Week 12 QB, RB & WR Rankings

The bye weeks are almost over.  After this week, every player on your team will be available and hopefully you're either clinched up and still in the hunt for a playoff spot.  Let's get to it for Week 12.  As always, in the case of a Sit/Start problem, start the player ranked closest to #1.

RB

1) Matt Forte, Chicago
2) Frank Gore, San Francisco
3) Zac Stacy, St. Louis
4) Ben Tate, Houston
5) Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
6) Reggie Bush, Detroit
7) Jamaal Charles, Kansas City
8) Andre Brown, NY Giants
9) Eddie Lacy, Green Bay
10) Chris Johnson, Tennessee
11) Knowshon Moreno, Denver
12) Alfred Morris, Washington
13) DeMarco Murray, Dallas
14) Stevan Ridley, New England
15) Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
16) Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay
17) Chris Ivory, NY Jets
18) Shane Vereen, New England
19) Rashad Jennings, Oakland
20) Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh
21) Ryan Mathews, San Diego
22) Ray Rice, Baltimore
23) DeAngelo Williams, Carolina
24) Andre Ellington, Arizona
25) Danny Woodhead, San Diego
26) Rashard Mendenhall, Arizona
27) Chris Ogbonnaya, Cleveland
28) Donald Brown, Indianapolis
29) Lamar Miller, Miami
30) Montee Ball, Denver
31) Trent Richardson, Indianapolis
32) Shonn Greene, Tennessee
33) Brian Leonard, Tampa Bay
34) Mike Tolbert, Carolina
35) Joique Bell, Detroit
36) Dennis Johnson, Houston
37) James Starks, Green Bay
38) Kendall Hunter, San Francisco
39) Daniel Thomas, Miami
40) Bilal Powell, NY Jets

A matchup with the Chicago Bears defense is indeed a "get right" matchup for RBs, proven by Ray Rice rising from the dead last week and 5 of the last 6 RBs to face the Bears scoring 20 or more fantasy points.  Zac Stacy should see extensive work, and barring injury, should be a Top 5 performer.  There are very few RBs I'd rather have this week than Stacy.

The Houston Texans have settled on Case Keenum as their QB and this week, I think they go back to what made them successful the last few seasons: a strong running game and play action passing.  Ben Tate is healthy and Houston should have no problem running the ball agains tthe bottom ranked run defense of the Jaguars.  I even like Dennis Johnson to see enough work to be a Hail Mary flex play this week.

Bobby Rainey's performance in Week 11 may have been a fluke, but when you look at it, he showed great vision, good burst, and followed his blocking successfully.  If he scores half of what he did last week, the numbers are still staggering.  Trust Rainey as a legit RB2.

Shane Vereen was not eased back in on Monday Night.  He saw a full compliment of snaps and led the Patriots in targets, catches and receiving yards.  In a can't fail shoot out with the Denver Broncos, Vereen is a great play this week.

The Miami Dolphin run defense is atrocious.  Unfortunately, a matchup with the Carolina Panthers this week doesn't give fantasy owners a clear point of exploitation.  I have DeAngelo Williams at #23 and Mike Tolbert at #34 because of the matchup, but I don't think either of them are more than a flex play at best.  I suggest playing better options if you have them, but know that this is a matchup to exploit.

