Eight teams have already played in Week 12, leaving 24 more to take the field between Sunday and Monday. Those numbers are fascinating from a fantasy football standpoint, where supply rarely outweighs demand. On a weekend where getting a good deal is everyone's top focus, it might be the best bargains that make you a big winner when the dust settles. With Rachaad White, Dameon Pierce, and Marquise Brown all in danger of missing this week's action, how should you proceed with your lineup?
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these key players and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 12 fantasy landscape.
WEEK 12 INJURY UPDATES: Flowers | OBJ | Jefferson
Is Rachaad White playing Week 12?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that White "will play" against the Colts.
UPDATE 2: White is officially ACTIVE.
White (knee) was added to the injury report on Saturday and downgraded to "questionable" ahead of the Buccaneers matchup against the Colts at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. That should have everyone sounding the alarms, especially considering these situations seem to always have a bad outcome. Whether that is an inactive, limited action if he plays, or aggravating the injury and turning it into a long-term problem, White's status immediately becomes one of the most intriguing heading into Sunday's slate.
WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
The running back was finally breaking out after an underwhelming start to the year, posting double-digit fantasy points performances in five straight. White's success has been tied directly to the Buccaneers' new approach on offense. Earlier in the season, Tampa was trying the traditional running game, something the team's personnel cannot execute at a high level. Instead, the team has now opted to utilize White in the short passing game, getting the running back out in space in what is still essentially a running play. Since he's been operating on the edges, White firmly entered the top-10 conversation, now finding efficiency on the ground and through the air. If he's able to play, you have to ride with the hot hand and take the risk. If he doesn't suit up, things get murky in this Buccaneers' backfield. White has played 78 percent of snaps, with no clear backup. Sean Tucker, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and Chase Edmonds have all taken turns this season as White's No. 2, leaving more questions than answers. Edmonds has been the primary backup over the past two weeks, making him the likely player to have without White. If you can, however, avoid the Tampa backfield if it's without its starter.
WEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Is Dameon Pierce playing Week 12?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that Pierce is expected to play against Jacksonville.
UPDATE 2: Pierce is officially ACTIVE.
Pierce (ankle) is officially listed as "questionable" heading into the Texans' matchup against the Jaguars on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. For the first time in a long time, it seems that Pierce is closer to the probable end of the spectrum. He logged three full practices, a positive sign after returning on a limited basis last Friday.
At this point, it seems that most fantasy owners are more concerned about how the second-year running back's return will impact Devin Singletary, who has been on a tear the past few weeks. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said having both RBs is a "good problem to have," but he didn't offer any clarity on who would headline the backfield. Pierce was largely inefficient to start the season as RB1, so we'd operate under the assumption that Singletary gets the first crack based on recent performances. With back-to-back games of at least 100 yards rushing, it's hard to believe that Houston would send Singletary back to the bench while the offense is rolling. We're heading for a committee approach at worst, at least right now, meaning we'll lean Singletary over Pierce. That uncertainty relegates the duo to flex territory in the immediate future, however.
WEEK 12 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit
Is Marquise Brown playing Week 12?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that Brown is expected to play against the Rams.
UPDATE 2: Brown is officially ACTIVE.
Brown (heel) popped up on the injury report with the ailment earlier in the week, logging a limited practice on Wednesday. He was downgraded after that, unable to practice on Thursday and Friday. He's officially listed as "questionable" for Sunday when the Cardinals host the Rams at 4:05 p.m. ET. However, considering the midweek setback, it is hard to have optimism at this point, especially after his DNP on Friday when head coach Jonathan Gannon said Brown would try to give it a go.
WEEK 12 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
The Cardinals could find themselves in a tough spot on offense this week, already without rookie WR Michael Wilson, who was ruled out with a shoulder injury. Arizona was already lacking plenty of talent across the board to start the year, a team filled with hardly any depth at most positions. If Brown is ultimately ruled out, that leaves Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch to feature at WR. The biggest boost would be for the tight end Trey McBride though, who would see a majority of targets. If you're pressed for a direct replacement for Brown, we'd consider Dortch, who led the team in targets last week. Brown has just three catches since Kyler Murray returned, a disappointment considering our expectations. Even if he plays, he's no more than a flex option right now. Don't hesitate to trust other, more reliable options hanging around on your bench rather than wait until the late window for inactive reports to come out.
