on two TDs every week from Singletary, of course, but 15+ touches along with TD upside puts him squarely in Flex consideration at worst, and low RB2 range at best. For a guy who’s just sitting on the waiver wire, you can do a lot worse. Think Carolina RBs or Alvin Kamara, that’s the range where Singletary should rank going forward. 

Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders | Sleeper 30% | ESPN 6.7% | FAAB 15%

If you didn’t turn on football early in the day on Sunday to watch Miami and Washington try to out-terrible each other, you didn’t miss much. I also don’t blame you even a little for missing it. Sleep is good. Definitely better for you than that game. 

But there was something to take out of that game: Jacory Croskey-Merritt isn’t the starting RB anymore. The Commanders still use a gross mix of RBs in terms of snaps, of course. But the RB carries are starting to concentrate themselves in Rodriguez. He handled 54% of the carries in their Week 11 loss, with Croskey-Merritt next up with 32%. Rodriguez doesn’t profile as someone with big upside who will win you weeks, but instead as a priority bench player who you can start in a pinch at flex or RB2. 

Week 10 Handcuff Who Matters:

Brian Robinson, San Francisco 49ers | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 22.9% | FAAB 5%

This is definitely for the Christian McCaffrey managers, although it can really be for anyone who doesn’t believe McCaffrey will remain healthy. The 49ers have increased Robinson’s work as of late, clearly trying to keep McCaffrey healthy. The nice thing is Robinson’s YPC is continuing the pattern of increasing for every year he’s been in the NFL and is up to a healthy 4.62 YPC this year. This means that if CMC does succumb to the injury bug, Robinson will be able to step into the void and likely provide high-end RB2 or low-end RB1 value. Again, he’s a handcuff only, but this time of year it’s time to start stocking up.

Wide Receivers:

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 14.9% | FAAB 6-8%

To say that Michael Wilson was awesome in Week 11 is a massive understatement; he was WR1 heading into Monday Night Football with a whopping 33.5 fantasy points. Wilson racked up 17 targets and turned those looks from Jacoby Brissett into 15 receptions for 185 yards. He made the most of his opportunity with Marvin Harrison out with appendicitis.

We’ll see how long Harrison is out, but Wilson, as a short-term immediate pickup in all fantasy leagues, is a priority this week. It’s pretty clear that Wilson’s production was opportunity-driven, as before this game, he hadn’t had more than seven targets, five receptions, or 61 yards in any game this season. In fact, he scored almost 40% of his fantasy scoring output for the entire season in Week 11’s game against the 49ers. Still, as long as Harrison is out, Wilson is a perfectly viable WR3 option.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 38% | ESPN 26.2% | FAAB 4-5%

The Packers’ pass-catching room has been banged up and missing pieces all season, but one of the pieces that returned a few weeks ago is standing out: Christian Watson. Watson and Romeo Doubs have been the stalwart receivers in this Packers’ offense now that Tucker Kraft has been lost for the season. In Week 11, Watson corralled two touchdowns in addition to five targets, four receptions, and 45 yards.

The last two weeks have seen Watson at or above 80% routes per dropback this season, so this role feels secure. Matthew Golden has taken a backseat in the pecking order for Green Bay, as his return saw him with just one target and running routes 37% of dropbacks in Week 11 as a backup receiver at all three wide receiver positions. Also returning was Dontayvion Wicks, but he was their primary slot receiver, so he’s not as much of a threat on the outside.

If Josh Jacobs’ knee injury keeps him out a week or two, the Packers may need to utilize the passing game more out of necessity. Even with repeated offensive line issues this season, getting the ball out of Jordan Love‘s hands could prove beneficial for the Packers’ top receivers. Watson is included in that, so if he’s available in your league, he’s definitely worth stashing or even starting as a high-upside flex play with matchups against Minnesota and Detroit on deck.  

Tight Ends:

Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 0% | ESPN 0.4% | FAAB 1-2% 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play football with 10-year-olds? Well, if you’re Darnell Washington, you don’t have to wonder. That’s exactly how he plays. Yeah, the 10-year-olds, in Washington’s case, they’re actually NFL players, may be faster. But they’re clearly no match for the grown adult playing with them. That’s the kind of mismatch Washington provides. 

Now, the obvious caveat here is that this is the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know the team that employs Arthur Smith. And also the team that had two viable TEs and went out of their way to get a third. That’s why we’ll get random Weeks like Week 8 and Week 10, where Washington totaled a grand total of one target between the two games. With that said, Washington has now earned at least five targets in four of the last six games. When you add the advantage his size gives him in the low red zone, he becomes a decent option if you’re feeling the pain of losing a Sam LaPorta or Dalton Kincaid for multiple weeks.

AJ Barner | Sleeper 17% | ESPN 9.5% | FAAB 3-5%

Throw a quarter in the ride, there’s no telling when it will stop! 

Quarters are still a thing, right? It’s just pennies that are gone? Yeah? OK, OK, just checking.

Seattle is in a little of a weird spot with their pass-catchers right now because they’re really good at throwing the ball, but outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, there’s not much there right now. Oh, I know Rashid Shaheed will be fine once he gets up to speed. Cooper Kupp is also good for 1-2 plays/game, but that’s about it. And rookie dynamo Tory Horton is still on the shelf with an injury.

