Week 12 Fantasy Football Waivers: Juwan Johnson is So Back!

In all honesty, Week 12 might be the most important week of your fantasy season. The playoffs are just a few weeks out, and you only have two or three games to clinch your spot. To complicate matters, four teams are on bye again. Throw in Week 11’s injuries and one significant suspension, and we are missing some major pieces of the fantasy football puzzle this week. Waivers are as crucial as they have been all season.

Before we get into my Top 5, let me address the impending elephant in the room. No, I am not recommending you prioritize Sean Tucker or Michael Wilson. I can say with relative certainty that they will top most people’s lists this week, and I think they are a trap.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll repeat it: You don’t get credit for last week’s points. For Tucker, Bucky Irving is almost guaranteed to return this week. While Tucker is far better than Rachaad White, he is a clear backup to Bucky Irving. Wilson’s breakout came with Marvin Harrison out and Jacoby Brissett throwing the ball 57 times. I can’t guarantee either of those circumstances will repeat. I’m not saying skip Tucker or Wilson altogether, I’m just saying you shouldn’t overpay.

A few quick notes: I use ESPN as my baseline, so players must be available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues to be included on the list. I’m also a proponent of streaming QB, TE, K, and DEF, so you’ll rarely see those positions on my list; there are usually quality players readily available for free after the waiver period. Save your FAAB! Now, let’s hit the Top 5.

Bye Week Notes: There are four teams on bye in Week 12: the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Washington Commanders. Watch your league’s drops this week for players from these teams who were cut out of desperation.

Week 12 Fantasy Football Waivers

Juwan Johnson (65% Available on ESPN, 42% on Sleeper)

I recommended holding or adding Johnson during his Week 11 bye, so it’s no surprise I love him as he returns from his week off. Johnson started the season hot, cooled for a bit, but went into his bye on a heater. In his last four games, Johnson is averaging 13.6 fantasy points, making him the TE6 in fantasy on a PPG basis. In Weeks 9 and 10, when Tyler Shough took over as QB, Johnson added two points to his average and scored 19.2 in Week 10. Atlanta isn’t the easiest matchup for tight ends, but Tyler Warren did cook them in Week 10, and Johnson is clearly a safety blanket for his rookie QB.

Christian Watson (74% Available on ESPN, 63% on Sleeper)

Welcome back, Christian Watson. The Packers finally spend draft capital on a wide receiver, and Watson comes back and steals his job. Watson’s role in this offense is clear. He is the deep threat/big-play guy, and he does it well. He is averaging over 19 yards per catch this season and just scored two touchdowns against the Giants. Now he gets Minnesota, which might be an even more favorable matchup. Throw in the fact that Josh Jacobs is hurt, and the Packers might be throwing even more in Week 12.

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Alec Pierce (59% Available on ESPN, 42% on Sleeper)

Like Johnson, I was recommending Pierce heading into his bye, so of course, you should be looking to add him now that he is playing again. Like Watson, his role is clear, and he is good at it. Get deep and catch the football. Pierce is over 20 yards per catch on the season and found the endzone for the first time in Week 10 before the bye. The Colts are a run-first team, but if they get behind, they chuck it to Pierce. That makes him a high-upside WR2 and a great Flex play.

Emanuel Wilson (94% Available on ESPN, 87% on Sleeper)

As I mentioned above, Josh Jacobs picked up an injury in Week 11, and his status is in jeopardy for Week 12. Wilson has been the primary backup in Green Bay for a while, but has shown some value when he sees volume. He has scored 10 or more fantasy points three times this year, including Week 11, when he scored his first TD filling in for Jacobs. He’s also pretty damn good as a pass-catcher, making him a perfect bye-week fill-in during this Week 12 conundrum.

Kenneth Gainwell (58% Available on ESPN, 47% on Sleeper)

We have seen Gainwell do some great things this season, only to immediately slink back into the shadows. I don’t think that will be the case this time around for two reasons. First, Jaylen Warren picked up an injury in Week 11. It doesn’t appear to be serious, but Gainwell is likely to help lighten his load for the next few weeks. Second, and perhaps most important, Aaron Rodgers left Week 11 with a broken wrist. He may or may not miss time, but either way, Gainwell’s pass-catching role could expand over the next few weeks. He scored two TDs in Week 11, both through the air. That’s not his weekly upside, but it does show what he is capable of.

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You can also find Club Fantasy’s Week 12 rankings here!