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No Patrick Mahomes this week, thank the fantasy football gods. Did anyone else enjoy the Jekyll and Hyde performances of Week 10 (36.2 points) and Week 11 (8.5 points) as much as I did? Yikes. Let’s hope Mahomes gets right for the stretch run.
Kyler Murray is also on bye, fresh off of missing three weeks where Colt McCoy managed to secure two wins for Arizona. Hopefully the rest does Murray some good, and he can return in full force in Week 13 for the stretch run.
One note that’s too long for the chart below—the Colts have allowed 25 passing scores, most in the league. Indy represents the only team that Ryan Tannehill has passed for more than a single score against, and he managed three TDs against them twice. Indy has also recently benefitted from facing Josh Johnson (3 TDs) and Mike White (1 TD) in Week 9, and Trevor Lawrence in Week 10 (zero TDs). They also got a bagel from Davis Mills in Week 6. I’m just sayin’, it’s a pretty easy-looking list, one highlighted by multiple backup gunslingers. It wouldn’t surprise me if Tom Brady goes bonkers this week, and I think you can argue his floor over Lamar Jackson (returning from illness) and Josh Allen (volatile).
Below are further news and notes for Week 12. As always, chime in with comments or questions as you have them. Happy Turkey day to all, or happy whatever you celebrate. Either way, hopefully you’re enjoying some rest today!
QB Rankings for Week 12
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Opponent | Notes |
| 1 | Tom Brady | TB | @ IND | The Colts have allowed 25 passing TDs, most in the NFL. Tom Brady's 29 passing TDs lead the NFL. #analysis |
| 2 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | vs CLE | He's expected to play. CLE has allowed 21 passing scores, third-most in the NFL. |
| 3 | Josh Allen | BUF | @ NO | The 6.8 NY/A mark is tied for eighth-worst in the NFL, and the Saints have allowed at least one rushing TD to a QB in three straight weeks. |
| 4 | Jalen Hurts | PHI | @ NYG | Once. Just once this year has Hurts NOT been a top 12 quarterback. |
| 5 | Dak Prescott | DAL | vs LV | He's without Amari Cooper still, but OL Tyron Smith returns and CeeDee Lamb looks likely. |
| 6 | Justin Herbert | LAC | @ DEN | 90 yards rushing last week was a surprise. He's up and down, but there's no denying the upside. |
| 7 | Matthew Stafford | LAR | @ GB | This is a helluva a defense. Stafford is still a QB1, but on the lower end than normal. |
| 8 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | vs LAR | The Rams have allowed 12 passing TDs, second-fewest in the league. |
| 9 | Cam Newton | CAR | @ MIA | He was a top 5 quarterback last week despite only passing for 189 yards. The wheels are still legit. |
| 10 | Russell Wilson | SEA | @ WAS | This WAS team is getting healthy, but they've still been atrocious overall on defense this year. |
| 11 | Joe Burrow | CIN | vs PIT | The Steelers allow 4.8 Y/A on the ground, the worst mark in the NFL. They are also (suprisingly) bottom third with a 6.8 NY/A. |
| 12 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | @ SF | A battle of .500 teams, both of which have won two in a row. SF is easier to run on (13 scores allowed on the ground, third-most). |
| 13 | Carson Wentz | IND | vs TB | He hasn't had to do much lately (read: Jonathan Taylor), but against TB's stout run D this could be a ceiling week for passing. |
| 14 | Tyrod Taylor | HOU | vs NYJ | We saw the running ability on full display in last week's upset, and the Jets (7.6 NY/A) are swiss cheese on pass D. |
| 15 | Taylor Heinicke | WAS | vs SEA | Heinicke should be forced to throw, and it's a bottom third pass D by the numbers (6.6 NY/A). |
| 16 | Derek Carr | LV | @ DAL | He's nearly guaranteed to be in chase mode. Darren Waller showed signs of life last week. |
| 17 | Daniel Jones | NYG | vs PHI | Rank boring pocket passers ahead if you want more safety, I'll not argue. But I like the running floor here. |
| 18 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SF | vs MIN | You know the drill, he's got a safe floor--made safer by healthy versions of Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. |
| 19 | Mac Jones | NE | vs TEN | If the Pats can contain AJ Brown, this could be an easy one for Jones to manage at home. |
| 20 | Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | vs CAR | The Fins have won three straight, but this is a buzzsaw of a pass D and Cam has rejuvenated the Panthers. Tough draw. |
| 21 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | @ CIN | Big Ben has shown signs of life, but this is a tough divisional opponent. |
| 22 | Andy Dalton | CHI | @ DET | The Red Rifle makes his return against a swiss cheese defense. |
| 23 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | @ NE | He's coming off of a four-pick performance against HOU. The lack of healthy offensive weapons is hurting him. |
| 24 | Teddy Bridgewater | DEN | vs LAC | The Chargers have allowed an average of 283 yards and 2.5 passing scores to Cousins and Roethlisberger over the last 2 weeks. |
| 25 | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | vs ATL | Lawrence hasn't done anything of note since Week 5, when he accounted for multiple scores--something he's done just twice in 10 games. |
| 26 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | @ BAL | He's got shoulder/foot/groin injuries and did not practice on Wednesday. |
| 27 | Matt Ryan | ATL | @ JAC | The Jags are stiffer than you think, having allowed just 13 passing scores this year. You can't be trusting Ryan right now given ankle injuries and the fact that he's been benched two weeks running. |
| 28 | Trevor Siemian | NO | vs BUF | Siemian has been better than advertised, but this pass defense is the best in the league, with only seven passing scores allowed in 10 games. |
| 29 | Zach Wilson | NYJ | @ HOU | He should offer volume--TyGod looked spry last week and the Jets are probably chasing in this one. Check the status of Corey Davis, though. |
| 30 | Jared Goff | DET | vs CHI | Tim Boyle was an abject disaster last week so Detroit has to be hoping to give Goff a shot despite his oblique injury--but you shouldn't. |