Enter AJ Barner. He might get three targets, he might get 11. There’s really not a great way to know where it will fall with him. But he does get at least three every week, and his upside is 7 or more, like we saw in Week 11. Barner isn’t a priority free agent the way some others are, so this is an “Oops! Only Injured TEs!” move. Not one to go out and prioritize if you have other solid options. But it’s Week 12 now, and we all do what we have to do.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Las Vegas Raiders | Sleeper 3% | ESPN 5.9% | FAAB 0-1%

I like this about as much as you, the reader, probably do. But as I like to say about streaming defenses, it’s all about the matchup. This coming weekend, Las Vegas hosts the Cleveland Browns, which is typically a very good matchup for any defense..

Heading into Week 12, who lines up behind center for Cleveland remains up in the air. Starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion this past Sunday in a loss to Baltimore, and it’s unclear if he will clear protocol in time for Sunday’s game. With the rookie concussed, we got our first glimpse of polarizing rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. 

Folks, it wasn’t pretty.

Sanders stepped in in the second half and logged 51 percent of snaps behind center. In 16 attempts, he completed four passes for 47 yards and an INT. He was also sacked twice and fumbled once, though the Browns recovered the ball. If Dillon doesn’t clear protocol for Sunday’s game, we could be in for more Sanders.

To be clear, this Raiders unit is not a long-term hold. Their next three games, after Week 12, are against the Chargers, Broncos, and Eagles. You’ll want none of that smoke. But as a one-week streamer against an inept rookie QB, they’re a great option this week.         

Cleveland Browns | Sleeper 33% | ESPN  40.7% | FAAB 5-7%

While the Cleveland Browns’ offense may be bad, their defense is anything but. They currently rank as the overall D/ST6, and are coming off a 17 fantasy point game against the Baltimore Ravens. And for as bad as the Browns’ offense is likely to be this Sunday, the Las Vegas offense could be equally as bad. 

While Raiders QB Geno Smith is not on Sanders’ level of ineptitude, he hasn’t been good in 2025. Las Vegas and new head coach Pete Carroll were clearly hoping to catch some of that old Seahawks magic when they acquired Smith this offseason, and it hasn’t materialized. In nine games ahead of tonight, the veteran QB has thrown 12 INTs to 11 TDs. Furthermore, Smith has played just two games without throwing an INT, but has four contests without a TD. 

The only facet of this Las Vegas offense that may be a concern for Cleveland is Brock Bowers. However, even with Bowers back after a three-game absence, Smith is still error-prone and struggles against better defenses. Cleveland is an airtight option at D/ST in Week 12, and if you’re so inclined, you can retire from streaming and hold them for the rest of the 2025 season.   

Kickers:

Wil Lutz | Sleeper 31% | ESPN 28.9% | FAAB 1-2%

You might have started the season streaming kickers, but we all know how tiresome that can get. Heading into Week 12, there are two opportunities to shift from streaming to a one-man kicker show on the waiver wire. The first, though on a bye in Week 12, is Denver kicker Wil Lutz.

Somehow, some way, the Denver Broncos are 9-2 and firmly in the lead for the AFC West. Part of the reason has been Lutz’s reliability, having been perfect on PAT attempts and having missed only three field goals all season. 

This past weekend against Kansas City, the veteran kicker made all five of his field goal attempts, including one from 54 yards. Heading into Monday Night Football, Lutz is the overall K1 for Week 11 with 18 fantasy points.

Denver is a serious contender this season, and they are leaning on Lutz more and more. As the offense continues to gel and they get drives deeper, he should see more opportunities to score, giving you more opportunities to cash in as well. With it being ahead of Denver’s bye week, he’ll likely be free on the waiver wire and worth a stash for the remainder of the season if you can afford it.

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 26% | ESPN 10.6% | FAAB 1-2%

If you miss out on Lutz this week, or need a kicker ASAP, Bengals veteran Evan McPherson is a viable option at the position you can potentially hold for the rest of the season as well. While the season started slowly for McPherson, things have picked up over the last few weeks.

The always reliable leg of McPherson is still just that, but has been lacking the scoring opportunities. Through the first five weeks of the season, McPherson was perfect all around but had exactly one field goal attempt per game and 10 extra point attempts. Since that span, and an uncharacteristically bad Week 6 in Greeb Bay, McPherson is tied with Patterson for tenth in FPPG with nine.

Since the acquisition of veteran QB Joe Flacco, the Bengals’ offense is moving the ball, giving McPherson ample opportunities to remain fantasy relevant. There are whispers of a possible Joe Burrow return in Week 13, and if it does happen, it will only help McPherson’s stock in fantasy football. Additionally, with the Bengals’ bye week come and gone, the veteran Bengals kicker is a set-it-and-forget-it prospect for the rest of the season.    

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

12 angry men sit around a table in an enclosed room, arguing loudly

record scratch

Oh, it’s Week 12, you say? Oh, I just heard the number 12 and went with it. Week 12, got it. Wait, how is it Week 12 already?! We just had the last preseason game the other day, and I finally had my draft that I’ve been planning so hard for! I can’t wait to nab Malik Nabers in the first round… what’s that? He got hurt when?! Man, these scriptwriters are terrible! Someone get me some new blood in that room, pronto!

