Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 12: Latest Fantasy Lock and Flop Predictions

It was a happy Thanksgiving for Eli Manning and the New York Giants for two reasons.

First, they saw the Philadelphia Eagles taken apart by the Detroit Lions in the early Turkey Day game, and then they saw the Cowboys taken apart by the undefeated Carolina Panthers.

Manning and the Giants have the opportunity to build a two-game lead in the NFC East if they can beat the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. While this game may not be easy, there's every chance that the Giants can survive in a high-scoring game.

All four of the Redskins' victories have come at home, but the Giants are coming off an excellent effort against New England that saw them suffer a 27-26 defeat in Week 10. The Giants went toe-to-toe with the Pats and were the better team for long portions of that game.

The Giants have had a bye week off to regather, and that's excellent news for a team that was badly in need of a break. Manning has been having one of his best seasons, averaging 261.9 passing yards per game and compiling a 21-6 TD-interception ratio. The Giants have the 10th-ranked passing offense in the NFL.

In their Week 3 matchup at MetLife Stadium the Giants defeated the Redskins 32-21 and Manning threw for 279 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Look for Manning to do even more in this meeting, as he throws for 300 yards and three scores against a Washington defense that ranks 22nd in the NFL.

Position	Player	Team	Opponent	Lock/Flop
QB	Eli Manning	N.Y. Giants	Washington	Lock
QB	Andy Dalton	Cincinnati	St. Louis	Flop
QB	Drew Brees	New Orleans	Houston	Lock
RB	Adrian Peterson	Minnesota	Atlanta	Lock
RB	Lamar Miller	Miami	N.Y. Jets	Flop
RB	Doug Martin	Tampa Bay	Indianapolis	Lock
WR	Antonio Brown	Pittsburgh	Seattle	Lock
WR	Michael Crabtree	Oakland	Tennessee	Flop
WR	Odell Beckham Jr.	N.Y. Giants	Washington	Lock
TE	Gary Barnidge	Cleveland	Baltimore	Lock
TE	Coby Fleener	Indianapolis	Tampa Bay	Flop

Top Locks

RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings 

On the surface, this looks like it could be a tough matchup for Adrian Peterson, who is leading the league in rushing with 1,006 yards and has pounded the ball into the end zone six times. It's challenging because the Falcons have the No. 1 rushing defense in the league.

But here's the rub for the Falcons. Head coach Dan Quinn has built an improved defense, but it is by no means impenetrable. The Falcons jumped out to a 5-0 start, and they built substantial leads in several of those games. As a result, opponents were forced to depend on the pass and limit their running attack.

Since then, the Falcons have dropped four of their last five games and they have been a bit more vulnerable.

But here's the advantage that Peterson and the Vikings have in this game. The Falcons defense plays with speed and they get to the point of attack quickly, but they don't have the power to contend with Peterson. He will not go down on first contact, and once he gets past the first tackler, he can wear down the Atlanta defense.

Look for Peterson to run for 115 yards and pound his way into the end zone against the slumping Falcons.

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WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Like Peterson against the Falcons, Antonio Brown of the Steelers has a seemingly tough matchup on his hands in a road game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks have the No. 2 defense in the league, and they are also second against the pass. When the Seahawks gain momentum at CenturyLink Field, a wall of sound tumbles down onto the field from the fans.

However, Brown is the most dangerous receiver in football when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is in the lineup. Brown doesn't back down from any team or circumstance, and he should be ready for the challenge of playing against the renowned Seattle defense.

Brown has caught 79 of the 115 passes that have been thrown his way, and he has 1,141 receiving yards and five touchdowns. His speed and running ability is what will set Brown apart from the Seahawks defense. He will exceed the 100-yard mark and get into the end zone at least one time.

TE Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns

This has not been the best of seasons for the Browns for a number of reasons. The problems that they have had establishing a running game and stopping the run are two of those reasons. They rank 31st in running the football and 30th against the run.

Johnny Manziel's issues have been well-chronicled, and there are significant questions about head coach Mike Pettine's ability to lead the team.

But tight end Gary Barnidge has been one of the more positive developments. He may not be in a category with Rob Gronkowski (who is?) or Greg Olsen, but Barnidge has caught 48-667-7 and is dependable.

The Browns host the Baltimore Ravens this week, and that suits the tight end well. In Cleveland's 33-30 win at Baltimore in Week 5, Barnidge caught eight passes for 139 yards and he made it into the end zone once. 

The Ravens have struggled defending the pass throughout the season, ranking 24th in yards allowed. Look for Barnidge to meet or exceed the production he had in the first matchup with the Ravens. He must be in your fantasy starting lineup.

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Fantasy Flops

QB Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

The first half of the season was a spectacular success for the Bengals as they reeled off eight straight wins. Quarterback Andy Dalton was throwing the ball with accuracy and confidence, and the Bengals were earning respect with their consistency.

However, Cincinnati has lost back-to-back games against Houston and Arizona, and Dalton's performance has dropped off. Dalton was held without a touchdown in the loss to the Texans, and while he bounced back with 315 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals, he came out second best to Carson Palmer.

The Bengals host the St. Louis Rams this week, and it could be a tough game for Dalton because the Rams have the league's ninth-ranked pass defense. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn can put heavy pressure on Dalton and that could keep the Cincinnati quarterback from having a productive game.

Look for Dalton to thrown for no more than 220 yards and one touchdown. You need to sit him on your fantasy bench.

RB Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league this season. While they have picked it up a tad under interim head coach Dan Campbell, they have a tough time rising to the occasion against motivated teams.

The New York Jets should be motivated for this divisional game. The Jets have dropped two games in a row and four of their last five. They have fallen to 5-5, and their once-promising season is in jeopardy.

But one thing the Jets can do is stop the run. They rank fifth in fewest yards allowed overall, and they are third against the run. That's bad news for Lamar Miller, who has rushed for 565 yards and has a 5.0 yards per carry average.

Look for linebacker David Harris and the Jets defense to focus on stopping Miller. The Jets held Miller to 26 yards when the two teams met in South Florida in Week 4, and Miller has been held to 44 yards or less in each of the last four games.

Miller should not be in your fantasy lineup this week.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

WR Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders appeared to be on the right course after a Week 8 victory over the New York Jets improved their record to 4-3 and they appeared to be in playoff contention.

They had been developing an explosive offense, and wide receiver Michael Crabtree had been a big part of the winning formula. However, the Raiders have lost three games in a row as they get set to play against the Tennessee Titans.

With a 2-8 record the Titans have struggled badly, but they have the third-ranked pass defense in the league as they are allowing 214.2 yards per game through the air.

Crabtree has caught 57-696-5, but he was held to 55 receiving yards by the Vikings in Week 10 and 50 yards by the Lions in Week 11. He didn't score against either team.

While Crabtree was quite productive earlier in the year, the Tennessee pass defense will prevent him from going past 60 receiving yards. He won't score here, either.

Keep him on your fantasy bench.