Waivering: Week 12

Tue Nov 22 8:23am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Burks could have strong finish


There is some good news this week. There are no bye weeks. So fantasy owners will have a full compliment of players to pick from, barring injury. This is a positive, especially at this time of the year when the injuries start to mount. Now the byes will return for Weeks 13 and 14, which will cause some problems, but enjoy all the teams playing this week while you can. Here are some players to consider grabbing if you are looking for an injury replacement or an upgrade. 

QUARTERBACK

Ryan Tannehill, Titans. Tannehill has returned to the lineup red hot. He has 21-plus fantasy points two straight games. He had his first 300-yard game of the season last week. He has multiple touchdowns each of his last two games. The Titans’ offense is really coming together, which is good news for Tannehill. He is available in 66 percent of leagues. 

Kenny Pickett, Steelers. Pickett seems to be making strides every time out. He was 25-of-42 for 265 yards and a touchdown without a turnover last week. He has not turned the ball over two straight games and has 18-plus fantasy points each of those games. Pickett is capable of the big game in this offense, especially as he continues to grow as a player. He is available in 65 percent of leagues. 

RUNNING BACK 

James Cook, Bills. Cook had a season high in rushing yards last week with 86 and tied a season high in rush attempts with 11. The Bills seem to be gaining confidence in him every week, which could lead to more carries for him going forward. He could be a bigger factor down the stretch in this Bills offense. Cook is available in 54 percent of leagues. 

Justin Jackson, Lions. Jackson had more touches than D’Andre Swift last week. He had nine carries for 66 yards and caught a pass for 11 yards. He has at least four touches three straight games and is getting weekly touches in the Lions offense. He won’t produce huge numbers in his current role, but has value in deeper fantasy formats. He is available in 98 percent of leagues. 

Cam Akers, Rams. Akers got the second most carries of his season last week, leading the way in the Rams backfield. He ran 14 times for 61 yards. He seems to be getting back in good graces with the Rams coaching staff, which bodes well for the rest of his season. He might end up being the lead back once again. Many teams dropped Akers, so he is available in 48 percent of leagues. He might be worth grabbing based on his usage in Week 11. 

Latavius Murray, Broncos. Murray has double-digit fantasy points three of four games. He had a season-high 17.2 fantasy points last week, getting 21 touches in the game. He is the back to trust right now in this Broncos backfield, especially after the release of Melvin Gordon. And Murray is available in some leagues still, being out there in 33 percent of leagues.  

RECEIVER

Demarcus Robinson, Ravens. Robinson has really emerged as the go-to receiver for the Ravens with Rashod Bateman out of the lineup. He had a huge game last week, catching nine passes for 128 yards on nine targets. He has double-digit fantasy points two of three games. His workload is becoming a trend and not a fluke. He has real value for fantasy teams and is available in 95 percent of leagues. 

Terrace Marshall, Panthers. Marshall hit double-digit fantasy points for the third time in four games last week. He has really becoming the most consistent Panthers receiver in the passing game despite the Panthers having all sorts of issues at quarterback. Marshall has hit this list in recent weeks, but remains available in 68 percent of leagues. 

Darius Slayton, Giants. Slayton continues to emerge in the Giants passing game. He had a season-high 10 targets last week and has double-digit fantasy points four straight games. He seems to make this list every week, but continues to be available in leagues. Slayton is available in 32 percent of leagues on our site. He really is worth owning in all formats, especially after the season-ending injury to Wan’Dale Robinson. 

Treylon Burks, Titans. Burks was drafted in most leagues before the season but dropped after a slow start and injury in many leagues. He is back and playing well, though. He had his first 100-yard game as a pro last week, catching seven passes for 111 yards on eight targets. Burks is as talented as any rookie receiver and could be a difference maker down the stretch for fantasy owners. He is available in 56 percent of leagues. 

TIGHT END

Juwan Johnson, Saints. Johnson scored a touchdown for the third straight game last week and has scored four of five games. He has become a legit starting tight end for fantasy owners. He remains available in 35 percent of leagues. 

Logan Thomas, Commanders. Thomas had his first double-digit fantasy performance in Week 11 for the first time since Week 2. It was encouraging to see him get five catches for 65 yards on six targets. Thomas is more than capable of producing some good fantasy games. He might be getting his footing after a slow start and injury issues. He has 10 targets the last two games and is available in 88 percent of leagues. 