It can feel like a lost cause to grind the waivers week after week, especially this time of year, as the weather gets colder and our teams fall out of contention. But Week 11 was a great reminder of exactly why it’s so important. If you picked up waiver wire darlings Sean Tucker and Michael Wilson for Week 11, you probably won. We can’t guarantee results like that every week, but that’s why we do it.

As a reminder:

Week 12 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Quarterbacks:

* As a general rule, these fantasy football waiver wire QB recommendations apply to 2QB and Superflex leagues, unless otherwise noted.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 22% | ESPN 23.6% | FAAB 35-20%

Things are getting worse for Cardinals QB Kyler Murray in Arizona. While the former number one overall pick is currently on injured reserve (IR), backup Jacoby Brissett has elevated the Cardinals offense to a level they haven’t seen this season with Murray, and he’s becoming a must-have in nearly all fantasy football formats. 

Since taking over as the starter in Week 6, the veteran journeyman is the overall QB8 (109.6) in total points and QB4 (21.9) in fantasy points per game (FFPG). This past week against San Francisco, Brissett attempted 57 passes, completing 47 – a regular season NFL record – for 452 yards, two TDs and two INTs. Those stats were good enough to land him as the Week 11 QB3 ahead of Monday Night Football. 

Given that we know Murray is likely benched for the season, Brissett is a sensible addition at QB. He has two TD passes in every game he’s started, and has only thrown three INTs total. The schedule gets tough for Brissett and company, with Jacksonville on deck and Tampa Bay in the hole, but that shouldn’t matter. He’s been producing against good teams, and in games where they’re playing from behind, we know we’ll see an insane amount of passing volume. 

It won’t be cheap to roster Brissett at this point. The secret is out. However, regardless of format, Brissett is a solid start in 1QB leagues in a pinch and a lock in 2QB and Superflex formats for the rest of the fantasy football season.  

 

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 8% | ESPN 1.2% | FAAB 3-5%

Beggars can’t be choosers, and in deeper leagues, it’s unlikely to get much better than Saints QB Tyler Shough on the Week 11 waiver wire. 

As one would expect, the rookie signal caller’s first outing wasn’t pretty, but it could have been much worse. Against a Rams’ defense that gives up the sixth fewest FPPG to QBs (16.6), Shough completed 15 of his 24 passing attempts for 176 yards, one TD and one INT. That performance was still good enough to land Shough as the overall QB23 (10.2 fantasy points) in Week 9. 

His second start in Week 10 saw a mini-breakout against Carolina – take it with a grain of salt – where Shough logged 19 fantasy points on his way to being QB12. While every week can’t be against Carolina – though they do draw them again, at home in Week 15 – the Saints’ schedule through the fantasy football playoffs is *in Larry David’s voice* pretty, pretty nice for the rookie QB.

Shough and company are heading into Week 12 coming off a bye, with an extra week of practice and offensive familiarity under their belt. The Saints will be at home against an Atlanta defense that just got shredded for 31.8 fantasy points by Panthers’ QB Bryce Young. Then, through Week 17, every opponent New Orleans faces is a bottom-15 defense in fantasy points allowed to QBs. However, in the fantasy football playoffs – Weeks 15 through 17 – Shough might be slightly more unreliable, given our normalized points score, handing the New Orleans QBs an overall C grade in those three weeks. 

Shough is far from a slam dunk, and isn’t on your radar in 1QB leagues (yet). However, in 2QB and Superflex leagues, Shough is not only rosterable but startable given the matchups the rest of the way for New Orleans. Unless your league is especially QB-needy, he should be an inexpensive roster addition heading into Week 12.  

Running Backs:

I need to start this section off with a bit of a warning/disclaimer. RB handcuffs are generally not a great idea throughout the season. They take up a roster spot. Yeah, RBs get hurt, but unless the RB you have the handcuff for gets hurt, does that help? Obviously not. So it’s easy to waste a roster spot by focusing on rostering handcuffs. And….

As we start to turn our attention to playoff runs, now is the time to start making sure you have an RB to start if, fantasy football gods forbid, you end up losing your high-end RB to injury. So every week, I’m going to highlight a ‘handcuff who matters.’ Because not all handcuffs are created equal.

Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 5.8% | FAAB 15-100%

“OK, Lou, deep breaths. Remember, Josh Jacobs avoided long-term injury.” 

Now that we’ve gotten that important disclaimer out of the way, it’s time to attend the Church of Emanuel Wilson! Alright, not really, it might only be for a week – if that. But we continue to see that Wilson is the preferred alternative if Jacobs misses time. The nice thing about Wilson’s game is that he’s active and trusted in both the passing and running game, and while he doesn’t have the power that Jacobs does, his shiftiness allows him to gain extra yards that way. 

To be clear, this is all about opportunity with Wilson, and how much you should bid will vary greatly depending on when your waivers run and what information we have by that point. If we get information that Jacobs will miss two or more games, spend whatever you have left to get Wilson. That means it’s worse than Green Bay is telling us. If it’s trending that he plays this week, don’t go over 15% as a priority backup. I know I preach “stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” a lot, but this is the time of year where it makes or breaks your season. 

Devin Singletary, New York Giants | Sleeper 44% | ESPN 32.5% | FAAB 20%

I will admit, I didn’t expect any Giants running back to do well against Green Bay. When two did, I was admittedly shocked. Tyrone Tracy dominated the touches overall in Week 11, 23 to 17 over Singletary, but while Tracy was more involved in the receiving game, we still saw Singletary receive a decent amount of work despite the terrible yards per carry. To be clear, 2.75 YPC isn’t good enough by a full yard or more. 

