Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Flex, PPR Stat Predictions for Top 100

It is amazing how much better fantasy football lineups can look when there is a full slate of games.

Starting with three games on Thanksgiving, Week 12 will feature all 32 teams in action for the first time since Week 3. This not only will make an enjoyable weekend of watching football, but it also gives fantasy owners an opportunity to finally see their teams at full strength.

On the flip side, this only makes your roster decisions more difficult as you attempt to choose the best player for the week. Hopefully, these positional rankings will help you relax as you get to enjoy some turkey.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Tom Brady	Patriots	at NYJ	23
2	Aaron Rodgers	Packers	at PHI	22
3	Drew Brees	Saints	LA	22
4	Ben Roethlisberger	Steelers	at IND	21
5	Marcus Mariota	Titans	at CHI	20
6	Matt Ryan	Falcons	ARI	20
7	Kirk Cousins	Redskins	at DAL	20
8	Dak Prescott	Cowboys	WAS	19
9	Cam Newton	Panthers	at OAK	19
10	Russell Wilson	Seahawks	at TB	19

The Sunday night game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins showcased two different quarterbacks, but two men both moving up lists on fantasy boards.

Kirk Cousins was at his best on the national stage, finding different receivers all over the field to help lead his team to victory:

He ended up with 375 passing yards and three touchdowns, marking the fifth game in a row he was responsible for multiple touchdowns. Although the Dallas Cowboys defense represents a bigger threat on Thanksgiving, he has been consistent against all types of defenses and is worth starting in most leagues.

On the other side of the field was Aaron Rodgers, who has taken a lot of heat in the past few weeks with the Packers losing games. Then again, Bleacher Report's Zach Kruse noted why the recent slide isn't necessarily the quarterback's fault:

Rodgers has always been considered a top fantasy quarterback, but he slid on rankings lists after some weak showings at the start of the year. However, he is easily one of the top options once again.

Of course, so many quarterbacks are playing well now, and the top of the rankings is overcrowded with legitimate options. Andrew Luck doesn't even crack the top 10 after going three straight games without reaching 20 points.

With the way the rest of the field is lighting up the stat sheet, the Indianapolis Colts star just can't keep up.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	David Johnson	Cardinals	at ATL	18
2	Ezekiel Elliott	Cowboys	WAS	17
3	Le'Veon Bell	Steelers	at IND	16
4	Jay Ajayi	Dolphins	SF	16
5	DeMarco Murray	Titans	at CHI	14
6	Melvin Gordon	Chargers	at HOU	13
7	Lamar Miller	Texans	SD	13
8	LeSean McCoy	Bills	JAX	12
9	Rob Kelley	Redskins	at DAL	12
10	LeGarrette Blount	Patriots	at NYJ	12
11	Devonta Freeman	Falcons	ARI	12
12	Todd Gurley	Rams	at NO	12
13	Spencer Ware	Chiefs	at DEN	11
14	Rashad Jennings	Giants	at CLE	11
15	Frank Gore	Colts	PIT	11
16	Thomas Rawls	Seahawks	at TB	11
17	Theo Riddick	Lions	MIN	11
18	Latavius Murray	Raiders	CAR	11
19	Jeremy Hill	Bengals	at BAL	10
20	Matt Forte	Jets	NE	10
21	Jordan Howard	Bears	TEN	10
22	Doug Martin	Buccaneers	SEA	10
23	Tim Hightower	Saints	LA	9
24	James Starks	Packers	at PHI	9
25	Carlos Hyde	49ers	at MIA	9
26	James White	Patriots	at NYJ	9
27	Jonathan Stewart	Panthers	at OAK	9
28	Wendell Smallwood	Eagles	GB	8
29	Terrance West	Ravens	CIN	8
30	Chris Ivory	Jaguars	at BUF	8

As always, injuries are a big story with running backs, and a number of situations need to be monitored in the coming days.

