We enter Week 12 with a few wide receivers trending up, and some big names at the position that have yielded very little Fantasy production. With that in mind, you'll definitely want to know which wide receivers to start or sit down the home stretch.
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Jamey Eisenberg has his Start 'Em & Sit 'Em calls for Week 12 at wide receiver here, but also be sure to check out his full Start'Em and Sit'Em column for Week 12. And don't forget to check out Heath Cummings' wide receiver preview for more help with matchup notes, numbers to know, and more. Plus check out Heath's Week 12 projections over at SportsLine.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
WRs to Start
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I like Pittman and Josh Downs in this matchup with the Buccaneers, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Pittman has been a beast all season and has scored at least 14.4 PPR points in five games in a row. And Downs, who has battled a knee injury the past two games, will hopefully be healthy coming off the Colts bye in Week 11. Prior to Week 9, Downs had scored at least 13.1 PPR points in four games in a row. Pittman is a top-10 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and Downs is a starter in all three-receiver formats against Tampa Bay.
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After two down games prior to Week 11 against Dallas, Thielen bounced back against the Cowboys last week with eight catches for 74 yards on 11 targets for 15.4 PPR points. That's now seven games this season for Thielen scoring at least 15.2 PPR points, and we like Frank Reich calling plays when it comes to Thielen's production. This week, Thielen faces a Titans secondary that is No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and Thielen has top-10 upside in PPR for this week.
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In the Eagles first game without Dallas Goedert (forearm) in Week 11 at Kansas City, Smith led the team in targets with eight, and he hauled in six catches for 99 yards. The eight targets were the most for him since Week 6, and he should continue to be more involved moving forward as long as Goedert is out. I'm expecting A.J. Brown to go nuclear against the Bills in Week 12 after he was held in check in Week 11 by Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, but Smith should also do well against Buffalo. Smith should be considered a borderline No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Collins didn't have a big game at Jacksonville in Week 3 with two catches for 34 yards on three targets, but I'm expecting him to fare better in the rematch in Week 12. Collins has scored at least 13.5 PPR points in each of his past two games against Tampa Bay and Arizona, and he had seven catches for 65 yards on 11 targets against the Cardinals in Week 11. Nathaniel Dell has emerged as the No. 1 receiver for the Texans, and he has top-10 upside in this matchup with the Jaguars. But Collins should be considered a top-20 receiver in all leagues, and I hope he gets double digits in targets for the second game in a row in this huge AFC South matchup in Week 12.
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Kirk was overshadowed by Calvin Ridley in Week 11 against Tennessee with three catches for 48 yards on six targets. Ridley, meanwhile, had seven catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets, and I hope he can stay hot this week against the Texans. But I'm going back to Kirk as the preferred Fantasy receiver in Jacksonville this week, and Kirk had four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on six targets against Houston in Week 3. He's scored at least 13.9 PPR points in seven of his past nine games, and I expect Trevor Lawrence to lean on Kirk once again in this key divisional game. Consider Kirk a solid No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, with Ridley right behind him as a borderline No. 2 Fantasy option. Ridley only had three catches for 40 yards on seven targets against Houston in Week 3.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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I like the setup for Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. with Mark Andrews (ankle) out for the Ravens, and both should be considered No. 3 Fantasy receivers in the majority of leagues for Week 12 against the Chargers. Andrews missed Week 1 this season against Houston, and Flowers had a strong NFL debut with nine catches for 78 yards on targets. He only has one game with more than eight PPR points in his past four outings, but I expect him to see more targets with Andrews out. And Beckham has either a touchdown or 100 receiving yards in three games in a row, and he should be a good red-zone target for Lamar Jackson with Andrews off the field. The Chargers are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, so look for Flowers and Beckham to have the chance for a big game.
