The 12th Sunday of the NFL season featured a historic outing by Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs, noteworthy comeback victories by the desperate Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys, a quasi-impressive starting debut by Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders and, as unfortunately always seems the case, several injuries that should affect many fantasy managers, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield (shoulder), New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee) and Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins (concussion).
Four teams served their bye this Week 12 (Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders), but none do this coming Thanksgiving week, which features a trio of games on Thursday and another in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon. However, bye weeks are not complete! The final four teams serve their bye in Week 14 (New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers), which matches the first playoff round for many managers. Thus, this week's free agent report includes Week 14 options. It's the playoffs. Plan for them this week, if possible.
Each Monday, before the current NFL weekend ends, we will identify players available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues worthy of your attention, from standard formats to deeper options. The NFL is a weekly league, and player valuation and roles seldom remain stagnant. It does not matter how you acquire players for your fantasy rosters, just that you acquire them!
Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (47% rostered in ESPN leagues): Brissett was featured last week, and we must do so again after he registered another top-10 performance in Week 12. Brissett scored 18.48 points Sunday, his worst outing in six chances. That's still excellent! We like Brissett for Week 13 against the compromised Buccaneers, but not as much for Week 14 against the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams.
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (47.2%): Him again? Yep! Darnold bounced back from horrific fantasy outings in Weeks 10 and 11 to score a useful 17.66 points against the Tennessee Titans. Up next are the Minnesota Vikings and then, in Week 14, the Atlanta Falcons. It's a reasonable two-week stretch for a fill-in fantasy quarterback who has the best wide receiver in the league, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba trends toward 2,000 receiving yards.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Giants fill-in Jameis Winston (3.1%) led all Sunday passers with 32.24 points, and while rookie star Jaxson Dart may return from his concussion this week, the Giants are off in Week 14 and could/should give him more time to heal. The Giants are not making the playoffs. Winston remains capable of big performances at any time, against any foe, even versus the Patriots next Monday night.
Titans rookie Cam Ward (5.2%) scored 23.94 points in Sunday's loss to the Seahawks, eclipsing his season best by more than 10 points. Ward still isn't reliable for fantasy, but we acknowledge there is upside here for this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Then, the Titans must deal with Myles Garrett and the Browns in Week 14, which is not as attractive.
Dolphins lefty Tua Tagovailoa (12.8%) tossed nary a pass in Week 12, serving the bye week, but this week he faces the New Orleans Saints and then, in Week 14, the New York Jets. As with Darnold, a fantasy manager could do worse over a two-week span. So many quarterbacks are readily available in ESPN leagues, but Darnold and Tagovailoa deserve attention ahead of, among others, Houston Texans starter C.J. Stroud (41.1%), Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders (5.2%) and, if needed to start for an injured Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers' Teddy Bridgewater (0.1%).
Running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (8.8%): We don't typically recommend players against the Broncos, but Rodriguez sure looked like the team's starter prior to the bye week, and not rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt (60%). Even Austin Ekeler (18.3), who went on injured reserve way back in Week 3, is more rostered than Rodriguez. That is just silly. Expect volume for Rodriguez against Denver, after he rushed 15 times in Week 11, and scored touchdowns in Weeks 9 and 10. The Commanders face the Vikings in Week 14.
Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints (1.8%): Neal, a sixth-round choice from Kansas, was pressed into early duty when Kamara (knee) left Sunday's game. Neal scored a competent 11.1 points in relief, with much of the damage coming on his five receptions for 43 yards. The Saints utilized TE Taysom Hill (1.2%) for more volume, but he turned 10 carries into only 17 yards, so we would go with Neal first. We lack clarity on Kamara's situation, but Neal may get a chance to shine this week against the Dolphins, and a week later against the Buccaneers.
Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals (40.2%): Someone must run the football for Arizona this week against the Buccaneers, and while we have touted potential starter Trey Benson (55.7%) returning from his knee injury several times recently in this space, who knows when he will officially return. It may be Knight and Michael Carter (11.3%) again this week and beyond.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
There isn't much to add at running back, so it's a good thing no teams are on bye in Week 13. Chiefs backup Kareem Hunt (59.9%) and Pittsburgh Steelers backup Kenneth Gainwell (57.2%) are over the 50% line, but each should be more popular than they are. Hunt scored 20 points on Sunday, and we still await clarity on whether Isiah Pacheco (knee) will play this Thursday afternoon against the Cowboys. Gainwell has scored a whopping 47.7 points for the past two games, with his 13 receptions in that span a big reason why, and the Steelers face the Buffalo Bills. Add these players for Week 13 and beyond.
