What’s up everyone! Welcome back for your Week 12 fantasy football waiver wire WR options. This week we have a number of options that have emerged, several of whom are likely available in your league and could help out your WR situation.
Below you will find some deeper waiver wire grabs heading into Week 12. Check out my entries from Week 10 as well. If players like Terrelle Pryor or Tyrell Williams are still out there, PICK THEM UP FIRST. These are deeper options who will likely be available in many leagues. If you are forced to pick between two players, find me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21, and I will be more than happy to help you out!
Now, let’s get rolling.
Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 12 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS
Week 12 Waiver Wire - Wide Receivers (WR)
The Shallow End (Under 50% Owned)
Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS - 38% Owned on Fleaflicker
DeSean Jackson made his return to the Redskins on Sunday after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury. Though he received six targets in what ended up being a shootout, he did little to deter Pierre Garcon from having his finest receiving game of the season. Garcon caught six of his seven targets for 116 yards on the day, including a 70-yard TD early in the fourth quarter to extend the Redskins' lead. He has led the team in targets each of the past two weeks, with a total of 16 over that span.
With at least six receptions in four out of the past five games, Garcon has emerged as a consistent fantasy option in this high-volume passing offense. Jamison Crowder still leads the team with 13 red zone looks, but Garcon is hot on his tail with 10 of his own. Washington’s next three games are against three difficult opponents on the road, with trips lined up to Dallas, Arizona and Philadelphia. All three of those opponents, however, are in the top-10 in fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, meaning we should see a heavy dose of Kirk Cousins airing the ball out over the next few weeks. Garcon makes a fine flex play moving forward, especially in PPR formats.
Tyreek Hill, WR, KC - 36% Owned on Fleaflicker
Hill didn’t have his best game of the season in the Chiefs' loss to the Buccaneers, but still led all wideouts in yards receiving despite being third on the team in targets behind Travis Kelce (nine) and Chris Conley (eight). Hill caught four of his five targets for 53 yards on the day, with most of his damage coming on a long, 42-yard reception in the second quarter. He could have scored on the play had he been hit in stride, but the ball was a bit under-thrown by Alex Smith.
Hill has become the preferred deep threat in the passing game for the Chiefs this season, with five receptions of 25 yards or more. Those five plays have all come within the past five weeks, and he is tied for the team lead in such plays with Spencer Ware. He also has the highest catch percentage in the red zone this season for the Chiefs, with six receptions on seven targets (85.7%). Volume will keep any Chiefs WR from being a great option, but given the amount of usage he has seen recently with how many deep passes he catches, Hill makes for a solid flex/depth add for the final few weeks of the fantasy regular season.
Cameron Meredith, WR, CHI - 32% Owned on Fleaflicker
Last week, the surprise suspension to Alshon Jeffery made Meredith a popular player to add. Jeffery’s available targets were expected to help Meredith, Zach Miller and Eddie Royal. Miller was an early beneficiary, catching three passes for 61 yards and a touchdown early in the game. Unfortunately, a Giants player stepped on his foot late in the first half and he immediately went over to the sidelines. He was diagnosed with a broken foot, which will end his 2016 season.
On a day when Jay Cutler completed only 17 passes and to eight different receivers, it was Meredith who led all wideouts in receptions and yardage. He caught each of his four targets for 49 yards in the loss to the Giants, while Royal caught only two of his three targets for 13 yards. Meredith's targets have nowhere to go but up with the loss of Miller, though his upside will be limited by Cutler's inconsistencies. Outside of Jordan Howard, it will be tough to trust anyone in this offense, but Meredith should be the de facto WR1 moving forward. That makes him a WR3 or flex play in fantasy moving forward.
Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN - 25% Owned on Fleaflicker
A.J. Green left this game on the first Bengals drive of the game, after he and Stephon Gilmore went up for a jump ball and Green landed awkwardly. He was diagnosed with a torn right hamstring, though he is getting an MRI on the injury on Monday. Brandon LaFell led the team with nine targets on the day, but it was Boyd who led the team in receptions and yards receiving. He caught six of his eight targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. Though he hasn’t flashed big-play ability yet in his career, Boyd has shown he can make plenty of defenders miss in the short-to-intermediate passing game.
