Welcome to Week 12 of the 2023 season, and our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em series. This is where all the hard work is done as we prepare for another week of hard-hitting action and paper championships.
As always, if you are struggling with a decision you can checkout our rankings for each Week. Or, if you want a more personal touch, reach out on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. All stats refer to 1/2 PPR, 6 point per passing touchdown leagues. The number in brackets next to an opponent is that teams rank against the position. Rank 1 is the best possible matchup, Rank 32 is the worst. Follow me on Twitter @FFMadScientist
Start’Em
Dak Prescott, Cowboys v WSH (1)
Prescott has been on fire as of late and that hot streak should culminate with him dismantling the Commanders on Thanksgiving Day. Washington is the best matchup for quarterbacks and are allowing a whopping 21.3 fantasy points per game to the position. He will be an easy top-5 quarterback this week.
Derek Carr, Saints v ATL (5)
Carr is no guarantee to play this week, so it’s possible this could change to Jameis Winston at some point. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Saints, this matchup is too juicy to pass up. The Falcons are a top-5 matchup for quarterbacks and have allowed 19.4 fantasy points per game this season to quarterbacks.
Jordan Love, Packers v DET (6)
Love has been inconsistent this season after a blistering start. This week he will face the Lions at lunch on Thanksgiving Day. The Lions are the 6th best matchup for quarterbacks and are allowing 18.8 fantasy points per game to the position. Ride Love is this matchup as he will have to throw to keep up with the high-flying Lions.
Sit ‘Em
Russell Wilson, Broncos v CLE (32)
Wilson has been solid over the past month as the Broncos offence has started to show signs of life. All that is nice, but this week he faces the Browns who are a must-avoid for fantasy purposes. The Browns are allowing 12.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and are easily the worst matchup.
Geno Smith, Seahawks v SF (30)
Smith was banged up in Week 11 so he carries an inherent risk regardless of matchup, when you factor in a matchup with the vaunted 49ers defense Wilson is an easy avoid. The 49ers are the 3rd worst matchup for quarterbacks and are only allowing 13.5 fantasy points per game.
Jared Goff, Packers v DET (27)
Goff has been a reliable high-end QB2 this season but in Week 12 he faces a Packers team that is much easier to run on than pass on. The Packers are the 5th worst matchup for quarterbacks and are allowing only 14.3 fantasy points per game to the position. Expect a heavy dose of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in this matchup and not nearly as much passing from the Lions.
Start ‘Em
Jerome Ford, Browns v DEN (1)
Ford has been the bell cow in the Cleveland offence since Nick Chubb was lost to a season ending knee injury. This week he will take that heavy workload up against a porous Broncos run defense that is the best matchup for running backs and gives up 28.8 fantasy points per game to them.
Kyren Williams, Rams v ARI (3)
Williams looks to make his return to the Rams lineup and will do so in a wonderful matchup. He faces off against the Cardinals who are the 3rd easiest matchup for running backs and are allowing 24.1 fantasy points per game to the position. Even if he is eased into the game and doesn’t get a full workload, he should still have enough touchdown equity to get by.
Rachaad White, Buccaneers v IND (4)
White’s role in the Buccaneers offence in undeniable and makes him a sneaky must-start. He faces the Colts in Week 12 who are the 4th best matchup for running backs. Indianapolis allows 23.0 fantasy points per game to running backs and that combined with White’s workload makes him a fantasy gold mine.
Sit ‘Em
James Cook, Bills v PHI (32)
Cook has been surprisingly productive this season and it has slid under the radar for the most part. This week he faces the Eagles who are a nightmare to run on. The Eagles are allowing only 11.9 fantasy points per game to running backs and are the worst matchup to the position.
AJ Dillon, Packers v DET (28)
AJ Dillon will get the start on Thanksgiving in place of the injured Aaron Jones but that opportunity will come in a bad spot. The Packers face the Lions on Thanksgiving Day and the Lions rank as the 4th worst matchup against the position. The Lions are limiting opposing running backs to 14.7 fantasy points per game and will prove to be tough sledding for Quadzilla this week.
Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks, v SF (26)
Charbonnet is likely to be in a similar situation to Dillon. Starter Ken Walker hasn’t been officially ruled out but is unlikely to play, this means Charbonnet will see a heavy workload. The problem is that Charbonnet has been mediocre and gets a brutal matchup. The 49ers are the 6th worst matchup against running backs and are only allowing 15.6 fantasy points per game to them.
