Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A.J. Green and Rondale Moore will be missing on byes for Week 12, but wide receiver is deep enough to keep most of us from desperate straits.
Jamey Eisenberg has his Start and Sit calls for WR below. His Waiver Wire column also can direct you to the best options who may be available in your leagues.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receiver
Start 'Em
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In six complete games with Russell Wilson this year, Lockett has three with at least 15 PPR points and three with seven PPR points or less. That's what you get with Lockett, and you just have to hope this is one of his bigger outings. I'll take my chances with him against Washington, which is No. 4 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. For the season, Washington has allowed 16 touchdowns to opposing receivers and 18 to score at least 12 PPR points. Look for Lockett and D.K. Metcalf to both go off Monday night.
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I'm sticking with Moore even with Zach Wilson under center, and Moore just continues to produce with at least 12 PPR points in four games in a row, including two games with at least 27 PPR points over that span. He also has at least six targets in each of his past five games. Moore should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues in Week 12 against the Texans, who have allowed nine receivers to score at least 11 PPR points in their past four games. With Wilson back, I also like Corey Davis as a sleeper in this matchup, and Davis had at least 14 PPR points in three of the first six games that Wilson started.
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Aiyuk is back as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. He's scored at least 18 PPR points in two of his past three games and has at least seven targets in three of his past four outings heading into a favorable matchup with the Vikings, who are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers and missing guys on the defensive line this week. Seven receivers have scored at least 17 PPR points against Minnesota in the past four games, which bodes well for Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
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Cooks was a letdown in Week 11 at Tennessee with two catches for 18 yards on three targets, but I expect a rebound game against the Jets. He had at least six targets in each of his previous four outings, with 40 total targets over that span, and Tyrod Taylor should continue to feature Cooks in this matchup. The Jets have allowed eight receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in their past four games, and this is a blow-up spot for Cooks at home.
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Mooney is the No. 1 receiver for the Bears, especially with Allen Robinson (hamstring) hurt, and Mooney scored at least 12 PPR points in four of his past five games. In Week 11 against Baltimore with Robinson out, Mooney had five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 16 targets. And now he faces Detroit in Week 12, and the Lions have allowed seven receivers to score at least 13 PPR points in their past five games. You can also consider Marquise Goodwin a sleeper in deeper leagues.
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Sleepers
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I hope the performance we got from Claypool on Monday night at the Chargers is a sign of things to come after he had five catches for 93 yards on nine targets. He has five games this season with at least six targets, and he's scored at least 14 PPR points in three of them. Ben Roethlisberger needs to continue feeding Claypool as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Diontae Johnson, and Claypool should benefit with Ray-Ray McCloud (COVID-19) out. Claypool also had at least 18 PPR points in two of his past three meetings with the Bengals, including Week 3 when he had nine catches for 96 yards on 15 targets.
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The Cowboys might get CeeDee Lamb (concussion) back for this game, but Amari Cooper (COVID-19) is out, which bodes well for Gallup. With Cooper out in Week 11 at Kansas City and Lamb hurt at halftime, Gallup had 10 targets but managed just five catches for 44 yards. Still, I like him as a borderline Fantasy starter in all leagues against the Raiders, who have allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past five games.
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We'll see if the Falcons get Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) back this week, but even if he plays, I like Gage as a sleeper in deeper PPR leagues. Gage just had five catches for 49 yards on eight targets against New England in Week 11, and the Jaguars have allowed seven receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past five games.
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Slight revenge game opportunity here for Sanders, who spent 2020 with the Saints. He's due for a big game after scoring 10 PPR points or less in each of his past four outings, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 6. The Saints are No. 7 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and this could be the week where Sanders breaks out of his slump. He's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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Jones and Laviska Shenault are both in play this week as No. 3 receivers with Jamal Agnew (hip) out. Jones has just one touchdown since Week 2 and one game with more than nine PPR points since Week 3. Shenault has yet to catch a touchdown this season and has combined for 21 PPR points in his past four games. But the Falcons are tied for third in most touchdowns allowed to receivers this season with 14, so hopefully Jones or Shenault can deliver in this matchup. Give Jones the slight nod over Shenault if you're deciding between the two.
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Sit 'Em
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Landry scored a rushing touchdown last week against the Lions, but he's yet to catch a touchdown this year. He's been at 26 receiving yards or less in each of his past three games, and it's clear he's playing at less than 100 percent with a knee injury. Baker Mayfield is also banged up, and this is a passing game to avoid, even with a favorable matchup against the Ravens in Week 12.
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Golladay will likely see more than the two targets he had in Week 11 at Tampa Bay, and his lack of involvement is likely part of the reason Jason Garrett was fired as offensive coordinator. But even if a barrage of targets are headed in Golladay's direction this week, I don't like the matchup against the Eagles as long as Darius Slay (concussion) is healthy. The Eagles are No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and Golladay has yet to catch a touchdown this year. He also has just one game with more than 10 PPR points.
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Beckham had the bye in Week 11 to get himself more comfortable with the Rams offense, but I still want to see him produce before trusting him as a Fantasy asset in most leagues. After signing with the Rams prior to Week 10, he didn't do much at San Francisco with two catches for 18 yards on three targets. He should be better than that, and the Rams need him with Robert Woods (ACL) out. But this is a tough Green Bay secondary that is No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. And the last time Beckham scored a touchdown was Week 4 of last season. He's overdue to find the end zone, but I need to see it happen first before starting him in most leagues.
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It might be time to start worrying about Higgins and his production. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 2, and he has as many games with 13 PPR points (three) as he does with 10 PPR points or less (three) in his past six outings. He just had two catches for 15 yards on three targets in Week 11 at Las Vegas, and he's now facing a Steelers defense expecting to get T.J. Watt (knee/hip), Joe Haden (foot) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (COVID-19) back after all three were out last week at the Chargers. I'm still starting Higgins as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, but he's trending down based on his lack of touchdowns and inconsistent play this year.
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Bust Alert
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I put Sutton in this spot because Fantasy managers might be excited to use him after he just signed a four-year, $60.8 million contract extension Monday, including $34.9 million guaranteed. That's great for him, but his Fantasy production hasn't been great lately. In four games with Jerry Jeudy on the field this year, Sutton has combined for 15 PPR points. In his past three games with Jeudy, Sutton has five catches for 78 yards on nine targets, and Teddy Bridgewater hasn't treated Sutton like a go-to option. The Chargers are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and I would try to avoid Sutton and Tim Patrick in most leagues. Jeudy is just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, but I like him the best since Bridgewater has given him 17 targets in his past two games.
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