Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Projections and Matchups to Love

Fantasy managers who started Washington Football Team running back Antonio Gibson on Thursday have to be happy heading into the rest of Week 12. The rookie out of Memphis racked up 115 rushing yards, five receptions, 21 receiving yards and three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys.

Gibson became the first rookie to score three touchdowns on Thanksgiving since Randy Moss did it back in 1998.

Of course, those following the matchups likely anticipated a strong outing from Gibson. The Cowboys rank dead-last against the run and dead-last in points allowed. However, it still would have been hard to predict three touchdowns on the afternoon.

How might this week's other top matchups play out? We're going to examine exactly that here. We'll also identify the top players at each key position and make projections for our favorite matchups remaining on the schedule.

We'll include players from the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers in our rankings, but it's worth noting that their game—already moved from Thursday to Sunday—could be moved again. It's on for now, but with the Ravens experiencing multiple positive COVID-19 tests, that could change.

"No way it can be played," one source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Circling some backup plans for Ravens and Steelers players just in case would be wise, though obviously, most lineups won't have to be finalized until Sunday.

All rankings and picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Quarterback

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

3. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

5. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

7. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders

9. Cam Newton, New England Patriots

10. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

11. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints

12. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Matchup to Love: Josh Allen vs. Los Angeles Chargers

From a purely statistical standpoint, the Los Angeles Chargers don't represent the juiciest matchup for opposing quarterbacks. They rank 13th against the pass. For Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, though, this is a good one.

While Allen has mostly won with his arm this season, he still possesses the skill set of a dual-threat quarterback. He has only rushed for 279 yards, but he also has five rushing touchdowns. He could add to that total against a Chargers defense that ranks 27th in yards per carry allowed.

It would make sense for Buffalo to attack L.A. on the ground, but its backfield has struggled in 2020. Allen is responsible for more than a quarter of the team's 976 rushing yards on the season.

Expect Allen to put up some strong rushing numbers against the Chargers, adding significantly to an otherwise solid quarterback outing.

Projection: 225 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 55 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD

Running Back

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

1. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

2. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

3. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

5. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

6. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

7. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

8. Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers

9. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

10. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

11. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons

13. Wayne Gallman, New York Giants

14. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

15. Kalen Ballage, Los Angeles Chargers

Matchup to Love: Dalvin Cook vs. Carolina Panthers

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is a must-start in fantasy whenever he is healthy. Even his peers believe he is one of the best players in the NFL today.

"Right now, I would say he's the best back in football," 2019 rushing leader Derrick Henry said, per Mike Hogan of All Titans.

Last week, Cook racked up 115 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards, five receptions and a touchdown. He could have similar numbers this week against a Carolina Panthers defense ranked 24th in yards per carry allowed.

While the Panthers defense isn't as lackluster as the Cowboys defense Cook faced in Week 11, it isn't a shutdown unit against the ground game. As long as Minnesota is patient with its rushing attack, Cook should see the volume necessary to produce a huge fantasy stat line.

Projection: 120 rushing yards, 1 TD, 5 receptions, 38 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD  

Wide Receiver

John Bazemore/Associated Press

1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

2. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

3. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks

4. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

5. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

6. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

7. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons

8. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks

9. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

10. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

11. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams

12. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

13. Allen Robinson II, Chicago Bears

14. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

15. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans

16. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers

17. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

18. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers

19. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

20. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Matchup to Love: Calvin Ridley vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley has stepped out from under Julio Jones' shadow a bit this year. He has already caught 48 passes for 747 yards and six touchdowns, and he could add to that total significantly against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12.

The Raiders are proving to be a competitive team, but their pass defense leaves something to be desired. Las Vegas ranks just 28th in passing yards allowed and has logged a mere 11 sacks on the season.

Quarterback Matt Ryan should have plenty of opportunities to hit the big play against Las Vegas, and with Julio Jones again limited in practice, Ridley could be his preferred big-play target.

The Raiders offense, meanwhile, has been rolling, topping 30 points in each of its last three games. That gives this matchup legitimate shootout potential, which should only further benefit Ridley's fantasy production.

Projection: 8 receptions, 125 receiving yards, 1 TD

Tight End

David Becker/Associated Press

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders

3. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

5. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

6. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos

7. Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons

8. Evan Engram, New York Giants

9. Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10. Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers

11. Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns

12. Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans

Matchup to Love: Darren Waller at Atlanta Falcons

As previously mentioned, the Raiders-Falcons contest could become a back-and-forth offensive affair. That bodes well for Darren Waller managers, as the Raiders tight end is one of his team's most consistent receiving targets.

Waller leads Las Vegas in both receptions (60) and receiving yards (519).

Against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, Waller caught seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. He could be even more productive this week against the Falcons' 31st-ranked pass defense. Atlanta also ranks just 25th in points allowed.

Waller is a must-start in any matchup, but this one is particularly attractive. Don't be shocked if he has his best stat line of the season.

Projection: 10 receptions, 110 receiving yards, 1 TD