Week 12 Waiver Wire: Brent Celek and Others to Add

With fantasy football playoffs rapidly approaching, those of you on the cusp of making the postseason are certainly looking for whatever edge can get you ultimately to your league's championship game.

While my favorite motto when it comes to the playoffs is "dance with who brought you to the dance," sometimes that just isn't an option—especially with player injuries and inconsistent performances affecting every GM.

Therefore, searching the waiver wire for players who can help your team is still necessary.

At that, here are four players you can likely snag off of the wire to give you that leg up as the fantasy season heads into one of its most important weeks.

TE Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. New England Patriots)

With Michael Vick at quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek has seen his production steadily decline from his 2009 season that saw him catch 76 passes for 971 yards and eight touchdowns when Donovan McNabb ran the offense.

This was caused by the combination of the team focusing more on the run game behind LeSean McCoy and needing more pass protection for Vick, who has been battered repeatedly by poor offensive line play.

However, in recent weeks, Celek has found himself becoming a bigger and bigger part of the Eagles' passing game, averaging nearly 62 receiving yards in his last five games, including six catches for 60 yards against the New York Giants in Week 11 with backup Vince Young starting in place of the injured Vick.

Those numbers bode well for Celek's future production, whether it's Young or Vick throwing the ball this Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Combine that with a Patriots defense that ranks 22nd against the tight end, and if you're disappointed with your current starter, Celek is a smart start in Week 12.

QB Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders (vs. Chicago Bears)

The Carson Palmer experiment seems to have paid off for the Oakland Raiders, who took a big gamble and won when trading for the former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback after a collarbone injury to Jason Campbell.

Through four games, Palmer has gone 58-of-99 for 911 yards, with six touchdowns, seven interceptions and one rushing score to his name.

Last week against the Minnesota Vikings, he completed 17 of his 23 passes for 164 yards and a score and rushed for an additional five yards and a touchdown.

In the first half of that game, Palmer was 11-of-14 for 109 yards before the team focused more on running the ball in the second half.

While running and passing won't come as easy for the Raiders offense this Sunday, with a strong Chicago Bears defense coming to town, Palmer has proven his worth as an every-week fantasy starter.

If you're still struggling to find a replacement for the injured Jay Cutler, Matt Schaub or Matt Hasselbeck, Palmer's your best bet on the waiver wire. Don't hesitate to start him.

RB Toby Gerhart, Minnesota Vikings (at Atlanta Falcons)

While Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart isn't the most attractive waiver-wire option for the week, the fact that starter Adrian Peterson won't be on the field against the Atlanta Falcons means that Peterson's owners and those GMs desperate for guaranteed running back production in Week 12 have reason to add him.

Gerhart rushed 16 times for 77 yards and caught three passes for 18 more when he took over for Peterson in Week 11 against the Oakland Raiders.

He has 24 carries for 118 yards and five catches for 61 yards on the year, but he should easily see 24 touches this Sunday alone.

Though the Falcons defense is strong against the run, picking up and starting Gerhart this week isn't a bad choice, especially in deeper leagues or if you're simply out of other options as a Peterson owner.

Furthermore, the Vikings are at 2-8 and thus may sit Peterson longer than a single week, meaning that Gerhart could hold some longer-term value.

RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (at New York Jets)

Like the Vikings' Toby Gerhart, Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller isn't a very exciting waiver-wire prospect this week, but circumstances have made him a worthwhile add for those GMs in need.

Whether you're weak at running back or are dealing with the injuries that befell the Packers' James Starks, the Vikings' Adrian Peterson or the Bills' Fred Jackson, Spiller should be on your waiver-wire radar for Week 12.

Though Bills receiver Donald Jones is suffering from an ankle injury, head coach Chan Gailey announced that Spiller's main role in the offense this week will be as a running back, as their needs at the position are certainly greater with Jackson likely sidelined with a deep calf bruise.

But if you're in a PPR league, keep in mind that Spiller will still likely see action as a receiver.

Though Spiller is very inconsistent, increased playing time should serve him well.

Spiller has 21 rushes on the year for 115 yards and a score and has caught 15 passes for 82 yards.

In Weeks 8 through 11, he has just 35 total yards, with the Bills' overall offensive production slowing down as the season progresses.

The matchup against the New York Jets defense doesn't do Spiller any favors, but he will be treated like a starter this week, so if you're in serious need, go ahead and pick him up.

Just temper your expectations—Spiller is no Jackson.