Find success this weekend with the NFL Week 12 Start/Sit offense list!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! It is a special time of the year where we celebrate with loved ones over a delicious meal to recognize all that we are thankful for. Jonathan Taylor and Austin Ekeler gave fantasy General Managers a lot to be thankful for in Week 11. The unique Week 12 slate is here and the playoff push is getting serious. Let's check out the Week 12 start/sit offense edition!
Whether you are fighting for a playoff spot, battling for playoff seeding, or playing for personal pride the Week 12 slate is robust with only two teams on bye. The Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs have the week off; hopefully you have already anticipated replacing the large voids in James Conner, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and perennial TE1 Travis Kelce.
Before we get into the Week 12 matchups, I wanted to remind you about the "Trust, If You Must, and Bust" system. What is important to know and remember is that it is a confidence spectrum for start/sit decisions.
For example, I have shaky confidence in someone like Javonte Williams. He is extremely talented but is splitting the workload in the Denver Broncos backfield which makes him a good but not great Flex-caliber option. He will fit into the "If You Must" category because of the limited opportunity share. Make sure the system (explained below) is clear to you before you consider your options.
The "Trust, If You Must, and Bust" System:
“Trust” = Strong start, a player who should be started in all formats!
“If You Must” = Weak start, a player who is good enough to be a starter, but faces a tough matchup or holds an unclear opportunity in a good offense. Some caution should be used while the risk is recognized, as this is often league format dependent.
If you play in a shallow league, I would lean towards benching this player if you have a decent replacement option. In a deep league, I would lean towards starting, since the options may be more scarce. Either way, expectations should be managed.
“Bust” = Keep on your bench, at least for now. These players should be avoided since stronger options at the relative position should be considered first. These are players who fit into one of the following categories:
- A player in a tough matchup or currently holds ambiguous weekly opportunities in the offense.
- A strong bench stash for season-long purposes but currently in a “wait and see” period. Wait and see if their role expands for starter caliber consideration. For example, this type of player may be a strong backup RB behind a stud in an elite offense or could be in line for a big workload if the starter misses time.
- Currently lacking a clear offensive opportunity in either a projected good or bad offense
- Is too volatile on a week-to-week basis. There is no need to play boom or bust type players if you can help it.
Weekly Start/Sit Decision Reminders
Be sure to always be mindful of weekly injury reports and gameday inactive announcements as this could pivot a weak starter into a strong starter!
Be sure to always leave the FLEX spot(s) free of Thursday players; THIS WEEK IS AN EXCEPTION!
Thanksgiving Day
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Bears
Trust – David Montgomery RB
If You Must – Andy Dalton QB, Allen Robinson WR (if active), Darnell Mooney WR
Bust - Cole Kmet TE, Khalil Herbert RB
Lions
Trust – D'Andre Swift RB, T.J. Hockenson TE
If You Must – Jamaal Williams RB (if active), Amon-Ra St. Brown WR
Bust - Jared Goff QB
Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys
Raiders
Trust – Darren Waller TE, Josh Jacobs RB, Hunter Renfrow WR
If You Must – Derek Carr QB, Bryan Edwards WR, Kenyan Drake RB
Bust - Zay Jones WR
Cowboys
Trust – Dak Prescott QB, Ezekiel Elliott RB (if active), Amari Cooper WR, Michael Gallup WR, Dalton Schultz TE
If You Must – Tony Pollard RB (TRUST if Elliott is inactive), Cedrick Wilson WR
Buffalo Bills at New Orleans Saints
Bills
Trust – Josh Allen QB, Stefon Diggs WR, Dawson Knox TE
If You Must – Devin Singletary RB, Zack Moss RB, Cole Beasley WR, Emmanuel Sanders WR
Bust - Gabriel Davis WR
Saints
Trust – Alvin Kamara RB (if active)
If You Must – Trevor Siemian QB, Mark Ingram RB (TRUST if Kamara is inactive), Marquez Callaway WR
Bust - TreQuan Smith WR, Deonte Harris WR
Sunday Early Afternoon Slate
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Eagles