WR

1) Calvin Johnson, Detroit
2) Brandon Marshall, Chicago
3) Demaryius Thomas, Denver
4) Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay
5) Dez Bryant, Dallas
6) Andre Johnson, Houston
7) Victor Cruz, NY Gaints
8) Alshon Jeffery, Chicago
9) Wes Welker, Denver
10) Danny Amendola, New England
11) Josh Gordon, Cleveland
12) Jordy Nelson, Green Bay
13) Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
14) Anquan Boldin, San Francisco
15) Eric Decker, Denver
16) Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City
17) Pierre Garcon, Washington
18) TY Hilton, Indianapolis
19) Keenan Allen, San Diego
20) Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville
21) Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh
22) Torrey Smith, Baltimore
23) Kendall Wright, Tennessee
24) Hakeem Nicks, NY Giants
25) Michael Floyd, Arizona
26) Jarrett Boykin, Green Bay
27) Santonio Holmes, NY Jets
28) DeAndre Hopkins, Houston
29) Jerricho Cotchery, Pittsburgh
30) Steve Smith, Carolina
31) Mike Wallace, Miami
32) James Jones, Green Bay
33) Aaron Dobson, New England
34) Greg Jennings, Minnesota
35) Nate Washington, Tennessee
36) Rueben Randle, NY Giants
37) Terrance Williams, Dallas
38) Emmanuel Sanders, Pittsburgh
39) Eddie Royal, San Diego
40) Miles Austin, Dallas
41) Julian Edelman, New England
42) Rod Streater, Oakland
43) Nate Burleson, Detroit
44) Brian Hartline, Miami
45) Dexter McCluster, Kansas City
46) Brandon LaFell, Carolina
47) Greg Little, Cleveland
48) Chris Givens, St. Louis
49) Donnie Avery, Kansas City
50) Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina

Wes Welker is probable off a concussion.  He plays his former employer in a Prime Time showdown on Sunday Night.  I love revenge games, and Welker is primed to have a big game.

Anquan Boldin is also in Prime Time with a tasty matchup against Washignton's porous secondary.  I trust Colin Kaepernick to shine in a plus matchup, and Boldin should be the beneficiary.

Dwayne Bowe is back as a major presence in the low powered Kansas City passing game, and with back to back double digit target games already under his belt, I look for KC to get right against a terrible San Diego defense.

A lot of people are higher on Torrey Smith this week then I am, and I don't quite know why.  I think he's a locked in WR2, but I'm looking for a low scoring affair with two resurgent defenses looking for a win.  Smith will be an OK WR2 play, but I'm not expecting a huge game.

Jerricho Cotchery is a legit red zone threat in Pittsburgh's offense and Big Ben looks for him in these pressure spots.  He is slippery, runs good routes, and won't have Joe Haden in his back pocket.  I think Cotchery keeps up his recent pace this week and is a great fill in for those missing DeSean Jackson or AJ Green this week.

QB

1) Matthew Stafford, Detroit
2) Peyton Manning, Denver
3) Tom Brady, New England
4) Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco
5) Tony Romo, Dallas
6) Robert Griffin III, Washington
7) Cam Newton, Carolina
8) Case Keenum, Houston
9) Andrew Luck, Indianapolis
10) Eli Manning, NY Giants
11) Josh McCown, Chicago
12) Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tennessee
13) Carson Palmer, Arizona
14) Philip Rivers, San Diego
15) Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay
16) Scott Tolzien, Green Bay
17) Alex Smith, Kansas City
18) Joe Flacco, Baltimore
19) Christian Ponder, Minnesota
20) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh
21) Ryan Tannehill, Miami
22) Chad Henne, Jacksonville
23) Kellen Clemens, St. Louis
24) Geno Smith, NY Jets
25) Jason Campbell, Cleveland

Matthew Stafford owners have been drooling for a week like this.  You're set to clinch a playoff spot or you're trying to lock up your seeding and your QB is set to face the brutal Tampa Bay secondary indoors coming off a devastating loss where he threw for over 300 yards and 2 scores.  You're starting Stafford every week, but this is one of those weeks where he can go berzerk.

Manning vs. Brady will be a shootout.  You have no worries with either QB this week.

RG3 seems to be trending downwards, but at home on Monday Night, I expect Griffin to put up enough of a line to be Top 10.

If Eli Manning can't get it together against Dallas's leaky defense, I don't know that he will this season.

Josh McCown and Ryan Fitzpatrick are great streamer options for those missing out on bye week QBs Russell Wilson or Nick Foles, or others who are still missing Aaron Rodgers.  I like McCown especially because his offensive system sets him up for great success.

Big Ben comes back to earth after his 4 TD performance last week.  Cleveland vs Pittsburgh will be a slug fest with some inclement weather possible.  Take the under.

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