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

Week 12 of the NFL season is a mixed bag for fantasy football owners.

On the one hand, there are no more byes remaining and owners should theoretically have a full roster to work with for the first time since September. There are also three Thursday games, so there is plenty of opportunity to jump out to an early lead.

The problem is the list of injured playmakers continues to grow, and Marshawn Lynch, Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett, Devonta Freeman and Charcandrick West were among those who went down in Week 11. The physical setbacks have left fantasy owners scrambling, although at least West and Freeman could be back on the field in Week 12.

With that in mind, here is a list of rounded projections for the top players in Week 12 that will help with difficult decisions, such as who to insert in the flex position. The projections are based on a points-per-reception scoring system.

Quarterback

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	26
2	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	Dallas Cowboys	25
3	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	24
4	Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints	Houston Texans	22
5	Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers	Jacksonville Jaguars	22
6	Eli Manning, New York Giants	Washington	20
7	Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals	San Francisco 49ers	19
8	Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	18
9	Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys	Carolina Panthers	17
10	Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears	Green Bay Packers	17

Aaron Rodgers sports a 13-3 career record against the Chicago Bears and has been a nightmare for his archrivals. That won’t change Thursday.

Rodgers discussed the matchup after an early-season win, per Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune: “It's always fun beating the Bears. It's always ramped up a little bit more because of the rivalry and the history.”

Rodgers got his team back on track Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in a game for first place in the NFC North, and he will keep the momentum rolling in Week 12. He found a rhythm again with James Jones, who finished with 109 yards and touchdown, and will rack up serious fantasy points against a Bears team that is 22nd in the league in scoring defense after Sunday’s action.

Running Back

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings	Atlanta Falcons	23
2	Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams	Cincinnati Bengals	21
3	Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Indianapolis Colts	21
4	Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers	Dallas Cowboys	21
5	T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars	San Diego Chargers	20
6	DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles	Detroit Lions	20
7	Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	20
8	Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons	Minnesota Vikings	20
9	Chris Ivory, New York Jets	Miami Dolphins	19
10	Thomas Rawls, Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	18
11	Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals	San Francisco 49ers	17
12	Matt Forte, Chicago Bears	Green Bay Packers	17
13	Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs	Buffalo Bills	17
14	Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals	St. Louis Rams	16
15	Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos	New England Patriots	14
16	Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys	Carolina Panthers	13
17	Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints	Houston Texans	13
18	Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders	Tennessee Titans	12
19	Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	11
20	DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers	Seattle Seahawks	11
21	Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals	St. Louis Rams	9
22	Jeremy Langford, Chicago Bears	Green Bay Packers	9
23	Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins	New York Jets	9
24	Antonio Andrews, Tennessee Titans	Oakland Raiders	8
25	LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	8
26	Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens	Cleveland Browns	7
27	Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles	Detroit Lions	7
28	James Starks, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	7
29	Matt Jones, Washington	New York Giants	6
30	Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers	Jacksonville Jaguars	6

According to ESPN.com, the San Diego Chargers allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Prepare yourself for the T.J. Yeldon show Sunday.

Yeldon is quietly putting together an impressive season without much fanfare because he plays in Jacksonville. He has 585 rushing yards and cracked the century mark two different times in his rookie campaign.

He will reach 100 yards for the third time Sunday against a vulnerable Chargers defensive unit.

Wide Receiver

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Odell Beckham, New York Giants	Washington	28
2	Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons	Minnesota Vikings	24
3	DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans	New Orleans Saints	24
4	Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders	Tennessee Titans	24
5	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Seattle Seahawks	23
6	Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys	Carolina Panthers	21
7	Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions	Philadelphia Eagles	19
8	Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos	New England Patriots	18
9	A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals	St. Louis Rams	17
10	Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears	Green Bay Packers	15
11	Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Indianapolis Colts	13
12	Danny Amendola, New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	13
13	Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings	Atlanta Falcons	13
14	Brandon Marshall, New York Jets	Miami Dolphins	12
15	Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals	San Francisco 49ers	11
16	Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	11
17	Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars	San Diego Chargers	11
18	Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints	Houston Texans	11
19	Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills	Kansas City Chiefs	10
20	Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars	San Diego Chargers	10
21	James Jones, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	10
22	DeSean Jackson, Washington	New York Giants	9
23	Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders	Tennessee Titans	9
24	Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos	New England Patriots	9
25	Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins	New York Jets	9
26	Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Indianapolis Colts	8
27	Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	8
28	Travis Benjamin, Cleveland Browns	Baltimore Ravens	7
29	T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7
30	Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers	Arizona Cardinals	7

