Fantasy Focus
Week 12 fantasy football rankings: Chiefs have a matchup to be thankful for
Nov 22, 2017, 7:00 am
Below are my early 1/2 PPR fantasy rankings for Week 12. Most leagues are using points per reception these days, so take that into consideration when looking at the ranks. Six points are awarded for every receiving and rushing TD, and four points for every passing TD. If you are playing in a non-PPR league, pass-catching running backs lose a bit of value and so do possession receivers. Make sure you check the status of players that have been limited or out of practice. The rankings will be updated on Sunday morning.
QB
1 T. Brady NE
2 C. Wentz PHI
3 R. Wilson SEA
4 B. Roethlisberger PIT
5 M. Ryan ATL
6 D. Brees NO
7 C. Newton CAR
8 M. Mariota TEN
9 K. Cousins WAS
10 P. Rivers LAC
11 A. Smith KC
12 J. Goff LAR
13 E. Manning NYG
14 M. Stafford DET
15 D. Prescott DAL
RB
1 L. Bell PIT
2 M. Ingram NO
3 L. Fournette JAC
4 K. Hunt KC
5 L. McCoy BUF
6 M. Gordon LAC
7 A. Kamara NO
8 T. Gurley LAR
9 J. Howard CHI
10 C. Hyde SF
11 C. McCaffrey CAR
12 S. Perine WAS
13 T. Coleman ATL
14 J. McKinnon MIN
15 J. Mixon CIN
16 M. Lynch OAK
17 D. Lewis NE
18 J. Ajayi PHI
19 D. Murray TEN
20 I. Crowell CLE
21 A. Peterson ARI
22 A. Abdullah DET
23 L. Miller HOU
24 A. Morris DAL
25 L. Murray MIN
26 K. Drake MIA
27 B. Powell NYJ
28 A. Collins BAL
29 D. Martin TB
30 J. Williams GB
31 F. Gore IND
32 D. Johnson CLE
33 O. Darkwa NYG
34 D. Woodhead BAL
35 R. Burkhead NE
36 D. Henry TEN
WR
1 A. Brown PIT
2 A. Green CIN
3 J. Jones ATL
4 A. Thielen MIN
5 B. Cooks NE
6 J. Landry MIA
7 D. Hopkins HOU
8 T. Hill KC
9 D. Bryant DAL
10 M. Thomas NO
11 M. Evans TB
12 K. Allen LAC
13 S. Diggs MIN
14 D. Baldwin SEA
15 D. Adams GB
16 T. Hilton IND
17 L. Fitzgerald ARI
18 D. Thomas DEN
19 D. Funchess CAR
20 A. Jeffrey PHI
21 R. Woods LAR
22 G. Tate DET
23 J. Maclin BAL
24 M. Crabtree OAK
25 M. Sanu ATL
26 M. Lee JAC
27 M. Jones DET
28 J. Crowder WAS
29 R. Anderson NYJ
30 J. Smith-Schuster PIT
31 E. Sanders DEN
32 S. Shepard NYG
33 D. Jackson TB
34 C. Davis TEN
35 T. Ginn NO
36 A. Cooper OAK
37 D. Parker MIA
38 N. Agholor PHI
TE
1 T. Kelce KC
2 R. Gronkowski NE
3 Z. Ertz PHI
4 J. Graham SEA
5 E. Engram NYG
6 D. Walker TEN
7 J. Doyle IND
8 V. Davis WAS
9 K. Rudolph MIN
10 A. Seferian-Jenkins NYJ
11 G. Olsen
12 J. Cook OAK
13 A. Hooper ATL
14 J. Witten DAL
15 C. Brate TB
DEF
1 Jaguars
2 Ravens
3 Bengals
4 Steelers
5 Patriots
6 Chargers
7 Broncos
8 Seahawks
9 Falcons
10 Eagles
11 Rams
12 Vikings
13 Chiefs
14 Panthers
Kicker
1 S. Gostkowski NE
2 J. Tucker BAL
3 G. Zuerlein LAR
4 H. Butker KC
5 C. Boswell PIT
6 G. Gano CAR
7 W. Lutz NO
8 R. Succop TEN
9 M. Bryant ATL
10 W. Lutz NO
11 M. Prater DET
12 K. Forbath MIN
13 N. Rose WAS
14 B. Walsh SEA
15 A. Vinatieri IND
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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