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Week 12 Waiver Wire: Top Adds, Drops and Long-Term Fantasy Sleeper Targets
November 20, 2018
One decision to add or drop a player in the latter stages of the fantasy football regular season could put you in the playoffs or leave you on the outside looking in.
Spending more time on the waiver wire is natural with the postseason on the horizon, and there's extra time to dissect your options while sitting on the couch during the extended Thanksgiving weekend.
For owners looking for upgrades at certain positions, the upcoming days will be full of statistical comparisons between players to try and find the best possible fit.
Some of the players on the waiver wire can easily be justified as additions, but there are also players further down the positional lists worth adding if you're willing to take a risk.
Quarterback
Top Add: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore (Added in 2.293 Yahoo leagues)
If you're dealing with bye weeks for Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff, or need reinforcements at quarterback in the short term, Lamar Jackson is the player to pick up.
The rookie out of Louisville threw for 150 yards and ran for 117 yards in his first start in Week 11 against Cincinnati.
There's hope in Baltimore that he can produce a similar, if not better, performance against Oakland in Week 12 as Joe Flacco works back to full strength.
On Monday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Flacco has a chance to play against the Raiders, per ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley.
It's good news for the Ravens that Flacco is getting better, but there's no need to rush him back to play the Raiders at home, with road trips to Atlanta and Kansas City ahead.
With that being said, Jackson should get at least one more start, which is why he's a hot commodity on the waiver wire.
Top Drop: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tampa Bay (Dropped in 17,686 Yahoo leagues)
The FitzMagic has run out.
After throwing three interceptions in a Week 11 loss to the New York Giants, Ryan Fitzpatrick won't be starting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers any time soon.
The Buccaneers have a mess on their hands at quarterback, as Jameis Winston hasn't impressed in his time under center either, but the change back to Winston is necessary.
In his last two games, Fitzpatrick threw for 573 yards, but he had zero touchdowns and was picked off on five occasions.
Long-Term Sleeper: Baker Mayfield, Cleveland
There aren't many unknown quantities on the quarterback market this late in the season, but there are a few signal-callers deserving of more respect.
Cleveland's Baker Mayfield falls into the latter category, as he's put together a string of consistent performances over the last four games.
Mayfield isn't in the upper echelon of fantasy quarterbacks yet, but he's a quality option to have on your bench as a quick fix if you stumble upon a tricky situation.
In his last four games against Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Atlanta, Mayfield's thrown nine touchdowns and eclipsed the 200-yard mark on three occasions, which are numbers good enough for a fantasy pickup.
Running Back
Top Add: Gus Edwards, Baltimore (Added in 4,380 Yahoo leagues)
The unlikeliest fantasy star of Week 11 was Baltimore's Gus Edwards, who ran for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Before going off against the Bengals, Edwards had 64 yards on 15 carries in four games.
Edwards is the hot hand in the Baltimore backfield, and since he outperformed Alex Collins, Javorius Allen and Ty Montgomery in Week 11, he has to be considered the best bet out of the positional group right now.
Of course, this could all change in a week if Collins or Allen lead the team in rushing, but all the momentum is in Edwards' favor.
Top Drop: Mike Davis, Seattle (Dropped in 2,504 Yahoo leagues)
It's time to say goodbye to the Seattle backup running backs you hoarded while Chris Carson was injured.
On a short week with Carson still bothered by injuries, the Seattle running back led the team in rushing, rendering Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny irrelevant in fantasy football circles.
Davis earned his fewest number of carries since Week 1 against the Packers, and Russell Wilson only targeted him twice.
With Carson healthy and better options on the waiver wire, Davis' time as a fantasy option in 2018 is up.
Long-Term Sleeper: Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay
As the Tampa Bay coaching staff flip-flops its quarterbacks once again, one thing remains consistent—the production of Peyton Barber.
Barber hasn't received much attention on a national level for his play, and part of that is because he hasn't found the end zone as often as he'd like.