LeSean McCoy is expected to play despite undergoing thumb surgery, per Pro Football Talk. If he is unavailable, Mike Gillislee becomes a top option at the position.

Injuries in the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints backfields could create openings for Wendell Smallwood and Tim Hightower, respectively, to become reasonable starters both on the field and in fantasy lineups.

The Seattle Seahawks situation also could be interesting, with C.J. Prosise picking up a serious shoulder injury that could keep him out for eight weeks, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. He had become the go-to option in the backfield for Seattle, causing the team to release Christine Michael. As a result, Thomas Rawls becomes the best healthy player remaining, and he is ready to take on the heavier role.

"I train myself not like an average person, but I train myself to take on these loads for situations like this," Rawls said, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. "You never know the outcome or the result of the game. Not just that, but for personal pride. I work hard, and that's all I know. All I know is go."

Rawls was a game-changer in fantasy leagues a year ago and can do the same this year in a strong offense with a lot of scoring opportunities. If he is available, he should be the top target on all waiver wires.

Finally, Todd Gurley could be headed back toward what fans were expecting at the start of the year. He scored his first touchdown since Week 5 on Sunday and has a favorable matchup coming up against the Saints. With another 20 carries, he could be a big-time performer.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Antonio Brown	Steelers	at IND	15
2	Dez Bryant	Cowboys	WAS	15
3	Julio Jones	Falcons	ARI	14
4	Odell Beckham Jr.	Giants	at CLE	14
5	Mike Evans	Buccaneers	SEA	14
6	Amari Cooper	Raiders	CAR	13
7	Larry Fitzgerald	Cardinals	at ATL	13
8	T.Y. Hilton	Colts	PIT	12
9	Jordy Nelson	Packers	at PHI	12
10	Demaryius Thomas	Broncos	KC	11
11	Allen Robinson	Jaguars	at BUF	11
12	Brandin Cooks	Saints	LA	11
13	DeAndre Hopkins	Texans	SD	11
14	Stefon Diggs	Vikings	at DET	11
15	Julian Edelman	Patriots	at NYJ	10
16	Doug Baldwin	Seahawks	at TB	10
17	Kelvin Benjamin	Panthers	at OAK	10
18	Steve Smith Sr.	Ravens	CIN	10
19	Michael Crabtree	Raiders	CAR	10
20	Michael Thomas	Saints	LA	10
21	Davante Adams	Packers	at PHI	10
22	Jamison Crowder	Redskins	at DAL	10
23	Rishard Matthews	Titans	at CHI	10
24	Emmanuel Sanders	Broncos	KC	9
25	Tyrell Williams	Chargers	at HOU	9
26	Jarvis Landry	Dolphins	SF	9
27	Terrelle Pryor Sr.	Browns	NYG	9
28	Jordan Matthews	Eagles	GB	9
29	Donte Moncrief	Colts	PIT	9
30	Kenny Britt	Rams	at NO	9

What made Dez Bryant so dangerous of a fantasy player for so long was his ability to rack up touchdowns. The Dallas Cowboys are willing to lob it up to the receiver in one-on-one situations, and he often finds a way to bring the ball down.

This strategy led to two touchdowns Sunday and four scores in four games since returning from injury. He has at least 17 points in standard leagues in three of those four games.

Teammate Ezekiel Elliott summed up the receiver's level of play, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News:

In a rivalry game against the Redskins on national television Thursday, you can expect the best Bryant has to offer. He should be able to come through once again with a big showing for his team and the fans.

There are also several players moving up thanks to consistency that is just too hard to ignore. Rishard Matthews failed to score Sunday, but he ended up with nine catches for 122 yards—his highest yardage total of the season. Adding this to his ability to get into the end zone (six touchdowns in his last seven games), he has become a solid starter for fantasy leagues.

The same can be said for Jamison Crowder, who has reached at least nine points in standard leagues in each of the last six games. Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson will keep taking away targets, but Crowder is the best receiver for fantasy purposes going forward.

