Fantasy Football Week 12: Weekly Fantasy Trends Report

With all the injuries in Week 11 of the fantasy football season, owners (including myself) had to scurry to the waiver wire to keep their teams afloat.

While it's impossible to replace the production of players like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green or Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller, the first place to try is the waiver wire, which was likely more active than ever given where we are in the season.

If you're in a league where there is no trade deadline (or it hasn't passed yet), this is also a great time to take advantage of a panicked market. If you have an abundance of wide receivers, you could likely sell one off and get more bang for your buck, especially to a Green owner.

Week 11 may have been the week to break a bunch of teams, but with the right waiver-wire pickups and trades, those teams could still hold on.

Oh, and even if you don't need a wide receiver, it's always a smart strategy to pick a key player up ahead of someone who needs them. It's ruthless, but, hey, you play to win the game.

Bengals WR Tyler Boyd Top Add

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In the wake of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green's injury that is not-so season-ending, we are forced to scour the waiver wire to try to replace him. While this is an impossible task in and of itself, we still need to do it. What better place to look than at the depth chart of his own team?

That seems to be the consensus go-to option in fantasy football this week (well, at least on Yahoo), as prospective owners are turning to Bengals rookie wide receiver Tyler Boyd for help.

Heading into Week 12, Boyd has been added by more than 300,000 Yahoo league teams. While it may be easy to turn toward fellow Bengals wide receiver Brandon LaFell for help—you know, considering he's played nearly 200 snaps more than Boyd this yea—that's not the right move.

Although he's played in 200 more snaps, Boyd has just seven fewer targets and the same number of receptions as LaFell. With Green out for the foreseeable future, Boyd will play close to every snap, and this is a great time for the Bengals to see what they have in Boyd.

It's also worth mentioning that LaFell sat out Wednesday's practice, according to Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official website. If he's unable to go, it makes all the more sense to add Boyd.

Boyd will see numerous targets in Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens and is a must-start given the potential absence of LaFell, Green being injured and running back Gio Bernard being out for the season with a torn ACL.

Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood Also Highly Added

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Before we delve into why Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood is an obvious must-add heading into Week 12, let's get some updates on fellow Eagles running backs Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, neither Mathews nor Sproles were at practice Wednesday with a knee and rib injury, respectively.

So, yeah, anytime you can add a running back off the waiver wire who could end up being the starter for an NFL team that particular week, it's always a no-brainer.

The only thing that could potentially hamper Smallwood's value is if one of the other backs suits up. If I had to guess, Mathews will sit and Sproles could play, but Smallwood is better built to endure carrying the ball 15-plus, especially with Sproles dealing with a fractured rib.

Smallwood gets the Green Bay Packers this week on Monday Night Football. That defense is atrocious.

If Smallwood draws the start, 100 yards and a touchdown doesn't seem out of the question.

Buffalo Lead D/ST Add Heading into Week 12

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Streaming defenses is a strategy I'll always be a fan of—it's silly to waste a higher-round draft pick on a defense come draft day.

With Week 12 on tap, there are multiple defenses that are worth adding this week—even the New Orleans Saints!—but the most-added unit has been the Buffalo Bills, who have a date with the Jacksonville Jaguars at home.

This makes sense—anytime you can stream a defense that is going up against a quarterback who is tied for the league lead in interceptions, there is always a chance for defensive touchdowns.

Yes, I'm talking about Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles.

Led by linebacker Zach Brown, among others, the Bills defense should score double-digit points this week when you factor in Bortles being turnover prone, sacks and opposing team point total. The Jaguars won't reach 20 this week.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins Hopeful to Play; Sees Huge Ownership Increase

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With Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green going down in Week 11, among others, adding wide receiver depth is key down the stretch while making a playoff push. While it's easy to suggest adding guys like fellow Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd, you may not be so fortunate to get him come waiver-reward time. Some alternatives could include those who are ultratalented but are coming back from injury.

For example, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

According to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW, Watkins has declared himself 100 percent and practiced Wednesday.

Keep in mind, Watkins has been out since Week 2, so it's going to take some time for him to get back in the swing of things.

However, if your team is sitting pretty with a great record and almost assured a playoff berth, Watkins (and another player who we'll talk about in the next slide) could help elevate you to a championship.

Don't Forget About Vikings RB Adrian Peterson

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Like Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins, another otherworldly talent should return right in the thick of your playoff run.

If you have an injured reserve spot on your roster, it was likely used for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, but if you didn't, you more than likely had to cut ties.

Well, Peterson is on the verge of returning. 

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, Peterson could return by "mid-to-late December." This will take us right into the heat of the playoffs.

Following this news, Peterson has been added by nearly 100,000 teams, bringing his ownership percentage close to 45 percent in Yahoo leagues.

If your team is almost assured an entry into the playoffs, Peterson is a player who needs to be stashed until he returns. However, if you're trying to make it to the postseason, I'd turn my attention to guys like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd and/or Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood—guys that can help you win right now.

Fantasy Owners Are Done with Packers WR/RB Ty Montgomery

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Outside of kickers, defenses and players that are gone for the year due to injury, Green Bay Packers "offensive weapon" Ty Montgomery is being dropped the most frequently leading up to Week 12.

This makes sense given the return of running back James Starks.

There was a time when Montgomery was a top-15 guy given the number of carries and catches he was receiving, but that ship has sailed.

Over the past two weeks, Montgomery has played in less than 30 snaps for the Packers. What makes that most notable is that the Packers were getting absolutely rocked in both matchups and Montgomery was still almost nowhere to be found.

In those two games, Montgomery mustered just 12 total touches for 66 yards and no scores.

Again, with James Starks returning and tight end Jared Cook, Montgomery just isn't a highly featured weapon anymore.

Cut ties with him if you haven't already. Things are only pointing down from here.

Seahawks RB Thomas Rawls Most-Traded Player

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Whether it be because his value is at an all-time high right now, or a team needs to make a move at running back, Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls has been the most traded player in Yahoo leagues by a slim margin.

With fellow running back C.J. Prosise done for at least the regular season, it's all Rawls from here.

Considering he hasn't played in so long, Rawls has likely been hanging around on owners' benches just waiting for him to come back. In the meantime, they have stockpiled running back depth and may no longer need Rawls like they did when the season began. This is a perfect scenario to trade Rawls to enhance your wide receiver depth if you were an A.J. Green owner.

Rawls being the most-traded player is not a sign of owners being uninspired by his performance, but rather taking advantage of a market that is starved to make a move for a championship run.

If you can get the value, I'd be fine trading Rawls, but don't trade him just for the hell of it—he's going to provide borderline RB1 numbers the rest of the way.

Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and ESPN.com.

Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin.