Buongiorno.

Tommy Cutlets is back!!

The Giants have officially benched Daniel Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito (not Drew Lock). Which means on Thanksgiving we’ll be tortured with a DeVito vs Cooper Rush matchup. I think I’d rather listen to my weird uncle argue about politics at the dinner table…

In the meantime, let’s get into some Week 12 waiver targets.

WAIVER WIRE 🧐

(Roster %’s courtesy of Sleeper)

Running Back

It’s another tough week for RBs, as the position has stayed amazingly healthy this year. You’re pretty much looking at just handcuffs again, but we wanted to highlight a few who have seen their situations improve recently…

Cardinals RB Trey Benson (31%) posted back-to-back games with at least nine touches and double-digit fantasy points before the team’s Week 11 bye. James Conner has never played a full NFL season, so it’s easy to see a pathway to Benson becoming a league winner down the stretch.

Bears RB Roschon Johnson (14%) saw 11 touches (including 3 of the team’s 4 carries inside the 10-yard-line) with new OC Thomas Brown calling plays, putting up 11.1 fantasy points. The Bears' offensive line ranks 3rd in run block win rate, per ESPN’s Eric Moody, so Johnson could continue to see some productive work with this new smashmouth brand of football in Chicago.

Vikings RB Cam Akers (22%) finished with 10/25 on the ground and 2/11/1 receiving for 11.6 fantasy points on a 37% snap share against the Titans. He’s supplanted Ty Chandler as the clear handcuff to Aaron Jones, who’s been banged up all year. If Jones were to miss time, Akers should be the starter and goal line back, with Chandler mixing in on some passing downs.

Chargers RB Gus Edwards (31%) actually started over J.K. Dobbins, but mustered only 6 carries for 27 yards. This is still Dobbins’ backfield, but Edwards should continue to mix in and is at the very least a high-upside handcuff.

Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright (15%) may be the RB2 in Miami now, after out-snapping Raheem Mostert in back-to-back weeks. If something were to happen to Achane, it’s unlikely Wright would see any sort of a bellcow role, but this uptick in usage has been intriguing for the rookie speedster. He’s worth a speculative stash.

As always, be sure to look for other top tier handcuffs as well, such as:

• Zach Charbonnet, SEA (49%)

• Tyler Allgeier, ATL (47%)

• Braelon Allen, NYJ (41%)

• Justice Hill, BAL (29%)

• Ray Davis, BUF (27%)

• Khalil Herbert, CIN (25%)

• Blake Corum, LAR (21%)

• Keaton Mitchell, BAL (9%)

Wide Receiver

• If Browns WR Jerry Jeudy, Packers WR Christian Watson, Bears WR Rome Odunze, or Panthers WR Xavier Legette are still available in your leagues, prioritize them well above the following names:

Chargers WR Quentin Johnston (58%) had only two receptions for 48 yards, but earned an impressive 22.2% target share with a season-high eight targets. This week he’ll take on the Ravens, who are allowing the most receiving yards and fantasy points per game to perimeter WRs, per FantasyPros’ Pat Fitzmaurice.

Saints WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (36%) led the team’s WRs with 26 routes run on Sunday, per PFF, scoring 16.7 fantasy points thanks in large part to a 71-yard catch and run. Although he relies on the big play, it’s encouraging to see him become the de facto WR1 in NOLA.

Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson (63%) has been a top-36 WR in six games this season, and among WRs, he ranks 7th in red-zone targets, per Pat Fitzmaurice. He’s a fine bye week fill-in thanks to his soft matchup against Tampa this week, even with Tommy DeVito throwing him the ball.

Browns WR Elijah Moore (19%) has now seen 35 targets in four games with Jameis Winston (8.8 targets per game), and has scored double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four outings. Cleveland has a tough upcoming schedule with two games against Pittsburgh and matchups against Denver and KC, too, but don’t forget that garbage time stats count just as much as regular stats.

Patriots WR DeMario Douglas (44%) has posted 4+ catches in each of his four full games with Drake Maye, including 5/59 receiving on 7 targets (17.5%) and a 57% snap share in a Week 11 loss to the Rams, per Fantasy Points.

Panthers WR Jalen Coker (9%) led the team back in Week 10 with a whopping 32% target share, a 49.4% air-yard share and a 36.4% first-read share. He could be a deeper FLEX play against the Chiefs and Bucs, who have respectively allowed the 2nd-most and 3rd-most fantasy points per game to slot receivers this season, per Pat Fitzmaurice.

QB & TE

Colts QB Anthony Richardson (44%) returned with a bang, finishing as the QB4 overall. He’s averaging 39.1 rushing YPG with 3 rushing scores, but his passing improvements were most notable, completing 20 of 30 attempts for 272 yards and a TD. He’s difficult to trust, but the ceiling is undeniable.

Broncos QB Bo Nix (60%) became the first rookie EVER to complete over 80% of his passes for over 300 yards and throw four TDs, per Underdog’s James Palmer. The rookie has now scored 18.7+ fantasy points in six of his last nine starts, while throwing for multiple TDs in five of his last seven. He’s entering must-start territory with favorable matchups against Vegas, Cleveland, and Indy on the horizon.

Patriots QB Drake Maye (25%) has scored 18.7+ fantasy points in four of his first five full starts, while accumulating 24+ rushing yards in five of his first six, as well. He doesn’t have much to work with in New England, but his tape has been impressive, and his dual-threat nature makes him a fine QB2 in fantasy.

