Welcome to the latest entry in our new weekly series, where we have some of our fantasy analysts take turns picking who you should target on the waiver wire, this time for Week 12. This mock draft format allows for some quick commentary and is just a fun way for us to deliver this generally boring content in a new and exciting way.
As you’ll see below, Jonathan Williams is the number one pick in this draft. But is he really the best waiver wire target in Week 12? Take a look below and see if it makes sense for your team.
Week 12 Fantasy Waiver Wire Mock Draft
Teams that are on a bye this week include the Arizona Cardinals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Minnesota Vikings. Just like before, here are the constraints for this column. This is for a 12-team, 1QB, half-PPR, two-flex league, and players picked must be owned in fewer than 40% of leagues on ESPN. Got it? Good!
Round 1, Pick 1 – Jonathan Williams, IND RB (<1% owned)
“There’s no doubt as to who the top pick up this week is. Lining up behind one of the better run-blocking lines in football, Jonathan Williams eclipsed 100 yards Sunday and is poised to be the lead back on Thursday night with Jordan Wilkins trying to work back from an ankle injury that kept him out of Week 11 entirely. Williams is best known to fantasy football’s dynasty community as a massive buy twice early in his career before ultimately flaming out.
Running back Marlon Mack will be out indefinitely, however, with a fractured hand. An impressive run during the playoff push could have Williams in the good graces of redraft players for the foreseeable future.” – Andrew Jordan, PFN Fantasy Analyst
Round 1, Pick 2 – Bo Scarbrough, DET RB (<1% owned)
“Bo Scarbrough took over the majority of the touches from the Detroit Lions’ backfield, and he did pretty well with them. After being called up from the practice squad, Scarbrough ended with 55 yards and a touchdown. He may end up being nothing moving forward, as has been the case with a number of Lions’ running backs since the injury to Kerryon Johnson, but he is absolutely worth an add against Washington next week.” – Corey Ashburn, PFN Fantasy Analyst
Round 1, Pick 3 – Deebo Samuel, SF WR (33% owned)
“With Emmanuel Sanders leaving the game early and George Kittle missing his second straight week, Deebo Samuel showed that he has the skill set to take on a full target share and deserves more when they are at full strength. Samuel had a big day, hauling in 8 catches on 10 targets for 134 yards, setting a new season-high in Week 11. The rookie receiver has now hauled in 16 of 21 targets for 246 yards over the last two games, and while he hasn’t caught a TD pass since Week 2, Samuel is putting together an impressive second-half breakout.” – Tommy Garrett, PFN Fantasy Analyst
Round 1, Pick 4 – Hunter Renfrow, OAK WR (8% owned)
“Hunter Renfrow has solidified himself as an integral part of the Oakland Raiders’ offense. In the last four games, Renfrow has at least 4 receptions and no less than 42 yards. While his ceiling may be limited, Renfrow is showing that he can provide consistent production and has some great matchups coming up against the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.” – Eric Frosbutter, PFN Fantasy Analyst
–Personally, I’m not 100% sold on either Williams or Scarbrough being the best target this week. We’ve seen other RBs like Brian Hill, Ty Johnson, and Jaylen Samuels all be labeled as “must add” players in the past and then watch them put up a dud the very next week. Samuel and Renfrow, on the other hand, could both be league winners and I would be grabbing them if at all possible this week. Inevitably, it comes down to roster construction and your specific team needs.
Round 2, Pick 1 – Darius Slayton, NYG WR (22% owned)
“After seeing legitimate WR1 usage in Week 10, the New York Giants coaching staff had their entire bye week to fit Darius Slayton into their new plans. Yes, we likely saw his best game of the year in his breakout performance, yet I don’t think double-digit targets are out of the possibility with how banged up the Giants pass catchers have been this season. His chemistry with signal-caller and fellow rookie Daniel Jones will hopefully only continue to grow. With steady involvement, he’s in the weekly conversation at the flex spot.” – Andrew Jordan
Round 2, Pick 2 – Ryan Griffin, NYJ TE (1% owned)
“We may have located Chris Herndon, everyone! He’s been hiding under the name and number of Ryan Griffin!
