Week 12 fantasy rankings: Best, QB, RB, WR and TEs to start, sit

We’re heading into the final quarter of the 2023 NFL season with the first 11 weeks now in the books. As we look ahead to our Week 12 fantasy rankings, including the Thanksgiving slate, there are plenty of exciting matchups creating fantasy football sleepers and busts for Week 12.

There are no teams on bye this coming week, so all 32 clubs will be on the field. However, there are plenty of things to monitor on the NFL injury report and players on injured reserve. For some, we’ve listed them tentatively as questionable for Week 12.

Related: 2024 NFL Draft order, picks by team

Let’s dive into our Week 12 fantasy rankings. Matchup previews for the top 15 players at each of our positional fantasy rankings will be provided throughout the week. Bookmark this page for updates taking you through Sunday morning.

Submit start/sit fantasy questions or request fantasy matchup previews on Twitter to @Matt_Sportsnaut

Week 12 fantasy QB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	MATCHUP
1	Jalen Hurts	vs BUF
2	Josh Allen	@ PHI
3	Lamar Jackson	@ LAC
4	Dak Prescott	vs WAS
5	Patrick Mahomes	@ LV
6	Justin Herbert	@ BAL
7	C.J. Stroud	vs JAX
8	Tua Tagovailoa	vs NYJ
9	Trevor Lawrence	@ HOU
10	Brock Purdy	@ SEA
11	Justin Fields	@ MIN
12	Kyler Murray	vs LAR
13	Jared Goff	vs GB
14	Josh Dobbs	vs CHI
15	Matthew Stafford	@ ARZ
16	Gardner Minshew	vs TB
17	Geno Smith	vs SF
18	Jordan Love	@ DET
19	Sam Howell	@ DAL
20	Derek Carr	@ ATL

Fantasy Football analysis and NFL statistics explaining our Week 12 QB rankings will be provided early on Monday morning.

Week 12 fantasy quarterback rankings

1. Jalen Hurts, Eagles – Before facing Zach Wilson in Week 11, Buffalo’s defense allowed a 111.0 QB rating with 1,013 passing yards and 8 touchdowns in its last four games. This is a matchup ripe for Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown to erupt.
2. Josh Allen, Bills – Speaking of bad pass defenses, the Eagles allowed 360.5 passing yards per game with a 114.5 QB rating from Weeks 8-9. Philadelphia will not only struggle covering Stefon Diggs, but Dalton Kincaid could find a lot of open space in the middle.
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens – The Ravens’ offense won’t be as efficient moving forward without Mark Andrews, but the Los Angeles Chargers are a dream matchup, having allowed 295-plus passing yards and two touchdowns in five games this year.
4. Dak Prescott, Cowboys – We just witnessed Washington surrender three passing touchdowns to Tommy DeVito and this secondary had allowed 18 passing touchdowns in the last seven games. Dak Prescott is a must-start in Week 12.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs – Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, but the lack of reliable pass-catchers outside of Travis Kelce has often put a ceiling on the Chiefs’ offense. While Las Vegas isn’t stout defensively, it’s allowed just 214.1 pass ypg with a 76.7 QB rating and 5-9 TD-INT line in the last seven weeks.
6. Justin Herbert, Chargers – This is a bad matchup for Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense, but they’ll need to score a lot of points. Granted, Baltimore is surrendering just 165.3 pass ypg with a 71.5 QB rating and 59.5 percent completion rate allowed in the last six games.
7. C.J. Stroud, Texans – Interceptions were an unexpected issue for Stroud this past Sunday, but he still eclipsed the 300-yard mark. We saw what Brock Purdy did to the Jaguars’ defense and running the football on Jacksonville is ill-advised. So, we’ll bet on Stroud in a must-win game.
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins – For now, we’ll view New York’s defensive performance against Buffalo as an outlier and respect a secondary that allowed just 151.3 pass ypg from Weeks 3-10. However, it’s possible frustration is getting to New York’s defenders and that could make life much easier for the Dolphins’ offense in Week 12.
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars – It’s hit-and-miss with this young Texans’ defense, but they did hold Trevor Lawrence to 1 touchdown and an 86.2 QB rating in the last meeting. With a second chance at a struggling Jaguars’ offense, DeMeco Ryans should be able to put constraints on the passing game.
10. Brock Purdy, 49ers – As long as the 49ers’ offense is healthy, we’re riding with Prock Purdy. San Francisco’s starting quarterback has six passing touchdowns and over 600 yards in the last two games.
11. Justin Fields, Bears – Justin Fields ran more than we expected in his first game back, but that’s a fantastic sign for his fantasy value moving forward. He’s only lowered in our Week 12 fantasy QB rankings because Minnesota has allowed just 215.5 pass ypg with a 76.7 QB rating since Oct. 15.
12. Kyler Murray, Cardinals – Kyler Murray’s legs look good post-ACL surgery and he’ll shake off more rust as a passer with each game he plays. In Week 12, Murray races a Rams’ defense that has allowed 200-plus passing yards eight times this season.
13. Jared Goff, Lions – Three interceptions at home is unusual for Goff and the recent stretch of turnovers lowers his fantasy trust factor. Plus, this is a challenging matchup against a Packers’ secondary that has held seven opponents under 195 passing yards
14. Joshua Dobbs, Vikings – Joshua Dobbs showed the world why he does come with a very real ceiling as a starting quarterback. Still, Justin Jefferson may return in Week 12 and Dobbs’ rushing ability provides him with a safe fantasy floor.
15. Matthew Stafford, Rams – With Cooper Kupp’s status unknown for the upcoming matchup, fantasy managers will be dependent on Stafford spreading the ball around against a Cardinals’ defensive backfield that has ceded 12 touchdowns and a 100.3 QB rating since Oct. 8.

