Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 12: Wide Receivers - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains

Start 'em and sit 'em wide receivers for Week 12 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.

Week 12 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Byes: None

Start of the Week

Justin Jefferson vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Jefferson has been on absolute fire in recent weeks, and this week’s matchup against the Panthers isn’t as bad as it might look on paper. While Carolina has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wideouts overall, home receivers have averaged the ninth-most points against them. What’s more, home receivers lined out wide have scored the sixth-most points against the Panthers. Keep Jefferson active as a No. 2 wideout.

Week 12 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

• QUARTERBACKS
• RUNNING BACKS
• WIDE RECEIVERS
• TIGHT ENDS
• KICKERS
• TEAM DEFENSES

Be sure to check out my Week 12 rankings (published by Thursday morning) before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings. Members also get access to myself and our team of high-stakes winners all week long to answer your specific fantasy questions.

MORE: Week 12 Rankings, Articles, Reports & Tools Hub

Start ‘Em

Chase Claypool vs. Ravens (Tues. 8 p.m. ET, NBC): Claypool’s matchup against the Ravens doesn’t look great on paper, but he’s emerged into a virtual must start in the Steelers pass-laden offense. He’s scored at least 13 fantasy points in four straight games and six of his last seven, including 13.2 points versus the Ravens in Week 8. Their defense has also given up 14-plus fantasy points to eight receivers. At worst, Claypool is a solid flex starter for fantasy managers.

Robby Anderson at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Anderson has fallen behind D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel in terms of point production in recent weeks, but I'd keep the faith and start him against the Vikings. He still leads all Panthers wideouts with a 26.5 percent target share, and Minnesota has allowed 17 touchdowns and the fourth-most fantasy points to the position. I can make an argument for starting all three of Moore, Anderson, and Samuel this week.

Cole Beasley vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Bills will be without starting wide receiver John Brown this week, so Beasley is in line to see more targets in what should be a shootout against the Chargers. The talented slot man had over 20 fantasy points in Arizona before Buffalo's bye week, and he's seen 18 targets in two games with Brown inactive this season. One of the more underrated wideouts in fantasy, Beasley is a nice option as a PPR flex starter.

DeVante Parker at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Parker’s numbers looked good last week in Denver, as he posted a touchdown and 18.1 fantasy points. I’d keep him in starting lineups this week too, as Miami travels to the Big Apple to face the Jets. Their defense has been brutal against wide receivers, allowing an average of more than 200 receiving yards and the sixth-most fantasy points to the position. With Ryan Fitzpatrick back under center, Parker is a solid No. 2 wideout.

More Starts

• Antonio Brown vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Michael Pittman Jr., vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Sterling Shepard at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

DFS Bargains

• Curtis Samuel at Vikings (DraftKings: $5,100)
• Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Titans (DraftKings: $5,000)
• Nelson Agholor at Falcons (DraftKings: $4,900)

Week 12 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Tee Higgins vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Higgins has been a tremendous asset for fantasy managers this season, but I fear the loss of Joe Burrow is going to be the end of his run of consistent production. The Broncos are going with Brandon Allen this week, which is better than starting Ryan Finley but it's still a huge downgrade. So while this week's matchup against the Giants isn't bad on paper, Higgins is a pretty tough sell as a fantasy starter with Allen at the helm.

Sit ‘Em

Marquise Brown at Steelers (Tues. 8 p.m. ET, NBC): Many fantasy fans out there had high hopes for Brown this season, but those hopes have been dashed in what's been a disappointing Ravens passing game. He's averaged fewer than five targets over his last four games, and the Titans held Brown without a single catch last week. He'll be on a regular week against a Steelers defense that held him to just three receiving yards in Week 8. At this point, Brown is barely rosterable.

Jerry Jeudy vs. Saints (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): Jeudy and every other Broncos pass catcher is a fade for me this week, not because of the matchup but because of the team's quarterback position. Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Jeff Driskel are all out due to COVID-19, so Denver might have to start a wide receiver, Kendall Hinton, under center. He hasn't played quarterback since 2018 at Wake Forest. The pandemic is certainly taking it's toll on the NFL and fantasy managers alike.

Corey Davis at Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Davis has quietly been reliable for most fantasy managers this season, scoring double-digit points in all but one game. Still, his matchup against the Colts this week makes Davis a risk-reward proposition. Their defense has allowed just nine touchdowns and the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wideouts, and it held Davis to fewer than 12 points in Week 10. With no teams on a bye this holiday week, it’ll be easier to fade Davis.

Mike Williams at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Williams put up a touchdown and over 17 fantasy points last week, but I wouldn’t chase the points against a far more formidable Bills defense. Wide receivers have scored just nine touchdowns versus Buffalo this season, and the position overall has averaged the 10th-fewest fantasy points. Williams, who is mostly touchdown-dependent from a fantasy perspective, should be viewed as a low-ceiling No. 3 wideout or flex starter.

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More Sits

• Travis Fulgham vs. Seahawks (MNF 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Deebo Samuel at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
• Christian Kirk at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

DFS Fades

• Christian Kirk at Patriots (DraftKings: $5,800)
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Cardinals (DraftKings: $5,300)
• Jerry Jeudy vs. Saints (DraftKings: $5,100)

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!

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