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Justin Boone provides a weekly look at undervalued fantasy football players to consider starting this week and potential busts you might want to leave on your bench.

For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult his Week 12 rankings.

Starts

Jared Goff, QB, Lions

vs. Giants

Goff struggled last week in a predictably bad environment on the road and outdoors versus a feisty Eagles’ defense. 

Fortunately for him and the entire Lions’ offense, their next six games are indoors — starting with a Week 12 date at home against the Giants. New York has allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. 

This also has one of the higher projected point totals on the week, currently sitting at 49.5 

Don’t forget, Goff was QB8 overall in fantasy points per game in 2024 while playing the vast majority of his games in domes. A similar result could be on the way for the rest of this season, starting this week versus the Giants. 

Other QBs to start:

• Jacoby Brissett vs. Jaguars – Brissett has been a top-12 fantasy QB in all five of his starts for the Cardinals. That trend should continue against a Jags defense that’s the seventh-easiest matchup for his position. 

• Jaxson Dart at Lions – Dart could return after missing a game in concussion protocol. If he plays, he’ll be an automatic QB1 in my rankings after posting top-seven results in four of his last five starts. 

Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens

vs. Jets

Since Lamar Jackson returned to the lineup, Henry is averaging 109 scrimmage yards per game. That’s a big improvement versus his full season average of 88 yards.

We’re also entering Henry’s favorite time of the season when the weather gets colder, defenders are worn down and the concept of tackling a 252-pound bulldozer seems far more daunting. 

Over the final six games last year, Henry topped 100 scrimmage yards five times. 

Meanwhile, the Jets are a team heading in the wrong direction. New York has permitted at least 85 yards to five backs in their last four outings, including TreVeyon Henderson’s 93-yard, three-touchdown effort last week. 

This is the kind of game Henry can dominate. 

Other RBs to start:

• Patriots RBs at Bengals – Rhamondre Stevenson may return to the lineup this week, but Henderson managers don’t need to be worried. The Bengals have allowed two running backs from the same team to put up at least 50 yards and/or a TD against them in eight of their 10 games this season. Henderson is the much better play, but if Stevenson suits up he’ll be RB3/flex worthy given the matchup. 

• Kenneth Walker III at Titans – Walker is coming off his best game of the year with 111 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff is talking about getting him more work, which should be easy versus a Titans team that’s the fifth-softest opponent for fantasy RBs. 

• David Montgomery vs. Giants – When the Lions are projected to have success on offense, Montgomery moves back into the RB2 mix. Fortunately, Detroit has the highest implied point total on the week at 30.25. 

Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals

vs. Patriots

With Ja’Marr Chase suspended for this game, Higgins steps into the No. 1 spot in the receiving corps - a job he’s more than qualified to handle. 

We have to go back a couple years to find games where Higgins played without Chase, but the stat lines speak for themselves. 

The Patriots are strong against the run, which has turned them into a bit of a pass funnel. Even without Chase, the Bengals should be able to throw the ball effectively in this game, whether it’s Joe Burrow or Joe Flacco under center. 

Higgins should be viewed as a low-end WR1 who should flirt with double-digit targets in this game.  

Other WRs to start:

• Tetairoa McMillan vs. 49ers – McMillan is fresh off his best outing of the season with eight grabs, 130 yards and two scores. He gets an even easier matchup this week with a banged-up 49ers squad permitting the seventh-most fantasy points to wideouts. 

• Jameson Williams vs. Giants – Williams has at least 65 yards and a touchdown in three straight contests. Now, he’s back at home against a Giants’ defense giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to his position. 

• Michael Wilson vs. Jaguars – Wilson was outstanding during his 15-catch, 185-yard performance last week. With Marvin Harrison Jr. ruled out again, you can expect Wilson to have another top-20 fantasy effort in a plus-matchup with the Jags’ defense. 

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Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots

at Bengals

Henry has fallen to TE19 on a per game basis and hasn’t reached double-digit fantasy points since Week 4. 

Thankfully, he gets his easiest matchup of the season this week against a Bengals defense allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends by far. Cincinnati is permitting 4.6 points per game more than the second-worst defense against TEs, including 12 touchdowns to the position. 