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Relief Pitcher Preview

Player Notes
Raheem Blackshear Mar 28 8:10pm CT
Raheem Blackshear

The Carolina Panthers have agreed on a deal with running back Raheem Blackshear. The two sides have agreed on a one year deal worth $985,000 for the 2024 season. The 24-year-old will return to Carolina after spending each of the last two seasons with the organization. He has mainly been used as a reserve back and special teams player. Through two seasons, Blackshear has 37 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns in 25 games. There is unlikely to be fantasy value here unless Carolina loses one or two running backs due to injury.

From RotoBaller

Cody Davis Mar 28 3:50pm CT
Cody Davis

Veteran safety Cody Davis is retiring from the NFL, according to his X account on Thursday. Davis originally went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2013, but he was signed by the St. Louis Rams as a free agent and spent five years with the organization. He then played two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before four years with the New England Patriots. Overall, the 34-year-old compiled 117 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and eight passes defended in 144 games over 11 years. He was primarily a special teamer and depth player, so it's not a significant loss for the Patriots heading into 2024.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Mar 28 3:40pm CT
Rome Odunze

Former Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze has upcoming meetings with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears at their respective facilities, he told Brady Henderson of ESPN. The 21-year-old is projected to be selected in the early first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and most analysts rank him just behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers. He is coming off a 92-catch, 1,640-yard, 13-touchdown season in 2023, and he impressed at the NFL Combine. Arizona holds the No. 4 pick, New York holds the No. 10 pick, and Chicago owns the No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks. Oduzne will be a highly sought-after fantasy football rookie next year regardless of his landing spot, but target competition in Chicago and New York could make it tough for him to have a massive breakout in his first season as a pro. That said, he's viewed as an elite prospect, so anything is possible.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Mar 28 3:40pm CT
Olamide Zaccheaus

Free-agent wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has agreed to terms to sign with the Washington Commanders, according to John Keim of ESPN. Zaccheaus was originally undrafted out of Virginia in the 2019 class, and he spent four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before one year with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Overall, the 26-year-old has hauled in 104 passes for 1,492 yards and 10 touchdowns through his first 72 NFL games. With Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson on the roster and Washington likely to take shots on wide receivers in next month's draft, Zaccheaus is unlikely to have a path toward fantasy success in 2024, barring injury. He's likely just a depth piece for a franchise looking to rebuild on the fly.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Mar 28 1:50pm CT
Jayden Daniels

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels had a solid workout during his school's pro day on Wednesday after he chose not to throw at the NFL scouting combine in February. Daniels measured in at 6-foot-3 5/8 and 210 pounds with 9 3/8-inch hands. He didn't run a 40-yard dash or do any other athletic testing, but he completed 52 of his 56 passes. Most of Daniels' misfires came on deeper passes and throws outside the numbers. He appeared to improve as his throwing session went on. "I can't say that it's been an A-plus workout, but it's been solid," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. Daniels' pro day session might not have been a game-changer for his outlook, but he was pleased with the results as a whole, and he's still expected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft, possibly as early as No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders.

From RotoBaller

Brian Thomas Jr. Mar 28 1:50pm CT
Brian Thomas Jr.

Although LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. stands in the shadow of teammate Malik Nabers for the upcoming NFL draft, the 6-foot-2 7/8, 209-pounder is viewed as a possible top-20 pick in April. "He's about as naturally talented as you can find at the position," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. "Big, fast, physical. Runs great routes. Natural catcher. Does a really good job of watching the ball into his hands. He can shine." The biggest question for Thomas is whether he can step outside the shadow of Nabors and be an alpha dog for an NFL team. Because he didn't work out at LSU's pro day on Wednesday, Thomas may not have answered that question completely, but it doesn't mean that a receiver-needy team won't be willing to take him in the first round in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Josiah Deguara Mar 28 1:30pm CT
Josiah Deguara

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, according to a source. Deguara will head to the AFC after spending the first four years of his NFL career playing for the Packers. Green Bay took him in the third round (94th overall) in 2020 out of Cincinnati. In his four years with the team, he recorded 47 catches on 58 targets for 436 yards and only two touchdowns in 50 games played (10 starts). In 15 regular-season games (four starts) in 2023, the 27-year-old caught just eight passes for 65 yards and no scores. Deguara will mostly be useful to the Jaguars for his blocking skills on offense and on special teams, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to make an impact catching the ball behind Evan Engram, the team's top pass-catching tight end.

