Fantasy Football start or sit Week 12: Start Derek Carr vs. Falcons

Fantasy football starts and sits for Week 12 of the 2020 NFL season.

The home stretch of the fantasy football season has arrived as the playoffs are fast approaching. These are the weeks that can decide whether you are playing for the championship or in the consolation bracket in the final weeks of the regular season, so making the correct start and sit decisions are as important as ever.

In Week 12, your fantasy team will likely look the best it has in weeks, as there are no teams on bye. With that being said, that also means that you will likely have more start sit decisions as you are no longer forced into starting players due to bye weeks.

Without further ado, here are players that you need to get into your Week 12 fantasy lineups and other tough calls on big-name players that need to take a back seat.

Note: All stats and info via Fantasy Pros. 

Fantasy Football Starts for Week 12

QB Derek Carr, Las Vegas (vs. Atlanta)

Carr has actually been an incredibly strong quarterback so far, though his strong real-life performance has not necessarily translated to fantasy football. However, he certainly has a great chance to have a ceiling game against Atlanta, who is allowing the most fantasy points in the league to opposing quarterbacks.

In addition, there is a good chance Carr may be sitting on your waiver wire. With the Falcons this week and the Jets next week, Carr is a high floor backend QB1 for the next two weeks.

Projection: 284 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 23.4 fantasy points. 

QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay (vs. Kansas City)

After a pitiful performance against Los Angeles in Week 11, fantasy managers may be hesitant to throw Brady back into the lineup in Week 12. Even though he has been boom or bust for most of the year, he is still the QB8 on the season.

Now he gets a tough matchup against Kansas City, though the game script will certainly be in Brady’s favor. With the most talented receiving core in the league, I like Brady’s chances of having a big game this week.

Projection: 357 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 21.3 fantasy points.

RB Wayne Gallman Jr., New York (vs. Cincinnati)

Ever since filling in for an injured Devonta Freeman in Week 7, Gallman Jr. has been the definition of consistency. Though his efficiency has not been off the charts, he has managed five touchdowns in four games against top tier running defenses.

Now he gets a great matchup with Cincinnati with a game script that actually projects the Giants playing with a lead. Fire up Gallman with confidence as a strong RB2 this week.

Projection: 91 total yards, 2 receptions, 1 touchdown, 16.1 fantasy points. 

WR Brandin Cooks, Houston (vs. Detroit)

Even though his targets took a minor hit last week, Cooks still turned in four receptions for 85 yards. On the season Cooks still has more targets than Will Fuller, though he has not found the end zone as much. Now he gets a great Thanksgiving Day matchup against Detroit and should be a locked-in WR1/2 with Randall Cobb and Kenny Stills both out.

Projection: 7 receptions, 103 yards, 1 touchdown, 19.8 fantasy points. 

TE Jordan Reed, San Fransisco (vs. Los Angeles)

This is certainly a deeper play, but Reed is a player who is on most waiver wires that has top-10 rest of season potential. Even though he is about as injury-prone as a player can be, he has shown his ability to produce in games where George Kittle is out.

With multiple question marks about the availability of the 49ers receivers, Reed could very well be one of the team’s top targets. Even though he has a tough matchup with Los Angeles, they have been average against the tight end.

Projection: 5 receptions, 61 yards, 1 touchdown, 14.6 fantasy points.

TE Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia (vs. Seattle)

After disappointing in his first two weeks back from injury, Goedert finally delivered with a top-five performance in Week 11. Now he gets a matchup with Seattle, who has been strong against the tight end on paper, but that is merely a side effect of their historically bad season against wide receivers.

Even with Zach Ertz looking likely to return, that will simply boost offensive production and Goedert will still play a majority of snaps. The only thing that can hold Goedert back is Carson Wentz, but with the current tight end landscape, his volume and talent make him an every-week TE1.

Projection: 5 receptions, 68 yards, touchdown, 15.3 fantasy points. 

Fantasy Football Sits for Week 12

QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore (vs. Pittsburgh)

Jackson has been one of the more disappointing players of 2020 but he is still the QB10 on the year. However, this has come on the back of consistent mediocre production instead of some of the huge games he had in his MVP season.

Now he gets a tough matchup with Pittsburgh, who he turned the ball over four times against in their first matchup. While his rushing ability always gives him a solid floor, if you have an option like Derek Carr or Taysom Hill on the waiver wire, it may be time for Jackson to take a back seat.

Projection: 188 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 54 rushing yards, 2 turnovers, 13.9 fantasy points. 

RB Melvin Gordon III, Denver (vs. New Orleans)

Melvin Gordon had his first great game in weeks in Week 11 against Miami, going for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He should have had a third touchdown but fumbled the ball inches short of the goal line. However, with a tough matchup against a New Orleans defense that has turned itself around in recent weeks, it is important to remember what Gordon has done prior to that performance.

With only one reception in the past three games, Gordon is a touchdown-dependent flex but his numbers can get real ugly when he does not hit pay dirt.

Projection: 49 total yards, 2 receptions, 5.9 fantasy points. 

WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati (vs. New York)

Tee Higgins was one of the biggest rookie sensations of the year, but his fantasy-relevant days may be over with the season-ending injury to Joe Burrow. With Brandon Allen getting the start at quarterback and the Bengals having an 18 point implied total against the Giants, there is simply not going to be enough offensive opportunity for Higgins to succeed, especially considering he will be competing with Tyler Boyd for targets.

Do not send him to the waivers just yet but be ready to be without him for the rest of your season.

Projection: 5 receptions, 60 yards, 8.5 fantasy points. 

TE Jared Cook, New Orleans (vs. Denver)

With three total receptions for 36 yards in the past three weeks, it is fair to say that Jared Cook is no longer a startable fantasy tight end, even with the rough state of the position. With Taysom Hill at quarterback, the few passes that are thrown seem to all be going Michael Thomas’s way, which is probably for the better.

It does not help Cook that Denver has actually been a strong defense against the tight end. Even with soft matchups coming up against Atlanta and Philadelphia, Jared Cook can be safely dropped in most formats for a tight end with more upside like Jordan Reed.