No one will ever be able to explain the NFL schedule when it comes to bye weeks. This week we have SIX teams on bye. That’s a ton of fantasy players you can’t use. What’s even worse is next week there are none. So what are you to do? You probably have more than one flex spot needing to be filled and you are probably searching for options. We are here to help you out. Here are the Week 12 wide receiver streamers and sleepers.
Wide receiver streamers
Jerry Jeudy- Cleveland Browns
How can you not be starting Jerry Jeudy after the last three games he has had? Three straight weeks with at least 70 yards. He has two consecutive weeks of 11 targets. Despite all of that he seems to still be flying under the radar. Maybe it’s his history of letting fantasy managers down. Maybe it’s the fact that the Cleveland Browns are not great and they have Jameis Winston as their quarterback. Whatever the reason it needs to stop, Jerry Jeudy is someone you can start most weeks in your flex and he has WR2 upside.
This week will be a short week for the Browns since they play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Does that give an advantage to the offense or the defense? I think it’s an advantage offense. They can run the same plays they have been practicing and just need to improve on what might not have worked the week before. The matchup for Jeudy is positive this week. The Steelers’ best corner is Joey Porter Jr. He is rated as the 85th-best cover corner by PFF.com. I think the Browns will continue to run three-wide sets with Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Elijah Moore. This gives the Browns and Winston the option to find the best matchups and take advantage. With Juedy being so involved lately I don’t see that trend changing.
Jakobi Meyers- Las Vegas Raiders
I’ve always thought Jakobi Meyers was underrated especially by the fantasy community. He just goes out there and puts up solid numbers week in and week out. He rarely has the massive game but also rarely lets you down. While the Raiders have been a letdown this year Meyers is quietly putting together a solid wide receiver two type season. Since coming back from injury he has averaged 8 targets over those three games.
Week 12 brings a divisional matchup against the surging Denver Broncos. While the Broncos have a top corner in Patrick Surtain II, they struggle after that. It will be on the Raiders to get Meyers in preferred matchups and not across from Surtain. I believe they can do that. Without a true number one guy it’s hard to single out any of the wide outs. Meyers is the best of the bunch but Tre Tucker and DJ Turner have played well this season. Meyers is falling behind rookie star tight end Brock Bowers for targets but Bowers’s ascension to stardom has opened up room in the middle of the field for Meyers which is where he excels. I expect more of that this week. It’s a divisional game which can be wonky but in the first matchup between these two teams, Meyers caught six of his nine targets for 72 yards. If he repeats that you will be excited to use him as a wide receiver streamer.
Jameson Williams- Detroit Lions
The Lions are the best team in the NFL. Their offense is clicking. The run game is punishing. The passing attack is dynamic and their coach is unrelenting. All those things are great signs for Jameson Williams. After a rough start to his career, this year has been a highlight. Even with missing two games due to suspension, he has put up solid numbers. He has over 50 yards in six of his eight games. He is doing that while only averaging 5 targets a game. He is a part of this offense that is looking to put up another show in Week 12.
It’s a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. A team that has struggled but has shown plenty of big-play potential. The defense has kept the Colts in most games. A big part of that is their secondary. Kenny Moore II is the star there. He is rated as the third-best corner by PFF.com. Who will be covering Amon-Ra St Brown for most of the game? Moore moves into the slot on three wide sets which is where St Brown goes as well. The question for Williams is how often will he be across from Samuel Womack III vs Jaylon Jones. We want to see Williams across from Jones. He is rated as the 68th-best corner. It’s a matchup that Williams can exploit. Williams will have to be solid with his routes with safety Julian Blackmon patrolling deep but Williams has size and speed to separate and catch the ball. The possibility to have a massive day is always there but Williams has only disappointed you twice this season. That sort of consistency is hard to find.
Wide receiver Sleepers
DeMario Douglas- New England Patriots
When I’m looking for a wide receiver sleeper I look for a guy doing a lot with few opportunities. DeMario Douglas has been doing it all season. He has only played on over 70% of the Patriots snaps twice this season. Despite that, he is second on the team in targets by a wide margin. The Patriots have been rotating their wide receivers but Douglas seems to be setting himself up to be a steady force on the team.
The Patriots will be facing the Miami Dolphins. At a quick glance, you might not like the matchup. The Dolphins have the best cornerback in the NFL in Jalen Ramsey. When we look at it further Douglas has run 80% of his routes out of the slot this year. Ramsey rarely goes to the slot receiver unless it’s a star. Douglas does not fit that category yet. So in the slot, he should see coverage from Kader Kohou, who rates as the 82nd-best cover corner. The Dolphins also don’t have a great back half of the secondary with both of their safeties outside the top 50. Drake Maye has been playing well and reading the defense and finding the advantageous matchups is the next step in his development. I expect him to do that this week in a crucial divisional matchup. He should be looking for Douglas who has game-breaking speed and can score on every touch of the ball.
Xavier Worthy- Kansas City Chiefs
How impactful was the Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills? Well, it puts the one seed in the AFC playoffs back up for grabs. It’s not a complete team derailleur but it’s a significant blow. A big part of that blow is that the offense was on the same page at times but at other times they looked off. I expect head coach Andy Reid to fix that and use the Week 12 matchup against the hapless Carolina Panthers as a live practice. That bodes well for rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy. What we saw in the Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills was the Chiefs trying to get Worthy involved in creative ways and utilize his speed. Not only in jet sweeps and bubble screens but on go routes and deep outs.
They should continue that against the Panthers. While they aren’t a great team the Panthers do have a good cornerback in Jaycee Horn. He should be across from DeAndre Hopkins. That leaves Worthy across from Mike Jackson. PFF.com rates Jackson as the 45th-best cover corner. A tough matchup for sure but Worthy should be able to use his speed to get open. In a get-right game, I expect the Chiefs to score early, often, and not take their foot off the pedal. Worthy should be heavily involved. With his speed, every time he touches the Worthy can score. You can’t ask for more than that from a wide receiver sleeper. Did I mention the Chiefs just lost to the Buffalo Bills? One guess on who my team is. Go Bills!
Jalen McMillan- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t just coming off the bye week they are also hoping to get future hall of famer Mike Evans back in the lineup as well. If he does suit up I think it’s just an extra boost to the stock of rookie wideout Jalen McMillan. A player who scored on the first reception of his career but has dealt with injuries and has been fairly unrosterable or fantasy since then. There was lots of buzz about him coming into the season but he hasn’t yet strung enough games together to make you happy. I think this week could be that week.
First off McMillan had two solid games before the bye week. He was back to playing over 50% of the team’s snaps with an 81% in Week 10. He also saw 15 targets over those two games. He was coming off an injury in Week 9 so that explains his low snap count. He is someone the team wanted to involve before the injuries to Evans and Chris Godwin. Now that he is back from his own injury he should be the one playing on two wide sets opposite Evans. The New York Giants don’t have good corners so McMillan can take advantage. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has been playing lights out this season. Coming off a bye I expect them to dial up so designed plays to get Baker comfortable and to get their rookie playmaker involved. It’s a deep play to start a guy who is probably on waivers right now but with all the byes this week, you might be desperate. McMillan might just be the sleeper to get you through.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 12 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!