Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 12: Smart Sleepers to Exploit and Lineup Advice

Sleepers ruled the world in Week 11 of the NFL season, making start 'em, sit 'em decisions going into Week 12 all the more difficult.

At least one sleeper exploded at each spot. As a brief example, Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls exploded for 36 points to lead all scorers at his position before Monday night's contest. Arizona Cardinals wideout J.J. Nelson posted 20 of his own while running mate Larry Fitzgerald mustered nine.

Using a fine comb, though, owners can sift through the masses for similar value, whether it's stars or sleepers. Below, let's take a look at value comparisons concerning some of the top options of Week 12 and highlight matchups and sleepers to exploit.

QB   

Matchup	Verdict
Tom Brady (vs. BUF) vs. Blake Bortles (vs. SD)	Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers (vs. CHI) vs. Matt Ryan (vs. MIN)	Aaron Rodgers
Cam Newton (at DAL) vs. Eli Manning (at WAS)	Cam Newton
Carson Palmer (at SF) vs. Drew Brees (at HOU)	Carson Palmer
Philip Rivers (at JAC) vs. Andy Dalton (vs. STL)	Philip Rivers

Matchup to Exploit: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Refresher time—Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took on the Chicago Bears in Week 1 on the road and tossed three scores, totaling 22 points.

Rodgers remains an elite fantasy option each week, but he's even better than usual in Week 12 when he hosts the same old Bears.

The same old Bears, as in, the defense that just allowed Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler to throw for 250 yards and two scores, good for 18 points.

A floor in the neighborhood of 20 seems just right for Rodgers this weekend, who should come away as the top scorer at his position.

Sleeper: Brian Hoyer, Houston Texans (vs. NO)

Fantasy football owners are down on Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer, hence his 10.9 ownership percentage.

Hoyer missed last week with an injury, but it's easy to forget at one point he posted five games in a row with 17 or more points. With coach Bill O'Brien confirming he's still the starter, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Hoyer is the top sleeper of the week by a mile.

Why? The New Orleans Saints. The Saints were on a bye in Week 11 but entered as the team giving up the most points to quarterbacks on average. Over their last three games, the Saints had allowed 14 touchdown passes.

Hoyer's going to have a big day.

RB   

Matchup	Verdict
Adrian Peterson (at ATL) vs. Chris Ivory (vs. MIA)	Adrian Peterson
Mark Ingram (at HOU) vs. Lamar Miller (at NYJ)	Mark Ingram
Todd Gurley (at CIN) vs. Doug Martin (at IND)	Todd Gurley
Danny Woodhead (at JAC) vs. DeMarco Murray (at DET)	Danny Woodhead
LeGarrette Blount (at DEN ) vs. DeAngelo Williams (at SEA)	DeAngelo Williams

Matchup to Exploit: Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (at SF)

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

The comeback story for Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson continues in Week 12. 

CJ2K has been a rather hit-or-miss player, with seven single-digit performances this year with outings of 27, 10 and 18 points mixed in for good measure.

That 27-point outburst happened to occur against the San Francisco 49ers, the team Johnson encounters again this weekend. While it's hard to imagine he matches that total, it's important to keep in mind that the 49ers entered Week 11 allowing the fifth-most points to the position.

The aforementioned 36-point explosion by Rawls? That was San Francisco coughing up the outing.

Maybe 27 isn't so unrealistic.

Sleeper: Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens (at CLE)

An unfortunate reality of the NFL is injuries, and right alongside it is the next-man-up philosophy. 

The Baltimore Ravens will employ this moving forward now that starting running back Justin Forsett will miss the rest of the season, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.

Allen certainly has the ability to contribute as he took 22 carries for 67 yards and 10 points after Forsett exited the game. Baltimore quarterbacks also gave him six targets through the air.

It's nothing but good news with an upcoming date with the Cleveland Browns, who entered this past week allowing the ninth-most points to the position.

WR 

Matchup	Verdict
Antonio Brown (at SEA) vs. Allen Hurns (vs. SD)	Antonio Brown
Julio Jones (vs MIN) vs. Allen Robinson (vs. SD)	Julio Jones
DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NO) vs. Brandon Marshall (vs. MIA)	DeAndre Hopkins
Odell Beckham Jr. (at WAS) vs. A.J. Green (vs. STL)	A.J. Green
Larry Fitzgerald (at SF) vs. Jarvis Landry (at NYJ)	Larry Fitzgerald

Matchup to Exploit: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (vs. PHI)

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson hasn't lived up to the nickname Megatron often this season, but most anyone couldn't given the issues the team has had along the line and among the coaching staff. 

Still, Johnson has three double-digit outings this year, and he's now totaled exactly eight points in each of his past three outings.

He's due for a major game.

The Philadelphia Eagles might be the ones to give it to him. Those Eagles entered Week 11 coughing up the fourth-most points to wideouts before allowing Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to total 12 points.

Call that a simple floor for Johnson to reach as both offenses figure to let loose.

Sleeper: Travis Benjamin, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)

Remember Cleveland wideout Travis Benjamin?

He's still owned in 76.9 percent of leagues, but Benjamin has just two double-digit outings since starting the season with 14 and 29 points in his first two games.

Luckily for owners on the hunt for a sleeper, one of those trips above 10 points came in Week 10, where Benjamin scored 11 to break a streak of three games in a row with just two points.

Fresh off a bye, Benjamin next gets to tackle the struggling Ravens. Baltimore allowed the most points to wideouts on average entering Week 11, and back in Week 5, Benjamin caught six passes for 83 yards and eight points against the unit.

At home, Benjamin boasts an incredible ceiling against the familiar foe.

TE 

Matchup	Verdict
Rob Gronkowski (at DEN) vs. Travis Kelce (vs. BUF)	Rob Gronkowski
Delanie Walker (vs. OAK) vs. Tyler Eifert (vs. STL)	Delanie Walker
Gary Barnidge (vs. BAL) vs. Greg Olsen (at DAL)	Greg Olsen
Ben Watson (at HOU) vs. Jimmy Graham (vs. PIT)	Jimmy Graham
Richard Rodgers (vs. CHI) vs. Jason Witten (vs. CAR)	Jason Witten

Matchup to Exploit: Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (vs. OAK)

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker has come on in recent weeks, scoring 10 or more points in two of his last three games after not going for 10 or more since Week 1.

Part of it has to do with the health of rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota, while most of it is matchups against forgiving defenses.

That's quite the understatement when talking about the Oakland Raiders, the defense that has allowed the most points to the position all season.

Expect the game plan with a rookie under center to focus on getting Walker the ball. There's literally nothing the Raiders can do about it.

Sleeper: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers (at SEA)

Heath Miller might sound like a recognizable name, but face-value looks can be deceiving considering he's owned in just 37 percent of leagues. 

In that same deceptive vein, the Seattle Seahawks sound like a great defense, but in reality the unit entered Week 11 allowing the fourth-most points to tight ends before allowing San Francisco 49ers backup Vance McDonald to total 12.

Miller can be one of fantasy's best tight ends when Ben Roethlisberger is in the lineup, which he is once again. On the road in a noisy environment, expect Big Ben to get Miller the ball early and often, producing a big day.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 23. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.