Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Projections and Matchups to Love

Week 12 of the 2018 NFL season got off to an exciting start with three divisional battles on Thanksgiving Day. Hopefully you fantasy owners out there got a chance to start guys like Ezekiel Elliott, Drew Brees and Kenny Golladay.

We hope you didn't forget to put them in your lineup.

With Thanksgiving now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to look ahead at the remaining slate of games and the corresponding fantasy options. That's exactly what we're going to do here. We're going to run down our top options at each skill position and make projections for each player. We'll also take a closer look at one player from each group facing a favorable matchup.

*All fantasy rankings via FantasyPros.

Quarterbacks

1. Andrew Luck vs. Miami Dolphins: 325 yards passing, 3 TDs

2. Cam Newton vs. Seattle Seahawks: 215 yards passing, 40 yards rushing, 3 TDs, 1 INT

3. Jameis Winston vs. San Francisco 49ers: 300 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT

4. Baker Mayfield at Cincinnati Bengals: 290 yards passing, 2 TDs

5. Kirk Cousins vs. Green Bay Packers: 325 yards passing, 2 TDs, 1 INT

6. Tom Brady at New York Jets: 305 yards passing, 2 TDs

7. Aaron Rodgers at Minnesota Vikings: 300 yards passing, 20 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 1 INT

8. Philip Rivers vs. Arizona Cardinals: 280 yards passing, 2 TDs

9. Deshaun Watson vs. Tennessee Titans: 240 yards passing, 55 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 1 INT

10. Carson Wentz vs. New York Giants: 245 yards passing, 35 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Matchup: Jameis Winston vs. San Francisco 49ers

After getting the starting job back for the second time this season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is looking to move forward.

"It's a week-to-week league," Winston said, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. "That's the simple way I can put it. In my heart, yeah, I believe I can be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL."

The Buccaneers don't seem to believe Winston is one of the best in the league, and he doesn't seem to have the confidence of coach Dirk Koetter. Winston, however, should have the confidence of fantasy owners in Week 12.

Despite losing O.J. Howard for the season, the Buccaneers still boast an arsenal of weapons. Winston should have no trouble finding open targets with DeSean Jackson, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Cameron Brate roaming the field.

Winston won't be stonewalled by a San Francisco 49ers defense that allows the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Also in Winston's favor is the fact the 49ers are traveling across the country to play an early afternoon game.

Running Backs

1. Melvin Gordon vs. Arizona Cardinals: 125 yards rushing, 40 yards receiving, 2 TDs

2. Saquon Barkley at Philadelphia Eagles: 105 yards rushing, 55 yards receiving, 2 TDs

3. Nick Chubb at Cincinnati Bengals: 135 yards rushing, 15 yards receiving, 2 TDs

4. Christian McCaffrey vs. Seattle Seahawks: 95 yards rushing 65 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. Davis Johnson at Los Angeles Chargers: 85 yards rushing, 75 yards receiving: 1 TD

6. James Conner at Denver Broncos: 100 yards rushing, 50 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Matt Breida at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 130 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, 1 TD

8. Marlon Mack vs. Miami Dolphins: 125 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, 1 TD

9. Joe Mixon vs. Cleveland Browns: 80 yards rushing, 45 yards receiving, 1 TD

10. James White at New York Jets: 25 yards rushing, 90 yards receiving, 1 TD

11. Phillip Lindsay vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 95 yards rushing, 10 yards receiving, 1 TD

12. Leonard Fournette at Buffalo Bills: 85 yards rushing, 1 TD

13. Aaron Jones at Minnesota Vikings: 80 yards rushing, 1 TD

14. Dalvin Cook vs. Green Bay Packers: 65 yards rushing, 60 yards receiving

15. Sony Michel at New York Jets: 95 yards rushing

16. Duke Johnson at Cincinnati Bengals: 25 yards rushing, 65 yards receiving

17. Gus Edwards vs. Oakland Raiders: 85 yards rushing

18. Dion Lewis at Houston Texans: 20 yards rushing, 60 yards receiving

19. Lamar Miller vs. Tennessee Titans: 55 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving

20. Chris Carson at Carolina Panthers: 75 yards rushing

Matchup: Nick Chubb at Cincinnati Bengals

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley might be the best all-around rookie back in the NFL this season, but he might not be the best pure runner. That honor may belong to Cleveland Browns rookie Nick Chubb, who is two weeks and a bye removed from an incredible game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Against Atlanta, Chubb rushed for 176 yards rushing, 33 yards receiving and two touchdowns. He also logged the longest run in Browns history—an impressive 92-yard scamper.

