It was a bad week for backup RBs as Ben Tate and LeGarrette Blount were cut from the Browns and Steelers respectively. Also to continue with the trend of bad weeks for RBs, Adrian Peterson was suspended for the remainder of the year for the Minnesota Vikings. However, this week just happens to be a week where you should be able to pick up a solid replacement RB. Keep in mind that the players I recommend in these articles are likely owned in less than 50% of most leagues, so players like Ryan Tannehill and Tre Mason should be automatic pickups if they are available, but if you’re in a competitive league, they should not be out there. With that being said, let’s get right to the NFL Week 12 Pickups.
QBs
Josh McCown – I told people to pick him up last week and he rewarded his owners with 288 yards and 2 TDs. He now faces a Chicago Bears squad that gives up the 2nd most points in the league to QBs. He doesn’t have many more great matchups for the rest of the year, but this is definitely one of them.
RBs
Isaiah Crowell – About 30 minutes before game time, the Browns announced that Crowell, not Terrance West, would start against the Houston Texans. Even though he didn’t have a great game, he still had a high usage level over West and the now released Tate. He has another great matchup this week against the Atlanta Falcons.
Jonas Gray – I have to temper your expectations for Gray after the former Notre Dame RB went off for 199 yards and 4 TDs on national TV. He had an extraordinary high amount of carries (38) and he faces arguably the best run defense in the league in Detroit. He will be solid the rest of the way, but don’t expect too much this week.
Charles Sims – With Doug Martin seemingly out of the picture, it looks like Sims and Bobby Rainey are pretty close to a 50-50 split for the Buccaneers backfield. However, the Bucs like Sims more and showed their confidence in him by giving him MORE usage and carries after a fumble in week 10.
Latavius Murray – The Oakland Raiders are 0-10. Having Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones Drew take carries from Murray is not the smart thing to do. Even though nothing has been officially done, you have to believe that at some point he will be given the load. He is a Jerick McKinnon type athlete, which means he’s explosive.
WRs
Kenny Stills – The New Orleans Saints were my preseason pick to win the Superbowl, so don’t ask me why they aren’t performing. They lost their 2nd straight game at home last week, which is an unthinkable feat for a team that is known for home domination. Rookie Brandin Cooks was placed on the Injured Reserve list, so he is done for the year, which leaves Stills as the most explosive WR for Drew Brees. He could be a big late season riser.
Cecil Shorts III – Speaking of injuries, Allen Robinson is now done for the year. It’s unfortunate news since he was playing so well. Shorts, whose finally fully healthy, will benefit the most from Robinson going down. Allen Hurns is a bigger WR, so he may get the TD looks, but the targets will definitely go to Shorts, who is a much better route runner.
TEs
Coby Fleener – Dwayne Allen was also another player that was hit with the injury bug this week. It’s being said that he avoided the dreaded high ankle sprain, but with him being out, it give Fleener a chance to take control of the position and he definitely did that on Sunday Night with seven catches for 144 yards.
DEFs
Indianapolis Colts Defense – The Jaguars and the Rams are the two offenses you want to pick on for the rest of the year. Even though you may get a blip here and there, overall, you should get around 10 points from your defense if facing either of these two teams. The Colts get the Jaguars this week at home after coming off a beat down from New England. This may not be pretty.
San Diego Chargers Defense – The Rams stunned the Broncos in probably the biggest upset of the year, but it was only the 3rd time this year that their opposing defense did get double digits. San Diego shouldn’t have the same issue this week.
Kansas City Chiefs Defense – A matchup against the Raiders may not be a simple at Jacksonville or St Louis, but the Chiefs are a better defense than both the Chargers and Colts. It is a divisional road game, so be careful, but they would be my 3rd choice this week.
Those are your NFL week 12 pickups. Enjoy the games.