Green wasn’t the only big loss on the day, with news breaking that Giovani Bernard tore his ACL during the game, as well. This injury may impact Boyd more, since the majority of his receptions come on short passes. With the Bengals now sliding at 3-6-1 overall and two key pieces in the offense now gone, this is the time for the Bengals to really see what they have in Boyd. His expected role increase makes him a good add, especially for Green owners hurting after his injury.
STASH WATCH: Kevin White, WR, CHI - 42% Owned on Fleaflicker
Before Kevin White went down with a leg injury earlier in the season, he was averaging nine targets per game with Cutler/Brian Hoyer at QB. The earliest expected return for White would be Week 13, when the Bears take on the 49ers. With Jeffery and now Zach Miller both out, White offers plenty of upside (if he comes back completely healthy) given how much he was targeted and how good he looked before the injury. He would be too risky to play in his first game back, but if you have an open IR spot or a bench spot being wasted, White could be someone you could stash now that could help you in a few weeks. If he is available in your league at least monitor his progress over the next two weeks. Given his injury history, the Bears may not rush him back even though they need all the weapons they can get right now.
More Options: Anquan Boldin, DET (45% owned), Ty Montgomery, GB (41%), Quincy Enunwa, NYJ (39%), Chris Hogan, NE (39%), Dorial Green-Beckham, PHI (35%), Brandon LaFell, CIN (31%), Tajae Sharpe, TEN (30%), Kenny Stills, MIA (28%), Eddie Royal, CHI (24%), Eli Rogers, PIT (21%), Ted Ginn, CAR (19%)
The Deep End (Under 15% Owned)
Marqise Lee, WR, JAX - 15% Owned on Fleaflicker
Marqise Lee finally found the end zone on Sunday for his first touchdown of the season. Lee caught four of his team-leading eight targets for 52 yards and a nifty, three-yard score. The TD catch was a nice one, with Lee barely keeping both feet in bounds while securing the catch. This is now his fourth straight game with at least four receptions and 50 yards, and over the past three weeks he is second on the team in targets with 22, behind only Allen Robinson (31). At only 15% owned, Lee offers a decent floor, and is a perfect guy to pick up and play if you get in a jam.
Adam Thielen, WR, MIN - 15% Owned on Fleaflicker
Before the game on Sunday it was announced that Adam Thielen would have a bigger role in the offense with stud cornerback Patrick Peterson covering Stefon Diggs. Thielen didn’t disappoint; he ended the day catching all five of his targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. Although it was Cordarrelle Patterson who led the team with eight targets, Thielen caught everything that was thrown his way. His first quarter TD got the scoring started, and it gives him a touchdown in each of the past two weeks.
Marquise Goodwin, WR, BUF - 7% Owned on Fleaflicker
Robert Woods left the game on Sunday against the Bengals after sustaining a knee sprain, and was later seen on crutches. Woods will likely miss next week’s game against the Jaguars, and maybe more, with the injury. If he does miss extended time, the Bills will be extremely strapped at wide receiver, but one of the best remaining options would be Goodwin, who caught two of three passes for 15 yards this week. Goodwin offers elite-level speed, and is capable of taking the top off of any defense. If his role expands next week, he could find himself in the conversation for an upside flex play over the final few weeks, or at least until Woods returns.
Cecil Shorts, WR, TB - 4% Owned on Fleaflicker
Shorts had his most productive day as a Buccaneer on Sunday, with five catches on seven targets for 62 yards on the day. Russell Shepard returned this game after missing two weeks with a hip injury, but he was out-targeted and out-snapped by Shorts. Mike Evans is far and away the best receiving option in this offense, but if Shorts can continue to hold off Shepard, he could gain some value as a depth add in fantasy circles. If you play in a PPR league, Adam Humphries would make a nice add-- he has at least three receptions for 46 yards in each of the past four weeks.
More Options: Adam Humphries, TB (12% owned), Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN (12%), Percy Harvin, BUF (10%), Dontrelle Inman, SD (10%), Seth Roberts, OAK (9%), Taylor Gabriel, ATL (8%), Malcolm Mitchell, NE (7%), Quinton Patton, SF (5%), Brandon Coleman, NO (5%), Russell Shepard, TB(3%), Albert Wilson, KC (2%)
That’s all for this week folks, hope you get everyone you claim! For all your WR waiver wire questions, read these articles each week and get at me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21. I am more than happy to lend a hand to hungry fantasy owners!
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!