Week 12 Waiver Wire: Top Targets For This Week's Injured Fantasy Football Stars
Some notable NFL players are slated to be out of action due to injury in Week 12. That group includes San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (right shoulder), Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and others.
As another action-packed Sunday draws closer, fantasy managers may still be scrambling to fill holes in their lineups. At this point of a season, rosters can be depleted because of injuries, underperformance or a combination of both.
Fortunately, there are always players to consider taking a flier on on the waiver wire.
Here's a look at some potential targets if you're hoping to plug a lineup hole for Week 12.
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
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Although Drake Maye hasn't put up huge numbers during his rookie season, the New England Patriots quarterback has been fairly consistent. And when healthy, the 22-year-old has typically played well enough to be a serviceable fantasy fill-in.
Last week, Maye passed for a season-high 282 yards while throwing two touchdown passes and one interception in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. So he may be getting more comfortable as he continues to get acclimated to the NFL level.
The Patriots are set to go on the road to face the Miami Dolphins this week in an AFC East matchup. The Dolphins' defense has been solid at times, but they're coming off a Week 11 performance in which they allowed Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew to throw for 282 yards and two touchdowns.
Don't expect a massive performance out of Maye on Sunday. But if you need a quarterback who can keep your team in a matchup, he's a good option.
Audric Estime, RB, Denver Broncos
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In Week 10, it seemed like Audric Estime was poised to take on a larger role in the Denver Broncos' offense, as the rookie running back got 14 carries and rushed for 53 yards. Then, in Week 11, his number of touches went back down to nine (six carries and three catches).
But if you're a fantasy manager in big-time need of an RB this week, Estime may be the best option to take a flier on. The 21-year-old has a favorable matchup, considering the Broncos are traveling to Las Vegas for an AFC West matchup.
The Raiders are allowing 125.1 rushing yards per game and giving up the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs in the league this season (per NFL.com). So the Broncos' game plan could be to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible.
Plus, this is a game that Denver should win handily. If it takes a big lead, then Estime should have no trouble getting more work than he did last week.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
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This week's Monday night matchup features the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers. And if you're waiting to see if an injured running back or your wide receiver is going to suit up on Sunday, there's a receiver in Monday's game who could be a good insurance policy.
Rashod Bateman hasn't been putting up huge numbers for Baltimore, but the 24-year-old has scored a touchdown in four of his past nine games. He's also been getting plenty of passes thrown his way, having been targeted five-plus times in three of his past four contests.
Bateman is dealing with a knee ailment himself. But as long as he plays, he could have a productive performance. Over the past four weeks, the Chargers are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to WRs (per NFL.com).
So keep an eye on Bateman's status, but it could be wise to roster him as a potential fill-in option for another banged up wide receiver.
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