But seriously, Griffin has found a solid role in the New York Jets’ offense. He’s had at least 84% of the snaps every week but one and is finally seeing some targets. Last week, he caught 5-for-5 for 109 yards and a touchdown. To make things sweeter, the Jets’ next three games are against Oakland, Cincinnati, and Miami! Take a chance if you’ve been in TE purgatory.” – Corey Ashburn
Round 2, Pick 3 – Dallas Goedert, PHI TE (28% owned)
“What if I told you there is a TE sitting on waivers right now that is under 30% owned that has scored double-digit points and a touchdown in three of his last four games? Not only that, but he has an upcoming schedule of Seattle, Miami, the Giants, & Washington. I give you Dallas Goedert. The Philadelphia Eagles have a major issue at wide receiver right now. They are instead using both Zach Ertz and Goedert on nearly 80% of their offensive snaps, creating opportunities for both players to thrive.” – Tommy Garrett
Round 2, Pick 4 – Jacob Hollister, SEA TE (15% owned)
“There was much sadness when Will Dissly went on IR, but Jacob Hollister has resurged the tight end position in Seattle. Russell Wilson has heavily targeted Hollister in the last two games, and it’s resulted in 12 receptions and three scores. Touchdowns are a big dependent of production for tight ends, and Hollister has, arguably, the best opportunity of those available at scoring on a weekly basis.” – Eric Frosbutter
–Lots of tight ends going in this second round. I like all of these options for streamers, but all could also see starting lineups for weeks to come. All three were considered backups in the past but have quickly become starting options, not only on their real NFL teams but in fantasy teams alike. If you’re hurting at the position, which you probably are, be sure to spend some of your remaining FAAB and get one of these emerging talents to carry you to the finish line.
Round 3, Pick 1 – Noah Fant, DEN TE (14% owned)
“The equivalent of a deep route receiver you put in your flex spot when you’re down big, Noah Fant has the potential to bring you massive days ahead. While there was what looked like miscommunication on three scoring chances, Fant was in Brandon Allen’s plans early as their 31-yard hookup on the opening drive, and in crunch time with a key fourth-down conversion and two shots in the end zone to try and win the game. Fant is earning his quarterback’s trust, and I believe we will see more double-digit target days before the season is over.” – Andrew Jordan
Round 3, Pick 2 – Gus Edwards, BAL RB (4% owned)
“I’m going to use my last pick as a reminder of sorts. Handcuffs are important as we come down to playoff time. Don’t play Gus Edwards unless Mark Ingram goes down, but if he does, Edwards could be a league winner. I’d normally take Alexander Mattinson here, but Edwards hasn’t received much love from analysts, and he deserves to be mentioned as a top-notch handcuff.” – Corey Ashburn
Round 3, Pick 3 – James Washington, PIT WR (20% owned)
“After a brutal Week 11 game which put both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson into the NFL’s concussion protocol, James Washington becomes the de facto WR1 for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12 against the winless Cincinnati Bengals. On top of that, Washington is currently having his best run of the season.
Over the last three games, he has averaged 12.6 points in PPR formats thanks to catching 13 receptions on 16 targets for 208 yards and a touchdown. Yes, it helps by having other guys on the field to draw coverage and get in more advantageous matchups, but the trust is there from Mason Rudolph, and if any of the previously mentioned guys miss their upcoming game, Washington gets a solid boost up the rankings.” – Tommy Garrett
Round 3, Pick 4 – Sam Darnold, NYJ QB (12% owned)
“Normally, I wouldn’t suggest using a waiver claim on a quarterback, but with more Allens starting at QB than there are turtle doves in a Christmas Carol, it may be tough out there to stream at the position.
“Sam Darnold is fresh off of a four-touchdown performance against Washington. As Corey mentioned previously, the Jets have a favorable schedule forthcoming with Oakland, Cincinnati, and Miami next on the schedule. Darnold has now had two good games in a row and may have the confidence necessary to continue with this strong production. He could very well help you get into your league’s playoffs.” – Eric Frosbutter
–Tommy Garrett recently covered both Fant and Samuel in his recent Week 11 recap article if you’re looking for more advice on them, but I love the Darnold pick. With players like Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Philip Rivers all on a bye this week, plenty of teams could use a streaming quarterback option to get them through the week. Darnold has looked much better since seeing ghosts during his return in the New England game a few weeks back and is starting to look like the talented QB that the Jets drafted him to be.
Summary
Andrew: Jonathan Williams, IND RB – Darius Slayton, NYG WR – Noah Fant, DEN TE
Corey: Bo Scarbrough, DET RB – Ryan Griffin, NYJ TE – Gus Edwards, BAL RB
Tommy: Deebo Samuel, SF WR – Dallas Goedert, PHI TE – James Washington, PIT WR
Eric: Hunter Renfrow, OAK WR – Jacob Hollister, SEA TE – Sam Darnold, NYJ QB
Hit us up on Twitter @PFNFantasy with who you think got the best group this week. Also, continue to visit the Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis like the PFN OSM data while also visiting our Fantasy Football section for more coverage.
Andrew Hall is a writer for PFN covering Fantasy Football. You can follow him @AndrewHallFF on Twitter.