Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver advice: Who to start and who to sit

It’s Week 12, folks! Time to set those fantasy lineups! Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I’ll examine the wide receivers who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent … like Jauan Jennings and DeAndre Hopkins in Week 11!

For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and me as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!

Byes and Key Matchups

Before diving into the specifics, let’s note the teams on bye this week: Bengals, Bills, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, and Saints. With six teams out, fantasy managers will need to dig deep into their rosters.

Start of the Week

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is the start of the week. McLaurin disappeared in the stat sheets last week, scoring just two points on two targets in a loss to the Eagles. However, he had posted great totals in his eight previous games, and I like him to bounce back in a plus matchup against the Cowboys. Their defense has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers, which is where McLaurin runs 87 percent of his routes.

Start ‘Em

Let’s look at some wide receivers who are primed for success this week:

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Smith-Njigba is red hot lately, scoring a combined 48.8 fantasy points over his last two games. He’s seen a ridiculous 24 targets in that span. Start the Ohio State product against the Cardinals, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing slot receivers this year. That’s where JSN runs more than 81 percent of his routes.

2. Marvin Harrison Jr. at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Harrison Jr. has been difficult to predict during his rookie season, alternating good and bad stat lines for the last month. However, with six teams on bye, I’d start him in a favorable matchup against the Seahawks, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers this season.

3. DeVonta Smith at Rams (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Smith’s numbers have not been great lately, scoring just 10.3 points on nine targets over the last two weeks. Still, I’m sticking with him in what could be a high-scoring game against the Rams, who have allowed the fourth-most points per game to perimeter receivers.

4. Josh Downs vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Downs scored a solid 19.4 fantasy points in a win over the Jets last week, and I’d keep him active again this week against a Lions defense that has allowed the most points to slot receivers this season.

WRs With Good Matchups

Here’s a quick recap of the wide receivers with favorable matchups this week:

• Amon-Ra St. Brown at Colts
• A.J. Brown at Rams
• Justin Jefferson at Bears
• Puka Nacua vs. Eagles
• Nico Collins vs. Titans
• Cooper Kupp vs. Eagles
• Malik Nabers vs. Buccaneers
• Terry McLaurin vs. Cowboys
• CeeDee Lamb at Commanders
• Mike Evans at Giants

Sit of the Week

On the flip side, we have Courtland Sutton of the Broncos as the sit of the week. Sutton has been one of the hottest wide receivers in fantasy football, but this is more of a “temper your expectations” post than a hard sit ‘em. The Raiders have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers, and Sutton hasn’t beaten them for more than 13.2 points in their last four meetings.

Sit ‘Em

Now, let’s look at some wide receivers you might want to avoid this week:

1. Christian Watson vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Watson went off last week with 150 yards and 19 fantasy points against the Bears. However, he saw just four targets and hasn’t scored double digits since Week 6. The 49ers have surrendered the fifth-fewest receiving yards per game, making this a risky start.

2. Tank Dell vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Dell’s performance has been inconsistent, and with the return of Nico Collins, his target share could decrease. The Titans have allowed the fourth-fewest points per game to wideouts, so proceed with caution.

3. Jordan Addison at Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Addison has scored a touchdown and 15-plus points in two of his last three games, but he faces a tough matchup in Chicago. The Bears have surrendered the fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers.

4. Jaylen Waddle vs. Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Waddle has been a disappointment this season, scoring no more than 8.5 points since Week 2. Even against a Patriots defense that just struggled against the Rams, I can’t recommend starting Waddle unless you’re in dire straits.

Final Thoughts

As we gear up for Week 12, remember that the right start-sit decisions can make or break your fantasy week. Keep an eye on matchups, player trends, and injuries as you finalize your lineups. Good luck, and may your fantasy team thrive this week!