Weekly Rankings: Ranking Each Position for Week 12

Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire

Welcome to QB List’s weekly rankings! Each week, I’ll be taking a look at the upcoming matchups and ranking each position, as well as flex positions.

Week 12 Notes

• Jameis Winston is back at the Bucs’ starting quarterback, and immediately I think he’s a top-10 play this week. He’ll be up against a 49ers defense that’s given up the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Sure, Winston is prone to mistakes, so it definitely could blow up, but he can also easily turn in a big game, making Famous Jameis a worthy bye week fill-in for those of you missing Jared Goff this week.
• Russell Wilson has been rock solid since Week 5, and this week, he’ll be up against a Panthers secondary that’s given up the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Wilson’s running provides him with a nice floor, so I think he works well as a QB1 this week.
• After what was an interesting and impressive performance last week, Lamar Jackson may be in line for another start against a really bad Raiders defense. Jackson still needs to work on his throwing, but his running ability provides a really nice floor, and if he can run it in for a touchdown (or, crazy talk, throw for a touchdown), he could be in for a big game. It’s worth noting that the Raiders have given up over 100 rushing yards every week of the season except two, so this front seven is very beatable. Jackson looks like a decent deep-league QB1 or a bye week fill-in if needed.
• Mitch Trubisky is likely out this week, which means it’s Chase Daniel time in Chicago. I’m not interested in Daniel even a little bit, all I think he does it slightly hurt the wide receivers.
• Lamar Miller is likely in for a tough matchup this week against a Titans run defense that’s giving up the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, only giving up over 100 yards once in the past five weeks. Still, Miller gets a lot of volume, which should help, but he’s a low-end RB2 this week.
• It’s entirely possible that both Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard have good games this week against the Lions. So far this year, the Lions have given up over 100 rushing yards in all but four weeks, and are giving up an average of 26.9 fantasy points per game. Still, their split time limits their upside some, as does working with a backup quarterback.
• Is Gus Edwards the new starting running back for the Ravens? Maybe? I think he is if Lamar Jackson is out there. His north-south style of running works well with Jackson, and it looks like Jackson will start. As I mentioned before, the Raiders defense is pretty bad, and running alongside a mobile quarterback like Jackson is certainly helpful, I’m just worried that you can’t guarantee Edwards’ workload with Alex Collins, Javorius Allen, and Ty Montgomery all vying for carries. And speaking of Collins, I wouldn’t be shocked if they roll with him as a red zone option like they did last week, making him a touchdown-dependent flex play if Jackson starts. If Joe Flacco starts, and that doesn’t seem likely, Collins will likely get a boost.
• Kerryon Johnson is out this week, which means it’ll likely be a mix of LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick in the backfield. Neither of them can really be trusted as much more than a deep-league flex play against an excellent Bears run defense.
• It looks like A.J. Green might be back this week, and if he is and he’s healthy, he’ll have a nice matchup against T.J. Carrie. Given there’s no guarantee of just how healthy he is, I’ve got him more as a high-end WR2 than a WR1, but still worth playing if he’s starting.
• After an excellent game last week that saw him catch seven balls for 157 yards and a touchdown, D.J. Moore has himself a nice matchup this week likely against Shaquill Griffin. He should be an interesting flex play this week.
• While Trey Burton will be getting passes from a backup quarterback, I still think he could put in a solid game. He’ll likely be matched up against Quandre Diggs and I think that could be a significantly advantageous matchup for Burton.
• With O.J. Howard out for the season, I think Cameron Brate immediately enters the TE1 conversation, given how much the Bucs like to throw to their tight end (and especially how much Winston likes throwing to Brate).

Check out the rest of the rankings below: