Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’re back after a one-week hiatus, and it was an eventful week for the rookies. 3 different rookie receivers topped 100 receiving yards in week 11. George Pickens topped 80, Christian Watson scored 2 more TDs, and Skyy Moore had his best game of the season. On the ground, Isiah Pacheco and James Cook each set season-highs for rushing yards and Kyren Williams saw his first meaningful action of the season. There were some duds in there as well, most notably Dameon Pierce and Garrett Wilson, but overall, it was a great week for the rookies.
Week 12 is an interesting one. It’s the only week from week 6 through week 14 where no NFL team is on a bye. That should change your approach a little bit this week. Guys who were viable starters when there were 4 teams on a bye might not make the cut with all 32 teams in action. Keep that in mind as you consider your lineup decisions for week 12.
A couple of housekeeping notes for the players listed below – All players listed under the same header at the same position are listed in the order that I would play them this week, and all references to fantasy points and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted. Any data on route participation, air yards, and other usage rates are per Dwain McFarland’s Utilization Report on Pro Football Focus.
Let’s dive into week 12…
Rookies You Already Know You Should Start:
RB Rachaad White, TB (Wk. 12: @Cle.): Leonard Fournette has been ruled out for Sunday’s game, and that means White should be in line for a monster week. The Bucs have been making a concerted effort to get their run game going in recent weeks (38 rushing attempts against the Seahawks ahead of their bye), and the Browns are the worst run defense in the NFL. They rank dead last in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA and have coughed up the 2nd-most fantasy points per game to the position. White should operate as the workhorse back this week in that inviting matchup. His skill as a pass-catcher gives him high RB1 upside this week. He’s going be as chalky as it gets for DFS lineups (just $5,100 on DraftKings), and you should be finding a way to get him into your lineups if you have him.
RB Kenneth Walker III, SEA (Wk. 12: vs. LV): Walker struggled to run the ball against a stout Bucs defense in Germany ahead of the team’s bye last week, but he made up for it by pulling in 6 receptions for 55 yards. He’s now scored a dozen or more PPR points in 6 straight games and gets a juicy matchup with a bad Raiders’ defense this week. You weren’t going to sit Walker anyway, but you should feel confident firing him up against a Vegas team that allows the 4th-most RB points per game.
WR Chris Olave, NO (Wk. 12: @SF): Olave gets a tough matchup this week, and his overall target volume has taken a hit with Jarvis Landry back from injury, but the rookie has still topped 10 PPR points in 9 of 11 games this season, and the Saints are likely going to have to throw more this week as 9-point underdogs. As good as their overall defense has been, San Francisco has allowed the 13th-most wide receiver points per game. Olave should be a reasonable WR2 as usual this week.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Starting:
RB Dameon Pierce, HOU (Wk. 12: @Mia.): The Texans abysmal offense finally caught up with Pierce last week as he finished with just 17 scrimmage yards in easily his worst fantasy performance of the season. The Texans have decided to turn to Kyle Allen at QB this week and bench Davis Mills, but I wouldn’t expect the offense to look substantially different. They still want to run this offense through Dameon Pierce. Look for the rookie to handle at least 15 touches and see a few targets come his way. Kyle Allen has thrown to running backs at a high rate when he’s been a starter in the past, but he was throwing to very good receiving backs (Christian McCaffrey, Antonio Gibson, JD McKissic). The Dolphins have allowed the 12th-fewest RB points per game this year, but they’ve been far from impenetrable up front. They’ve allowed the opposing lead back to run for 5+ yards per carry in 4 of their last 6 games, and all 4 of those backs found the end zone as well. Pierce is a decent RB2 option this week, even with the question marks about their QB play.
RB Brian Robinson, WAS (Wk. 12: vs. Atl.): Washington is a 4-point favorite this week, and Robinson has averaged 17 carries per game in Commander wins. He’s a non-factor in the passing game, but the Falcons rank 24th in run defense DVOA and have coughed up 6 rushing scores from inside their 5-yard line in the last 3 games. Robinson is a good bet for 60+ yards and a TD this week in a plus matchup. He’s a dicier option in PPR leagues than non-PPR, but he’s a very solid floor play RB3 this week.
