NFL Scores Week 12: AFC, NFC Results, Playoff Standings and Top Fantasy Stars
As the 2017 NFL season rolls toward its conclusion, the playoff picture is becoming clearer every week. And in Week 12, a lot of that clarity is being provided by the game's biggest fantasy stars.
Players like Carson Wentz, Case Keenum (yes, that Case Keenum) and Julio Jones are leading their respective teams toward real contention. And, as is usually the case, plenty of surprises popped up in Week 12 as well.
Updated standings, plus this week's top producers, can be found below.
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| Vikings | 30-23 | Lions | Case Keenum | 21-of-30, 282 yds, 2 TDs, 20 rush yds, TD |
| Chargers | 28-6 | Cowboys | Philip Rivers | 27-of-33, 434 yds, 3 TDs |
| Giants | 10-20 | Redskins | Jamison Crowder | 7 rec, 141 yds, TD |
| Buccaneers | 20-34 | Falcons | Julio Jones | 12 rec, 253 yds, 2 TDs |
| Browns | 16-30 | Bengals | Joe Mixon | 114 rush yds, TD, 3 rec, 51 yds |
| Titans | 20-16 | Colts | Frank Gore | 62 rush yds, TD |
| Bills | 16-10 | Chiefs | Steven Hauschka | 3-of-4 FGs, 1-of-1 XP |
| Bears | 3-31 | Eagles | Carson Wentz | 23-of-36, 227 yds, 3 TDs, 29 rush yds |
| Dolphins | 17-35 | Patriots | Tom Brady | 18-of-28, 227 yds, 4 TDs, 1 INT |
| Panthers | 35-27 | Jets | Robby Anderson | 6 rec, 146 yds, 2 TDs |
| Seahawks | 24-13 | 49ers | Russell Wilson | 20-of-34, 228 yds, 2 TDs, INT, 25 rush yds, TD |
| Broncos | 14-21 | Raiders | Derek Carr | 18-of-24, 253 yds, 2 TDs |
| Saints | 20-26 | Rams | Alvin Kamara | 87 rush yds, TD, 6 rec, 101 yds, TD |
| Jaguars | 24-27 | Cardinals | Blake Bortles | 19-of-33, 160 yds, INT, 62 rush yds, 2 TDs |
| Packers | 28-31 | Steelers | Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger | Brown: 10 rec, 169 yds, 2 TDs, 2PC; Roethlisberger: 33-of-45, 351 yds, 4 TDs, 2 INTs, 25 rush yds |
| Steelers | 9 | 2 |
| Patriots | 9 | 2 |
| Jaguars | 7 | 4 |
| Chiefs | 6 | 5 |
| Titans | 7 | 4 |
| Bills | 6 | 5 |
| Eagles | 10 | 1 |
| Vikings | 9 | 2 |
| Rams | 8 | 3 |
| Saints | 8 | 3 |
| Panthers | 8 | 3 |
| Falcons | 7 | 4 |
Despite an 0-4 start, the Los Angeles Chargers are still very much in playoff contention. And you don't have to look too far beyond quarterback Philip Rivers to see why.
In L.A.'s first four games, Rivers averaged 1.5 touchdowns and 1.0 interception per game. His passer rating in that stretch was 87.8. In the seven games since, Rivers is going for 2.0 touchdowns and 0.4 interceptions, with a passer rating of 99.8.
And his latest performance was his best of 2017. On Thanksgiving, Rivers carved up the Dallas Cowboys for 434 yards, three touchdowns and no picks.
After the game, Rivers could be hurt shouting, "That was a butt-kicking. That's what that was," on his way to the locker room, per Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News.
He was right. Los Angeles cruised to a 28-6 win. And if Rivers continues to play with this kind of confidence, the Chargers may have something to say about the current playoff picture.
Case Keenum
Teddy Bridgewater's recovery from last year's season-ending surgery is complete. He's been ready to go for several weeks. But the 9-2 Minnesota Vikings just can't take the ball away from Keenum right now.
Like Rivers, Keenum has been better of late than he was to start the season. In his last four games, he's averaging 288.5 yards, 2.3 touchdowns and 0.8 interceptions.
On Thursday, he even added a rushing touchdown, as seen on the NFL's Twitter account:
Minnesota's offense is clicking with Keenum at the helm. It's top 10 in both yards per play and first downs. That in combination with a characteristically strong defense has the Vikings poised to turn some heads in the postseason.
Julio Jones
Coming into this week, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was 26th in fantasy points per game among wide receivers, per Pro Football Reference.
It's safe to say he'll move up a few spots after Sunday.
Jones went off for an absurd line of 12 catches, 253 yards and two touchdowns. The NFL shared video of the performance:
It's been something of a down year by Jones' standards. He was averaging 8.5 fantasy points per game before Sunday. For his career, he was at 12.2. And you never know when he'll have a game like this.
In fact, according to ESPN, Jones just became the first player ever to have three games with at least 250 receiving yards. If he and Matt Ryan are back in sync, the defending NFC champions could have a lot to say about a wild card spot.
Carson Wentz
Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles are on fire. And the Chicago Bears couldn't get out of the path of the blaze Sunday.
Wentz went off in the first half of a 31-3 route, scoring 20 of his 23 fantasy points before the break. He finished with 227 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. And for the second week in a row, backup Nick Foles finished the game in garbage time.
Philadelphia, now 10-1, may be the class of the league right now. And Wentz' MVP case is looking stronger every week.
Robby Anderson
His New York Jets may have fallen to the Carolina Panthers, but you can't put the loss on second-year wide receiver Robby Anderson.
Sunday, Anderson went off for six receptions, 146 yards and two touchdowns. The six catches tied a career high. The yards and touchdowns both set career highs.
It may come as little consolation, since the 35-27 loss put the playoffs even further out of reach for the Jets, but it was the best individual performance of Anderson's young career.
Alvin Kamara
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been a monster this season.
Coming into Week 12, he was 10th among flex players (running backs, wide receivers and tight ends) in fantasy points per game at 13.3. And that will be going up after Sunday, following a performance in which he comfortably cleared 30.
As a runner, Kamara had 87 yards and a touchdown on just five carries. As a receiver, he added another 101 yards, a touchdown and six receptions. The NFL shared video of one of his scores:
The Saints may have come up short against another NFC playoff team, but Kamara showed again why this team has to be taken seriously. The offense is explosive again. And this time, it's because of the run.
Yes, for the first time this season, we have a two-fer. Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown were electric on Sunday Night Football, each putting up 30 points in leagues with standard scoring in a 31-28 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
For Roethlisberger, a ho-hum line of 351 yards, four touchdowns, two picks and 25 rushing yards is all he went for. And his favorite receiver, Brown, had 10 catches for 169 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
At 9-2, Pittsburgh is starting to look like a very real contender. And with Roethlisberger and Brown seemingly back on the same page, they're looking more dangerous every week.
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