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Thanksgiving is not only a fantastic day for eating until you’re in a full-fledged food coma, but also for relaxing and watching some football. With only seven weeks left in the regular season, our fantasy teams’ playoff hopes are coming down to the wire, and without a single team on bye, Week 12 offers us a full slate of fantasy options.
Here are my Top 32 QBs for Week 12 vs. FantasyPros' ECR rankings:
Fantasy Football rankings - Week 12
View Available Players| # | Player (team) | Matchup | ECR™ | vs. ECR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drew Brees (NO) | vs. LA | 2 | +1 |
| 2 | Tom Brady (NE) | at NYJ | 1 | -1 |
| 3 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) | at IND | 5 | +2 |
| 4 | Russell Wilson (SEA) | at TB | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) | at PHI | 3 | -2 |
| 6 | Dak Prescott (DAL) | vs. WAS | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Cam Newton (CAR) | at OAK | 8 | +1 |
| 8 | Kirk Cousins (WAS) | at DAL | 10 | +2 |
| 9 | Marcus Mariota (TEN) | at CHI | 7 | -2 |
| 10 | Matt Ryan (ATL) | vs. ARI | 12 | +2 |
| 11 | Derek Carr (OAK) | vs. CAR | 9 | -2 |
| 12 | Eli Manning (NYG) | at CLE | 11 | -1 |
| 13 | Matthew Stafford (DET) | vs. MIN | 14 | +1 |
| 14 | Carson Palmer (ARI) | at ATL | 16 | +2 |
| 15 | Philip Rivers (SD) | at HOU | 15 | 0 |
| 16 | Colin Kaepernick (SF) | at MIA | 17 | +1 |
| 17 | Tyrod Taylor (BUF) | vs. JAC | 13 | -4 |
| 18 | Carson Wentz (PHI) | vs. GB | 18 | 0 |
| 19 | Ryan Tannehill (MIA) | vs. SF | 19 | 0 |
| 20 | Jameis Winston (TB) | vs. SEA | 22 | +2 |
| 21 | Blake Bortles (JAC) | at BUF | 20 | -1 |
| 22 | Joe Flacco (BAL) | vs. CIN | 24 | +2 |
| 23 | Sam Bradford (MIN) | at DET | 23 | 0 |
| 24 | Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) | vs. NE | 30 | +6 |
| 25 | Trevor Siemian (DEN) | vs. KC | 29 | +4 |
| 26 | Andy Dalton (CIN) | at BAL | 27 | +1 |
| 27 | Josh McCown (CLE) | vs. NYG | 31 | +4 |
| 28 | Brock Osweiler (HOU) | vs. SD | 25 | -3 |
| 29 | Scott Tolzien (IND) | vs. PIT | 26 | -3 |
| 30 | Jared Goff (LA) | at NO | 28 | -2 |
| 31 | Alex Smith (KC) | at DEN | 32 | +1 |
| 32 | Matt Barkley (CHI) | vs. TEN | 34 | +2 |
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Notes & Analysis:
- Drew Brees struggled on the road in Carolina last week, but he’s had extra time to rest before a home date against the Rams. I’m expected a huge bounce-back performance.
- Tom Brady shredded the 49ers last week and now he gets a thinned-out Jets secondary. Once again, he won’t need Gronk to post elite QB1 numbers.
- Although Andrew Luck’s absence will take away some of the need for Ben Roethlisberger to rack up points on offense, he’s still had tremendous success against the Colts in past years and will be a high-end QB1 playing in a dome on Thanksgiving night.
- Russell Wilson is getting healthy and we can see it happening before our eyes. With the Seahawks leaning on the pass in recent weeks, Russ is a quality QB1 in Tampa who may even catch an occasional touchdown, when he’s not throwing them himself...
- Aaron Rodgers has been playing lights out for the Packers, but their banged-up defense is clearly a liability. However, fantasy owners won’t complain about A-Rod’s need to score as many points as possible to make up for the other side of the ball.
- Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins have been some of the most consistent quarterbacks in both real life and fantasy football over the past few weeks. They’ll face off on Thanksgiving day in what could turn out to be a back-and-forth contest. They’re both fine QB1 options, but I prefer Dak’s ceiling due to his rushing tendencies.
- Eli Manning finds himself in the streaming conversation in Week 12 against a pathetic Browns defense that is virtually guaranteed to leak yards through the air and on the ground alike.
- Philip Rivers is headed to Houston after his week of rest to face a defense that just bottled up the Raiders for most of MNF in Mexico City. Rivers is more of a high-end QB2 than a low-end QB1 this week.
- Colin Kaepernick has proven to be an effective fantasy starter in recent weeks as he continues to gain confidence within San Fran’s offense. He’s a safe QB2 against a Dolphins defense that has mightily improved since the early stages of 2016.
- Jameis Winston has been playing some of the best football in his young career, but he won’t be a recommended fantasy play this week against Seattle, even if their secondary is dealing with a few notable injuries.
- It’d be nice to see Jeff Fisher let Jared Goff throw the ball downfield and open up the offense before the Rams are officially eliminated from playoff contention, but then again... Jeff Fisher. More dinking and dunking is surely on the way this Sunday.