What’s notable about Singletary is that he was used as the goalline RB. As a result, he was the beneficiary of both Giants TDs. We can’t count on two TDs every week from Singletary, of course, but 15+ touches along with TD upside puts him squarely in Flex consideration at worst, and low RB2 range at best. For a guy who’s just sitting on the waiver wire, you can do a lot worse. Think Carolina RBs or Alvin Kamara, that’s the range where Singletary should rank going forward. 

Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders | Sleeper 30% | ESPN 6.7% | FAAB 15%

If you didn’t turn on football early in the day on Sunday to watch Miami and Washington try to out-terrible each other, you didn’t miss much. I also don’t blame you even a little for missing it. Sleep is good. Definitely better for you than that game. 

But there was something to take out of that game: Jacory Croskey-Merritt isn’t the starting RB anymore. The Commanders still use a gross mix of RBs in terms of snaps, of course. But the RB carries are starting to concentrate themselves in Rodriguez. He handled 54% of the carries in their Week 11 loss, with Croskey-Merritt next up with 32%. Rodriguez doesn’t profile as someone with big upside who will win you weeks, but instead as a priority bench player who you can start in a pinch at flex or RB2. 

Week 10 Handcuff Who Matters:

Brian Robinson, San Francisco 49ers | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 22.9% | FAAB 5%

This is definitely for the Christian McCaffrey managers, although it can really be for anyone who doesn’t believe McCaffrey will remain healthy. The 49ers have increased Robinson’s work as of late, clearly trying to keep McCaffrey healthy. The nice thing is Robinson’s YPC is continuing the pattern of increasing for every year he’s been in the NFL and is up to a healthy 4.62 YPC this year. This means that if CMC does succumb to the injury bug, Robinson will be able to step into the void and likely provide high-end RB2 or low-end RB1 value. Again, he’s a handcuff only, but this time of year it’s time to start stocking up.

Wide Receivers:

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 14.9% | FAAB 6-8%

To say that Michael Wilson was awesome in Week 11 is a massive understatement; he was WR1 heading into Monday Night Football with a whopping 33.5 fantasy points. Wilson racked up 17 targets and turned those looks from Jacoby Brissett into 15 receptions for 185 yards. He made the most of his opportunity with Marvin Harrison out with appendicitis.

We’ll see how long Harrison is out, but Wilson, as a short-term immediate pickup in all fantasy leagues, is a priority this week. It’s pretty clear that Wilson’s production was opportunity-driven, as before this game, he hadn’t had more than seven targets, five receptions, or 61 yards in any game this season. In fact, he scored almost 40% of his fantasy scoring output for the entire season in Week 11’s game against the 49ers. Still, as long as Harrison is out, Wilson is a perfectly viable WR3 option.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 38% | ESPN 26.2% | FAAB 4-5%

The Packers’ pass-catching room has been banged up and missing pieces all season, but one of the pieces that returned a few weeks ago is standing out: Christian Watson. Watson and Romeo Doubs have been the stalwart receivers in this Packers’ offense now that Tucker Kraft has been lost for the season. In Week 11, Watson corralled two touchdowns in addition to five targets, four receptions, and 45 yards.

The last two weeks have seen Watson at or above 80% routes per dropback this season, so this role feels secure. Matthew Golden has taken a backseat in the pecking order for Green Bay, as his return saw him with just one target and running routes 37% of dropbacks in Week 11 as a backup receiver at all three wide receiver positions. Also returning was Dontayvion Wicks, but he was their primary slot receiver, so he’s not as much of a threat on the outside.

If Josh Jacobs’ knee injury keeps him out a week or two, the Packers may need to utilize the passing game more out of necessity. Even with repeated offensive line issues this season, getting the ball out of Jordan Love‘s hands could prove beneficial for the Packers’ top receivers. Watson is included in that, so if he’s available in your league, he’s definitely worth stashing or even starting as a high-upside flex play with matchups against Minnesota and Detroit on deck.  

Tight Ends:

Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 0% | ESPN 0.4% | FAAB 1-2% 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play football with 10-year-olds? Well, if you’re Darnell Washington, you don’t have to wonder. That’s exactly how he plays. Yeah, the 10-year-olds, in Washington’s case, they’re actually NFL players, may be faster. But they’re clearly no match for the grown adult playing with them. That’s the kind of mismatch Washington provides. 

Now, the obvious caveat here is that this is the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know the team that employs Arthur Smith. And also the team that had two viable TEs and went out of their way to get a third. That’s why we’ll get random Weeks like Week 8 and Week 10, where Washington totaled a grand total of one target between the two games. With that said, Washington has now earned at least five targets in four of the last six games. When you add the advantage his size gives him in the low red zone, he becomes a decent option if you’re feeling the pain of losing a Sam LaPorta or Dalton Kincaid for multiple weeks.

AJ Barner | Sleeper 17% | ESPN 9.5% | FAAB 3-5%

Throw a quarter in the ride, there’s no telling when it will stop! 

Quarters are still a thing, right? It’s just pennies that are gone? Yeah? OK, OK, just checking.