That moves Henry firmly into the top-10 tight ends this week in a game where the Patriots should score at will. 

Other TEs to start:

• Travis Kelce vs. Colts – The 36-year-old doesn’t look like the same player physically, but he continues to produce like a TE1 for fantasy. There’s no reason to shy away from him here, with the Colts permitting the third-most points to fantasy tight ends on the season. 

• Kyle Pitts Sr. at Saints – Pitts has been underwhelming with just one touchdown on the year, but the absence of Drake London should increase his volume. The last time London missed a game, Pitts caught nine balls in Week 8 versus the Dolphins. 

Sits

Baker Mayfield, QB, Buccaneers

at Rams

Mayfield has been held to one or zero passing touchdowns in three of his last four outings and is now down to QB14 in fantasy points per game on the season. 

That’s a far cry from QB3, where he finished in 2024, but isn’t surprising since he’s averaging more than four fewer points per contest than last season.  

Injuries to his offense line, receiving corps and backfield have certainly played a part and continue to be an issue for the Buccaneers. 

Those absences will be exposed even more against a quality Rams’ defense that’s the sixth-most difficult opponent for fantasy quarterbacks. 

Mayfield should be viewed as a QB2 option this week, which means he likely belongs on your bench. 

Other QBs to sit:

• Jordan Love vs. Vikings – Since the Packers’ bye, Love has been QB17 or worse in four of his six games. The Vikings present a stiff challenge this week, since they’re allowing the sixth-fewest passing yards on the season. 

• Trevor Lawrence at Cardinals – Arizona is the seventh-hardest matchup for quarterbacks and Lawrence hasn’t shown much of a fantasy ceiling this year. 

Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Giants

at Lions

Tracy is coming off a very solid performance versus the Packers, with 19 carries for 88 yards and four catches for 51 yards. 

Sadly for him and his fantasy managers, the Lions limit opposing running backs to the second-fewest fantasy points and have only allowed one touchdown to the position in the last six games. 

With Devin Singletary playing a big role — including around the goal line — Tracy will have a hard time producing in tougher matchups. 

He should be treated as a risky fantasy RB3 this week. 

Other RBs to sit:

• Cardinals RBs vs. Jaguars – The potential return of Trey Benson is exciting, but if he plays this week it will likely be in a committee until he gets back to form. If he doesn’t suit up, Bam Knight and Michael Carter will split work against a Jags’ defense giving up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. 

• Kareem Hunt vs. Colts – Hunt has survived on touchdowns lately, but that’s a dangerous thing to rely on from a 30-year-old early-down grinder. It’s also possible Isiah Pacheco returns this week and turns this backfield into an even more volatile committee. 

• Titans RBs vs. Seahawks – Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard have both struggled to be fantasy relevant this year and I don’t see that changing in a tough matchup with the Seahawks’ defense. They’re a desperation RB3/flex option only. 

Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts

at Chiefs

Pittman is a difficult player to project for fantasy because he can always save his week with a touchdown, which he’s done several times this year when the yardage total was low. 

Over his last seven games, Pittman has been held under 60 yards on five occasions but scored touchdowns in three of those contests. 

In fact, the only times he’s gone over 60 yards in his last nine appearances have been against weaker opponents like the Titans twice and Steelers. 

The Chiefs are the seventh-hardest challenge for fantasy receivers in 2025 and are tied for the fewest receiving touchdowns allowed with nine. 

Pittman’s TD potential always keeps him in the fantasy WR2/WR3 range, but this is the kind of matchup where you should strongly consider other options. 

Other WRs to sit:

• Romeo Doubs vs. Vikings – Doubs has been playing through injuries lately, which might be partially responsible for his dip in production. The Packers’ wideout has only reached double-digit fantasy points once in the last month and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 4. This isn’t a rebound spot against a Minnesota defense that’s a bottom five versus receivers. 

• Jordan Addison at Packers – J.J. McCarthy is struggling and so are the Vikings’ pass-catchers. Addison is just a TD-or-bust WR3/flex.  

• Parker Washington at Cardinals – With other players getting up to speed and healthy, Washington’s production has declined in recent weeks. That will only continue as Jakobi Meyers gets more comfortable and guys like Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange eventually return. 

