From our families to yours, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
This is the Fantasy Nerd's look at the best and worst matchups for Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season. Analysis is aggregated from multiple sources including FN. Rankings are based upon PPR (point per reception) scoring. Given the known conditions, these matchups are the ones to watch and/or avoid.
Please Note: This list does not generally include the elite players that you are going to start regardless of matchup. You don't need us to tell you to start Christian McCaffrey, Travis Kelce, or Jalen Hurts. Instead, we take a look at other players on your team that we believe either have great matchups or should be avoided for multiple reasons. Factors like opposing defense, performance trending, and peer comparisons may influence our decisions.
Thanksgiving Day Games
VS
START
QB: Josh Allen
RB: Devin Singletary
RB: Jamaal Williams
RB: D'Andre Swift
WR: Stefon Diggs
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown
WR: Gabriel Davis
WR: Isaiah McKenzie
TE: Dawson KnoxSIT
QB: Jared Goff
RB: James Cook
RB: Justin Jackson
RB: Nyheim Hines
WR: D.J. Chark
WR: Kalif Raymond
WR: Jameson Williams
TE: Brock Wright
VS
START
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Saquon Barkley
RB: Tony Pollard
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR: CeeDee Lamb
WR: Darius Slayton
WR: Michael Gallup
TE: Dalton SchultzSIT
QB: Daniel Jones
RB: Matt Breida
WR: Noah Brown
WR: Richie James
WR: Isaiah Hodgins
WR: Kenny Golladay
WR: Lawrence Cager
VS
START
RB: Rhamondre Stevenson
RB: Dalvin Cook
WR: Justin Jefferson
WR: Jakobi Meyers
TE: T.J. HockensonSIT
QB: Mac Jones
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Damien Harris
RB: Alexander Mattison
WR: Adam Thielen
WR: DeVante Parker
WR: K.J. Osborn
WR: Tyquan Thornton
WR: Nelson Agholor
WR: Kendrick Bourne
TE: Hunter Henry
TE: Jonnu SmithThe Rest of Week 12
Start 'em Geno Smith (SEA, QB)One of the bigger QB surprises this year has to be Geno Smith. He's currently the 7th best fantasy QB on the season and he'll have a sweet matchup in Week 12 against the Raiders. Las Vegas is giving up the third most fantasy points to QBs this year, and with Smith riding a four-game streak of multiple scores, he's primed for a big fantasy day.
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3rd Most Pts to QB
Start 'em Jimmy Garoppolo (SF, QB)It's not a great matchup, but Jimmy Garoppolo should still be able to produce against the Saints. In four of his last five games, Jimmy G has thrown for multiple touchdowns. He's not going to throw four touchdowns like he did last week, but his floor is safe enough to consider him a low-end QB1.
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13th Most Pts to QB
Start 'em Latavius Murray (DEN, RB)What Denver can't accomplish through the air, they should be able to do on the ground. With Melvin Gordon released and Chase Edmonds dealing with an ankle injury, there should be more than enough work for Latavius Murray to be considered an RB2 this week - especially against Carolina's soft run defense.
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5th Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Leonard Fournette (TB, RB)We fully expect Leonard Fournette to return this week. He left Week 10 in the fourth quarter with a hip pointer, but he's had the bye week to rest and should suit up for this one. He'll likely lose some work to Rachaad White who looked dynamic in Fournette's absence. Still, Fournette will likely get the goal line work and remains a low-end RB2/Flex option.
UPDATE: Leonard Fournette is now doubtful. Rachaad White should be in line for additional work and a solid fantasy day.
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2nd Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Chris Olave (NO, WR)The Niners defense is pretty middle of the pack having routinely surrendered double digits every week to the opposing WR, and there's little argument that Olave fits that bill. He has delivered double digits in four of his last five games making him a safe WR for your Week 12 lineups.
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12th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em Christian Kirk (JAC, WR)There's no arguing that Christian Kirk is the top option for QB Trevor Lawrence. He's scored three times in their last two games and has delivered a career-high touchdown total on the season. Next up - a matchup with the Ravens who have been very generous to receivers on the year. He's a safe play and should finish as a WR2.
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7th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em Tyler Higbee (LAR, TE)With two straight games of eight targets, Tyler Higbee is as involved in this offense as the receivers. Kansas City games tend to be high scoring affairs and we want a piece of Higbee in this one. Zach Ertz, Gerald Everett, Dawson Knox, and George Kittle all put up double digit points against the Chiefs on similar target counts this season.
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10th Most Pts to TE
Start 'em David Njoku (CLE, TE)As we suggested last week, David Njoku was likely to struggle and he did. Two catches for 17 yards is the result of him getting worked back in. His results should be better this week against the Bucs. Tight ends have seen success against Tampa Bay.