Start ’em
Zay Flowers, Ravens v LAC (2)
Flowers has been inconsistent of late but is likely to be the main beneficiary of Mark Andrews’ absence. This week he also gets a great matchup against the Chargers who are the 2nd best matchup for receivers. The Chargers are allowing 34.8 fantasy points per game to receivers and should provide Flowers with a chance at a full breakout game.
Michael Pittman, Colts v TB (4)
Pittman is the only real threat in the Colt’s passing game and even with Gardner Minshew at quarterback his target share remains etched in stone. This week he faces the Buccaneers who are the 4th best matchup for receivers and are allowing 33.4 fantasy points per game to the position.
Diontae Johnson, Steelers v CIN (7)
Johnson has regained his role as the WR1 in Pittsburgh, but with Kenny Pickett at quarterback it remains to be seen if that will translate into fantasy consistency. In Week 12 he faces the Bengals who are the 7th best matchup for receivers, allowing 31.1 fantasy points per game. It’s time to see if the firing of Offensive Coordinator matt Canada will be a true difference maker for the Steelers.
Sit ’em
Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins v NYJ (32)
Waddle has been the far less consistent option of the two Dolphins receivers. This week he will be matched up against a Jets defense that ranks as the worst matchup for receivers. The Jets are allowing 17.8 fantasy points per game to the position and Miami will once again show they cannot handle elite defenses.
Jerry Jeudy, Broncos v CLE (31)
Jeudy has been the forgotten man in Denver with Sutton emerging as the alpha. To make matters worse he will face the Browns in Week 12 who are the 2nd worst matchup for receivers. The Browns are allowing 20.5 fantasy points per game to the position making a Jeudy a sit this week.
Jahan Dotson, Commanders v DAL (30)
Dotson has come on as of late after a slow start tot he campaign but this week he goes up against a deadly Cowboys defense that ranks as the 2nd worst matchup for receivers. The Cowboys are allowing only 21.8 fantasy points to the position and Dotson cannot be trusted this week.
Start ‘Em
David Njoku, Browns v DEN (1)
Njoku may be the lone beneficiary of Dorian Thompson-Robinson playing quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Njoku has earned a solid target share in each game with the rookie and his best games have come with him at quarterback. In Week 12 he gets a matchup with the Broncos who are the best matchup for tight ends. The Broncos are allowing 13.4 fantasy points per game to the position and they should easily allow the trend to continue for Njoku.
Evan Engram, Jaguars v HOU (2)
Engram has been a mid-range TE1 for most of the season and has been as consistent as you could expect from a tight end. This week he will square off against the Texans who are the 2nd best matchup for tight ends, allowing 12.0 fantasy points per game to the position.
Dalton Schultz, Texans v JAC (3)
Schultz has once again found his way into another high-volume pass attack that is hyper targeting tight ends. He faces the Jaguars this week who are the 3rd easiest matchup for tight ends and are allowing 11.6 fantasy points per game to the position. Start him with confidence.
Sit ’em
Michael Mayer, Raiders v KC (29)
Mayer has come on a bit over the past month but has failed to truly break out. A Week 12 matchup with the Chiefs won’t help his cause. Kansas City is the 3rd worst matchup to the position and are allowing only 6.6 fantasy points per game to tight ends. Avoid the rookie again this week.
Tyler Higbee, Rams v ARI (25)
Higbee has been a massive bust this season and will continue to be so again in Week 12. This week he faces the Cardinals who are the 7th worst matchup for tight ends and allow only 7.2 fantasy points per game tot the position. Higbee’s’ fantasy relevance has come to an end, send him to the waiver wire.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles v BUF (27)
Goedert is likely to return from injury to the Eagle’s lineup this week but is a must-avoid regardless. Starting a player in their first game back from an IR stint is always risky, but with a matchup against the Raiders who are allowing only 8.5 fantasy points per game to the position it’s a good week to leave him on your bench.
Well, that’s it for our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em for Week 12 of the 2023 season. Remember, you can check out rankings for each Week. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. Follow me on Twitter @FFMadScientist
Image Credit: Ed Mulholland – USA TODAY Sports
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