Jake Ferguson, TE, Cowboys

vs. Eagles

It’s never easy selecting a tight end for the sit section because injuries and bye weeks thin the position out to a point where most managers have to start usual suspects. 

Sitting Ferguson is not for the faint of heart since he’s posted the seventh-most fantasy points among tight ends on a per game basis. However, his early-season production is doing a lot of the heavy lifting there. 

After averaging eight receptions, 54 yards and nearly 10 targets per game over the first five weeks, Ferguson has seen those numbers fall to four catches for 26 yards on just five targets per contest in the last five outings. 

Touchdowns have saved him on multiple occasions, but with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens thriving in the receiving corps, Ferguson’s volume has diminished. 

A matchup with the Eagles isn’t the spot to hope for a spiked week. Philadelphia is giving up the second-fewest fantasy points to tight ends and have held Ferguson under 25 yards and out of the end zone in each of their last three matchups. 

Consider Ferguson a risky TD-or-bust, low-end TE1, who’s likely to disappoint this week.

Other TEs to sit:

• AJ Barner at Titans – Barner is coming off his busiest day of the season with 10 catches for 70 yards, but he’s unlikely to be needed that much in a game where the Seahawks are 12.5-point favorites. For all the Titans’ flaws, they are one of the 10 hardest matchups for tight ends. 

• Mason Taylor at Ravens – The move to Tyrod Taylor at quarterback is a positive for the Jets’ rookie tight end. However, we need to see him earn more targets (only topped five once in his last five appearances) before he can be used as a fantasy starter. Baltimore is also the ninth-toughest opponent against fantasy tight ends. 

Using matchup data, I’ve got 12 sleepers that could help your fantasy football teams get these much needed wins and help propel you toward the fantasy playoffs. Good luck and let’s go….

Quarterbacks

Jacoby Brissett vs. JAX

• The Jags defense had a great showing against Justin Herbert last week but overall they’ve allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to the position.

• They had given up 25+ fantasy points in three consecutive games prior to Week 11 where Matt Stafford started the party but quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Davis Mills came through and mopped up as well.

• Brissett has put on the fantasy Superman cape: since becoming a starter in Week 6, he’s the QB8 in total scoring and the QB4 (!!!) in per game scoring, averaging 21.9 FPPG. I literally cannot believe I just typed that out.

Sam Darnold vs. TEN

• Three of the last four quarterbacks the Titans have faced have scored 23+ fantasy points. 

• The Titans are especially weak at outside corner. They’ve allowed a 71.1% completion rate to outside receivers, ranking dead last, while also giving up the fifth-most yards. This bodes well for Darnold who should force feed Jaxon Smith-Njigba all game with reckless abandon.

Bryce Young vs. SF

• The Niners are dead last in sacks per game and quarterback pressure rate this season. Consistently clean pockets have resulted in opposing quarterbacks torching this Niners defense.

• The aforementioned Brissett was the latest of four consecutive quarterbacks to drop 20+ fantasy points against this defense (Stafford, Jaxson Dart, C.J. Stroud).

• Young is coming off the best game of his NFL career: his 448 passing yards last week against Atlanta was a career high by a wide margin and he tossed three touchdowns for only the second time in his career, tying a career high.

DEEP SLEEPER: Shedeur Sanders vs. LV

• The pass defense has been up-and-down but overall the Raiders have forced the second-lowest QB pressure rate. As a pure pocket passer, this bodes well for Sanders.

• The stat line from Sanders' first NFL action in Week 11 was atrocious (4 of 16 for 47 yards and a pick) but when you watch the film, he honestly wasn’t as bad as the counting stats suggest. He played well on the handful of snaps where the offensive line didn’t immediately collapse. Ball placement was good and he showed A LOT more juice in his arm strength than Dillon Gabriel.

Running Backs

Alvin Kamara vs. ATL

• Watch the injury report as Kamara is nursing an ankle injury but he was a limited participant on back-to-back practices to start the week.