Seattle is in a little of a weird spot with their pass-catchers right now because they’re really good at throwing the ball, but outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, there’s not much there right now. Oh, I know Rashid Shaheed will be fine once he gets up to speed. Cooper Kupp is also good for 1-2 plays/game, but that’s about it. And rookie dynamo Tory Horton is still on the shelf with an injury.

Enter AJ Barner. He might get three targets, he might get 11. There’s really not a great way to know where it will fall with him. But he does get at least three every week, and his upside is 7 or more, like we saw in Week 11. Barner isn’t a priority free agent the way some others are, so this is an “Oops! Only Injured TEs!” move. Not one to go out and prioritize if you have other solid options. But it’s Week 12 now, and we all do what we have to do.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Las Vegas Raiders | Sleeper 3% | ESPN 5.9% | FAAB 0-1%

I like this about as much as you, the reader, probably do. But as I like to say about streaming defenses, it’s all about the matchup. This coming weekend, Las Vegas hosts the Cleveland Browns, which is typically a very good matchup for any defense..

Heading into Week 12, who lines up behind center for Cleveland remains up in the air. Starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion this past Sunday in a loss to Baltimore, and it’s unclear if he will clear protocol in time for Sunday’s game. With the rookie concussed, we got our first glimpse of polarizing rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. 

Folks, it wasn’t pretty.

Sanders stepped in in the second half and logged 51 percent of snaps behind center. In 16 attempts, he completed four passes for 47 yards and an INT. He was also sacked twice and fumbled once, though the Browns recovered the ball. If Dillon doesn’t clear protocol for Sunday’s game, we could be in for more Sanders.

To be clear, this Raiders unit is not a long-term hold. Their next three games, after Week 12, are against the Chargers, Broncos, and Eagles. You’ll want none of that smoke. But as a one-week streamer against an inept rookie QB, they’re a great option this week.         

Cleveland Browns | Sleeper 33% | ESPN  40.7% | FAAB 5-7%

While the Cleveland Browns’ offense may be bad, their defense is anything but. They currently rank as the overall D/ST6, and are coming off a 17 fantasy point game against the Baltimore Ravens. And for as bad as the Browns’ offense is likely to be this Sunday, the Las Vegas offense could be equally as bad. 

While Raiders QB Geno Smith is not on Sanders’ level of ineptitude, he hasn’t been good in 2025. Las Vegas and new head coach Pete Carroll were clearly hoping to catch some of that old Seahawks magic when they acquired Smith this offseason, and it hasn’t materialized. In nine games ahead of tonight, the veteran QB has thrown 12 INTs to 11 TDs. Furthermore, Smith has played just two games without throwing an INT, but has four contests without a TD. 

The only facet of this Las Vegas offense that may be a concern for Cleveland is Brock Bowers. However, even with Bowers back after a three-game absence, Smith is still error-prone and struggles against better defenses. Cleveland is an airtight option at D/ST in Week 12, and if you’re so inclined, you can retire from streaming and hold them for the rest of the 2025 season.   

Kickers:

Wil Lutz | Sleeper 31% | ESPN 28.9% | FAAB 1-2%

You might have started the season streaming kickers, but we all know how tiresome that can get. Heading into Week 12, there are two opportunities to shift from streaming to a one-man kicker show on the waiver wire. The first, though on a bye in Week 12, is Denver kicker Wil Lutz.

Somehow, some way, the Denver Broncos are 9-2 and firmly in the lead for the AFC West. Part of the reason has been Lutz’s reliability, having been perfect on PAT attempts and having missed only three field goals all season. 

This past weekend against Kansas City, the veteran kicker made all five of his field goal attempts, including one from 54 yards. Heading into Monday Night Football, Lutz is the overall K1 for Week 11 with 18 fantasy points.

Denver is a serious contender this season, and they are leaning on Lutz more and more. As the offense continues to gel and they get drives deeper, he should see more opportunities to score, giving you more opportunities to cash in as well. With it being ahead of Denver’s bye week, he’ll likely be free on the waiver wire and worth a stash for the remainder of the season if you can afford it.

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 26% | ESPN 10.6% | FAAB 1-2%

If you miss out on Lutz this week, or need a kicker ASAP, Bengals veteran Evan McPherson is a viable option at the position you can potentially hold for the rest of the season as well. While the season started slowly for McPherson, things have picked up over the last few weeks.

The always reliable leg of McPherson is still just that, but has been lacking the scoring opportunities. Through the first five weeks of the season, McPherson was perfect all around but had exactly one field goal attempt per game and 10 extra point attempts. Since that span, and an uncharacteristically bad Week 6 in Greeb Bay, McPherson is tied with Patterson for tenth in FPPG with nine.

Since the acquisition of veteran QB Joe Flacco, the Bengals’ offense is moving the ball, giving McPherson ample opportunities to remain fantasy relevant. There are whispers of a possible Joe Burrow return in Week 13, and if it does happen, it will only help McPherson’s stock in fantasy football. Additionally, with the Bengals’ bye week come and gone, the veteran Bengals kicker is a set-it-and-forget-it prospect for the rest of the season.    

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

12 angry men sit around a table in an enclosed room, arguing loudly

record scratch

Oh, it’s Week 12, you say? Oh, I just heard the number 12 and went with it. Week 12, got it. Wait, how is it Week 12 already?! We just had the last preseason game the other day, and I finally had my draft that I’ve been planning so hard for! I can’t wait to nab Malik Nabers in the first round… what’s that? He got hurt when?! Man, these scriptwriters are terrible! Someone get me some new blood in that room, pronto!

