Week 12 Start Em Sit Em: The Inside Scoop on Must-Start Players

The fantasy football playoffs are rapidly approaching, and if you're on the cusp of making them then this week is the most critically important to your chances. Luckily, I'm here to help you with must-start players for Week 12.

QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at Indianapolis Colts)

If there's one rule in fantasy football this year, it's start any offensive player you have who is facing the Indianapolis Colts last-ranked defense. And with rookie Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton easily having the best year of any player on his team, he's easily the top-recommended fantasy starter for Week 12.

Newton has completed 219 passes this year for 2,885 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and he's rushed 77 times for 411 yards and nine scores. Only the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers has more fantasy points than Newton so far this year and he will continue his high scoring ways this Sunday when facing the Colts' terrible secondary.

WR Nate Burleson, Detroit Lions (vs. Green Bay Packers)

The Green Bay Packers defense is extremely susceptible to the big play and it's common knowledge that the only way to compete against Green Bay's strong offense is to try to match Aaron Rodgers pass for pass.

Therefore, any of the Detroit Lions' wide receivers are recommended starts for Week 12, but none more so than Nate Burleson. With star wideout Calvin Johnson sure to see double and even triple coverage on Thursday, Burleson may prove to be quarterback Matthew Stafford's most reliably open target.

On the year, Burleson has 41 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns. Last week against Carolina, he had seven catches (on seven targets) for 63 yards and a score. Touchdowns are necessary if the Lions want to best the Packers, and that means spreading the ball around. Burleson should have a strong showing for your fantasy team this week.

RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at Oakland Raiders)

We are all aware of just how much Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte has contributed to his team: a total of 1,391 yards from scrimmage—good for best in the league—and four touchdowns.

This is easily his best fantasy year yet, and with starting quarterback Jay Cutler likely out for the rest of the regular season and the Oakland Raiders' 27th-ranked rush defense up ahead, this is going to be a major week for the versatile back. 

Whether it's Caleb Hanie or someone else under center on Sunday, one thing is clear: The Bears aren't going to be looking to pass the ball deep all that often. Checkdowns, screens and handoffs to Forte are likely to make up the bulk of the Bears offense this week, meaning he's going to put up big numbers for your fantasy team.

TE Jake Ballard, New York Giants (at New Orleans Saints)

He was targeted a number of times but only caught one pass for 13 yards in the New York Giants' Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Tight end Jake Ballard doesn't look like a good fantasy start at first glance.

However, the combination of Ballard's considerable skills, the willingness of quarterback Eli Manning to target him and a New Orleans Saints defense vulnerable to tight ends make him a must-start in Week 12.

Ballard has 27 catches for 443 yards and three touchdowns this season. Look for him to continue to get a respectable number of looks. With the Saints defense likely more concerned with receivers Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham on Monday night, Ballard seems primed for a strong showing.

Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST (at Kansas City Chiefs)

Though lacking the takeaways that made the Pittsburgh Steelers defense a fantasy goldmine in 2010, this week's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs' 30th-ranked offense and their new quarterback, Tyler Palko, should hearken back to those heady days.

Though more adept at stopping the pass rather than the run, the Steelers defense is nevertheless holding opponents to averages of just 17.9 points per game, under 100 yards rushing and 183 yards receiving through the first 11 weeks of the season.

The Chiefs moved the ball fairly well last week against the New England Patriots' random assortment of defensive players, but could only manage just three points when all was said and done.

The Steelers field a much stronger defense and the Chiefs should consider themselves lucky if they can manage three points this week. Give the Steelers defense a start and finally get the fantasy performance you've been hoping for all season.