The Week 12 fantasy WR rankings are filled with question marks due to injuries, including Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods, Emmanuel Sanders, Julio Jones, Phillip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Deebo Samuel, Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Sterling Shepard, and Deebo Samuel. All of those injuries have further sleeper implications, especially in a few favorable matchups. We have the latest injury updates below to help with your Week 12 start 'em, sit 'em decisions.
For the latest news on banged-up TEs Evan Engram, George Kittle, Delanie Walker, and David Njoku, click here; for news on ailing RBs, such as James Conner, Jordan Howard, Devonta Freeman, and more, click here. Follow us for more news and updates on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.
WEEK 12 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Tyler Lockett injury update
Lockett, who's now being listed with a shin injury, was officially limited in Seattle's Wednesday practice. Lockett's status was in doubt after he sustained an injury that kept him two days in a San Francisco hospital in Week 10 before the Seahawks' bye.
Seattle's passing offense gets a great matchup against the Eagles' brutal secondary in Week 12, so if Lockett is back, he's locked in as a strong WR1 play. DK Metcalf should start in fantasy leagues, too, while Josh Gordon only has some upside worth playing if Lockett is out.
MORE WEEK 12:
Waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Stock watch | Snap counts | Fantasy playoff SOS
Will Robert Woods play Week 12?
After Woods was a late scratch Sunday night due to personal reasons, he's yet to return to the Rams. His status for Week 12 is uncertain, while the Rams look to be getting Brandin Cooks back from concussion.
(Update: Multiple reports indicate Woods has returned to the Rams and will practice Thursday.)
Josh Reynolds would start in three-wide sets if Woods missed out again, but with the way this offense is going, the only WR you can feel good about against Baltimore on Monday Night Football is Cooper Kupp. Woods and Cooks both will fall in WR3/FLEX territory if active.
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Emmanuel Sanders injury news
Sanders hasn't missed a game yet with his ribs injury, but he missed practice Wednesday. It's a cartilage injury that Sanders already has aggravated in a game once, so maybe the 49ers will hold him out in hopes of a more full healing. San Francisco hosts Green Bay on Sunday night.
The prime-time game makes relying on Sanders this week even tougher, and the chances of him having to leave early due to re-injuring the cartilage seem too high to want to play him. Deebo Samuel, who also missed Wednesday's practice, should start in fantasy leagues if Sanders is out.
WEEK 12 DFS LINEUPS:
FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP | Y! cash | Y! GPP
Julio Jones injury status
Jones missed Wednesday's practice with a foot injury. He's been on the early-week injury report before this season and not missed time. This should be just another blip on the radar unless his absence continues later in the week.
(Update: Jones was back at practice Thursday.)
Jones should be saving his energy to torch Tampa Bay's terrible pass defense. Regardless of Jones' status, Calvin Ridley is a strong WR2/3 play in fantasy leagues this week, too, with Russell Gage a possible PPR FLEX play.
MORE WEEK 12 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder
Phillip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu injury news
Dorsett and Sanu both missed New England's practice Wednesday. Dorsett was concussed Sunday, while Sanu has an ankle injury that NBC Sports Boston reports could keep him out multiple games.
(Update: Dorsett could be cleared by Sunday, according to The Athletic.)
N'Keal Harry would be thrust into WR2 duties if both of his teammates missed Sunday's game against Dallas, while Jakobi Meyers would feature in three-WR sets that New England uses frequently. Both rookies would be usable as FLEX plays if the normal starters are out.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson injury update
Smith-Schuster hurt his knee while being concussed last Thursday night, while Johnson also sustained a concussion that caused him to bleed temporarily. JuJu hasn't returned to practice and isn't expected to play this week against the Bengals, but Johnson was already back on the practice field Wednesday.
Johnson is still in concussion protocol, but he shapes up as Pittsburgh's No. 1 WR Sunday in Cincinnati assuming JuJu can't make it back to the field. James Washington would also play in two-wide sets. While we don't trust Mason Rudolph, both Johnson and Washington have enough big-play potential to use as FLEX plays if JuJu is out.
Deebo Samuel Week 12 status
Samuel missed Wednesday's practice due to a shoulder injury. As Kyle Shanahan said about George Kittle, Matt Breida and Sanders, too, he believes it will "come down to the wire" for Samuel. San Francisco hosts Green Bay on Sunday night.
Samuel would be a strong WR3 play in fantasy with back-to-back 100-yard games if he plays and Sanders is out. But if both miss out, Kendrick Bourne is likely to see the most WR targets, while Dante Pettis and Richie James will also feature as punt plays for DraftKings Showdown contests.
When will Auden Tate be back?
Tate (neck) was carted off the field last week and not surprisingly missed Wednesday's practice. There hasn't been a more concrete update of Tate's health going forward, although it seems unlikely he'll play in Week 12 against the Steelers.
(Update: Tate missed Thursday's practice.)
We wouldn't touch any passing game options for Cincinnati outside of Tyler Boyd and maybe Tyler Eifert for Sunday against Pittsburgh. Alex Erickson will be the No. 2 WR if Tate is out, with John Ross (clavicle) not eligible to return until Week 13.
Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor injury news
Jeffery (ankle) was limited Wednesday and Thursday after not practicing last week before missing Week 11 against New England. Nelson Agholor (knee) didn't practice at all Wednesday or Thursday. Philly hosts Seattle on Sunday at 1 p.m ET.
The Eagles would be forced to start Mack Hollins and JJ Arcega-Whiteside at WR if the two starters missed out. Arcega-Whiteside presents more big-play upside while Hollins would have more PPR value. It would probably be a big Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert day in the scenario that both Jeffery and Agholor are out.
Sterling Shepard concussion update
Shepard practiced in full Wednesday but has yet to clear concussion protocol. New York plays in Chicago on Sunday at 1 p.m ET.
(Update: Shepard practiced Thursday in full, too, but has yet to clear concussion protocol.)
If Shepard is back, it probably kills Darius Slayton's fantasy value. Golden Tate remains the best play in this receiving corps against an overrated Bears defense, and while Daniel Jones isn't in play this week, Shepard's return can only help him.