This week, Chubb and the Browns face a Cincinnati Bengals defense that quite literally may end up as the statistically worst unit in league history. The Bengals defense is on pace to allow 7,190 yards of offense. The current record is 7,042 yards allowed by the 2012 New Orleans Saints.

Cincinnati is also dreadful against the run, allowing a league-high 153.8 yards per game on the ground. Unsurprisingly, no team has given up more fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Chubb doesn't have quite the floor of a workhorse back like Barkley or Melvin Gordon because Cleveland employs Duke Johnson as a receiving back. If the Bengals defense completely folds, though, Chubb could have the highest upside of the week.

Wide Receivers

1. Odell Beckham Jr. at Philadelphia Eagles: 170 yards receiving, 2 TDs

2. Adam Thielen vs. Green Bay Packers: 150 yards receiving, 2 TDs

3. DeAndre Hopkins vs. Tennessee Titans: 140 yards receiving, 1 TD

4. Antonio Brown at Denver Broncos: 120 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. Mike Evans vs. San Francisco 49ers, 110 yards receiving, 1 TD

6. T.Y. Hilton vs. Miami Dolphins: 105 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Davante Adams at Minnesota Vikings: 100 yards receiving, 1 TD

8. Keenan Allen vs. Arizona Cardinals: 95 yards receiving, 1 TD

9. Stefon Diggs vs. Green Bay Packers: 95 yards receiving, 1 TD

10. Julian Edelman at New York Jets: 90 yards receiving, 1 TD

11. JuJu Smith-Schuster at Denver Broncos: 105 yards receiving

12. Jarvis Landry at Cincinnati Bengals: 90 yards receiving

13: Josh Gordon at New York Jets: 90 yards receiving

14. Emmanuel Sanders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 85 yards receiving

15. Tyler Boyd vs. Cleveland Browns: 80 yards receiving

16. Alshon Jeffery vs. New York Giants: 80 yards receiving

17. Doug Baldwin at Carolina Panthers: 75 yards receiving

18. Christian Kirk at Los Angeles Chargers: 75 yards receiving

19. Courtland Sutton vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 70 yards receiving

20. Sterling Shepard at Philadelphia Eagles: 65 yards receiving

Matchup: Odell Beckham Jr. at Philadelphia Eagles

If you ask a crowded room who the best receiver in the NFL is, at least someone will point to New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. Heading into the weekend, Beckham already has 932 yards receiving and five touchdowns.

Fortunately for Beckham owners, this week also provides Beckham with one of the easiest matchups.

The Eagles are dealing with a number of injuries in their secondary. Cornerback Ronald Darby and safety Rodney McCleod have both been placed on injured reserve. Several other defensive backs have their status' in question. Rasul Douglas, Sidney Jones, Avonte Maddox and Jalen Mills all missed practices this week.

Even when healthy, the Eagles pass defense hasn't been a shutdown unit this season. It ranks 15th in the NFL with 26 sacks and 26th in pass defense with an average of 276.5 passing yards allowed. Only the New Orleans Saints have allowed more fantasy points to opposing receivers.

Beckham has the opportunity to absolutely feast this week.

Tight Ends

1. George Kittle at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 120 yards receiving, 1 TD

2. Zach Ertz vs. New York Giants: 85 yards receiving, 1 TD

3. Jack Doyle vs. Miami Dolphins: 80 yards receiving, 1 TD

4. Greg Olsen vs. Seattle Seahawks: 75 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. David Njoku at Cincinnati Bengals: 65 yards receiving, 1 TD

6. Rob Gronkowski at New York Jets: 60 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Jared Cook at Baltimore Ravens: 95 yards receiving

8. C.J. Uzomah vs. Cleveland Browns: 70 yards receiving

9. Eric Ebron vs. Miami Dolphins: 65 yards receiving

10. Vance McDonald at Denver Broncos: 65 yards receiving

Matchup: George Kittle at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As is the case with Beckham, Buccaneers tight end is the guy we believe has the highest floor and the highest ceiling. He's quickly becoming one of the top receiving tight ends in football, and he just so happens to be facing a very bad Buccaneers pass defense.

Tampa allows an average of 282.3 yards passing per game, 28th in the NFL. It also allows a league-high 32.9 points per game. Only the Carolina Panthers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing tight ends in 2018.

Kittle had a whopping nine receptions for 83 yards two weeks ago against the Giants. He had 108 yards and a touchdown in the game before that. Against the Buccaneers, he may outdo both performances.