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

Week 12 fantasy rankings

Nov 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) celebrates with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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

RANKPLAYERMATCHUP
1Jalen Hurtsvs BUF
2Josh Allen@ PHI
3Lamar Jackson@ LAC
4Dak Prescottvs WAS
5Patrick Mahomes@ LV
6Justin Herbert@ BAL
7C.J. Stroudvs JAX
8Tua Tagovailoavs NYJ
9Trevor Lawrence@ HOU
10Brock Purdy@ SEA
11Justin Fields@ MIN
12Kyler Murrayvs LAR
13Jared Goffvs GB
14Josh Dobbsvs CHI
15Matthew Stafford@ ARZ
16Gardner Minshewvs TB
17Geno Smithvs SF
18Jordan Love@ DET
19Sam Howell@ DAL
20Derek 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

RANKPLAYERMATCHUP
1Christian McCaffrey@ SEA
2Bijan Robinsonvs NO
3Austin Ekelervs BAL
4Travis Etienne@ HOU
5Derrick Henryvs CAR
6D’Andre Swiftvs BUF
7Tony Pollardvs WAS
8Isiah Pacheco@ LV
9Breece Hallvs MIA
10David Montgomeryvs GB
11Raheem Mostert@ NYJ
12Jonathan Taylorvs TB
13Jahmyr Gibbsvs GB
14Saquon Barkleyvs NE
15Rhamondre Stevenson@ NYG
16Alvin Kamara@ ATL
17Josh Jacobs@ KC
18Jerome Ford@ DEN
19James Cook@ PHI
20Zach Charbonnetvs SF
21Javonte Williamsvs CLE
22Jaylen Warren@ CIN
23Gus Edwards@ LAC
24Rachaad White@ IND
25Joe Mixonvs PIT
26Brian Robinson Jr@ DAL
27James Connervs LAR
28Chuba Hubbard@ TEN
29Devin Singletaryvs JAX
30Khalil 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

RANKPLAYERMATCHUP
1A.J. Brownvs BUF
2Stefon Diggs@ PHI
3CeeDee Lambvs WAS
4Justin Jefferson (Q – Hamstring)vs CHI
5Keenan Allenvs BAL
6Amon-Ra St. Brownvs GB
7Tyreek Hill@ NYJ
8Brandon Aiyuk@ SEA
9DeVonta Smithvs BUF
10Chris Olave@ ATL
11Cooper Kupp (Q – Ankle)@ ARZ
12Puka Nacua@ ARZ
13Davante Adamsvs KC
14Ja’Marr Chasevs PIT
15Jaylen Waddle@ NYJ
16Michael Pittman Jrvs TB
17Tyler Lockettvs SF
18Mike Evans@ IND
19D.J. Moorevs MIN
20Adam Thielen@ TEN
21DK Metcalfvs SF
22DeAndre Hopkinsvs CAR
23Amari Cooper@ DEN
24Deebo Samuel@ SEA
25Nico Collinsvs JAX
26Calvin Ridley@ HOU
27Tank Dellvs JAX
28Terry McLaurin@ DAL
29Zay Flowers@ LAC
30Christian Kirk@ HOU
31Chris Godwin@ IND
32Drake Londonvs NO
33George Pickens@ CIN
34Diontae Johnson@ CIN
35Rashee 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

RANKPLAYERMATCHUP
1Travis Kelce@ LV
2T.J. Hockensonvs CHI
3George Kittle@ SEA
4Dalton Kincaid@ PHI
5Sam LaPortavs GB
6Taysom Hill@ ATL
7Evan Engram@ HOU
8Dalton Schultzvs JAX
9Jake Fergusonvs WAS
10Cole Kmet@ MIN
11Logan Thomas@ DAL
12David Njoku@ DEN
13Michael Mayervs KC
14Kyle Pittsvs NO
15Pat Freiermuth@ CIN
16Jonnu Smithvs NO
17Hunter Henry@ NYG
18Donald Parham Jrvs BAL
19Tyler Conklinvs MIA
20Cade 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.

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