Week 12 fantasy RB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	MATCHUP
1	Christian McCaffrey	@ SEA
2	Bijan Robinson	vs NO
3	Austin Ekeler	vs BAL
4	Travis Etienne	@ HOU
5	Derrick Henry	vs CAR
6	D’Andre Swift	vs BUF
7	Tony Pollard	vs WAS
8	Isiah Pacheco	@ LV
9	Breece Hall	vs MIA
10	David Montgomery	vs GB
11	Raheem Mostert	@ NYJ
12	Jonathan Taylor	vs TB
13	Jahmyr Gibbs	vs GB
14	Saquon Barkley	vs NE
15	Rhamondre Stevenson	@ NYG
16	Alvin Kamara	@ ATL
17	Josh Jacobs	@ KC
18	Jerome Ford	@ DEN
19	James Cook	@ PHI
20	Zach Charbonnet	vs SF
21	Javonte Williams	vs CLE
22	Jaylen Warren	@ CIN
23	Gus Edwards	@ LAC
24	Rachaad White	@ IND
25	Joe Mixon	vs PIT
26	Brian Robinson Jr	@ DAL
27	James Conner	vs LAR
28	Chuba Hubbard	@ TEN
29	Devin Singletary	vs JAX
30	Khalil Herbert	@ MIN

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Week 12 fantasy running back rankings

