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We’re onto Week 12! Here are my fantasy football rankings for quarterbacks this week.
Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson takes the QB1 crown this week with an outrageously favorable match-up against the Detroit Lions’ impossibly bad defense.
An exciting battle between Justin Herbert and his pre-draft comp, Josh Allen, awaits the two top 12 options.
The Taysom Hill train is moving full steam ahead.
Six high-quality streamers make up the QB12-18 ranks, including Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith.
Carson Wentz and Matthew Stafford are tough to trust, even in good match-ups.
Week 12’s Tiered Quarterback Rankings
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling QB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling QB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
1 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | at DET | Detroit's bottom-barrel defense is a fantasy gold mine. |
2 | Josh Allen | BUF | LAC | The Chargers' pass defense is still problematically banged up. |
3 | Kyler Murray | ARI | at NE | Assuming Murray's shoulder injury doesn't scare him away from his normal rushing workload, he's a locked-in Top 5 option. |
4 | Russell Wilson | SEA | at PHI | Philly's leaky secondary is good news for Seattle. |
5 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | at TB | A brutal match-up can't even move him outside of the Top 5. |
6 | Justin Herbert | LAC | at BUF | The stud rookie is set to do battle with his pre-draft comp. |
7 | Cam Newton | NE | ARI | Arizona's mid-tier defense won't slow the dual threat play-maker. |
8 | Tom Brady | TB | KC | Shootout on tap. |
9 | Taysom Hill | NO | at DEN | Denver's defense won't present much of a challenge for the dual threat QB. |
10 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | BAL | Tough match-up. |
11 | Teddy Bridgewater | CAR | at MIN | Excellent match-up. |
12 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | CHI | Tough match-up. |
Rank | High-Floor/High-Ceiling QB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
13 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | at PIT | With Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins shelved (COVID-19/Reserve List), Jackson will inherit part of the their rushing work. |
14 | Alex Smith | WAS | at DAL | Dallas has allowed the most passing touchdowns in the NFL (24), while record the fewest passes defended (25) and 2nd-fewest interceptions (3)*. |
15 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | at IND | Tough match-up but just an incredibly well coached offense*. The absence of Colts' DE DeForest Buckner is a big bump. |
16 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | CAR | A pair of talented offenses and trash defenses. This ranking is subject to change, depending on Adam Thielen's availability (COVID-19/Reserve List). |
17 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | MIA | at NYJ | Fitzpatrick immediately enters the high-end streaming conversation as he prepares to fire off YOLO bombs against one of the league's all-around worst teams. |
18 | Andy Dalton | DAL | WAS | A pair of talented offenses and trash defenses. |
19 | Daniel Jones | NYG | at CIN | Cincy's JV defense makes Jones a solid streaming option. |
20 | Derek Carr | LV | at ATL | Great match-up. |
21 | Carson Wentz | PHI | SEA | Outstanding match-up but Wentz's play is outrageously sporadic. |
22 | Philip Rivers | IND | TEN | Excellent match-up. |
23 | Jared Goff | LAR | SF | SF's injury-depleted defensive front is helpful. |
24 | Matt Ryan | ATL | LV | Julio Jones' likely absence is a severe impediment to Ryan's fantasy viability. |
Rank | QB3s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
25 | Matthew Stafford | DET | HOU | Ranking subject to change if Kenny Golladay is able to return. |
26 | Mike Glennon | JAX | CLE | Glennon is a near 1:1 clone of Jake Luton in the size/speed/athleticism department. Perhaps a stronger arm. |
27 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | at JAX | Great match-up but Mayfield could lose out to 40+ touches between Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. |
28 | Brandon Allen | CIN | NYG | Tough match-up but he has a great group of pass catchers and some decent starting experience from his time in Denver last year. |
29 | Sam Darnold | NYJ | MIA | The Miami secondary is a total avoid. |
30 | Nick Mullens | SF | at LAR | Gonna be a rough day at the office, staring down bull rushes from Aaron Donald. |
31 | Mitchell Trubisky | CHI | at GB | GB plays severe run-funnel defense. |
32 | Kendall Hinton | DEN | NO | WR/former QB Kendall Hinton is the Broncos' likely starting quarterback this week, making the Saints' D/ST the top ranked unit in fantasy. |