Best Fantasy Football waiver wire pickups for Week 12

We’re inching ever closer to the fantasy football playoffs with Week 12 looming, which means you’re running out of time to shore up your roster before postseason play begins.

There won’t be any teams on a bye this week, but perhaps you still need some help on your roster, whether it’s a result of injury or ineffectiveness, so there’s still plenty of reason to scour the waiver wire.

Not to mention, you might want to start planning ahead for Week 13 when there will be two teams on bye, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers.

With all that said, here’s a look at some of the best players you should be targeting on the waiver wire this week.

QB Derek Carr | Las Vegas Raiders

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Carr is once again on the streaming radar this week, as he draws a juicy matchup against an Atlanta Falcons defense ceding the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.

QB Daniel Jones | New York Giants

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While Jones' Week 12 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, have a middle-of-the-road defense in terms of allowing fantasy points per game to signal-callers, Cincy is tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed. Adding to that, Jones has been plenty active on the ground in his last five games, which provides a safe floor. The second-year quarterback is averaging an impressive 50.8 rushing yards per contest since Week 6.

QB Carson Wentz | Philadelphia Eagles

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It might be hard to trust Wentz after a disastrous Week 11 showing, but we're willing to roll the dice on him in Week 12. Wentz and the Eagles draw a favorable matchup on "Monday Night Football" against a Seattle Seahawks defense that is surrendering the second-most fantasy points per contest to quarterbacks in 2020.

RB J.K. Dobbins | Baltimore Ravens

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Even with both Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards active, it was the rookie Dobbins who led the way in touches for Ravens running backs. Dobbins carried the ball 15 times for 70 yards and one touchdown, while also adding two catches for 15 yards. His 17 touches were 12 more than Ingram and Edwards had combined. For now, it appears that Dobbins is the running back to own in Baltimore, but it'll be tough sledding for him in Week 12 against a solid Pittsburgh Steelers run defense.

RBs Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson | Detroit Lions

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With D'Andre Swift sidelined with a concussion in Week 11, Johnson and Peterson split work in the Lions' backfield, and Johnson barely out-touched Peterson, 8-7. Admittedly, this is a foggy situation in terms of trying to figure out who could see the majority of the work if Swift is out again in Week 12, but Detroit does have a favorable matchup on Thanksgiving against a Houston Texans defense giving up the third-most fantasy points per game to backs. If we have to choose one, we give the slight edge to Johnson, who was more involved in the passing game on Sunday. However, if Swift plays, neither one of these running backs are relevant.

RBs Sony Michel and James White | New England Patriots

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With Rex Burkhead suffering a season-ending injury, there is a new Damien Harris handcuff to take a look at in Michel, who was activated off IR last week. Michel would likely handle the load on the ground if Harris were to miss time down the road. White, on the other hand, could have fantasy relevance right away, as he picked up the slack in the passing game with Burkhead out. White led all Patriots pass-catchers with nine targets and turned them into six receptions for 64 yards. He's only a viable option in PPR leagues, though.

WR Cole Beasley | Buffalo Bills

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Beasley ranks second on the Bills in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, and he has broken double-digit receptions and 100 yards in two of his last four games. Beasley draws a tough matchup in Week 12 against a Los Angeles Chargers defense giving up the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to receivers, but he's a solid bench stash at least, especially in PPR formats.

WR Damiere Byrd | New England Patriots

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Just when we thought that Jakobi Meyers had seized the role of the Patriots' top receiver, along comes Byrd to have his best game as a pro with six receptions for a career-high 132 yards and one touchdown. Byard has now seen 16 targets in the last two games he has played, is second on the team in targets, and first in receptions and receiving yards.

WR Russell Gage | Atlanta Falcons

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With Julio Jones slowed by yet another injury in Week 11, Gage saw his highest target total since Week 1 and turned his team-high 12 targets into seven receptions for 58 yards. Granted, those aren't great numbers by any stretch, but Gage could see a lot of volume once again in Week 12 against a beatable Raiders secondary if Jones can't play or is limited.

WR Breshad Perriman | New York Jets

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I could be wrong, but this might be the first Jets player we've suggested as a waiver wire target this season. It also shows the lack of options there are on the waiver wire at this point in the season. Nevertheless, Perriman has earned the recognition, as he's totaled 155 yards and three scores in his last two games. The only concern here is that those performances have been with Joe Flacco under center and Sam Darnold might return in Week 12.

WR Corey Davis | Tennessee Titans

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Davis notched his third 100-yard game of the season in Week 11 and continues to be a fairly consistent producer in fantasy football. Davis has posted double-digit fantasy points in PPR in three of his last four games and remains a decent option to have on your bench.

TE Jordan Akins | Houston Texans

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Akins will be one of the hot pickups at tight end this week after posting one of his best games of the 2020 campaign in Week 11. Akins totaled a season-high 83 yards on five receptions and was second on the team in targets. By no means is Akins a sure bet, but he's certainly worth a look coming off that kind of performance.

TE Dallas Goedert | Philadelphia Eagles

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Goedert had been quiet after a big Week 1, but that changed in Week 11 after he finished with five receptions for 77 yards and one score. While the return of Zach Ertz is looming, Goedert should still have fantasy relevance, as the former had been non-existent before going down to injury.

D/ST: New Orleans Saints

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The Saints' D/ST is finally starting to round into form, as this unit has given up just 25 points the last three games and forced nine turnovers. In Week 12, the Saints gave up just nine points and force two turnovers against the Falcons. Not only are the Saints a great streaming option this week against a Denver Broncos team that is ceding the second-most fantasy points per game to D/STs this season, but New Orleans could be a multi-week solution with upcoming matchups against the Falcons and Eagles.

D/ST: New York Giants

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The Giants were already a solid D/ST to roster, but that is especially true in Week 12, as New York draws a matchup against a Bengals team that will be without Joe Burrow after he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11. In Burrow's place, Ryan Finley was dreadful, completing 3-of-10 passes for 30 yards. Big Blue is one of the better deep-dive streaming options for this week.