1. Christian McCaffrey, 49ers – While Christian McCaffrey hasn’t been a source of overwhelming fantasy production as of late, his workload and playmaking ability make him the safest weekly option in fantasy and he’ll be relied upon heavily against Seattle.
2. Bijan Robinson, Falcons – This could backfire, but the 23 touches before the bye week suggests Bijan Robinson is going to be the focal point of the offense. We’ll commit to the cautious optimism for now, especially against a Saints’ run defense that has allowed 135.6 rush ypg since Week 5.
3. Austin Ekeler, Chargers – The Chargers are likely going to need to throw a lot on Sunday Night Football, with dump-off passes to Austin Ekeler one way to slow down Baltimore’s pass rush. It might not be the most efficient fantasy day, but volume is king.
4. Travis Etienne, Jaguars – Houston has held five of its last six opponents under 100 rushing yards, but an emphasis on stopping the Jaguars’ passing attack could open up some holes for Etienne.
5. Derrick Henry, Titans – Derrick Henry is a matchup-dependent fantasy running back. In a favorable game script against a Panthers’ run defense that has allowed 126.3 rush ypg with 10 touchdowns since Oct. 1, this is a week where we’ll ride with Henry.
6. D’Andre Swift, Eagles – The Buffalo Bills have been strong against the run this season – 3.5 ypc, 82.6 rush ypg allowed since Week 7 – but D’Andre Swift is in the league’s best offense and will likely be set up with a lot of scoring opportunities in Week 12.
7. Tony Pollard, Cowboys – Tony Pollard finally looked “right” this past Sunday, leading to his best fantasy performance in weeks. We project this to be a far better day for the Cowboys’ rushing attack than ground game, but Pollard could still go for 60-plus yards and a score.
8. Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs – Coming off a strong performance, Isiah Pacheco could be the focal point of the Chiefs offense in Week 12 against a Raiders’ defense that has allowed 4.6 ypc and 134.7 rush ypg to opponents in the last six weeks.
9. Breece Hall, Jets – The quarterback change does nothing to change the fantasy value of Jets’ playmakers. Breece Hall offers a lot of upside, especially if he picks up some PPR work, but fantasy managers have to also be prepared for the low ceiling.
10. David Montgomery, Lions – While David Montgomery won’t replicate the numbers from his last meeting against Green Bay, he’s still facing one of the worst run defenses in the NFL and could find the end zone with 60-plus yards on the ground.
11. Raheem Mostert, Dolphins – De’Von Achane is tentatively poised to miss Week 12, keeping Raheem Mostert in a featured role against a Jets’ run defense that has allowed just 3.9 yards per carry and four scores in the last five games.
12. Jonathan Taylor, Colts – For as great of a running back as Jonathan Taylor is, this is an ugly matchup. In the last seven games, Tampa Bay has allowed just two rushing touchdowns with a 3.5 yards per carry average and 84.4 rushing yards per contest.
13. Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions – An injury is the only way for either of these two Lions’ running backs to become elite fantasy options, but they’ll both have a high-end RB2 ceiling against Green Bay.
14. Saquon Barkley, Giants – The game plan is easy for Bill Belichick in this one. He’ll throw everything he has to bottle up Saquon Barkley, putting this game on Tommy DeVito. Considering New England has allowed just 3.2 ypc in its last six games, the box score from Barkley could be ugly after Week 12.
15. Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots – Splitting work with Ezekiel Elliott cuts into Rhamondre Stevenson’s fantasy value, but he still ranks as a quality RB2 against a Giants’ run defense allowing 5.1 yards per carry with 11 rushing scores surrendered in the last eight games.
16. Alvin Kamara, Saints – The New Orleans Saints have really scaled back on Alvin Kamara’s workload in recent weeks, cutting him down to single-digit carries in his last two matchups. Atlanta is still pretty strong against the run, making Kamara an RB2.
17. Josh Jacobs, Raiders – Kansas City can absolutely dominate at the line of scrimmage against the Las Vegas Raiders. While the Cheifs have allowed nearly 130 rushing yards per game in the last five weeks, Jacobs just doesn’t have the offensive line to take advantage of the matchup.
18. Jerome Ford, Browns –Jerome Ford would be even higher in our fantasy RB rankings if not for Kareem Hunt. Even with the veteran out there, Ford can rip off some explosive runs and tack on a few catches against a Denver front that has allowed 171 rushing yards per game since Week 2.
19. James Cook, Bills – While James Cook is coming off a strong fantasy performance, he’s not a trusted option in Week 12 considering the Philadelphia Eagles have held eight opponents under 90 rushing yards this season.
20. Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks – This isn’t a favorable matchup against a San Francisco 49ers run defense that has allowed just 62.5 rush ypg in the last two weeks. With Kenneth Walker sidelined, however, Charbonnet’s volume makes him an RB2.