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Cooks cooled off in Week 11 at Carolina with three catches for 42 yards on four targets, but I expect him to get back on track in Week 12 against the Commanders. Prior to Week 11, Cooks had scored at least 14.2 PPR points in three of his past four games. This is a dream matchup since Washington struggles with big plays, and the Commanders are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. While CeeDee Lamb should go off on Thanksgiving, I would trust Cooks as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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As of Wednesday afternoon, we don't know who will be starting at quarterback for the Patriots in Week 12 at the Giants, but it shouldn't matter much for Douglas. Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe should lean on Douglas, and he's coming off a solid game in Week 10 against the Colts prior to New England's bye. Douglas had nine targets against Indianapolis for six catches and 84 yards, and he now has at least six targets in four games in a row. He's emerged as the No. 1 receiver for the Patriots, and this is a favorable matchup against the Giants, who are No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Consider Douglas a solid No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Reed and Romeo Doubs are worth using as No. 3 Fantasy receivers in Week 12 at Detroit on Thanksgiving. Reed has scored at least 11.1 PPR points in four of his past five games, including two in a row with at least 19.2 PPR points. And Doubs has scored a touchdown in four of his past five games. Both have the chance for a productive outing against the Lions, who have given up the fifth-most touchdowns (12) to opposing receivers this season. As for Christian Watson, I would avoid him in most leagues this week. Even though he scored a touchdown in Week 11 against the Chargers, he only had two catches for 21 yards on four targets. And he's now had 37 yards or less in five games in a row, and that was his first touchdown since Week 4.
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Chris Olave is a must-start receiver in Week 12 against the Falcons, but I like Shaheed and A.T. Perry as sleepers with Michael Thomas (knee) out. In Week 10 at Minnesota when Thomas was hurt, Shaheed had a season-high nine targets and finished with five catches for 24 yards. And Perry had his first extended action of the season and caught two passes for 38 yards and a touchdown on four targets. Derek Carr (concussion) is expected to start against the Falcons, and hopefully he can connect with Shaheed and Perry to make them relevant as No. 3 Fantasy receivers in deeper leagues.
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WRs to Sit
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Cooper, as expected, struggled in Week 11 against Pittsburgh with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center. Cooper had eight targets, but he only had four catches for 34 yards. Thompson-Robinson is starting again in Week 12 at Denver, and Cooper should be considered a borderline No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. In two games with Thompson-Robinson starting, Cooper has combined for five catches for 50 yards and no touchdowns on 14 targets. It doesn't help that the Broncos are No. 10 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers.
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Waddle has struggled in consecutive games heading into Week 12 at the Jets, and I would only start him in three-receiver leagues in this matchup. In his past two outings against the Chiefs and Raiders, Waddle has combined for seven catches for 97 yards and no touchdowns on 14 targets. He only has one touchdown in his past four games, and the Jets have allowed just two touchdowns to receivers all season. Tyreek Hill remains a must-start Fantasy option in all leagues, but I'm concerned about Waddle in this matchup.
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Jeudy had a decent outing in Week 11 against Minnesota with five catches for 58 yards on seven targets, and that's the most targets he's got since Week 5. He still only has one touchdown on the season, and he's tough to trust as anything more than a low-end No. 3 PPR receiver. Courtland Sutton has become a borderline must-start Fantasy option in all leagues, and he's scored a touchdown in five games in a row. But Jeudy should struggle in this matchup with the Browns, who are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers this season.
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I thought Kyler Murray's return to action would spark Brown to become a must-start Fantasy receiver. Instead, Brown has cratered with his production over the past two games against Atlanta and Houston with three catches for 46 yards and no touchdowns on nine targets. We'll see if he can get going against the Rams, but he already struggled against this defense in Week 6 with four catches for 34 yards on 11 targets. Joshua Dobbs was the starter for the Cardinals then, and at least he featured Brown in the passing game. Until Murray starts leaning on Brown again, he should be kept on the bench in most Fantasy leagues.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Adams rebounded the past two games against the Jets and Dolphins with at least 14.6 PPR points in each outing. He had 26 targets over that span with 13 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown, and this was after he scored 7.4 PPR points or less in two games against the Lions in Week 8 and the Giants in Week 9. But I'm expecting him to struggle in Week 12 against the Chiefs with a tough matchup against Kansas City cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. He's been stellar of late and helped limit No. 1 receivers like A.J. Brown (1.8 PPR points), Tyreek Hill (14.5 PPR points), Courtland Sutton (10.9 PPR points) and Keenan Allen (9.5 PPR points) in the past four games. Adams is still a borderline starter in all leagues, but he should struggle in this matchup with the Chiefs.
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