From RotoBaller

Ed Oliver Mar 28 1:30pm CT
Ed Oliver

The Buffalo Bills signed free-agent defensive tackle DeShawn Williams to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday. Williams will give the Bills continued depth for their defensive tackle room that went into free agency with just Ed Oliver and Eli Ankou under contract. The 31-year-old Williams played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Carolina Panthers last year and finished with 33 tackles (13 solo) and seven QB hits. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2016 with the Cincinnati Bengals out of Clemson, and the Bills will be the fourth different team he's played for in six seasons. In total, Williams has racked up 148 tackles (72 solo), nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 30 QB hits, one interception and nine passes defended in 66 games (44 starts). Williams will be off the IDP fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Michael Hoecht Mar 28 1:10pm CT
Michael Hoecht

The Los Angeles Rams re-signed linebacker Michael Hoecht to an undisclosed deal earlier this week. Hoecht didn't receive any offers from other teams this offseason after the Rams placed a right-of-first-refusal tender on him. The 26-year-old entered the NFL in 2021 with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Brown University and he has 124 tackles (74 solo), 10.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 20 QB hits and two forced fumbles in 51 games (26 starts) in his three seasons in the league. Last year he started in all 17 regular-season games for LA and recorded a career-high 81 tackles (45 solo), a career-high six sacks, seven tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and a forced fumble.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Mar 28 10:00am CT
J.K. Dobbins

Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) is scheduled to visit with the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former Baltimore Raven suffered a torn Achilles early in the 2023 campaign, but he was cleared for football activities this week, so he will likely start drawing more interest on the free-agent market. Originally a second-round pick by Baltimore in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, Dobbins posted 805 rushing yards and nine scores on just 134 attempts (6.0 YPC) as a rookie, but he missed the entire 2021 campaign with a torn ACL. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry in 2022 and saw his 2023 season end after just eight rushing attempts with an Achilles injury. Given his injury woes early in his career, it's fair to be concerned about his future production. Regardless of his landing spot, he's likely to be eased into action, meaning his fantasy upside is capped early in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Geno Smith Mar 27 7:10pm CT
Geno Smith

The Seattle Seahawks are looking to make some additions to their offensive line this offseason. Recently, Seahawks general manager John Schneider said the team has a lot to figure out on the o-line. This team is without left guard Damien Lewis and right guard Phil Haynes who both left for free agency. Possibly, the Seahawks use the 16th overall pick in the draft to add some offensive line. It appears Seattle is still looking to compete next season with Geno Smith slated to be under center. Most of the Seahawks offensive weapons are back, but this team could be in serious trouble if they don't patch up their o-line soon.

From RotoBaller

Nate Sudfeld Mar 27 7:00pm CT
Nate Sudfeld

The Detroit Lions have re-signed quarterback Nate Sudfeld on Wednesday. The 30-year-old served as the backup to Jared Goff during the 2022 season. He was slated to compete with Teddy Bridgewater, but he has retired this offseason. That being said, Sudfeld figures to compete with Hendon Hooker for the backup job in Detroit next season. The former sixth-round pick has played in six games since debuting in 2017. Sudfeld won't offer any fantasy value heading into next season.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Mar 27 3:50pm CT
Malik Nabers

Former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers impressed at the University's Pro Day on Wednesday, running an unofficial 4.35 40-yard dash and excelling in both the vertical jump (42") and broad jump (10'9"). The 20-year-old is coming off a spectacular junior campaign consisting of catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. His excellent athletic testing numbers certainly won't hurt his draft stock, and many analysts believe he could be taken ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft next month. Nabers has visited or will visit with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and New York Giants this week.