Julian Edelman is also on the rise after finally getting on the same page with Tom Brady. It also helps that so many of his teammates are currently on the sidelines with injuries.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Team	Oppponent	Proj. Points
1	Jordan Reed	Redskins	at DAL	11
2	Travis Kelce	Chiefs	at DEN	10
3	Jimmy Graham	Seahawks	at TB	10
4	Greg Olsen	Panthers	at OAK	9
5	Delanie Walker	Titans	at CHI	9
6	Eric Ebron	Lions	MIN	8
7	Tyler Eifert	Bengals	at BAL	8
8	Martellus Bennett	Patriots	at NYJ	8
9	Antonio Gates	Chargers	at HOU	7
10	Jason Witten	Cowboys	WAS	7

This is going with the assumption Rob Gronkowski will not be able to play in Week 12, but Martellus Bennett still remains a quality option despite his dud in Week 11. He was expected to explode with Gronk on the sidelines, but he instead ended with just one catch for 14 yards.

In reality, he is too talented and in too good of an offense not to succeed if he remains the starter.

Greg Olsen also slides down after another quiet showing, this time against the New Orleans Saints. After a hot start to the year, the Carolina Panthers star is averaging just 33.8 yards per game in his last four with one touchdown in this stretch.

There isn't the same type of concern about Jordan Reed, who only has three touchdowns this year and only one since Week 4. Like Bennett, there is a lot of talent and in an offense that is working really well at this stage of the year. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Washington, but Reed's time will come.

Dave Reginek/Getty Images

Eric Ebron also moves up after his third game in a row with at least 70 receiving yards. Adding a rushing touchdown on an end-around only helps his case.

Defense/Special Teams

Rank	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	New York Giants	at CLE	10
2	Buffalo Bills	JAX	9
3	Minnesota Vikings	at DET	8
4	Denver Broncos	KC	8
5	Detroit Lions	MIN	8
6	New England Patriots	at NYJ	7
7	Miami Dolphins	SF	7
8	Seattle Seahawks	at TB	7
9	Baltimore Ravens	CIN	7
10	Philadelphia Eagles	GB	7

The New York Giants defense, which was completely redone in the offseason, has played much better during the team's five-game winning streak. This is perfect timing to face the Cleveland Browns, who just allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers to sack two different quarterbacks a combined eight times.

Cleveland's offensive line has struggled mightily in recent weeks, and it could lead to some serious problems for Josh McCown in the coming week.

The New England Patriots will also get a chance to take advantage of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was recently named the starter once again for the New York Jets, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Considering Fitzpatrick has 13 interceptions compared to just eight touchdowns this season in nine games, this is the type of fantasy matchup you want from a defense.

The Minnesota Vikings are also on the rise again after a huge Week 11 performance. Even with a tough matchup against the Detroit Lions, the unit is healthy and could be a threat for more turnovers and touchdowns.

Kickers

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Proj. Points
1	Matt Bryant	Falcons	ARI	9
2	Dan Bailey	Cowboys	WAS	9
3	Stephen Gostkowski	Patriots	at NYJ	8
4	Adam Vinatieri	Colts	PIT	8
5	Matt Prater	Lions	MIN	8
6	Graham Gano	Panthers	at OAK	8
7	Mason Crosby	Packers	at PHI	7
8	Justin Tucker	Ravens	CIN	7
9	Steven Hauschka	Seahawks	at TB	7
10	Caleb Sturgis	Eagles	GB	7

Week 11 was brutal for kickers, as there were 12 missed extra points—a new record for the most in a single day, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Even the seemingly reliable players struggled, as Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point, and Adam Vinatieri missed a field goal.

It's tough to predict this type of mess, but all you can do is stick with the most consistent kickers on high-scoring offenses. This puts Dan Bailey at the top as someone who rarely misses and plays for one of the best teams in the NFL.

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