FANTASY FOOTBALL ADD/DROPS
Week 12 working the waiver wire: Movers and Bakers
Nov 19, 2019, 4:26 pm
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Week 12 is upon us, which means the fantasy playoffs are right around the corner. This week, 4 teams won't be playing (Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings) so expect this to be a fairly busy week on the waiver wire. Keep in mind the owner % mentioned is for 10-team standard ESPN PPR leagues. Some of these players below are good for the short-term, while others have more long-term value. You have to make the call on what your team needs. Immediate help to start this week, or a player to stash on your bench and hope he breaks out. Let's get started.
QB
Baker Mayfield: He's only rostered in 45% of ESPN 10-team leagues, and he plays the Dolphins this week.
Jacoby Brissett: He threw for over 300 yards and 4 TDs that last time he played the Texans, so he's worth considering for sure. He's available in 50% of leagues.
Sam Darnold: He's only rostered in 12% of leagues, and he gets the Raiders on Sunday. The matchup doesn't get much better, so grab him if you need him.
Nick Foles: He's available in 80% of leagues and his schedule is pretty nice down the stretch. He plays the Titans this week but next week is really where it's at. He plays the Bucs at home who have been dreadful at stopping the pass.
RB
Jonathan Williams: The Colts' backfield is a little murky right now, and we don't know if Jordan Wilkins will play this week. If Wilkins is out, Williams should get the work on 1st and 2nd down with Nyheim Hines getting the touches on passing downs. Marlon Mack isn't expected to miss a lot of time, so these are short-term options. Williams is widely available.
Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson: They split the workload pretty evenly last week, so they both might be usable against the Lions defense this week. Detroit is at the bottom of the league when it comes to stopping the run, so it's a beautiful matchup. Guice is rostered in 47% of leagues and Peterson's at 55%.
Bo Scarbrough: He had a nice fantasy game against the Cowboys, but who knows how the Lions will split up the RB touches going forward. He's out there in pretty much every league.
Kalen Ballage: He stinks, but it looks like he'll get the bulk of the carries for Miami. He's rostered in 34% of leagues.
WR
DeVante Parker: I can't believe Parker is still available in so many leagues. This is probably your last chance to add him. He's recorded 100 yards or a TD in 5 of his last 7 games. He's rostered in 45% of leagues.
Darius Slayton: Slayton has 4TDs in his last 3 games, and this dude can run. He's worth adding for upside. If Sterling Shepard returns from his concussion issues, that could negatively impact Slayton's value. Shepard fully practiced on Monday, so you'll have to monitor his status this week. He might be somebody to consider also if he does return to action.
Deebo Samuel: He's been terrific for 2 weeks straight, so he's worth adding. We'll see if he continues to put up big numbers when Emmanuel Sanders gets healthy, but Samuel looks good for the next couple of weeks. He should put up decent numbers in what could be a shootout against the Packers this week. Samuel is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he's expected to play. He's rostered in 33% of leagues.
Mecole Hardman: Tyreek Hill injured his hamstring on Monday night, and Hardman was used as his replacement. Hardman has similar traits to Hill, so he should be a good option until Hill returns from injury. Keep in mind, the Chiefs have a bye this week, and it's certainly possible Hill is ready to return in week 13. But if Hill misses a few weeks, Hardman could help lead your team to the fantasy playoffs. He's available in 80% of leagues, and makes for a good handcuff to Hill at the very least.
TE
Kyle Rudolph: He's recorded 4TDs in his last 3 games, so he's clearly the guy you should target. He's only rostered in 41% of leagues, so he's out there for the taking.
Noah Fant: He's only rostered in 14% of leagues, and this guy can really run, especially for a TE. He's a great option if you're looking for some upside and tired of starting guys like Jimmy Graham.
DEF
This week, the Browns have the honor of playing the Dolphins, so they are a good streaming option. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter. Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5FM. We're on every Sunday morning from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling getting you ready for kickoff every Sunday.
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The Houston Astros (20-19) are just 4–6 over their last 10 games, but the numbers tell a more encouraging story. Despite the record, Houston is slowly but surely gaining ground in the AL West, sitting just two games back with a division-best +21 run differential. The standings may not fully reflect it yet, but the Astros are showing clear signs of being on the other side of their early offensive struggles.
Through the first month and change, the team’s season-long offensive stats still look pedestrian—14th in OPS (.697), 21st in slugging (.375), 20th in runs scored (163), and just 25th in home runs (33). But zoom in on the last 15 games, and the picture shifts dramatically.
In that span, the Astros have quietly put together one of the most productive offenses in baseball. And that's with Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve missing time due to injury. Houston ranks 4th in OPS (.805), 6th in slugging (.442), 7th in runs (64), and 5th in doubles (22). For a team with playoff expectations, that kind of turnaround is exactly what fans have been hoping for.
The resurgence has been powered in part by rising bats in the middle of the lineup. Christian Walker, who looked stuck in a rut early on, has caught fire over the past week, hitting .385 with a .500 slugging percentage over his last 7 games. Yainer Diaz is heating up too, hitting .310 with a .448 slug over that same stretch. Zoom out a little further, and Diaz has been even better—.339 average and .559 slugging over his last 15 games. His bat is starting to match the hype.
On the mound, the Astros have had their share of turbulence, particularly in Lance McCullers Jr.’s rocky return. Saturday’s 13–9 loss to the Reds underscored some of those struggles. McCullers failed to escape the first inning, giving up walks and hitting a batter before allowing a barrage of hits. Across his two starts since returning from injury, the right-hander has walked three batters and hit one in each outing.
Even so, Houston's pitching remains a strength overall. The Astros rank 8th in team ERA and lead the majors in WHIP (1.14), while holding opponents to the second-lowest batting average (.213). The bullpen, in particular, has been nails. Steven Okert, Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu, and Brian King have all posted ERAs of 1.59 or lower, keeping games within reach when starters falter.
There’s still work to do, and the standings don’t lie. But if the last two weeks are any indication, Houston is turning the corner. The bats are waking up, the bullpen is elite, and the rotation has room to get healthy and sharper. It might not show up in the win column just yet, but make no mistake—the Astros are trending in the right direction.
We have so much more to discuss. 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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