Fantasy Football Lineup Advice Week 12: Ace your start-or-sit decisions with RotoBaller's "Who to Start?" tool

Matt Lutovsky

Fantasy Football Lineup Advice Week 12: Ace your start-or-sit decisions with RotoBaller's "Who to Start?" tool image

With just three matchups left in most fantasy football regular seasons, most owners can't afford another loss. Fortunately, the experts at RotoBaller are here to help your lineups by giving Sporting News Fantasy readers free access to their exclusive “Who to Start?” advice tool to help with your Week 12 fantasy start 'em, sit 'em decisions.

How does the “Who to Start?” tool work? Simple: Choose up to four players to compare below, pick your league settings in the upper right corner (PPR, half-PPR, standard), and push “Who to Start?” It’s that easy. From there, you’ll get a lineup recommendation based on RotoBaller’s award-winning rankings and projections.

 

MORE: Click here to upgrade to RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Gain VIP access to expert tools and advice from proven winners including the NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer, the Team Sync Platform with customized tools, Premium fantasy football rankings, and DFS cheat sheets! Get hooked up and use discount code SPORTING!

With no byes on tap, it's a stacked week in terms of lineup options, but injuries and four early-week matchups complicate matters. You might have to choose between "playing it safe" or going with a "boom-or-bust" option who could make or break your season.

As always, RotoBaller factored in usage, matchups, and talent into its Week 12 rankings, and it’s reflected in its “Who to Start?” tool. Check out an example from each offensive position.

Advice below is based on full-point PPR leagues

Start or Sit?: Week 12 fantasy QB lineup advice from RotoBaller

Trevor Lawrence (@ HOU) vs. Josh Dobbs (vs. CHI) vs. Kyler Murray (vs. LAR) vs. Justin Fields (@ MIN)

RotoBaller gives Murray the nod from this group, ranking him one spot ahead of Justin Fields. Both have higher floors because of their rushing abilities, and RotoBaller must trust Murray a little more with his improved weapons. Lawrence is a few spots behind them, one spot ahead of Dobbs. Both have similarly high ceilings, but their floors have been mediocre all year. Dobbs has the best matchup, but if Justin Jefferson (hamstring) doesn't return, his weapons remain somewhat limited.

MORE: Click here to upgrade to RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Gain VIP access to expert tools and advice from proven winners including the NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer, the Team Sync Platform with customized tools, Premium fantasy football rankings, and DFS cheat sheets! Get hooked up and use discount code SPORTING!

Start or Sit?: Week 12 fantasy RB lineup advice from RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren (@ CIN) vs. Jerome Ford (@ DEN) vs. Gus Edwards (@ LAC) vs. Alexander Mattison (vs. CHI)

RotoBaller is buying into the Warren breakout, ranking him a few spots ahead of TD-machine Edwards. He's one spot ahead of Ford, who has the best matchup, and Mattison brings up the rear of this group. It's a toss-up between the top-three backs, but Warren can continue his breakout against a Cincinnati defense that had trouble with the likes of Devin Singletary and Edwards the past two weeks. Warren also gets a bump in PPR formats. You can make a strong case for Edwards or even Ford to be the top guy in standard leagues. 

WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Start or Sit?: Week 12 fantasy WR lineup advice from RotoBaller

Demario Douglas (@ NYG) vs. George Pickens (@ CIN) vs. Rashee Rice (@ LV) vs. Odell Beckham Jr. (@ LAC)

RotoBaller ranks these four WRs within seven spots of each other, so flip a coin if you're choosing between them. All have relatively low floors but relatively high ceilings. Rice gets the nod over Douglas even though the latter might be the "safest" in PPR formats. Rice simply has the most upside given his QB and relatively solid matchup. OBJ has been playing well and has the best matchup, but a nagging shoulder injury has him third among this group, one spot ahead of the boom-or-mostly-bust Pickens. 

WEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Start or Sit?: Week 12 fantasy TE lineup advice from RotoBaller

Isaiah Likely (@ LAC) vs. Kyle Pitts (vs. NO) vs. Pat Freiermuth (@ CIN) vs. Cole Kmet (@ MIN)

Pitts is the biggest name, but Likely is RotoBaller's pick, one spot ahead of Kmet and several spots ahead of Pitts. Despite having the best matchup, the disappointing Freiermuth is fourth. It's a tough call at the top, but Likely figures to soak up a good chunk of Mark Andrews' targets, making him a relatively safe bet in Baltimore's offense. With a highly favorable matchup, he has a relatively high floor and ceiling. The same can't be said for the other three TEs on this list, who could all easily score but also be limited to just one or two catches. 

MORE: Click here to upgrade to RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Gain VIP access to expert tools and advice from proven winners including the NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer, the Team Sync Platform with customized tools, Premium fantasy football rankings, and DFS cheat sheets! Get hooked up and use discount code SPORTING!

Try out any combination of players – including players at different positions for your flex spot – with the RotoBaller "Who to Draft?" tool above. It’s like having your own fantasy football expert on call just to help with your specific Week 12 lineup questions.

Matt Lutovsky

Matt Lutovsky Photo

Matt Lutovsky has been a writer and editor for The Sporting News since 2007, primarily writing about fantasy sports, betting, and gaming.