The IDP Guys’ NFL Week 12 Start/Sit List: Offense

---

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:

1. A player in a tough matchup or currently holds ambiguous weekly opportunities in the offense.
2. 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.
3. Currently lacking a clear offensive opportunity in either a projected good or bad offense
4. 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!