WR Treylon Burks, TEN (Wk. 12: vs. Cin.): The Bengals have been a solid WR defense, allowing the 8th-fewest wide receiver points per game, but they’ve been more vulnerable since the injury of Chidobe Awuzie early in their week 8 game with the Browns. Two of the best 4 WR performances the Bengals have allowed have come since Awuzie’s injury, and Burks has been the focal point of the Titans’ passing game since returning from IR. The rookie has earned 14 targets in the last two weeks and posted a season-best 111 receiving yards against the Packers last week. The Titans actively look for Burks when he's on the field – he was targeted on 38% of his routes last week - and the Titans may have to throw more than usual to keep pace with the Bengals’ offense this week. Burks is in play as an upside WR3 for all formats in this one.
WR Garrett Wilson, NYJ (Wk. 12: vs. Chi.): The Jets have made the switch from Zach Wilson to Mike White at QB for this week, and it remains up in the air what that means for their pass catchers. In his playing time last season, White heavily targeted the running backs and Elijah Moore, but Garrett Wilson wasn’t on that team and Elijah Moore wasn’t in the doghouse. Wilson’s route participation rate has been near 100% in each of the last 3 games, and he’s the receiver most likely to benefit if White provides a boost to the passing game. The Bears have limited wide receivers this year, allowing the 9th-fewest wide receiver points per game, but most of that can be attributed to negative game script in the first two months of the season. The Bears weren’t scoring points, and weren’t stopping the run, so teams didn’t have to throw on them. Since Justin Fields started to take off and the Bears started scoring points, it’s been a different story. 4 of the 5 best WR fantasy performances against the Bears this season have come in their past 4 games. Chicago ranks just 30th in pass defense DVOA. I’m betting on the talent and expecting Wilson to have a bounce-back game where he pushes for a WR2 finish. Keep an eye on the Bears’ injury report here though. If Fields is out, the Jets may not need to throw as much, and you should downgrade Wilson a bit.
WR Drake London, ATL (Wk. 12: @Was.): You’ve got to have some fortitude to start any pass catcher playing in an Arthur Smith offense, but this feels like a good spot to do it. Washington’s defense should have success slowing down the Falcons’ rushing attack and forcing them to throw more than they want to. The Commanders rank 2nd in run defense DVOA, but just 16th in pass defense DVOA, and they allow the 10th-most WR points per game. With Kyle Pitts out, Washington’s defense should pay some extra attention to London, but London should earn a huge target share. He could hit 8+ targets for the first time since week 2. I like London’s chances to post his best yardage day since September. He’s a boom-or-bust WR3 for me this week.
WR George Pickens, PIT (Wk. 12: @Ind.): There’s some risk with Pickens this week facing a Colts defense that allows the fewest WR points per game, but that number feels a bit misleading. The Colts rank just 18th in pass defense DVOA, and often the issue for opposing receivers is that the Colts often play from behind and opponents lean on the ground game. The Colts have trailed on the scoreboard on more than 50% of their defensive plays and been in the lead for just 31% of them. When teams have thrown to their receivers against them, they’ve had success. Davante Adams and Terry McLaurin each topped 100 yards against them in recent weeks, and Pickens has been at least on par with Diontae Johnson as the Steelers’ WR1 since the Chase Claypool trade. The Colts are favored by 2.5 points in this game, and the Steelers rank 6th in the NFL in pass rate when the game is close. Pickens should be a safe bet for 6+ targets, and that makes him an upside WR3/4 for me.
TE Greg Dulcich, DEN (Wk. 12: @Car.): Dulcich hasn’t finished among the top-12 tight ends in either of the last two weeks, but I like his chances to get back there in Carolina this week. Dulcich continues to run a route on more than 80% of the Broncos’ dropbacks each week, and Denver will be without receiver Jerry Jeudy. The Panthers rank just 21st in pass defense DVOA, and 10 PPR points has pretty much meant a sure-fire top-12 TE finish. I like Dulcich’s chances to get there in what should be an ugly game.