Trust – Jalen Hurts QB, DeVonta Smith WR, Dallas Goedert TE (if active)
If You Must – Boston Scott RB, Jordan Howard RB
Bust - Jalen Reagor WR, Quez Watkins WR, Kenneth Gainwell RB
Giants
Trust- Saquon Barkley RB, Sterling Shepard WR (if active)
If You Must - Devontae Booker RB (if Saquon Barkley inactive), Daniel Jones QB, Evan Engram TE, Kenny Golladay WR, Kadarius Toney WR (if active)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Steelers
Trust – Najee Harris RB, Diontae Johnson WR, Chase Claypool WR (if active), Pat Freiermuth TE
If You Must - Ben Roethlisberger QB (if active)
Bengals
Trust – Joe Burrow QB, Ja'Marr Chase WR, Tee Higgins WR, Joe Mixon RB
If You Must - Tyler Boyd WR, C.J. Uzomah TE
Bust - Samaje Perine RB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts
Buccaneers
Trust – Tom Brady QB, Mike Evans WR, Chris Godwin WR, Leonard Fournette RB, Rob Gronkowski TE
Bust - Ronald Jones RB
Colts
Trust – Jonathan Taylor RB, Michael Pittman WR
If You Must - Carson Wentz QB, Nyheim Hines RB, T.Y. Hilton WR
Bust - Mo Alie-Cox TE, Jack Doyle TE
Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins
Panthers
Trust – Christian McCaffrey RB, D.J. Moore WR, Cam Newton QB
If You Must - Robby Anderson WR
Bust – Chuba Hubbard RB (remains a bench stash)
Dolphins
Trust - Mike Gesicki TE, Myles Gaskin RB, Tua Tagovailoa QB, Jaylen Waddle WR
Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots
Titans
Trust – A.J. Brown WR (if active), Ryan Tannehill QB
If You Must - D'Onta Foreman RB, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine WR (if Brown is inactive)
Bust - Jeremy McNichols RB, Dontrell Hilliard RB
Patriots
Trust - Rhamondre Stevenson RB, Damien Harris RB, Hunter Henry TE
If You Must – Jakobi Meyers WR, Mac Jones QB
Bust - Kendrick Bourne WR, Brandon Bolden RB, Nelson Agholor WR
Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars
Falcons
Trust – Kyle Pitts TE, Cordarrelle Patterson RB (if active)
If You Must - Matt Ryan QB, Russell Gage WR, Mike Davis RB (if Patterson is inactive)
Bust - Qadree Ollison RB, Wayne Gallman RB
Jaguars
Trust – James Robinson RB, Dan Arnold TE, Marvin Jones WR
If You Must – Laviska Shenault WR, Trevor Lawrence QB
New York Jets at Houston Texans
Jets
Trust - Ty Johnson RB
If You Must - Corey Davis WR, Jamison Crowder WR, Elijah Moore WR
Bust - Zach Wilson QB, Tevin Coleman RB
Texans
Trust – Brandin Cooks WR
If You Must - Nico Collins WR, Tyrod Taylor QB, David Johnson RB, Rex Burkhead RB
Sunday Mid Afternoon Slate
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
Chargers
Trust – Justin Herbert QB, Austin Ekeler RB, Keenan Allen WR, Mike Williams WR
Bust - Justin Jackson RB, Larry Rountree RB, Jared Cook TE
Broncos
Trust – Courtland Sutton WR, Jerry Jeudy WR, Noah Fant TE
If You Must – Melvin Gordon RB, Javonte Williams RB, Tim Patrick WR, Teddy Bridgewater QB
Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
Rams
Trust – Matthew Stafford QB, Cooper Kupp, WR, Darrell Henderson RB, Tyler Higbee TE
If You Must – Odell Beckham Jr. WR, Van Jefferson WR, Sony Michel RB
Packers
Trust – Aaron Rodgers QB, Davante Adams WR, AJ Dillon RB
If You Must - Allen Lazard WR, Randall Cobb WR, Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
Vikings
Trust - Kirk Cousins QB, Dalvin Cook RB, Alexander Mattison RB (only if ever Cook is inactive), Justin Jefferson WR, Adam Thielen WR
If You Must – Tyler Conklin TE
Bust - K.J. Osborn WR
49ers
Trust – George Kittle TE, Deebo Samuel WR, Elijah Mitchell RB (if active), Jimmy Garoppolo QB
If You Must – Jeff Wilson RB (if Mitchell inactive), Brandon Aiyuk WR
Sunday Night Football
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
Browns
Trust – Nick Chubb RB, Jarvis Landry WR
If You Must – Baker Mayfield QB
Bust - D'Ernest Johnson RB, Donovan Peoples-Jones WR, Rashard Higgins WR, Austin Hooper TE, David Njoku TE
Ravens
Trust – Lamar Jackson QB, Mark Andrews TE, Marquise Brown WR, Rashod Bateman WR, Devonta Freeman RB
Bust – Latavius Murray RB (bench stash)
Monday Night Football
Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team
Seahawks
Trust – Russell Wilson QB, D.K. Metcalf WR, Tyler Lockett WR, Alex Collins RB
If You Must - Gerald Everett TE
Bust - DeeJay Dallas RB
Football Team
Trust – Antonio Gibson RB, Terry McLaurin WR, Taylor Heinicke QB, Logan Thomas TE (if active)
If You Must – J.D. McKissic RB
Good luck with your Week 12 start/sit offense selections and enjoy the games!
