Week 12 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Projections for Top Pickups and Sleeper Targets

Injuries continue to wreak havoc on fantasy football lineups this season, forcing owners to rely on handcuffs, hidden gems and the occasional sleeper that actually makes good on his promise. 

Running backs are all the rage in Week 12, with the likes of Baltimore's Justin Forsett now out for the season and others picking up serious knocks or unable to recover from previous ailments. 

Low-end quarterbacks are also tough to figure out at this point. Week 11 saw several backups thrown into the line of fire, to very mixed results. Their performances will also affect the forecasts of the other skill players on their team, making it a constant battle to find the right lineup combinations.

There is only so much time left before fantasy playoffs, and waiver-wire moves can make or break a season.

Here are the top pickups and drops in both ESPN and Yahoo Sports fantasy football leagues going into Week 12. To account for the larger 12- and 14-player leagues, players owned in more than 50 percent of leagues are not included on the list, save for particularly notable cases where there is a huge change in ownership.

Players with season-ending injuries are not included on the drops list, as they won't really factor into anyone's decision-making from that point on.

Top Yahoo Pickups
Top ESPN Pickups
Player	% Owned	No. of Monday Adds
Spencer Ware, RB, Kansas City	9	38,191
Thomas Rawls, RB, Seattle	35	37,136
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Indianapolis	8	25,341
Javorius Allen, RB, Baltimore	13	19,752
James White, RB, New England	30	13,136
Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina	35	12,177
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay	25	9,475
Crockett Gillmore, TE, Baltimore	22	6,779
Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta	27	6,568
Brian Hoyer, QB, Houston	10	5,554
Player	% Owned	% Change Last 7 Days
Coby Fleener, TE, Indianapolis	34.1	+19.2
Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington	22.5	+13.2
Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Indianapolis	15.1	+12.7
Thomas Rawls, RB, Seattle	37.1	+11.4
Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia	48.7	+10.9
Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami	19.1	+10.1
Brock Osweiler, QB, Denver	9.7	+9.4
Shaun Draughn, RB, San Francisco	18.5	+9.2
Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle	34.5	+7.5

Top Yahoo Drops
Top ESPN Drops
Player	% Owned	No. of Monday Drops
Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit	41	32,994
Matt Jones, RB, Washington	57	7,101
Jacob Tamme, TE, Atlanta	31	6183
Dexter McCluster, RB, Tennessee	20	5,080
Keshawn Martin, WR, New England	10	4,847
Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami	25	4,048
Richard Rodgers, TE, Green Bay	47	3,641
Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona	61	3,550
Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington	20	3,632
Player	% Owned	% Change Last 7 Days
Sam Bradford, QB, Philadelphia	24.5	-11.1
Malcom Floyd, WR, San Diego	35	-9.8
Christine Michael, FA, RB	5.0	-9.4
Vernon Davis, TE, Denver	38.8	-9.2
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland	45.1	-8.4
Brian Hoyer, QB, Houston	10.9	-7.4
James White, RB New England	29.6	-7.2
Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington	28.4	-7.1
Brandon Bolden, RB, New England	6.7	-7

Top Pickups and Sleeper Targets

Spencer Ware, RB, Kansas City

Kudos to the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line. The team has coaxed a star performance out of a third running back this season, as Spencer Ware took over on Sunday for an injured Charcandrick West—who, in turn, was filling in for Jamaal Charles—and rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns in an impressive 33-3 road win.

The Chargers run defense is terrible, so some might be inclined to chalk up Ware's production to being in the right place at the right time.

Optimists, on the other hand, would note that Ware impressed in the preseason, is a 230-pound mauler and flashed some pretty good speed on this 52-yard scamper, via the NFL: 

The man can run, and might've done enough on Sunday to make him the permanent go-to guy in short-yardage or goal-line situations. 