TE Trey McBride, ARI (Wk. 12: vs. LAC): McBride hasn’t had a memorable rookie season so far, totaling 8 catches for 45 yards on the season, but he has a great chance to tally more yards this week than he did through the first 11 weeks combined. The Cardinals will be without Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz, and possibly Greg Dortch while getting Kyler Murray back. The Chargers allow the 3rd-most TE receiving yards per game, and the Cardinals will need someone beyond DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown to step up. McBride has a great chance to be that guy. As I mentioned with Dulcich above, tight end has been a wasteland for fantasy production in recent weeks. If you’re looking for a fill-in, you could do worse than McBride this week. View it as a slight downgrade for him if Greg Dortch is able to play.
Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Toward Sitting:
RB Isiah Pacheco, KC (Wk. 12: vs. LAR): Pacheco has been on a tear in the last two weeks, piling up 189 yards on 31 carries against the Jaguars and Chargers, but that’s good enough to be just the PPR RB35 in points per game over that span. Pacheco doesn’t catch passes, and the Chiefs don’t give him the ball at the goal line, usually opting to throw instead when they get in close. The injury to CEH takes away a threat to those goal-line carries for Pacheco, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll get any carries in close this week. The Rams’ defense has been much better against rushers than the Jaguars or Chargers. They’ve allowed the 8th-fewest RB points per game, and rank 5th in run defense DVOA. Pacheco is unlikely to finish as a top-30 RB this week without finding his way into the end zone for the first time since week 1. The Rams have given up just 5 running back rushing scores all year. If you think Pacheco adds to that number this week, start him. If you don’t, you should probably sit him.
RB Tyler Allgeier, ATL (Wk. 12: @Was.): Allgeier has been useful as a fill-in during bye weeks, but he’s carried the ball fewer than 10 times in back-to-back games with Cordarrelle Patterson back at full strength. The Commanders rank 2nd in run defense DVOA, and all 32 teams are in action this week, so Allgeier is unlikely to post a useful game Sunday for fantasy purposes on a limited workload. He’s a low ceiling RB4 this week.
WR Christian Watson, GB (Wk. 12: @Phi.): Watson has been on fire in the last two weeks with FIVE touchdowns against the Cowboys & Titans, but I’m not sure I’d go back to that well again this week. The Eagles boast a great secondary that has allowed the 10th-fewest WR points per game, and they’ve allowed a total of just 1 wide receiver touchdown in their last 5 games. They also don’t often get beat by the deep ball – Philly has allowed just 5 completions of 30+ yards for the season. Watson has still only hit 50 receiving yards once this season, and if the Eagles keep him out of the end zone, you’re probably not going to be happy with his output this week.
WR Jahan Dotson, WAS (Wk. 12: vs. Atl.): Dotson has returned from injury to a different offense than the one he left. Taylor Heinicke only has eyes for Terry McLaurin in the passing game. Scary Terry has a 31.6% target share with Heinicke under center, and it’s going to take time for Dotson to carve out a role again. The matchup this week is great – Atlanta allows the 2nd-most WR points per game – but Dotson has been targeted just 3 times in his first two games back. His playing time increased in his 2nd game back, and should increase again this week, but I’d look at other options in season-long leagues. He does make for an interesting DFS option this week in the great matchup, with a price tag of just $4,000 on DraftKings.
TE Cade Otton, TB (Wk. 12: @Cle.): The return of Cam Brate did prove to be a problem for Cade Otton in week 10. Otton was in a route on right around 90% of the team dropbacks in weeks 8 & 9 without Brate, and that dropped all the way to 29% in week 10 with Brate back. He still managed to post a 3-35 line on 3 targets in that game, but that was against the worst tight end defense in the NFL. The Browns allow the 5th-fewest tight end points per game. Otton is not a top-15 option at the position this week.
