Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Flex and PPR Outlook for Each Position

The player pool for the remainder of Week 12 of the NFL season should be depleted.

Six teams already squared off on Thanksgiving, and two of the league's most explosive clubs—the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs—are on a bye.

And yet, when ranking the remaining players for fantasy football purposes, sufficient talent is still on the board.

We'll break down that talent with top-10 PPR rankings at the three marquee positions and a larger flex ranking for Week 12.

Quarterback

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Top 10

1. Lamar Jackson, BAL (vs. CLE)

2. Jalen Hurts, PHI (at NYG)

3. Tom Brady, TB (at IND)

4. Justin Herbert, LAC (at DEN)

5. Matthew Stafford, LAR (at GB)

6. Cam Newton, CAR (at MIA)

7. Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. LAR)

8. Kirk Cousins, MIN (at SF)

9. Joe Burrow, CIN (vs. PIT)

10. Russell Wilson, SEA (at WAS)

Justin Herbert is making a leap. He already impressed by landing at QB9 as a rookie, per FantasyPros, but he's now up to QB5 as a sophomore.

It's already getting hard to remember why scouts weren't immediately and completely sold on Herbert as an NFL prospect. Those who weren't on board dinged him for not always trusting his arm, some inaccuracy issues and often being a one-read passer. Those people were wrong. Herbert is awesome, and if you don't regard him as a fantasy elite yet, you should hurry up and get to that place.

Also, how good is Cam Newton? Week 11 was only his second action of the season and first start since January, and he promptly landed as the eighth-highest fantasy scorer at any position, per FantasyPros.

How many other quarterbacks can double as a bruising runner near the goal line? He could devour the Dolphins defense this weekend.

Running Back

Kyusung Gong/Associated Press

Top 10

1. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. TB)

2. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (at MIA)

3. Austin Ekeler, LAC (at DEN)

4. Dalvin Cook, MIN (at SF)

5. Najee Harris, PIT (at CIN)

6. James Robinson, JAX (vs. ATL)

7. Joe Mixon, CIN (vs. PIT)

8. Nick Chubb, CLE (at BAL)

9. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. PHI)

10. AJ Dillon, GB (vs. LAR)

Remember how ridiculously good Jonathan Taylor was at Wisconsin? If not, he was a two-time Doak Walker Award winner who rushed for at least 1,977 yards in three consecutive seasons.

Here's the thing—he's kind of been just as good in the NFL. As a Badger, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and 1.4 rushing touchdowns per game. As a Colt this season, he's at 5.8 yards per clip and 1.2 rushing scores per contest.

Austin Ekeler is the best-of-both-worlds kind of dual-threat running back who's perfect for point-per-reception leagues. He has more rushing yards than Aaron Jones, more rushing touchdowns than Nick Chubb, one fewer reception than DK Metcalf and A.J. Brown and more receiving touchdowns than Travis Kelce and Davante Adams.

Ekeler can dominate opposing defenses on the ground or through the air, but it's remarkable how he consistently dismantles them with both. He has at least 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in half of his 10 games, plus at least one rushing touchdown and a receiving score in three.

Wide Receiver

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Top 10

1. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at GB)

2. Davante Adams, GB (vs. LAR)

3. Deebo Samuel, SF (vs. MIN)

4. Justin Jefferson, MIN (at SF)

5. Keenan Allen, LAC (at DEN)

6. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (vs. PIT)

7. Diontae Johnson, PIT (at CIN)

8. Chris Godwin, TB (at IND)

9. Mike Evans, TB (at IND)

10. DK Metcalf, SEA (at WAS)

Deebo Samuel is nearing folk-hero status in San Francisco. He has the second-most receiving yards on the season, but in Week 11, the 49ers repurposed him as a primary rusher, and he responded with 79 rushing yards and a score on only eight carries.

He paces the team in every relevant receiving category, and he is tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns. The 49ers have (rightfully) decided he's their best weapon, and they're doing everything they can to maximize his production.

Ja'Marr Chase is a rookie. He opted out of the 2020 college season. None of this is new information, but it's worth revisiting because of how easily he has transitioned to the big league.

Five players have more receiving yards this season. Four have more receptions of 20-plus yards. Two have more touchdown catches. Chase is already an all-caps ELITE, and this might be nowhere near his best.

Flex

Jeff Lewis/Associated Press

Top 40

1. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. TB)

2. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (at MIA)

3. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at GB)

4. Davante Adams, GB (vs. LAR)

5. Austin Ekeler, LAC (at DEN)

6. Dalvin Cook, MIN (at SF)

7. Najee Harris, PIT (at CIN)

8. Deebo Samuel, SF (vs. MIN)

9. Justin Jefferson, MIN (at SF)

10. James Robinson, JAX (vs. ATL)

11. Joe Mixon, CIN (vs. PIT)

12. Nick Chubb, CLE (at BAL)

13. Keenan Allen, LAC (at DEN)

14. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (vs. PIT)

15. Diontae Johnson, PIT (at CIN)

16. Chris Godwin, TB (at IND)

17. Mike Evans, TB (at IND)

18. DK Metcalf, SEA (at WAS)

19. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. SEA)

20. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. PHI)

21. AJ Dillon, GB (vs. LAR)

22. Leonard Fournette, TB (at IND)

23. Adam Thielen, MIN (at SF)

24. Michael Pittman Jr., IND (vs. TB)

25. Marquise Brown, BAL (vs. CLE)

26. George Kittle, SF (vs. MIN)

27. Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL (at JAX)

28. Miles Sanders, PHI (at NYG)

29. Mark Andrews, BAL (vs. CLE)

30. Darrell Henderson Jr, LAR (at GB)

31. Brandon Aiyuk, SF (vs. MIN)

32. Elijah Moore, NYJ (at HOU)

33. DJ Moore, CAR (at MIA)

34. Myles Gaskin, MIA (vs. CAR)

35. Tyler Lockett, SEA (at WAS)

36. Jaylen Waddle, MIA (vs. CAR)

37. Antonio Gibson, WAS (vs. SEA)

38. Kareem Hunt, CLE (at BAL)

39. Melvin Gordon, DEN (vs. LAC)

40. Elijah Mitchell, SF (vs. MIN)