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8th Most Pts to TE
Start 'em Kansas City Chiefs (KC, DEF)Nobody gives up more fantasy points to defenses than the Rams. Matthew Stafford has already been ruled out for Week 12 so we expect Kansas City to terrorize Bryce Perkins. That's not great if you're a Rams fan (or have Rams receivers), but it means that the KC defense should deliver some tasty points this week.
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Most pts to DEF
Start 'em Jason Sanders (MIA, K)Jason Sanders is the 21st-best kicker and is often overlooked by the fantasy community. He's missed four of this field goal attempts and only has one double-digit game this season so that doesn't help, but he presents a decent option this week. Houston has surrendered double digits to kickers in five of their games this season and will have their hands full with Tua and company. Sanders is most assuredly available on the waiver wire and could deliver his second double-digit game of the year.
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8th Most Pts to K
Sit 'em Aaron Rodgers (GB, QB)The reigning MVP has looked anything but his normal self this year. His luck is not about to change against a Philly defense that has given up fewer points to opposing QBs than any other team. Kyler Murray had the best day against them and that was to the tune of 16 points. Like the Packers playoff chances, Rodgers is a fade.
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Feweset Pts to QB
Sit 'em Russell Wilson (DEN, QB)Even with a prime matchup last week, Russell Wilson failed to deliver for fantasy owners once again. It's to the point that he simply can't be trusted regardless of matchup. He's thrown more than one touchdown in a game just once all season. That's not likely to change against the Panthers.
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15th Most Pts to QB
Sit 'em Kareem Hunt (CLE, RB)Normally Kareem Hunt is in RB/Flex consideration, but in his last five games, he's only delivered one double-digit fantasy day. Whether it's the game script or some other reason, he's simply not as involved in the offense seeing just 6 carries per game over that time. It's tough to trust him if you're struggling to get into the playoffs.
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6th Fewest Pts to RB
Sit 'em AJ Dillon (GB, RB)Like Hunt above, Dillon just isn't as involved in the offense as we'd like to see. With the exception of the season opener, he has only delivered single digits each week for fantasy owners. Even if he were more involved, this isn't a great matchup. The Eagles have bottled up running backs. Over the last 10 weeks, only Jonathan Taylor has been able to produce at least 16 fantasy points. Dillon is not a starting option this week.
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14th Most Pts to RB
Sit 'em D.J. Moore (CAR, WR)It's not a stretch to say that D.J. Moore has largely been a disappointment this season. He's currently the 28th best fantasy WR on the year but he comes into our rankings this week at #35 facing a Denver defense that is giving up the third fewest fantasy points. Moore is fine as a WR3/Flex, but that doesn't make him an exciting option.
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3rd Fewest Pts to WR
Sit 'em Diontae Johnson (PIT, WR)Like Moore above, Diontae Johnson has largely been a disappointment for fantasy owners. He has yet to score a touchdown this season. 10 games and not a single trip to the endzone. Chalk that up to a rookie QB which unfortunately doesn't do fantasy owners much good. Combine that with the fact that nobody gives up fewer points to receivers this year than the Colts and Johnson becomes a solid bench candidate.
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Feweset Pts to WR
Sit 'em Tyler Conklin (NYJ, TE)In the tight end world, Tyler Conklin is certainly a roller coaster. After posting a whopping 25.9 points in Week 8 against the Pats, he followed it up with games of 3.5 points or less. That 3.5 points came in the Patriots rematch just two weeks later. Conklin is widely inconsistent in his weekly production. With no teams on bye this week, there are better options at TE.
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5th Fewest Pts to TE
Sit 'em Trey McBride (ARI, TE)A popular pickup after Zach Ertz was lost for the season, Trey McBride has failed to deliver more than 5 fantasy points. He has seen his fair share of routes and was on the field for 40 snaps last week, so four targets for only 14 yards is a disappointment. We'll see if his fortunes change with Kyler Murray back and health(ier), but he carries too much risk to suggest starting right now.
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7th Most Pts to TE
Sit 'em Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC, DEF)According to ESPN, Jacksonville's defense is improving, but even with the Week 11 bye week to prepare for Baltimore and QB Lamar Jackson, there are defenses with a more enticing Week 12 matchup.
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6th Fewest Pts to DEF
Sit 'em Greg Zuerlein (NYJ, K)Greg the Leg has been one of the more consistent kickers in fantasy this year, but a matchup with the Bears doesn't immediately place him in starting territory. Chicago has only allowed one kicker to produce double digits (Younghoe Koo - 11 points) all year long. You can find another kicker this week.
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9th Fewest Pts to K