Rookies You Already Know You Should Sit:
QB Kenny Pickett, PIT (Wk. 12: @Ind.): With all 32 teams in action this week, Pickett is just a mid-to-low end QB2 against the Colts. Indy has been just a middling QB defense, allowing the 18th-most points per game to the position, but Pickett has finished higher than the QB16 just once all year. He is coming off his two best fantasy games of the year, but it’ll likely take rushing production for Pickett to hit any kind of ceiling. The Colts have not allowed any QB this year to throw for 3 TDs or 300 yards in a game, and they’ve held 5 of the last 8 QBs they’ve faced below 200 passing yards. Pickett does have rushing upside – he’s averaged 30.5 rushing yards per game in his past 4 starts – but that upside is just enough to mean you could play him as a QB2 if you need to.
RB Raheem Blackshear, CAR (Wk. 12: vs. Den.): With Chuba Hubbard back on the field, Blackshear has played fewer than 20% of the offensive snaps in each of the past two weeks. That’s not enough work to rely on him when he faces a Denver defense that allows the 11th-fewest RB points per game.
RB Trestan Ebner, CHI (Wk. 12: @NYJ): Even with Khalil Herbert sidelined, Ebner was on the field for just 15 snaps and handled 6 offensive touches. David Montgomery is the workhorse here, and 6-8 touches against a Jets’ defense that ranks 8th in run defense DVOA isn’t going to cut it if you’re looking for a fill-in starter. Ebner has never averaged as much as 3.5 yards per carry in an NFL game.
RB Jaylen Warren, PIT (Wk. 12: @Ind.): In case you missed the news on Saturday, Warren has been ruled out for Monday’s game with the Colts.
WR Skyy Moore, KC (Wk. 12: vs. LAR): A plethora of injuries to Kansas City’s WR group earned Moore more playing time last week, and he posted his best performance of the season with 5 catches for 63 yards on a 46% route participation rate. It’s troubling that even with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman sidelined, and Kadarius Toney out early with a hamstring injury, that Moore still played behind Justin Watson, who posted a 98% route participation rate. JuJu has cleared the concussion protocols and will return this week, so I’d view last week’s output and playing time as the ceiling for Moore in this one. The Rams have been awful against wide receivers this year, allowing the 4th-most points per game to the position, but Moore’s upside remains limited as he’s just not getting enough playing time. He’s a WR5 for me this week.
TE Chig Okonkwo, TEN (Wk. 12: vs. Cin.): Okonkwo has pulled in a 30+ yard catch in each of the last 3 games, but in each game, it’s been his only catch. The Titans just don’t throw enough to trust their TE2 to put up meaningful fantasy production. If you play him, you’re just hoping for another long catch, and hoping that it’s a touchdown this time.
TE Isaiah Likely, BAL (Wk. 12: @Jax.): Likely saw just one target and played only 32% of the offensive snaps last Sunday with Mark Andrews back from injury. It’ll likely take another Andrews injury to make Isaiah Likely viable for fantasy lineups again.
TE Jelani Woods, IND (Wk. 12: vs. Pit.): Whether the guy under center is Matt Ryan or Sam Ehlinger, Jelani Woods remains no more than a TD dart throw. He hasn’t pulled in more than 2 catches in any game this season. The Steelers have allowed just two TE scores all year, and Woods is one of three tight ends who could score one for the Colts, so divide those slim chances of a TD by 3 for Woods.
TE Cole Turner, WAS (Wk. 12: @Atl.): Turner returned from injury last week but saw just one target come his way with Logan Thomas and John Bates both active. Atlanta allows the 10th-most TE points per game, but Turner won’t be the beneficiary this week.
Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:
QB Bryce Perkins, LAR (Wk. 12: @KC): Perkins isn’t technically a rookie, but his first NFL snaps came this year, and he’s in line to start this week with Matthew Stafford and John Wolford both injured. Wolford will be active, but Perkins will get the starting nod. He boasts serious rushing upside that could push him into the mid-QB2 range even if he isn’t effective as a passer. Perkins ran for nearly 1,700 yards and 20 TDs in his last 2 college seasons, and he had 5 designed rushing attempts in just 26 snaps last week spelling Wolford. If your QB2 has been derailed by the benchings of Zach Wilson, Davis Mills, and Baker Mayfield, you could do worse than Perkins as a replacement this week. The Chiefs have allowed 25+ rushing yards to 3 of the last 5 QBs they’ve faced and have allowed the 7th-most QB points per game.