• If he’s good to go, he’s got a great matchup as the Falcons give up the fourth-most FPPG to the position. Six different running backs have scored 11+ PPR points in Atlanta’s past five games. This includes a 49-point PPR game to Colts RB Jonathan Taylor and a 39-point game to 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey.

• The 4.1 yards after contact per carry allowed ranks as second-worst in the NFL.

• Kamara is coming off one of his better rushing games this year when he ran for 83 yards against Carolina in Week 10.

Rhamondre Stevenson vs. CIN

• Everyone is obviously goo-goo, ga-ga over TreVeyon Henderson but if Stevenson (toe) is healthy enough to play, he’s in a great spot. The Bengals have given up the most FPPG to opposing backs this season, including the most total touchdowns.

• The 5.36 YPC allowed to RB’s ranks as third-worst and they’re dead last in run stuff rate.

• While Henderson has been explosive and impressive, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see Stevenson in a 50-50 split.

Kenneth Gainwell vs. CHI

• Jaylen Warren is working through an ankle injury; he posted a DNP and a LP to start the week of practice. Even if Warren plays, you figure he’ll be compromised somewhat, meaning Gainwell should have a healthy snap share.

• The matchup is pristine. The Steelers have the fifth-highest outside run rate and the Bears have struggled mightily containing outside runs. Per Next Gen Stats, the 6.01 YPC allowed on outside runs ranks as second-worst and Chicago is fifth-worst in terms of explosive run rate allowed to the outside.

Wide Receivers

Cedric Tillman vs. LV

• Kyu Blu Kelly has been BRUTAL as an outside corner and as a result the Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to outside receivers, including the third-most receptions and yards.

• I highlighted the lack of pressure generated by this defensive line earlier, and with Sanders in there, his increased arm strength can help unlock Tillman’s route tree.

• Per Reception Perception, Tillman’s two most run routes were digs and slants where he also posted strong success rates. This pairs well with Sanders. His Reception Perception charting shows Shedeur favoring in-breaking routes as well.

• Not counting screens and checkdowns, Sanders targeted players on in-breaking routes on 32.5% of his throws (just 18.2% on out-breaking routes).

Jalen Coker vs. SF

• Coker heads get hyped! Slot receivers have done serious work against the Niners. Greg Dortch of all folks scored a touchdown and posted 18.6 PPR points last week and slot men like Wan’Dale Robinson (13.6 PPR) and Jaylin Noel (11.3 PPR) have done reasonably well in recent weeks as well.

• Overall, the Niners have given up the most FPPG to receivers lined up inside.

Michael Wilson vs. JAX

• With Marvin Harrison Jr. out another week, let’s run it back with the guy who caught 15 passes for 185 yards last week.

• The Jags have been blasted by outside wide receivers at various points this season and overall this secondary has allowed the third-most FPPG to receivers lined up outside.

• The 48.5 projected total for this game suggests points could flow on both sides.

Rashid Shaheed vs. TEN

• JSN is in a smash spot but the matchup is great for Shaheed as well. The Titans' 71.1% completion rate allowed to outside receivers ranks as dead last in the NFL. They’ve given up the fifth-most receptions, yards and fantasy points per game to the outside.

• The Titans are also quite susceptible to giving up big plays. The 10.1 yards per pass attempt to outside receivers ranks as second-worst while the five touchdowns given up on deep passes is tied for the third-most. For a deep threat like Shaheed, he could be one big play away from being quite profitable in fantasy this week.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry vs. CIN

• Triple H has the pedigree to be a true TE1 this week. This is likely every fantasy analyst’s favorite streaming TE as the Bengals have been terrible defending the position, giving up the most fantasy points per game.

• Eight different tight ends have scored double-digit PPR points against the Bengals over their past eight matchups.

Hello Yahoo! I’m Derek Carty of EV Analytics and the creator of THE BLITZ projection system, which if you have Yahoo+, you’ll notice is available this year to help you manage your teams. Each Friday morning, I’ll be digging into three players projected to play above their usual level, and three players projected to play below their usual level. (I’ll also be doing an AMA in the Yahoo Fantasy Discord every Thursday at 3 PM ET, so be sure to stop by, say hi, and get your questions answered.)

[Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more]

Last week’s list was pretty spot on, most notably with the Michael Wilson explosion. Chase Brown also had a very strong day with plenty of pass volume, and the pair of elite WRs I tabbed for a down day both had exactly that; Ja’Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown combined for just five catches. On to Week 12 …

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Packers

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 19.6 carries, 2.9 receptions, 108 yards, 0.82 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: RB6 vs. RB59

This one is contingent upon Josh Jacobs missing this week, which is looking fairly likely as of this writing. Assuming that’s the case, Wilson sets up as an absolute smash play in Week 12. He picked up basically all of the work when Jacobs left the game last week, and that would figure to continue into this week. He’s a capable pass-catcher who would get a ton more work through the air, as well as most on the ground in a game that Green Bay is nearly a full touchdown favorite. The projection here is insanely good.

Darnell Mooney (and KhaDarel Hodge), WR, Falcons

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 8.5 targets, 4.6 receptions, 62 yards, 0.31 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: WR25 vs. WR44

Drake London sustained a knee injury at the end of last week’s game and is almost certain to miss this week. When that happens, Mooney will step up as the team’s top pass-catcher. He’s been quiet this year after an early-season injury, but the coachspeak of late has been very favorable. Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson has had this to say about him over the last couple of weeks (source: Coachspeak Index Discord):

“[Darnell] Mooney is so close to breaking out. I’m excited to see when that’s gonna come up … He’s very close to breaking out. I can feel it in practice.

We’ve said the last couple weeks that it feels like Darnell Mooney is close to being unlocked. I anticipate him getting a high volume of targets at some point here, and I anticipate him taking off."

With London now out, there isn’t a more obvious time for the team to get Mooney going. They’re likely to go with a very run-heavy game plan with Michael Penix Jr. also out, but they face a fast-paced Saints team in a game that projects for the most play volume of the entire week.

Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 20.5 attempts, 1.2 receptions, 105 yards, 0.86 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: RB10 vs. RB20

Given his lack of pass-catching involvement, it’s rare for Henry to crack the top-10 projected running backs on any given week. But when he does, it’s in matchups like this one. When Baltimore is playing from ahead, Henry tends to get more work in the pass game and a heavier load on the ground as the team tries to salt the game away. As 13.5-point favorites against the Jets, this very much sets up as a Derrick Henry kind of game.

Tyler Warren, TE, Colts

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 7.2 targets, 4.8 receptions, 53 yards, 0.39 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: TE5 vs. TE3

Warren has established himself as a premier fantasy tight end this year, but this week doesn’t set up especially favorably for him. The Colts go on the road, outdoors, into Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, which is going to be a tough spot for QB Daniel Jones to bounce back from his recent rough outings. Moreover, Warren does better against zone defenses, but the Chiefs play zone at the fifth-lowest rate in the league. Josh Downs and Alec Pierce have tended to be more successful against man shells, so it’s possible we see the offense shift more their way in a week where the upside for the offense as a whole is more limited than usual.

Breece Hall, RB, Jets

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 17.4 carries, 2.8 receptions, 95 yards, 0.42 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: RB15 vs. RB8

Hall is the anti-Henry this week, with game script very much working against him. The Jets are playing as nearly two-full-touchdown underdogs, which should mean minimal opportunities for him to run as the game gets out of hand. It’s also possible the team goes more pass-heavy than usual, even early on, with Tyrod Taylor under center. In their lone game starting Taylor earlier this year, the team was 5% more pass-heavy than average (adjusted for context) compared to 13% below-average in games with Justin Fields. And while Hall certainly has plenty of pass-catching ability, he simply hasn’t been used in that role as much this year as in the past.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Vikings

THE BLITZ Week 11 Projection: 34.8 attempts, 19.7 completions, 215 yards, 1.26 TD

Week 11 vs. ROS: 15.5 points vs. 17.7 points per game

I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong, and so far I have been very wrong on McCarthy. I still think any half-way competent NFL quarterback should be able to succeed in his position — great coaching and system, great supporting cast, home games indoors. McCarthy has at least, in part, been on the bad side of variance, but this week does not set up as a particularly good one for a bounce-back. He faces a tough Green Bay defense on the road, away from the dome.