Fantasy football Week 12: Add and drop

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 12 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

— RB Emanuel Wilson, Packers (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 9%): Josh Jacobs suffered a knee injury in the second quarter on Sunday against the Giants and wasn’t able to return. Wilson filled in nicely, producing 40 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in the Green Bay victory. Jacobs is day-to-day with a contusion, and could potentially play this weekend, but Wilson would have RB2 upside if he’s out.

— WR Alec Pierce, Colts (ESPN: 41%; Yahoo: 49%): Pierce is the overall WR18 in standard formats (WR21 in PPR) since Week 7, and has at least 67 receiving yards in six of his last seven games. He needs to be universally rostered.

— QB Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals (ESPN: 24%; Yahoo: 34%): Brissett set an NFL record for completions with 47 against the 49ers on Sunday. He finished as Week 11’s QB4 with 452 yards and two TDs in the loss. Brissett is the overall QB8 since he took over for an injured Kyler Murray in Week 6, and has produced at least 258 passing yards and two TDs in all five of his starts this season.

— WR Luther Burden III, Bears (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 8%): Burden finally passed Olamide Zaccheaus in three-receiver sets for the first time in Week 11. He’s played at least 44% of Chicago’s offensive snaps in two straight games after not topping 28.8% in his previous seven. This may be your last chance to grab him off the wire.

— TE Noah Fant, Bengals (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 3%): Ja’Marr Chase will likely serve a one-game suspension this week for foolishly spitting on Jalen Ramsey on Sunday. Fant has at least four receptions or a TD in four of his last five games, and has shown a nice rapport with Joe Flacco. Andrei Iosivas (ESPN:

— QB Brock Purdy, 49ers (ESPN: 62%; Yahoo: 66%): Purdy finished as Week 11’s QB5 in his return from injury against the Cardinals. He was the weekly QB12 and QB14 in his other two starts this season. San Francisco’s offense is as healthy as its been in quite some time with Brandon Aiyuk’s return potentially on the horizon.

— TE Juwan Johnson, Saints (ESPN: 35%; Yahoo: 47%): Johnson was the overall TE9 in standard formats (TE7 in PPR) through 10 weeks before New Orleans’ bye, and has at least five receptions or a touchdown in four straight games. He and Chris Olave are the primary focal points in the Saints’ pass attack with Rashid Shaheed now in Seattle.

— WR Christian Watson, Packers (ESPN: 26%; Yahoo: 34%): Watson is the overall WR14 in standard formats (WR21 in PPR) since making his season debut in Week 8, and has at least 45 yards or a TD in all four games.

— RB Sean Tucker, Buccaneers (ESPN: 29%; Yahoo: 27%): Tucker erupted for 140 total yards and three TDs at Buffalo, finishing as the weekly RB1 in standard formats (RB2 in PPR). Bucky Irving has begun to practice, but his return timeline has been ambiguous. Without Irving, Tucker looks like the the lead back on early downs and in goal-line situations with Rachaad White handling third downs and two-minute drill snaps for Tampa Bay.

— QB Bryce Young, Panthers (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 13%): Only Superman himself, Josh Allen, scored more fantasy points at the quarterback position in Week 11 than Young. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for 448 yards, a career high, and three TD passes in the overtime win at Atlanta. Young deserves streaming consideration against a decimated 49ers’ defense who have allowed 732 passing yards and six TD passes the last two games.

— WR Michael Wilson, Cardinals (ESPN: 15%; Yahoo: 48%): Marvin Harrison Jr. missed Sunday’s game against the Niners after having an appendectomy. Wilson stepped up with the best game of his career: 15 receptions on an insane 18 targets for 185 yards. Wilson has premium matchups against the Jaguars and Buccaneers the next two weeks if Harrison remains out.

— RB Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers (ESPN: 42%; Yahoo: 33%): Jaylen Warren suffered an ankle injury in the second half of Pittsburgh’s rout over Cincinnati. Gainwell produced 105 total yards on 16 touches, including seven receptions for 81 yards and two TD receptions. Warren said he could have returned after the game, but the Steelers played it cautiously. This was Gainwell’s second smash game of the season. He had 134 total yards and two scores against the Vikings in Week 4. He’d have RB2/flex upside against the Bears this week if Warren is out or limited.