RB Kyren Williams, LAR (Wk. 12: @KC): The Rams unexpectedly waived Darrell Henderson this week, leaving their backfield to Cam Akers and Kyren Williams. Akers will serve as the lead back on early downs, but Kyren should be the guy on passing downs. Kyren handled just 26% of the team rushing attempts last week, but he handled 100% of the 2-minute snaps and was in a route on 65% of the Rams’ passing dropbacks. The Rams need pass catchers with Cooper Kupp still sidelined and Allen Robinson at less than full strength, and the Chiefs allow the 2nd-most running back receptions and receiving yards per game. There’s a ton of risk here with LA starting Bryce Perkins at QB. The Rams haven’t thrown to their backs a lot this season, and Perkins is more likely to use his own legs as the check-down option than Matt Stafford would be. If you’re desperate for RB help in a PPR league, Williams could provide some unexpected upside this week, and will have more value when/if Matt Stafford returns. He’s worth a shot as a cheap DFS lineup option this week as well.
RB Isaiah Spiller, LAC (Wk. 12: @Ari.): Spiller’s stats haven’t been overwhelming in recent weeks, but his playing time is steadily increasing. He has now taken over most of the backup RB role behind Austin Ekeler in this offense, playing 16 snaps and handling 6 touches last weekend to Sony Michel’s 5 snaps and 1 touch. Arizona represents another opportunity for Spiller’s playing time to increase. The Cardinals rank just 23rd in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 13th-most RB points per game. The Cardinals have been watching their season slip away in recent weeks and have given up 30+ team points in 4 of their last 5 games. I like Spiller’s chances at 8-10 touches in a game where the Chargers should have a positive game script, and I wouldn’t rule out his first career TD. Spiller is a guy I like in limited slate DFS lineups this week.
RB Keaontay Ingram, ARI (Wk. 12: vs. LAC): The Cards will get Kyler Murray back this week, but they will be without Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz, and possibly Greg Dortch. Marquise Brown will be playing his first game in more than a month after a stint on IR, and Arizona is facing one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. It would make sense to lean on the ground game more than usual. Ingram is the clear RB2 behind Conner with Darrel Williams still on IR. Even if Arizona runs their normal offensive approach, Keaontay should see a handful of touches, but if they do lean more heavily on the ground game, 10+ touches isn’t out the question. The Chargers rank 30th in run defense DVOA and have allowed the 3rd-most RB points per game. Ingram is more of a DFS play than a season-long one. He costs just $2,200 on DraftKings for showdown contests, and he could substantially outperform that price tag.
WR Alec Pierce, IND (Wk. 12: vs. Pit.): Pierce finally started seeing some targets come his way again last week, and he played more snaps and ran more routes than Parris Campbell for the first time all year. He didn’t exactly make the most of his opportunities, with just 3 catches for 28 yards on 8 targets, but he gets a much better matchup this week and he showed a great rapport with Matt Ryan earlier in the season. The Steelers have allowed the most WR points per game, so Pierce is in play as a WR4 option this week despite scoring just 9.1 total PPR points in the last 3 games. He costs just $3,500 on DraftKings this week.
WR David Bell, CLE (Wk. 12: vs. TB): Bell isn’t an option for week 12, but Deshaun Watson is eligible to return next week, so Bell is worth a speculative add in deeper leagues in case Watson’s return sparks a late-season surge from the rookie. We’ve already seen signs of an increasing role, as Bell has been above a 50% route participation rate in each of the last 3 games, and he’s earned 5 targets in each of the last two. If this passing game does get a boost from Watson’s return, Bell is likely to be a viable fantasy option down the stretch.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you pick up another big win this weekend. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Shawn_Foss) if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, and always make sure to apply what’s written in the context of your own league rules and roster. Keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and do a final pre-game check to make sure you don’t start any inactive players. As always: Good luck, trust your gut and have fun. It’s just a game.