For those who had West, Ware is obviously worth a pickup. His fantasy status for Week 12 is still a bit unstable, as West is considered day to day with the hamstring injury picked up on Sunday, per Chiefs.com's B.J. Kissel. If West is healthy, he'll significantly limit Ware's fantasy potential.

The scatback would likely take over on passing downs, where he's done much of his damage in recent weeks, although Ware could be in line to keep a significant number of carries as a change-of-pace rusher. West has also struggled to run the ball in the past two weeks, picking up just 85 yards on 33 carries against Denver and San Diego.

The Chiefs get Buffalo in Week 12. The Bills are giving up 97.7 rushing yards per game and just held LeGarrette Blount, similar in stature to Ware, to 56 yards on 16 carries. If West is unable to go, Ware is a must-start. Should the former hit the field, Ware still projects as a solid flex option in deeper leagues.

Week 12 projection (with West): 15 carries, 65 yards; (without West): 25 carries, 95 yards, one touchdown

Thomas Rawls, RB, Seattle

Speaking of teams that consistently unearth talented running backs, Seattle got one of the best performances from any running back this season, as rookie Thomas Rawls bullied his way to 209 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his team's 29-13 win over Seattle. Like Marshawn Lynch, Rawls can pick up yards by plowing through contact or evading defenders.

''He makes somebody miss to find somebody to hit, I think,'' head coach Pete Carroll said, via Tim Booth of the Associated Press (h/t Yahoo Sports).

Playing as both a starter and a backup, Rawls now has 604 yards on 101 carries this season. The 22-year-old out of Central Michigan is good enough that NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger thinks he's the reason Seattle so confidently jettisoned some of its other tailback talent, via the NFL: 

Per Booth, Rawls is in line to start in Week 12 against Pittsburgh as Lynch remains sidelined with a lower abdominal injury. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Lynch's injury could be a sports hernia, one that could end his season:

With Rawls likely to get all the snaps he wants against Pittsburgh, he's a no-brainer pickup, although expectations should be tempered in Week 12. The Steelers defense has been the stingiest in the league when it comes to fantasy running backs, allowing just 13.53 points per game, per Yahoo Sports. 

That said, Rawls is liable to pick up every one of those points as the featured back in Seattle's offense. He's going to get every snap he can handle with Lynch out, so don't be afraid to toss him in the lineup as an RB1.

Week 12 projection: 22 carries, 80 rushing yards, one touchdown; four receptions, 25 yards

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

By season's end, Marcus Mariota might end up with the better overall numbers than his fellow rookie quarterback, Jameis Winston.

The Tampa Bay signal-caller can be fairly certain he can look back and say he had the best game between the two, as he embarrassed the Philadelphia Eagles for 246 passing yards and five touchdowns, which tied an NFL rookie record. He looked very much like Cam Newton in that game, in both a literal stat-line sense and as a tall, crafty, rocket-armed passer.

(Side note: Marcus Mariota did put up 374 yards and four touchdowns against New Orleans, but the Saints pass defense has been truly atrocious and therefore the Oregon product gets less credit.)

Fantasy owners are now rushing to snag Winston. Yahoo Sports' Scott Pianowski points out that there are plenty of vulnerable defenses for Winston to take advantage of in what's left of the season: 

"

More fantasy fun should be on the way for the Bucs offense. A Week 15 draw with St. Louis could get a little messy, but otherwise, look at the green lights: Indianapolis, Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago. Those are all defenses we want to exploit. The nasty Carolina rematch is stashed in Week 17, a safe harbor. And if talented TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins ever makes it back, Winston will have another exciting target to work with. 

"

While Winston is definitely worth a look long-term, he might not be the guy you want to start in Week 12.

Up next is Indy, which has given up 19 touchdown passes but also recorded 13 interceptions. Winston has nine picks on the year, although four came in one game, and those aren't necessarily all that damaging to his fantasy total so long as they aren't of the pick-six variety (and Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson did do just that against Matt Ryan in Week 11). 