Barber scored for the second time Sunday in his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, a performance that bodes well for the rest of the season.
With quarterback play still an issue and three home games in a row coming up, Barber should be trusted with the ball to get the Buccaneers into some type of offensive rhythm.
Wide Receiver
Top Add: Tre'Quan Smith, New Orleans (Added in 1,697 Yahoo leagues)
If you attempted to catch lightning in a bottle with Tre'Quan Smith in fantasy this year, you're well aware of the rollercoaster ride he's taken owners on.
Smith broke out in Week 5 against Washington, but didn't have another 100-yard receiving game until Sunday vs. Philadelphia.
In between the two games, Smith caught eight passes for 85 yards and went without a catch in Week 10 against Cincinnati.
We're not sure what lies next for Smith, but as the No. 2 option behind Michael Thomas, he should receive a chance to replicate his numbers from Week 11, which is why we're willing to take the risk on him in the Saints' high-powered offense.
Top Drop: Maurice Harris, Washington (Dropped in 2,843 Yahoo leagues)
There are a few wide receivers who haven't delivered on a consistent basis worthy of being dropped this week.
Washington's Maurice Harris takes the crown as the top drop in our eyes for his lack of production over the last two weeks and the injury to quarterback Alex Smith.
Harris catapulted himself into the fantasy spotlight with a 124-yard game in Week 9, but he's been disappointing since, and now he has to go into Dallas on a short week with Colt McCoy as his quarterback.
With fantasy playoffs coming up, owners need consistent players at each position, and Harris hasn't proved he could be a go-to guy as a second receiver or flex player.
Long-Term Sleeper: Mohamed Sanu, Atlanta
Mohamed Sanu hasn't done anything flashy this season, but he's been a consistent pass-catcher in the Atlanta offense.
Sanu's caught at least two passes in each of Atlanta's games, and he's had an uptick in production over the last three weeks.
Although he hasn't found the end zone since Week 6, Sanu's hauled in 148 yards on 14 catches, while being targeted 19 times.
With the Falcons in desperation mode at 4-6, Matt Ryan needs to rely on trusted targets to provide a spark alongside Julio Jones, which is where Sanu fits perfectly.
Tight End
Top Add: Jack Doyle, Indianapolis (Added in 2,173 Yahoo leagues)
The tight end market is still sparse, which is why Jack Doyle is the best option at the moment.
Doyle played second fiddle to Eric Ebron in Week 10, but he outperformed his Indianapolis teammate in Week 11.
Doyle's caught all but one of the throws sent in his direction in the last three games, which is a positive sign for owners skeptical of throwing trust behind an Indianapolis tight end.
The good news for Doyle is he plays Miami, Jacksonville and Houston in the next three weeks, who have combined to give up 17 touchdowns to tight ends.
Top Drop: Ricky Seals-Jones, Arizona (Dropped in 3,893 Yahoo leagues)
If you willingly trusted someone in the Arizona offense other than David Johnson, we give you credit for the bold move.
However, if you added Ricky Seals-Jones as an answer at tight end, your risk failed, as he's recorded 80 receiving yards over his last four games.
If you hadn't dropped Seals-Jones before Week 11, he's going straight to the waiver wire after catching one pass for five yards against the Raiders.
Seals-Jones appeared to be a viable option at tight end after catching five passes for 69 yards against Minnesota in Week 6, but he hasn't been consistent enough since then.
Long-Term Sleeper: Jonnu Smith, Tennessee
If you're still in search of tight end production, turning to Tennessee's Jonnu Smith is a smart idea.
Smith scored in two of his last three games, and he earned a season-high in targets and receptions Sunday against the Colts.
Smith could be a valuable piece to the Tennessee offense in Week 12, as the Titans try to keep Houston off the field by completing short passes and pounding the ball through the interior with their running backs.
If anything, Smith is worth a pick up because of his touchdown potential, which is something that can't be said about other tight ends on the waiver wire.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.