It can feel like a lost cause to grind the waivers week after week, especially this time of year, as the weather gets colder and our teams fall out of contention. But Week 11 was a great reminder of exactly why it’s so important. If you picked up waiver wire darlings Sean Tucker and Michael Wilson for Week 11, you probably won. We can’t guarantee results like that every week, but that’s why we do it.

As a reminder:

Week 12 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Quarterbacks:

* As a general rule, these fantasy football waiver wire QB recommendations apply to 2QB and Superflex leagues, unless otherwise noted.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 22% | ESPN 23.6% | FAAB 35-20%

Things are getting worse for Cardinals QB Kyler Murray in Arizona. While the former number one overall pick is currently on injured reserve (IR), backup Jacoby Brissett has elevated the Cardinals offense to a level they haven’t seen this season with Murray, and he’s becoming a must-have in nearly all fantasy football formats. 

Since taking over as the starter in Week 6, the veteran journeyman is the overall QB8 (109.6) in total points and QB4 (21.9) in fantasy points per game (FFPG). This past week against San Francisco, Brissett attempted 57 passes, completing 47 – a regular season NFL record – for 452 yards, two TDs and two INTs. Those stats were good enough to land him as the Week 11 QB3 ahead of Monday Night Football. 

Given that we know Murray is likely benched for the season, Brissett is a sensible addition at QB. He has two TD passes in every game he’s started, and has only thrown three INTs total. The schedule gets tough for Brissett and company, with Jacksonville on deck and Tampa Bay in the hole, but that shouldn’t matter. He’s been producing against good teams, and in games where they’re playing from behind, we know we’ll see an insane amount of passing volume. 

It won’t be cheap to roster Brissett at this point. The secret is out. However, regardless of format, Brissett is a solid start in 1QB leagues in a pinch and a lock in 2QB and Superflex formats for the rest of the fantasy football season.  

 

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 8% | ESPN 1.2% | FAAB 3-5%

Beggars can’t be choosers, and in deeper leagues, it’s unlikely to get much better than Saints QB Tyler Shough on the Week 11 waiver wire. 

As one would expect, the rookie signal caller’s first outing wasn’t pretty, but it could have been much worse. Against a Rams’ defense that gives up the sixth fewest FPPG to QBs (16.6), Shough completed 15 of his 24 passing attempts for 176 yards, one TD and one INT. That performance was still good enough to land Shough as the overall QB23 (10.2 fantasy points) in Week 9. 

His second start in Week 10 saw a mini-breakout against Carolina – take it with a grain of salt – where Shough logged 19 fantasy points on his way to being QB12. While every week can’t be against Carolina – though they do draw them again, at home in Week 15 – the Saints’ schedule through the fantasy football playoffs is *in Larry David’s voice* pretty, pretty nice for the rookie QB.

Shough and company are heading into Week 12 coming off a bye, with an extra week of practice and offensive familiarity under their belt. The Saints will be at home against an Atlanta defense that just got shredded for 31.8 fantasy points by Panthers’ QB Bryce Young. Then, through Week 17, every opponent New Orleans faces is a bottom-15 defense in fantasy points allowed to QBs. However, in the fantasy football playoffs – Weeks 15 through 17 – Shough might be slightly more unreliable, given our normalized points score, handing the New Orleans QBs an overall C grade in those three weeks. 

Shough is far from a slam dunk, and isn’t on your radar in 1QB leagues (yet). However, in 2QB and Superflex leagues, Shough is not only rosterable but startable given the matchups the rest of the way for New Orleans. Unless your league is especially QB-needy, he should be an inexpensive roster addition heading into Week 12.  

Running Backs:

I need to start this section off with a bit of a warning/disclaimer. RB handcuffs are generally not a great idea throughout the season. They take up a roster spot. Yeah, RBs get hurt, but unless the RB you have the handcuff for gets hurt, does that help? Obviously not. So it’s easy to waste a roster spot by focusing on rostering handcuffs. And….

As we start to turn our attention to playoff runs, now is the time to start making sure you have an RB to start if, fantasy football gods forbid, you end up losing your high-end RB to injury. So every week, I’m going to highlight a ‘handcuff who matters.’ Because not all handcuffs are created equal.

Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 5.8% | FAAB 15-100%

“OK, Lou, deep breaths. Remember, Josh Jacobs avoided long-term injury.” 

Now that we’ve gotten that important disclaimer out of the way, it’s time to attend the Church of Emanuel Wilson! Alright, not really, it might only be for a week – if that. But we continue to see that Wilson is the preferred alternative if Jacobs misses time. The nice thing about Wilson’s game is that he’s active and trusted in both the passing and running game, and while he doesn’t have the power that Jacobs does, his shiftiness allows him to gain extra yards that way. 

To be clear, this is all about opportunity with Wilson, and how much you should bid will vary greatly depending on when your waivers run and what information we have by that point. If we get information that Jacobs will miss two or more games, spend whatever you have left to get Wilson. That means it’s worse than Green Bay is telling us. If it’s trending that he plays this week, don’t go over 15% as a priority backup. I know I preach “stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” a lot, but this is the time of year where it makes or breaks your season. 