From RotoBaller

Jadeveon Clowney Mar 27 3:30pm CT
Jadeveon Clowney

Free-agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is signing a two-year, $24 million contract with the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens, and it was one of the best campaigns of his career. He tied a career-high with 9.5 sacks and did not miss a game for the first time since 2017. The 31-year-old still has plenty of ability, but his surroundings in Carolina won't be as strong as they were with the Ravens. The South Carolina native is now closer to home, and he'll look to help the struggling franchise accelerate its rebuild in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Jalyn Holmes Mar 27 2:20pm CT
Jalyn Holmes

The New York Jets re-signed defensive end Jalyn Holmes to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday. The Minnesota Vikings originally took Holmes with their fourth-round selection (102nd overall) in 2018 out of Ohio State. He spent the first three years of his career in Minnesota before one-year stops with the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Jets each of the last three seasons. In just five games in New York in 2023, the 28-year-old pass-rusher had five tackles (three solo) and one sack. Holmes' first defensive snaps for the Jets last year didn't come until the regular season finale. He will be competing for a depth role once again on the team's defensive line in training camp this summer.

From RotoBaller

Neville Hewitt Mar 27 2:10pm CT
Neville Hewitt

The Houston Texans and free-agent linebacker Neville Hewitt, who led the league in 2023 in special teams tackles, reached an agreement on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to a source. In 16 regular-season games (zero starts) last year in his third year with the Texans, Hewitt had 14 tackles (eight solo). The 30-year-old was a standout on special teams but played just four defensive snaps and is unlikely to be a big part of Houston's defense again in 2024. In his nine-year NFL career with the Texans, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, Hewitt has recorded a total of 440 tackles (284 solo), 7.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, three interceptions, 13 passes defended, two forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 129 games (44 starts).

From RotoBaller

Sam Franklin Mar 27 2:10pm CT
Sam Franklin

The Carolina Panthers re-signed safety and special teams ace Sam Franklin on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to a source. Franklin, a former undrafted free agent out of Temple, began his NFL career in 2020 with the Panthers and has spent all four of his NFL seasons with the organization. The 28-year-old defensive back had a career-high 30 tackles (20 solo) and an interception returned for a touchdown in 17 games (four starts) in his fourth year in Carolina in 2023. Franklin played 310 snaps on special teams and will likely continue in that role in his fifth year with the team in 2024. In his four NFL campaigns, Franklin has just 97 tackles (69 solo), one sack, the interception returned for a score, five passes defended and a force fumble in 64 games (nine starts).

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Mar 27 2:00pm CT
Jayden Daniels

The Las Vegas Raiders may be targeting a quarterback that can escape the pocket and pick up chunk gains with his legs in the upcoming NFL draft. When asked what type of QB gives opposing defenses the most problems from his experience as a former linebacker, head coach Anthony Pierce said, "A damn runner." The Raiders are scheduled to meet with LSU QB and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels on Wednesday after his pro-day workout. Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns for the Tigers last year and also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. In order to snag Daniels, the Raiders will likely have to move up from 13th overall in the first round, and the team has expressed the willingness to do what it takes to make that happen. Pierce recruited Daniels out of Southern California five years ago to play at Arizona State, so he's very familiar with him.

From RotoBaller

Talanoa Hufanga Mar 27 2:00pm CT
Talanoa Hufanga

The San Francisco 49ers expect safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) to return from his ACL injury "sometime in training camp" this summer, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The head coach also sounded optimistic about Hufanga's ability to return to 100 percent of his old self. The Niners would like to add a safety, but they told recent visitor Julian Blackmon that a new addition wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed a starting spot in 2024. Hufanga probably won't be ready to go for Day 1 of training camp as he works his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 11 of 2023. The 24-year-old defensive back is one of the rising young options at his position in IDP fantasy leagues when healthy. Hufanga had 52 tackles and three interceptions last year before suffering his season-ending injury.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Mar 27 1:50pm CT
Tank Bigsby

It's clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars want to keep lead running back Travis Etienne Jr. fresh for the entire season in 2024. In the final six games in 2023, the Jaguars averaged just 79 yards per game on the ground. They finished 23rd overall with 96.8 yards per game on the ground. In an effort to keep Etienne fresher, part of the team's plan in the run game is getting second-year back Tank Bigsby more involved. He played just 141 snaps in his rookie season, carrying the ball 50 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. A couple of fluky turnovers ensured he didn't see much more time down the stretch. "We have to get Tank going, the bottom line. He is too good, that's why we drafted him. I think early he had some 'what is that' type plays for whatever reason right or wrong. Again, in and out of the lineup," said head coach Doug Pederson.

From RotoBaller