NFL Waiver Wire: Week 12 Pickups

I don't own a share of Joe Burrow anywhere. Therefore, I have no skin in the game when I say it was absolutely heartbreaking to see his injury. The good news is that if Alex Smith can come back from his injury, there's no doubt Burrow can come back from his. The Bengals (and Chargers for that matter) must feel great knowing they have a franchise quarterback for the next 10-15 years who gives them an opportunity to win a championship. I know those words don't help Bengals fans now but the glass is half full. Now onto waiver wire adds this week.

This columns is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and remaining budget.

Quarterback

PRIMARY TARGETS

Taysom Hill, NO - I tried explaining to my wife the uproar in the fantasy community when tight end-eligible Taysom Hill was announced as the starting quarterback last Friday. She murmured under her breath "nerd," though it may have been "turd." Seriously, though, Hill had a productive fantasy day with 28.8 fantasy points and looked much better as a passer than anticipated. He'll get these same Falcons in two weeks and his matchup against Denver this week isn't terrible. It sounds like Brees may be out until Week 15, and if Hill continues to play well, that date could be delayed. FAAB: $5-$10

SECONDARY TARGETS

Ryan Finley, CIN - With Joe Burrow out for the season, Finley will be under center the rest of the season. There isn't a ton of upside but in super-flex/two-quarterback leagues, he has value. The good news for Finley is he has outstanding talent at wide receiver and can run if necessary. FAAB: $2-$4

HAIL MARY

Ryan Fitzpatrick, MIA - Brian Flores made it a point to say that Tua Tagovailoa was still his starting quarterback after the rookie was benched during Miami's loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Fitzpatrick nearly led the Dolphins back but in the end threw a Jameis Winston-like interception. This is merely a speculative add in case Tua has another poor showing. FAAB: $FCFS or $1

Running Back

PRIMARY TARGETS

Gus Edwards, BAL - Edwards will be hot add this week after both Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins were placed on the Covid-19 list Monday. While this means Edwards should get a healthy workload Thursday night, there are a couple reasons to not be overly aggressive here. First, he faces a Steelers defense that is a horrible matchup for him. Second, it's almost a certainty that Ingram and Dobbins will be back for the Raven's next game, making Edwards a one-week rental. However, with the fantasy playoffs approaching, if this is a must-win week, remember that your FAAB doesn't roll over to next season. FAAB: $10-$20

Wayne Gallman, NYG - Gallman is rostered in 55 percent of Yahoo league, so it's basically a coin flip as to whether he's available. While he's touchdown dependent (five in his last four games) he has scored double-digit fantasy points in those four games. He has no competition for touches, so he'll get plenty of work, including the goal-line carries. Gallman is pretty much the opposite of Edwards — he's a longer term investment rather than a one-week rental. FAAB: $10-$20

James White, NE - The Patriots believe Rex Burkhead tore his ACL. After he left Sunday's game, it gave White the opportunity to have a decent game. He finished with 8.3 fantasy points in half-point PPR and now should have the role of the passing down back for New England. Keep in mind that Burkhead's injury occurred in the second half or White would have had an even bigger game. FAAB: $5-$10

SECONDARY TARGETS

Frank Gore, NYJ - Just when it appeared that La'Mical Perine was set to get the lion's share of touches, he suffered a high ankle sprain that could land him on IR. Fortunately for the Jets, they have a young, spry, running back in Gore to now handle the workload. He should be in line for 15-plus touches every week. In deep leagues, Ty Johnson is worth throwing a few dollars at. $4-$8

Wide Receivers

SECONDARY TARGETS

Allen Lazard, GB - Packers fans sending Marquez Valdes-Scantling death threats over his fumble might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. That was his first fumble in 42 career games. All of that said (me getting off my soapbox), I'd rather have Lazard for fantasy purposes. The Packers are still an elite team in my book and that Aaron Rodgers guy can still sling the football. Before his injury Lazard had games of 14.2 and 20.4 fantasy points in two of his three games this season. FAAB: $4-$8

Deebo Samuel, SF - Here's another player under the radar as the 49ers are coming off their bye week. Samuel should be back this week and Brandon Aiyuk seems to be consistently on the Covid-19 list. San Francisco makes a concerted effort to get their top wide receiver involved, and this week that should be Samuel. It's not the greatest matchup against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams, but  he'll be the top target in the passing game. FAAB: $3-$6

Cole Beasley, BUF - What is this, another player coming off the bye who might be overlooked? When we last saw Beasley he put up a 13-11-109-1 game in Arizona which, to be honest, will probably be his best game of the season. If you're in a PPR league Beasley holds more value as he runs a lot of short/intermediate safe routes for Josh Allen. John Brown has been banged up in recent weeks, dealing with both a knee and ankle injury putting Beasley in a more prominent role. FAAB: $3-$6 (bump him up a little more in full-point PPR)

Tight End

SECONDARY TARGETS

Jordan Akins, HOU - Deshaun Watson loves his tight ends and, specifically, targets them in the red zone. Both Randall Cobb and Kenny Stills are banged up, elevating Akins' role. Outside of Kansas City's Travis Kelce tight end has been a mess this season, but Akins has the chance to help your team. FAAB: $3-$6

Jordan Reed, SF - It's easy to forget about Reed since he's coming off the San Francisco bye week. However, he'll get his targets and his next four opponents rank 14th or worse against the tight end position. The injury red flag is definitely a concern, but while he's healthy, Reed is a legit option. FAAB: $3-$6

Defense

SECONDARY TARGET

Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings have been up and down all season, recently losing at home to the lowly Cowboys. That should put them in a bad mood, adding more motivation for this week's game against the Panthers. The hope here is that Teddy Bridgewater misses another week and P.J. Walker starts again. While I love the story of Walker, I'm not overlooking the two interceptions he threw Sunday, one being a horrible end-zone pick with four defenders closer to the ball than his receiver. Here's your streaming option of the week. FAAB: $3-$6