Fantasy Football Projections: Stevie Johnson and More WRs to Flee from

Even second-tier NFL wideouts can sometimes put up monster days in fantasy play. This trio, however, will see their numbers nose-dive in tough Week 12 matchups:

Stevie Johnson, Buffalo Bills

The bad news keeps coming for the floundering Bills, who have lost star RB Fred Jackson for the remainder of the season. Their first game without their top offensive weapon pits them against one of the league’s top defenses in a visit to MetLife Stadium.

Without Jackson to keep Rex Ryan’s defense honest, expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to spend lots of time on his back in this one. Johnson, who’s likely to draw all-everything corner Darrelle Revis, is in for an especially long afternoon.

Jabar Gaffney, Washington Redskins

Rex Grossman’s return to the starting lineup would seem to be good news for Washington’s wideouts, who at least have a chance to catch deep passes again. However, Gaffney will also be battling the return of injured veteran Santana Moss, who will likely steal lots of potential targets.

The Redskins are also visiting Seattle, and while the Seahawk pass defense isn’t quite as tough as they are on the ground, it’s still going to be tough sledding for Washington’s passing game. Add in the fact that Marshawn Lynch may well keep the ball out of Grossman’s hands for much of the game, and Gaffney just isn’t a good risk in this matchup.

Jerome Simpson, Cincinnati Bengals

Simpson is coming off a monster game in last week’s loss to Baltimore, so many fantasy owners will be tempted to roll the dice on him this week. Those who do will be sorely disappointed.

A big part of Simpson’s success was the absence of A.J. Green, who’s expected to be back in his primary-receiver role this week. Cincinnati is also facing the league’s best pass defense and fourth-worst run defense, so they’re likely to run the ball all day and provide few if any opportunities for Simpson to put up any kind of stats.