Fantasy football advice ahead of NFL Week 12. You can get the most bang for your fantasy football buck right now at FantasyDraft.
Bet on Baker
Baker Mayfield has been the most successful rookie quarterback in 2018, and has certainly justified the Browns number one overall pick. Mayfield isn’t currently a QB1 in any format, but he’s a pretty solid QB2 just about anywhere you play–he’s had two or more touchdowns in each of his last four games, and in that time frame has a 9:2 TD-INT ratio. Mayfield hasn’t yet cracked the 300-yard mark, but that’s certainly not an issue as long as the touchdowns keep coming. I fully expect another decent fantasy outing against the Bengals, who are hemorrhaging yards through the air in recent weeks. If you’re one of the fortunate few who is dealing with Patrick Mahomes or Jared Goff’s bye week, or if you’ve lost faith in Carson Wentz, Baker might be your best bet this week.
Moore Finally Erupts
The Panthers’ first-round wide out finally broke out in Week 11, torching the Lions for 157 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. This kind of performance has been a long time coming, as Moore has tallied at least five targets in each of Carolina’s last six games, and with as dynamic and explosive as he is after the catch it was only a matter of time. The 21-year-old will be faced with a tougher test in Week 12 as the Panthers will host the Seahawks and their 11th-ranked defense, but given that he only needs one play to make a fantasy day, he’s moving into every-week flex territory. More importantly than his performance this week is his upcoming playoff schedule, where he’ll take on the porous secondaries of the Browns, Saints and Falcons–add him now and benefit then.
Ebron’s Success a Mirage
The Eric Ebron fantasy bubble burst in Week 11, as he went the entirety of the Colts blow-out win without even a target, much less a reception. Ebron’s snap share was certainly higher when Jack Doyle was injured, but since his return in Week 8 Ebron’s time on the field has plummeted. His knack for the end zone has masked most of this lack of playing time, but he simply hasn’t been a huge factor outside of the end zone. Since his huge Week 5 game against the Patriots, Ebron has averaged just 2.6 receptions for a measly 41.6 yards per game–take away the touchdowns and that’s not even remotely useful for fantasy. With Jack Doyle holding his position as Andrew Luck’s preferred tight end and Mo-Allie Cox making some noise around the end zone, it’s time to kick Ebron to the curb before he hurts your team in the playoffs.
NFL Sleepers of the Week
Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions – With Kerryon Johnson likely out and Matthew Stafford scrambling away from the Bears fearsome pass rush, expect plenty of dump-offs on Thanksgiving for Riddick to feast on.
Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans – Coutee returned from injury in a big way in Week 11, leading the team in targets, receptions and receiving yardage. He’s a big play away from fantasy success at any given moment, and is a high-ceiling WR3.
Elijah McGuire, RB, New York Jets – Since his return from IR two weeks ago, McGuire has seen 11 targets in the passing game and is averaging a healthy 4.4 YPC. He’ll see plenty of looks as the Jets try to play catch-up against the Patriots this week.
