RADIO
Welcome to the all-rookie edition of the wide receiver waiver wire article. A rookie class that seemed to underwhelm prior to the draft has continued to look stronger as we get deeper into the season. This past week, we saw several rookie receivers produce for their teams. From the potential for huge upside to safe floors, there are several options you can grab off waivers to help you fight for a playoff spot or provide excellent depth.
Instead of going in depth on a few players, we are going to quick hit many options this week that you should keep your eye on. Not all options are the same. Some players may be better in PPR or deeper leagues, so it’s not a one size fits all comparison. Use your best judgment when deciding which of these players is the right fit for your roster.
Check here for a complete list of our Waiver Wire Adds for Week 12 for help at all the skill positions. As always, RotoBaller has you covered!
Featured Promo: Get any full-season NFL Premium Pass for 50% off and win big in 2022. Exclusive access to our Premium articles, 15 lineup tools, new Team Sync platform, Lineup Optimizer, Premium DFS tools and cheat sheets, and much more! Sign Up Now!
Front Runners for Week 12 - Wide Receiver Additions
This group consists of wide receivers that I would recommend adding if they are available on your waiver wire. Some are more viable for PPR formats, so take note of that. These players have either earned a greater workload due to injury/performance issues or have shown that they can be weekly contributors to their NFL teams. All players listed have 50% or fewer ownership levels across fantasy leagues.
Anthony Miller, CHI - 42% owned
Anthony Miller was facing a tough matchup against the Vikings in Week 11, but he was able to still find the end zone on one of his two receptions. The good news is that Miller has some much easier matchups coming, including the Lions again on Thanksgiving Day. Miller also has several nice matchups in the fantasy playoffs as well. This puts him in the top tier of waiver priorities for Week 12.
Tre'Quan Smith, NO - 25% owned
I had this conversation on Twitter last week regarding Tre'Quan Smith. It was mentioned that he doesn’t really have a role on the Saints and they don’t seem interested in working him into the game plan. If you own Smith, you must know that he could be a roller coaster. He is not going to have a safe floor in any given matchup, even though the Saints have one of the best offenses in the league. His value lies completely with his ceiling, which we saw in Week 12.
Smith put together 157 yards on 10 receptions while being targeted 13 times, all of which were team highs. You must be willing to take the good with the bad while owning Smith, but more good could be coming. Smith gets Atlanta and Tampa Bay in two of the next three weeks.
D.J. Moore, CAR - 39% owned
A couple of weeks ago, D.J. Moore tried sucking us into the breakout hype with five catches for 90 yards against a good Baltimore Ravens pass defense. So, the question now becomes, are we going to get sucked in again? Moore blew past the Lions secondary for 157 yards on seven catches and found the end zone once. Of all the options listed in this article, Moore may have the best schedule for those heading into the playoffs. After the Panthers face Seattle next week, they get Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and New Orleans twice, all in the top three of most points allowed to opposing wide receivers. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, I’m investing again so I can only blame myself if Moore fools me again.
In the Running for Week 12 - Wide Receiver Additions
This group consists of wide receivers widely available on the waiver wire who aren't must-adds but could be worth stashing or streaming if the above options are already taken or if you are dealing with injuries.
Keke Coutee, HOU - 30% owned
If you were worried about what would happen with Keke Coutee after the Texans traded for Demaryius Thomas, Sunday didn’t appear to offer any concerns. In Week 11 against the Redskins, Coutee had five catches for 77 yards while Thomas had one target. Yes, one target, not one catch. There is a chance that we could continue to see disappointing volume for Thomas but serviceable numbers from Coutee. With Thomas and DeAndre Hopkins pulling coverage to the outside, Coutee could see a lot of space to roam over the middle. If you can make a deep run into the playoffs, Coutee will face the Jets and Eagles who are in the top 10 of most points given up to opposing wide receivers. Coutee could be a PPR monster the rest of the season.
Christian Kirk, ARI - 34% owned
Someone needs to be the WR1 on a widely inconvenient offense and since Larry Fitzgerald has been a disappointment, it looks like Christian Kirk would like to give him a run for his money. After hauling in three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, Kirk leads the Cardinals in yards while sitting a close second in targets, receptions and touchdowns. The Cardinals will have a favorable schedule to finish the season including matchups against the Packers and Falcons.
Dark Horses for Week 12 - Wide Receiver Additions
This group consists of wide receivers who need some more time to show us what they have but should be on our radar still. Don’t jump to add them yet, but another week or two could prove to be fruitful.
Trey Quinn, WSH - 1% owned
I may or may have not done a little dance when I heard Trey Quinn was coming off IR and playing against the Texans. This is a guy I loved coming out of the draft and thought he would fit perfectly with the Redskins after Jamison Crowder departs at the end of the year. With all the injuries the Redskins have dealt with this season, Quinn could have the opportunity to break out in 2018. Quinn led Redskins receivers with four receptions for 49 yards against the Texans and even though he won’t have a high ceiling the rest of the season, he could be a nice flex play in PPR leagues. The Redskins will have a tough schedule to finish out 2018 but since Colt McCoy will be taking over for Alex Smith, he is going to need a safety blanket. Quinn and Jordan Reed could offer that since McCoy doesn’t have a big arm to play down the field.
Say Goodbye for Week 12 - Wide Receiver Drops
This group consists of wide receivers who don't need to be owned. They aren't necessarily must-drop players, but if you need the roster space for one of the above players, don't hesitate to cut bait to chase upside.
Michael Crabtree, BAL - 72% owned
If you have a chance to tune into the RotoRevolution or RotoBaller Game Day on RotoBaller YouTube, you know one of our favorite sayings is #NeverCrabtree so let’s introduce it to this article. After only having one catch for seven yards, I think we should be done with Crabtree. The change at quarterback is not going to fit well with Crabtree’s abilities and there could be many more low-floor weeks ahead. Even with a favorable schedule to end the season, I would bank on Willie Snead before Crabtree.
Devin Funchess, CAR - 85% owned
One of the other sayings we have is #NeverFunchess, so we need to include him here as well. It’s hard to imagine that 85% of owners still hold onto Funchess considering he is not the WR1 in Carolina anymore. Funchess hasn’t had 100 receiving yards in a game this season, hasn’t had more than 70 receiving yards since Week 6 and hasn’t had a touchdown since Week 7. Funchess is a WR3 at best right now in fantasy football and given the fact that Cam Newton can be inconsistent at times, it’s hard to trust a receiver with no ceiling and a floor that’s in the basement.
More Waiver Wire Analysis
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
