The quarterback position hasn’t exactly gone according to plan this year. There have been surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant, while a few of the best options in fantasy have been sidelined by injuries (I’m looking at you, Kyler Murray). As we enter Week 12, who sits atop our list of QB tiers and streamers for fantasy football?
Week 12 Quarterback Rankings
There are multiple names that could make a case for the top of this list, with few surprises. Who rounds out Tier 1 for Week 12?
Tier 1
1. Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills @ NO
2. Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens vs. CLE
3. Tom Brady | Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ IND
4. Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles @ NYG
5. Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers @ DEN
Tier 2
6. Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay Packers vs. LAR
7. Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys vs. LV
8. Russell Wilson | Seattle Seahawks @ WAS
9. Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams @ GB
10. Cam Newton | Carolina Panthers @ MIA
Tier 3
11. Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals vs. PIT
12. Kirk Cousins | Minnesota Vikings @ SF
13. Carson Wentz | Indianapolis Colts vs. TB
14. Derek Carr | Las Vegas Raiders @ DAL
15. Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins vs. CAR
Tier 4
16. Tyrod Taylor | Houston Texans vs. NYJ
17. Jimmy Garoppolo | San Francisco 49ers vs. MIN
18. Taylor Heinicke | Washington Football Team vs. SEA
19. Ryan Tannehill | Tennessee Titans @ NE
Tier 5
20. Daniel Jones | New York Giants vs. PHI
21. Teddy Bridgewater | Denver Broncos vs. LAC
22. Mac Jones | New England Patriots vs. TEN
23. Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh Steelers @ CIN
Tier 6
24. Andy Dalton | Chicago Bears @ DET
25. Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars vs. ATL
26. Matt Ryan | Atlanta Falcons @ JAX
27. Baker Mayfield | Cleveland Browns @ BAL
28. Joe Flacco | New York Jets @ HOU
29. Trevor Siemian | New Orleans Saints vs. BUF
30. Tim Boyle | Detroit Lions vs. CHI
Tier 7
31. Taysom Hill | New Orleans Saints vs. BUF
32. Jared Goff | Detroit Lions vs. CHI
33. David Blough | Detroit Lions vs. CHI
34. Mason Rudolph | Pittsburgh Steelers @ CIN
35. Trey Lance | San Francisco 49ers vs. MIN
36. P.J. Walker | Carolina Panthers @ MIA
37. Jacoby Brissett | Miami Dolphins vs. CAR
38. Case Keenum | Cleveland Browns @ BAL
39. Davis Mills | Houston Texans vs. NYJ
40. Tyler Huntley | Baltimore Ravens vs. CLE
41. Geno Smith | Seattle Seahawks @ WAS
42. Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers vs. LAR
43. Cooper Rush | Dallas Cowboys vs. LV
44. Mike White | New York Jets @ HOU
45. Drew Lock | Denver Broncos vs. LAC
46. Zach Wilson | New York Jets @ HOU
47. Justin Fields | Chicago Bears @ DET
Week 12 Quarterback Streamers
If you play the streaming quarterback carousel, it’s been a lucrative path this year. Plenty of options have popped up as fantasy-viable alternatives on a weekly basis by playing the matchups. Let’s keep the good times going with some streaming options to consider for Week 12.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
This makes absolutely zero sense to me, but Jimmy Garoppolo is rostered in fewer leagues on NFL.com than Trey Lance, his rookie backup whose sole start this season came when Garoppolo was hurt. Since Week 8, Garoppolo is the overall QB3. He’s been a high-end QB1, completing 69.7% of his passes for 251.5 yards per game in that timeframe. He’s also thrown 6 TDs to 1 INT.
Deebo Samuel is playing out of his mind, Brandon Aiyuk is back on the radar, and George Kittle is back from injury. Garoppolo has his weapons back and is currently cooking. This week, he takes on a Vikings defense giving up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. He shouldn’t be a streaming option because he should be rostered in every league by now.
Mac Jones, New England Patriots (vs. Tennessee Titans)
Michael McCorkle Jones has been a QB2 for most of the season, and now the Patriots are finding their groove and identity under Bill Belichick. Correct me if you’ve heard this at any point over the last two decades, but New England is currently the hottest team in football.
Their identity has been to run the ball, run it some more, and let Jones work in a controlled method. I’ll be honest, there is reason to be concerned here.
The high run volume isn’t great for Jones’ upside, as the Patriots have attempted the second-fewest passes per game over the last three weeks. But he does appear to have a pretty stable floor.
The Tennessee Titans are what’s known as a pass funnel. They’ve been the sixth-toughest defense against the run while allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. They’ll sell out to stop the ground game and make Jones beat them through the air, which is good news for his upside this week.
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (@ Miami Dolphins)
Super Cam made his return to Carolina and to fantasy lineups in Week 11, providing us the full Cam Newton experience. Newton looked great, and he gave fantasy managers exactly what we wanted to see. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 189 yards and 2 TDs, didn’t turn the ball over, and ran 10 times for 46 yards and a TD. His 26.2 fantasy points were good for the QB4 on the week.
Newton’s rushing ability gives him a higher floor and higher upside for fantasy purposes. This week, he gets the porous Miami Dolphins, who are awful against the run and have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Once again, Newton is not only a streaming option but should be treated as a QB1.