— WR Mack Hollins, Patriots (ESPN: 5%; Yahoo: 5%): Hollins has been a suitable replacement for Kayshon Boutte (ESPN: 28%; Yahoo: 33%) the last two weeks with 170 yards on 10 receptions (15 targets) with Boutte sidelined by a hamstring injury. DJ Turner is the only viable cornerback on the Bengals, and likely wouldn’t shadow either Hollins or Boutte if he’s back this week.

— TE Mason Taylor, Jets (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 17%): Taylor’s role in the offense is locked in. He has a 20.2% target share since Week 4, and while Garrett Wilson is on IR, that should remain steady. Having Tyrod Taylor under center will likely make more of those targets catchable going forward.

— WR Darnell Mooney, Falcons (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 31%): Drake London is week-to-week with a PCL strain he suffered against the Panthers on Sunday. Mooney has seen at least seven targets in two straight games, but hasn’t done much with it. Already solid usage should see a bump with London out, and he has decent matchups against the Saints and Jets the next two weeks.

— TE Brock Wright, Lions (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 1%): Wright only had two receptions for eight yards in his first game after Sam LaPorta was placed on IR. He did receive seven targets, so we’ll chalk the lack of production up to a difficult matchup against the Eagles.

— WR Cedric Tillman, Browns (ESPN: 12%; Yahoo: 10%): Shedeur Sanders only completed four passes in his NFL debut after Dillon Gabriel left the game against the Ravens with a concussion on Sunday. Three of those passes went to Tillman. Food for thought if Sanders ends up starting against the Raiders this week.

— RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Commanders (ESPN: 7%; Yahoo: 12%): Jacory Croskey-Merritt has played more snaps, but Rodriguez has been the more effective back with at least 79 yards or a TD in three straight games.

— TE Isaiah Likely, Ravens (ESPN: 9%; Yahoo: 5%): Likely needs to be stashed for his upcoming schedule. From Weeks 13 to 16, all four matchups are against teams in the bottom nine of the league at preventing fantasy points to tight ends, including two games against the woeful Bengals.

— WR Jayden Reed, Packers (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 35%): Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said Reed could be designated to return from injured reserve this week.

— TE Darren Waller, Dolphins (ESPN: 19%; Yahoo: 21%): Waller is the overall TE4 in standard formats (WR5 in PPR) in the three games he’s both started and finished this season. He could return as early as Week 13, and possibly face the Steelers and Bengals in the first two rounds of the fantasy playoffs.

— WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (ESPN: 28%; Yahoo: 36%): Aiyuk’s return isn’t imminent, but he should be back no later than Week 15 — San Francisco has its bye in Week 14 — just in time for the fantasy playoffs.

— D/ST Falcons (ESPN: 43%; Yahoo: 52%): Atlanta’s defense has produced 18 sacks in the last three games after producing 16 in its previous seven. The Falcons face the Saints and Jets the next two weeks, and both teams are in the bottom 10 of the league in preventing fantasy points to opposing defenses.

— D/ST Browns (ESPN: 41%; Yahoo: 49%): Cleveland sacked Lamar Jackson five times and intercepted him twice, returning one for a TD on Sunday. The Browns face a Raiders’ offense this week allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.

— D/ST Raiders (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 5%): Regardless if its Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel, Las Vegas faces a rookie QB at home and an offense allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.

— D/ST Saints (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 2%): New Orleans is a sneaky streaming option this week at home against Kirk Cousins and with Drake London likely out.

DROP

— RB J.K. Dobbins, Broncos: Dobbins’ first season in Denver is likely ending prematurely after injuring his foot against the Raiders in Week 10. He’s already had surgery, and won’t be back unless the Broncos make it to the Super Bowl.

— QB Michael Penix Jr., Falcons: Reports are Penix suffered damage to his ACL when he injured his knee during Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, and he will be placed on IR. It’s possible his season is over.

— WR Calvin Ridley, Titans: Ridley suffered a broken fibula in Sunday’s loss to the Texans after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.

— RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders: “Bill” hasn’t topped 38 rushing yards in his last five games, and is averaging 3.0 yards per carry since Week 6.

— TE Sam LaPorta, Lions: Detroit placed LaPorta on IR after he was ruled out of Sunday night’s game at Philadelphia with a back injury. Back ailments can be tricky so there’s no guarantee he returns immediately after four games, or if he’ll be 100% when he does get back.