Browns QB Jameis Winston (18%) has attempted 41+ passes in each of his first three starts, reaching 24.6+ fantasy points in two of those contests. He has a tough upcoming schedule (vs PIT, @ DEN, @ PIT, vs KC), but he’s a fun gun-slinging QB2 to have on your roster.

Obviously, Saints QB/TE Taysom Hill (49%) is the priority add if available. Since Chris Olave’s concussion in Week 9, Hill has averaged 5.6 targets/game (TE9), 42.3 receiving YPG (TE12), and 8.9 FPG from receiving only (TE17), per Fantasy Points’ Ryan Heath.

Chargers TE Will Dissly (29%) led the team in receiving yards on Sunday night against the Bengals, posting a 4/80/1 statline. The Chargers have the most favorable TE schedule moving forward, per Eric Moody, so Dissly should stay relevant down the stretch.

Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith (57%)’s target shares since Tua Tagovailoa returned:

+15.8%
+21.4%
+14.3%
+22.2%

For comparison, Kyle Pitts has exceeded a 14% target share just three times all season, per Ryan Heath.

Patriots TE Hunter Henry (49%) “is coming off a nine-target, 63-yard, zero-TD performance, which is a pretty typical stat line for him this season. If you’re simply looking for a bye week placeholder who can offer a reliable 6-to-10 fantasy points, Henry is your guy.” — Yahoo’s Andy Behrens

Bears TE Cole Kmet (54%) ran a route on 95% of Chicago’s dropbacks in Week 11, per J.J. Zachariason, while Gerald Everett played a season-low 11% of snaps.

D/ST

The Washington Commanders (29%) are tied for 7th in the league in sacks (29), per Andy Behrens, and will host the Cowboys and Titans over the next two weeks, so they are likely to deliver a few turnovers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25%) have allowed 30 or more points in four of their last six games, but their upcoming schedule is beautiful: @ NYG, @ CAR, vs LV.

The Arizona Cardinals (4%) are coming off of back-to-back 12-point weeks and their upcoming schedule is littered with juicy matchups — their next four opponents all rank in the top-10 of points allowed to D/STs, per Fantasy Points. And in the fantasy semifinals, the Cards visit Carolina.😍

DEEP DIVES 🤿

Tommy Cutlets is Back

Stash these players on your bench before they blow up. Last week, the perfect pickup was Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Giants QB Tommy DeVito (3%) is worth an add in Superflex leagues because, why not?! Mr. Cutlets led the G-Men to three wins last year, while posting four top-20 QB performances in his six starts.

Raiders RB Ameer Abdullah (0%) is the next man up in Vegas, with Zamir White (quad) and Alexander Mattison (ankle) both banged up and ineffective. It’s unclear how long White and Mattison will be out, but Abdullah could be a desperation stash in the hopes that he scavenges some garbage time receptions.

Similarly, Raiders RB Dylan Laube (3%) is another name to watch in that backfield. He had a lot of preseason hype after catching 117 passes over his final two collegiate seasons at New Hampshire, while scoring 43 total TDs in his collegiate career. He’s still at the bottom of the depth chart for a reason, but at least he’s young and intriguing.

Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte (7%) remains a viable deep stash after running a route on all but one of New England's dropbacks on Sunday, per PFF — 16 more routes than Demario Douglas. He only managed 7.3 fantasy points, but the opportunities will come.

Titans WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (7%) has now scored TDs in five of his last six games, despite seeing just 25 targets (20% TD rate) in that span, per Fantasy Points. Levis loves chucking it deep, and NWI is his guy.

Giants TE Theo Johnson (5%) was targeted on 17% of his routes (2nd-highest rate on the team) over the last three weeks before the team’s bye. Even with DeVito at the helm, Johnson remains on the TE2 radar for those in deeper formats, especially against a Bucs defense that's allowing the 3rd-most fantasy points per game to TEs, per Eric Moody.

Rams TE Davis Allen (2%) didn’t catch a pass on Sunday, but he did surpass Colby Parkinson as LA’s starter, running 17 routes to Parkinson’s 5, per J.J. Zachariason.

POLL 📊

QUICK SLANTS 👀

📖 Read Riser’s and Fallers After Week 11 from Scoop City, The Athletic’s daily NFL newsletter written by Diana Russini and the Morning Huddle’s founder, Jacob Robinson. One of Jake’s risers is Jim Harbaugh, whose 2024 Chargers look eerily similar to his 2011 49ers:

📖 Read Ryan Heath of Fantasy Points’ Five Stats to Know: 2024 Week 11. We’ve shouted out this column before, but it’s a must read every week.

📖 Read Mat Irby of the Fantasy Footballers’ Things That Matter & Things That Don’t: Week 11, where he examines some of the biggest storylines from last weekend and determines whether it’s a sign of things to come, or just a fluke.

🎙️ Listen to Players You Need To Pick Up Before Week 12 from the Footballguys Fantasy Football Show, where Dave Kluge and Alfredo Brown discuss the best waiver wire pickups of the week.

📺 Watch Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith on the Pat McAfee Show talk about launching the ball into the stands after a TD, only for his SON to catch it!🤯

TWEET OF THE DAY

Before we go, send your well wishes to those in Barrow, Alaska, who are about to begin a 64 day stretch without sunlight.

That’s nothing to us Browns fans, though… we’ve been buried in darkness since 1995.

See you Thursday.

- Marcus