Devin Singletary, New York Giants | Sleeper 44% | ESPN 32.5% | FAAB 20%

I will admit, I didn’t expect any Giants running back to do well against Green Bay. When two did, I was admittedly shocked. Tyrone Tracy dominated the touches overall in Week 11, 23 to 17 over Singletary, but while Tracy was more involved in the receiving game, we still saw Singletary receive a decent amount of work despite the terrible yards per carry. To be clear, 2.75 YPC isn’t good enough by a full yard or more. 

What’s notable about Singletary is that he was used as the goalline RB. As a result, he was the beneficiary of both Giants TDs. We can’t count on two TDs every week from Singletary, of course, but 15+ touches along with TD upside puts him squarely in Flex consideration at worst, and low RB2 range at best. For a guy who’s just sitting on the waiver wire, you can do a lot worse. Think Carolina RBs or Alvin Kamara, that’s the range where Singletary should rank going forward. 

Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders | Sleeper 30% | ESPN 6.7% | FAAB 15%

If you didn’t turn on football early in the day on Sunday to watch Miami and Washington try to out-terrible each other, you didn’t miss much. I also don’t blame you even a little for missing it. Sleep is good. Definitely better for you than that game. 

But there was something to take out of that game: Jacory Croskey-Merritt isn’t the starting RB anymore. The Commanders still use a gross mix of RBs in terms of snaps, of course. But the RB carries are starting to concentrate themselves in Rodriguez. He handled 54% of the carries in their Week 11 loss, with Croskey-Merritt next up with 32%. Rodriguez doesn’t profile as someone with big upside who will win you weeks, but instead as a priority bench player who you can start in a pinch at flex or RB2. 

Week 10 Handcuff Who Matters:

Brian Robinson, San Francisco 49ers | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 22.9% | FAAB 5%

This is definitely for the Christian McCaffrey managers, although it can really be for anyone who doesn’t believe McCaffrey will remain healthy. The 49ers have increased Robinson’s work as of late, clearly trying to keep McCaffrey healthy. The nice thing is Robinson’s YPC is continuing the pattern of increasing for every year he’s been in the NFL and is up to a healthy 4.62 YPC this year. This means that if CMC does succumb to the injury bug, Robinson will be able to step into the void and likely provide high-end RB2 or low-end RB1 value. Again, he’s a handcuff only, but this time of year it’s time to start stocking up.

Wide Receivers:

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals | Sleeper 39% | ESPN 14.9% | FAAB 6-8%

To say that Michael Wilson was awesome in Week 11 is a massive understatement; he was WR1 heading into Monday Night Football with a whopping 33.5 fantasy points. Wilson racked up 17 targets and turned those looks from Jacoby Brissett into 15 receptions for 185 yards. He made the most of his opportunity with Marvin Harrison out with appendicitis.

We’ll see how long Harrison is out, but Wilson, as a short-term immediate pickup in all fantasy leagues, is a priority this week. It’s pretty clear that Wilson’s production was opportunity-driven, as before this game, he hadn’t had more than seven targets, five receptions, or 61 yards in any game this season. In fact, he scored almost 40% of his fantasy scoring output for the entire season in Week 11’s game against the 49ers. Still, as long as Harrison is out, Wilson is a perfectly viable WR3 option.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers | Sleeper 38% | ESPN 26.2% | FAAB 4-5%

The Packers’ pass-catching room has been banged up and missing pieces all season, but one of the pieces that returned a few weeks ago is standing out: Christian Watson. Watson and Romeo Doubs have been the stalwart receivers in this Packers’ offense now that Tucker Kraft has been lost for the season. In Week 11, Watson corralled two touchdowns in addition to five targets, four receptions, and 45 yards.

The last two weeks have seen Watson at or above 80% routes per dropback this season, so this role feels secure. Matthew Golden has taken a backseat in the pecking order for Green Bay, as his return saw him with just one target and running routes 37% of dropbacks in Week 11 as a backup receiver at all three wide receiver positions. Also returning was Dontayvion Wicks, but he was their primary slot receiver, so he’s not as much of a threat on the outside.

If Josh Jacobs’ knee injury keeps him out a week or two, the Packers may need to utilize the passing game more out of necessity. Even with repeated offensive line issues this season, getting the ball out of Jordan Love‘s hands could prove beneficial for the Packers’ top receivers. Watson is included in that, so if he’s available in your league, he’s definitely worth stashing or even starting as a high-upside flex play with matchups against Minnesota and Detroit on deck.  

Tight Ends:

Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 0% | ESPN 0.4% | FAAB 1-2% 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play football with 10-year-olds? Well, if you’re Darnell Washington, you don’t have to wonder. That’s exactly how he plays. Yeah, the 10-year-olds, in Washington’s case, they’re actually NFL players, may be faster. But they’re clearly no match for the grown adult playing with them. That’s the kind of mismatch Washington provides. 

Now, the obvious caveat here is that this is the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know the team that employs Arthur Smith. And also the team that had two viable TEs and went out of their way to get a third. That’s why we’ll get random Weeks like Week 8 and Week 10, where Washington totaled a grand total of one target between the two games. With that said, Washington has now earned at least five targets in four of the last six games. When you add the advantage his size gives him in the low red zone, he becomes a decent option if you’re feeling the pain of losing a Sam LaPorta or Dalton Kincaid for multiple weeks.