Week 12 fantasy WR ranking

RANK	PLAYER	MATCHUP
1	A.J. Brown	vs BUF
2	Stefon Diggs	@ PHI
3	CeeDee Lamb	vs WAS
4	Justin Jefferson (Q – Hamstring)	vs CHI
5	Keenan Allen	vs BAL
6	Amon-Ra St. Brown	vs GB
7	Tyreek Hill	@ NYJ
8	Brandon Aiyuk	@ SEA
9	DeVonta Smith	vs BUF
10	Chris Olave	@ ATL
11	Cooper Kupp (Q – Ankle)	@ ARZ
12	Puka Nacua	@ ARZ
13	Davante Adams	vs KC
14	Ja’Marr Chase	vs PIT
15	Jaylen Waddle	@ NYJ
16	Michael Pittman Jr	vs TB
17	Tyler Lockett	vs SF
18	Mike Evans	@ IND
19	D.J. Moore	vs MIN
20	Adam Thielen	@ TEN
21	DK Metcalf	vs SF
22	DeAndre Hopkins	vs CAR
23	Amari Cooper	@ DEN
24	Deebo Samuel	@ SEA
25	Nico Collins	vs JAX
26	Calvin Ridley	@ HOU
27	Tank Dell	vs JAX
28	Terry McLaurin	@ DAL
29	Zay Flowers	@ LAC
30	Christian Kirk	@ HOU
31	Chris Godwin	@ IND
32	Drake London	vs NO
33	George Pickens	@ CIN
34	Diontae Johnson	@ CIN
35	Rashee Rice	@ LV

Fantasy Football analysis and NFL statistics explaining our Week 12 QB rankings will be provided early on Tuesday.

Week 12 fantasy wide receiver rankings

1. A.J. Brown, Eagles –
2. Stefon Diggs, Bills –
3. CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys –
4. Justin Jefferson, Vikings –
5. Keenan Allen, Chargers –
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions –
7. Tyreek Hill, DOlphins –
8. Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers –
9. DeVonta Smith, Eagles –
10. Chris Olave, Saints –
11. Cooper Kupp, Rams –
12. Puka Nacua, Rams –
13. Davante Adams, Raiders –
14. Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals –
15. Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins –
16. Michael Pittman Jr, Colts –
17. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks –
18. Mike Evans, Buccaneers –
19. D.J. Moore Bears –
20. Adam Thielen, Panthers –

Week 12 fantasy TE rankings

RANK	PLAYER	MATCHUP
1	Travis Kelce	@ LV
2	T.J. Hockenson	vs CHI
3	George Kittle	@ SEA
4	Dalton Kincaid	@ PHI
5	Sam LaPorta	vs GB
6	Taysom Hill	@ ATL
7	Evan Engram	@ HOU
8	Dalton Schultz	vs JAX
9	Jake Ferguson	vs WAS
10	Cole Kmet	@ MIN
11	Logan Thomas	@ DAL
12	David Njoku	@ DEN
13	Michael Mayer	vs KC
14	Kyle Pitts	vs NO
15	Pat Freiermuth	@ CIN
16	Jonnu Smith	vs NO
17	Hunter Henry	@ NYG
18	Donald Parham Jr	vs BAL
19	Tyler Conklin	vs MIA
20	Cade Otton	@ IND

Related: Best tight ends of all time

Best fantasy defenses for Week 12

You can check out our D/ST rankings for Week 12, with evaluations on the top matchups, below.

Week 12 fantasy rankings – Best fantasy kickers this week

Dive into our fantasy kicker rankings for the upcoming week below. Kicker rankings released on Tuesday.