Wide receiver
Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans (11.9%): Dike scored 21.4 points in Sunday's loss to the heavily favored Seahawks, tallying an electric punt return touchdown and then scoring a receiving touchdown in the final minute. Dike has reached 16 fantasy points in three of five games, and Ward appears to be making strides. Nobody will confuse the Titans offense for, well, any productive one, but Ward and Dike should produce competent figures in Week 13 against the Jaguars, and if the Titans can sustain the pass rush, perhaps the following week versus the Browns.
John Metchie III, New York Jets (0.5%): Metchie scored 18.5 points in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, catching six of seven targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. This is the second consecutive game in which Metchie, who caught four passes over seven games with the Philadelphia Eagles before landing with the Jets for Week 10, scored a touchdown. He looks like the featured receiver along with former Indianapolis Colts option Adonai Mitchell (2.8%). For now, go with Metchie the next fortnight against the Falcons and Dolphins.
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans (23.3%): Higgins has caught touchdown passes in three of five games, and from two quarterbacks, as he emerges as a reasonable flex option. The schedule isn't favorable over the next two weeks for road games with the Colts and Chiefs, and we don't know who will be throwing the football, but Higgins should be more popular. Teammate Christian Kirk (10.6%) also scored a touchdown in Week 12, but Higgins has the bright future in the short- and long-term.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
The Bengals played Week 12 without star Ja'Marr Chase (suspension) and then late in the loss to the Patriots, they lost Tee Higgins (concussion). This should force his absence in Week 13, as the Bengals play on Thursday night. Andrei Iosivas (11.2%) caught four passes for 61 yards Sunday, while Mitchell Tinsley (0.2%) scored a touchdown on his two receptions. It is certainly possible Joe Burrow, likely to return to action Thursday, looks their way on Thanksgiving. Go with Iosivas first, and remember, there is no guarantee Higgins returns for Week 14, either.
Green Bay Packers starter Christian Watson (48.8%) scored a disappointing 9.9 points on Sunday against the Vikings, but we like him for Week 13 and 14 against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. After all, the Lions just permitted 30.6 points to the Giants' Wan'Dale Robinson, and the Bears are one of the easiest teams to procure WR fantasy points against. Watson boasts touchdown upside for these contests.
Similarly, we like the upside of Bears rookie Luther Burden III (7.5%) for games against the Eagles and Packers. Burden has yet to truly break out, with three receptions in each of the past three weeks, but he makes big plays when called upon, and thus makes for a decent, deep-league flex.
Cardinals slot option Greg Dortch (6.1%) has scored 35.4 points over the past two games, as Brissett continues throwing the football sans Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix). Michael Wilson is the target hog, but the diminutive Dortch has scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks.
Tight end
Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (35%): Loveland scored 14.9 points in Sunday's win over the Steelers, which included his third touchdown of his rookie season. Loveland has been a fantasy factor over the past five weeks, averaging better than 12 yards per catch each week. The Bears play the Eagles this Friday afternoon.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (10.9%): Strange, out since Week 5 with a hip injury, scored 14.3 points (a top 5 figure among tight ends this week) in his return against the Cardinals, and he comes recommended for Week 13 against the Titans and even the following week against the Colts. A healthy Strange will see targets, and he totaled 93 receiving yards Sunday.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Evan Engram (42.4%) and his mates served a Week 12 bye, and they play the Sunday night game this week in Washington. Engram hasn't helped fantasy managers much this season, but the Commanders permit plenty of fantasy points to tight ends, though not quite the most.
It may be a bit of a stretch to rely on Ravens backup TE Isaiah Likely (7.6%) just because his team plays the Bengals, who have been historically terrible against tight ends this season. Starter Mark Andrews should have a good game, and perhaps Likely will reach double digit fantasy points for the first time this season. For those wondering, the Bengals play the Bills in Week 14, so if Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) can return to health by then, he is a prime fantasy pickup!
Defense
The Colts D/ST (46%) is safely among the top 10 in fantasy scoring this season, yet because so many managers moved on for the Week 11 bye week, this unit remains available in many leagues. Go get the Colts. They play the Texans and Jaguars over the next two weeks.
For Week 13, the San Francisco 49ers D/ST (20%) should produce several turnovers against the Browns and their rookie QB, while the Atlanta Falcons D/ST (36.4%) gets to face the Jets.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins D/ST (2.3%) hasn't helped many fantasy managers, but this unit does have 18 fantasy points over its past two games, against the Bills and Commanders. The Dolphins host the Saints in Week 13, then play the Jets in Week 14. That may work nicely for fantasy.