Fantasy owners should also note that a third of Winston's touchdown passes this season came in this one bonkers outing, and he had just five TD passes in the four games prior to the Eagles beatdown. Tampa Bay also doesn't necessarily need Winston to produce. Running back Doug Martin rushed for 235 yards against the Eagles, and the Colts are giving up 113.4 yards per game, 21st in the league in that category.

Winston's prospects against Atlanta in Week 13 and New Orleans in Week 14 are much better. He will have some value in two-QB leagues this week, but fantasy owners should beware a sharp comedown from the heights of the Eagles game.

Week 12 projection: 240 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Sleeper: Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Kirk Cousins predictably struggled against undefeated Carolina in Week 10, throwing for a paltry 207 yards, one touchdown and one interception. While Cousins doesn't yet seem capable of overcoming the league's better defenses, he has shown an ability as of late to beat up on the bad ones.

Date, Opponent	CMP/ATT	CMP %	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	QBR
October 25, Tampa Bay	33/40	82.5	317	7.93	3	0	78.7
November 8, at New England	22/40	55.0	217	5.43	1	1	23.2
November 15, New Orleans	20/25	324	80.0	12.96	4	0	83.4
November 22, at Carolina	22/30	207	73.3	6.90	1	1	53.4

Fantasy owners looking for some quarterback help in Week 12 should consider Cousins, who has a favorable matchup at home against the New York Giants. 

Week 8 saw Drew Brees torch the Giants secondary for seven touchdowns. Following a solid performance against Winston in Week 9, Tom Brady did a number on the G-men, throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, New York has allowed 19.62 points per game to quarterbacks, the sixth-worst mark in the league, per Yahoo Sports.

The Giants' saving grace is that they have picked off 14 passes as a team, the second-best mark in the NFL behind only Carolina. Cousins tossed just one pick against the Panthers and has done a much better job of taking care of the football in recent weeks. He's thrown only two interceptions at home, both of them coming in Week 1 against Miami.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

There is some good news for the Giants' tortured secondary heading into this game, which is bad news for Cousins. Cornerback Prince Amukamara, who has missed five games with a chest injury, is set to return in Week 12.

"I feel like I'm ready to play four quarters of a football game," Amukamara said on Monday, via ESPN.com's Dan Graziano. "I feel 100 percent. I'm ready to go."

Still, with Eli Manning throwing the ball well—two 300-yard efforts in his last three games—the Giants themselves could put up quite a few points against a shaky Redskins defense. If Washington has to abandon its poor run game, Cousins could be throwing the ball quite a bit Sunday, putting up quite a few fantasy points along the way.

Week 12 projection: 300 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Sleeper: Vernon Davis, TE, Denver

David Banks/Getty Images

For the first time all season, Vernon Davis had a starting quarterback who could get him the football on Sunday. Brock Osweiler, filling in for an injured Peyton Manning, found the veteran tight end six times for 68 yards against Chicago, the beginning of what could potentially be a very fruitful partnership.

NFL Network's Jesse Palmer noted coach Gary Kubiak loves to use the tight end in his offense:

Osweiler's mobility makes him well-suited to rollouts and bootlegs, plays where one can often find a tight end blocking then sneaking out into the flat or running a cross as an intermediate option. At 31, Davis' best years are behind him, but he still has the wheels to make moves. Plus, he should grow even more comfortable in this offense now that he's had a couple of weeks to digest the playbook.

There is the the possibility that Owen Daniels—four catches for 69 yards on Sunday—cuts into Davis' snaps in single-tight end sets, but the Broncos didn't swing a midseason trade for the athletic pass-catcher to not maximize his potential. New England is a tough matchup for tight ends, giving up an average of 6.19 fantasy points per contest, per Yahoo Sports.

That said, Osweiler needs a quick checkdown option as he gets comfortable making all his reads. Davis should be targeted quite often and could put up some nice numbers for fantasy owners desperate for tight end help.

Week 12 projection: five catches, 50 yards, one touchdown