Calvin Johnson has not been the usual sure thing in fantasy this season with only one game topping 100 receiving yards, but the Philadelphia Eagles defense was an absolute mess against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. It allowed 45 points and five passing touchdowns, and now Johnson gets a crack at the struggling secondary.

The track record is still in place for Megatron, and he’s been far from a disaster with 828 receiving yards in 10 games. KC Joyner of ESPN.com had Johnson atop of his high-upside trade target list because of the pass-catcher’s potential in matchups like Thursday’s against the Eagles.

Make sure you take advantage.

Tight End

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers	Dallas Cowboys	14
2	Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	13
3	Jimmy Graham, Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	10
4	Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans	Oakland Raiders	9
5	Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals	St. Louis Rams	9
6	Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns	Baltimore Ravens	8
7	Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs	Buffalo Bills	8
8	Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers	Jacksonville Jaguars	7
9	Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars	San Diego Chargers	7
10	Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys	Carolina Panthers	7

According to ESPN.com, the Oakland Raiders allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends; Delanie Walker will make sure that continues in Week 12.

Walker is quickly becoming one of Marcus Mariota’s favorite targets and is fresh off 109 receiving yards against the Jaguars. The tight end also has at least 50 receiving yards in six straight games and cracked the 90-yard mark three times in that span.

Ride with the red-hot tight end against a defense that struggles to stop the position.

Kicker

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	17
2	Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	14
3	Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears	Green Bay Packers	13
4	Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers	Dallas Cowboys	13
5	Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	11
6	Dustin Hopkins, Washington	New York Giants	11
7	Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Cardinals	San Francisco 49ers	11
8	Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens	Cleveland Browns	10
9	Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings	Atlanta Falcons	10
10	Jason Myers, Jacksonville Jaguars	San Diego Chargers	9

The Bears offense stalled in the red zone Sunday against the Denver Broncos with only one touchdown in four tries. While the lack of touchdowns frustrated Chicago fans, Robbie Gould came through with three field goals. He will once again put up solid fantasy numbers against the Packers Thursday.

Chicago will move the ball against a Packers defense that ranks 21st in the league in yards allowed per game (after Sunday), but the red-zone issues will rear their ugly head for the second straight game. That is great news for fantasy owners relying on Gould.

Defense

Rank	Defense	Opponent	Projection
1	Arizona Cardinals	San Francisco 49ers	16
2	New York Jets	Miami Dolphins	15
3	Buffalo Bills	Kansas City Chiefs	15
4	Cincinnati Bengals	St. Louis Rams	14
5	Seattle Seahawks	Pittsburgh Steelers	14
6	Carolina Panthers	Dallas Cowboys	14
7	New England Patriots	Denver Broncos	13
8	Denver Broncos	New England Patriots	13
9	St. Louis Rams	Cincinnati Bengals	12
10	Baltimore Ravens	Cleveland Browns	11

According to ESPN.com, the San Francisco 49ers allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses. While quarterback Blaine Gabbert has actually been solid for San Francisco over the last two games, he still only has 26 touchdowns to 26 interceptions in his career. What’s more, Carlos Hyde is dealing with injury, which limits the rushing attack that is already missing Reggie Bush.

Even though the Arizona Cardinals struggled at times against the Cincinnati Bengals, they are third in the league in yards allowed per game after Sunday’s win. They will look dominant against the 49ers offense in Week 12.

*Stats collected before Monday night's game between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.