AJ Barner | Sleeper 17% | ESPN 9.5% | FAAB 3-5%

Throw a quarter in the ride, there’s no telling when it will stop! 

Quarters are still a thing, right? It’s just pennies that are gone? Yeah? OK, OK, just checking.

Seattle is in a little of a weird spot with their pass-catchers right now because they’re really good at throwing the ball, but outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, there’s not much there right now. Oh, I know Rashid Shaheed will be fine once he gets up to speed. Cooper Kupp is also good for 1-2 plays/game, but that’s about it. And rookie dynamo Tory Horton is still on the shelf with an injury.

Enter AJ Barner. He might get three targets, he might get 11. There’s really not a great way to know where it will fall with him. But he does get at least three every week, and his upside is 7 or more, like we saw in Week 11. Barner isn’t a priority free agent the way some others are, so this is an “Oops! Only Injured TEs!” move. Not one to go out and prioritize if you have other solid options. But it’s Week 12 now, and we all do what we have to do.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Las Vegas Raiders | Sleeper 3% | ESPN 5.9% | FAAB 0-1%

I like this about as much as you, the reader, probably do. But as I like to say about streaming defenses, it’s all about the matchup. This coming weekend, Las Vegas hosts the Cleveland Browns, which is typically a very good matchup for any defense..

Heading into Week 12, who lines up behind center for Cleveland remains up in the air. Starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion this past Sunday in a loss to Baltimore, and it’s unclear if he will clear protocol in time for Sunday’s game. With the rookie concussed, we got our first glimpse of polarizing rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. 

Folks, it wasn’t pretty.

Sanders stepped in in the second half and logged 51 percent of snaps behind center. In 16 attempts, he completed four passes for 47 yards and an INT. He was also sacked twice and fumbled once, though the Browns recovered the ball. If Dillon doesn’t clear protocol for Sunday’s game, we could be in for more Sanders.

To be clear, this Raiders unit is not a long-term hold. Their next three games, after Week 12, are against the Chargers, Broncos, and Eagles. You’ll want none of that smoke. But as a one-week streamer against an inept rookie QB, they’re a great option this week.         

Cleveland Browns | Sleeper 33% | ESPN  40.7% | FAAB 5-7%

While the Cleveland Browns’ offense may be bad, their defense is anything but. They currently rank as the overall D/ST6, and are coming off a 17 fantasy point game against the Baltimore Ravens. And for as bad as the Browns’ offense is likely to be this Sunday, the Las Vegas offense could be equally as bad. 

While Raiders QB Geno Smith is not on Sanders’ level of ineptitude, he hasn’t been good in 2025. Las Vegas and new head coach Pete Carroll were clearly hoping to catch some of that old Seahawks magic when they acquired Smith this offseason, and it hasn’t materialized. In nine games ahead of tonight, the veteran QB has thrown 12 INTs to 11 TDs. Furthermore, Smith has played just two games without throwing an INT, but has four contests without a TD. 

The only facet of this Las Vegas offense that may be a concern for Cleveland is Brock Bowers. However, even with Bowers back after a three-game absence, Smith is still error-prone and struggles against better defenses. Cleveland is an airtight option at D/ST in Week 12, and if you’re so inclined, you can retire from streaming and hold them for the rest of the 2025 season.   

Kickers:

Wil Lutz | Sleeper 31% | ESPN 28.9% | FAAB 1-2%

You might have started the season streaming kickers, but we all know how tiresome that can get. Heading into Week 12, there are two opportunities to shift from streaming to a one-man kicker show on the waiver wire. The first, though on a bye in Week 12, is Denver kicker Wil Lutz.

Somehow, some way, the Denver Broncos are 9-2 and firmly in the lead for the AFC West. Part of the reason has been Lutz’s reliability, having been perfect on PAT attempts and having missed only three field goals all season. 

This past weekend against Kansas City, the veteran kicker made all five of his field goal attempts, including one from 54 yards. Heading into Monday Night Football, Lutz is the overall K1 for Week 11 with 18 fantasy points.

Denver is a serious contender this season, and they are leaning on Lutz more and more. As the offense continues to gel and they get drives deeper, he should see more opportunities to score, giving you more opportunities to cash in as well. With it being ahead of Denver’s bye week, he’ll likely be free on the waiver wire and worth a stash for the remainder of the season if you can afford it.

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 26% | ESPN 10.6% | FAAB 1-2%

If you miss out on Lutz this week, or need a kicker ASAP, Bengals veteran Evan McPherson is a viable option at the position you can potentially hold for the rest of the season as well. While the season started slowly for McPherson, things have picked up over the last few weeks.

The always reliable leg of McPherson is still just that, but has been lacking the scoring opportunities. Through the first five weeks of the season, McPherson was perfect all around but had exactly one field goal attempt per game and 10 extra point attempts. Since that span, and an uncharacteristically bad Week 6 in Greeb Bay, McPherson is tied with Patterson for tenth in FPPG with nine.

Since the acquisition of veteran QB Joe Flacco, the Bengals’ offense is moving the ball, giving McPherson ample opportunities to remain fantasy relevant. There are whispers of a possible Joe Burrow return in Week 13, and if it does happen, it will only help McPherson’s stock in fantasy football. Additionally, with the Bengals’ bye week come and gone, the veteran Bengals kicker is a set-it-and-forget-it prospect for the rest of the season.    

For more wavier wire 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 17th, 2025

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