Need some help setting your lineup this week? NFL Nation reporters answer the biggest fantasy questions -- provided by ESPN fantasy football analyst Mike Clay -- across the league for Week 12.
Answers for the games from Thursday are at the bottom.
AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
What's gone wrong with the defense? How effective do you expect the unit to be moving forward?
Basically everything. Since Week 5, the Bills rank 32nd in points allowed per game (32.7), 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (137.7), 29th in passing yards allowed per game (269.7), 32nd in sacks per pass attempt (1.9 percent), 29th on third downs (44.7 percent) and 22nd in the red zone (60.0 percent). The trade of Marcell Dareus has hurt the run defense and injuries to cornerback E.J. Gaines have hurt the pass defense, but the problems extend beyond that. The defensive line is not producing much pass rush, 34-year old veterans Kyle Williams and Lorenzo Alexander are showing their age and Preston Brown might not be athletic enough to play the middle in this defense. There are issues with personnel that won't be fixed this season, so I would have low expectations, especially with two games against New England's offense remaining. -- Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker has yet to reach his massive potential. Is that big breakout game on the horizon?
I just don't see it. It's Week 12 and Parker still hasn't shown that alpha mentality to go with his immense talent. Miami's quarterback situation is in flux with Jay Cutler in concussion protocol and backup Matt Moore getting first-team reps in practice. The Dolphins face the Patriots twice in the next three weeks, and that's not a team Miami's offense or Parker will get their groove back against. -- James Walker
New England Patriots
Will Malcolm Butler shadow Jarvis Landry against the Dolphins, or will he stick to covering outside receivers?
That could be a matchup we see on a regular basis, though second-year corner Jonathan Jones has been doing the majority of work in the slot when the Patriots are in their nickel package. Jones was praised by coach Bill Belichick for his development. "He's done a good job for us. He's played primarily inside, but he can play both -- outside and inside," Belichick said. "He's got good catch-up speed and does an excellent job of finishing. He has really good awareness of the receiver's hands, the timing of the throw, when to reach for the ball, not to get interference calls, try to get into the pocket of the receiver and so forth. He's got good speed, and good quickness, and he's a tough kid. You see that in the kicking game. You see it on defense, too. He's tough." -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
Do you anticipate a larger role for Bilal Powell down the stretch?
Yes, I️ do. The Jets are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping they won't have to shut down RB Matt Forte because of his chronic knee issue. Even if he plays, his snaps probably will be cut back. You'll see him on passing downs, with Powell and Elijah McGuire sharing the load on first and second down. Powell has only 112 touches, so he should be rested for the homestretch. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Do you expect Danny Woodhead to play a bigger role on Monday night against the Texans after he was limited to 13 snaps last week?
Definitely. The Ravens wanted to ease Woodhead into his first game in 10 weeks, and they didn't have to throw the ball in the second half (11 attempts) after jumping out to a 13-0 lead against the Packers. Still, this likely won't be a breakout game for Woodhead. The Texans have allowed only 334 yards passing to running backs this season, which is the fourth lowest in the NFL. Next week's game against the Lions is a more favorable matchup for Woodhead. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
With the massive offensive struggles in mind, do you expect AJ McCarron to make some starts this season?
The Bengals offensive problems go beyond QB Andy Dalton, and they're clearly committed to him. McCarron won't be making any starts in the near future unless Dalton gets hurt. -- Katherine Terrell
Cleveland Browns
Why was David Njoku's role reduced last week? Should we expect more of the same in Cincinnati?
It might be wise to put the brakes on the expectations for this player; we're not talking Jason Witten. Njoku will never have an every-down role until his blocking improves. As a receiver, he has talent, but he also has drops. Sometimes a players's targets will fluctuate, and that's what happened last Sunday. Corey Coleman was back, the Jaguars have an aggressive rush that required extra blocking and DeShone Kizer did not have a good day. That's what happened with Njoku on Sunday. -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers
Can we count on this offense for consistent, high-end production following the 40-point effort against Tennessee?
The Steelers believe they're trending toward such a breakout, especially with four of their past six games at home, where Ben Roethlisberger can run his no-huddle. But Pittsburgh knows its offense won't sizzle unless the supporting cast wins one-on-one matchups, which wasn't always the case against Tennessee -- Antonio Brown just happened to see one-on-one coverage and blasted it. He won't get such opportunities every week. If JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant can win four to five times per game downfield, the Steelers win. The offense will go as far as Roethlisberger takes it, and right now he looks comfortable. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Will D'Onta Foreman's injury mean a larger role for Lamar Miller, or will Alfred Blue pick up where the rookie left off?
Blue and new Texans running back Andre Ellington will see some time, but the heavy workload likely will fall on Miller. Foreman was a good complement to Miller because of his physicality and ability to run downfield, and Blue is built differently. Last season as the backup, Blue averaged eight touches a game while Miller averaged 21. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
Will Erik Swoope's impending activation from injured reserve be bad news for Jack Doyle's massive target share?
Doyle has nothing to worry about when it comes to his role in the offense. He isn't a big play pass-catcher. That honor belongs to receiver T.Y. Hilton. But what Doyle is, though, is Jacoby Brissett's security blanket in the offense. Doyle's 52 receptions are 16 more than his next-closest teammate. What the return of Swoope gives the Colts is an additional option in the passing game when it comes to their tight ends. You can also expect the Colts to use more two-tight-end sets. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
With Patrick Peterson on Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns doubtful, how likely is a big Dede Westbrook performance against the Cardinals?
Westbrook should get more action than he did in his debut (three catches for 35 yards on six targets). Quarterback Blake Bortles said he was impressed with what Westbrook did and he's grown more comfortable with him over the past month since Westbrook returned to practice. Lee is definitely Bortles' first read on nearly every play -- he admitted that this week -- but with Peterson on Lee, Bortles will have to go elsewhere more than he has. Westbrook would probably be atop the list more so than Jaydon Mickens. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
Do you expect Marcus Mariota and the struggling offense to get back on track against an extremely light schedule over the next month?
I do. Mariota's national TV dud last week caused people to jump to drastic conclusions about his status as a franchise quarterback. He's the Titans' guy, and he should be a viable QB1 for fantasy owners down the stretch. The Titans just finished playing top-six passing defenses in each of their past three games. A weak schedule coming up should allow Mariota and the Titans to pad their stats a little more. -- Cameron Wolfe
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Do you anticipate a big boost (or dip) in targets for any of the team's pass-catchers now that Paxton Lynch is under center?
The notion the Broncos can simply put Lynch in at quarterback and things will run far more smoothly is likely misplaced. Lynch lost a battle to be the starting QB in back-to-back training camps, missed two months of practice after a shoulder injury and hasn't played in a game since early last December. Interim offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is expected to trim down the game plan for Lynch and tailor some things to put Lynch on the move. That will help, but the Broncos have struggled in pass protection all year. Lynch's start in Jacksonville last season could provide a bit of a template. The Broncos gave Lynch some chances to put the ball down the field, but for the most part, they played it close to the vest as they ran the ball plenty and Lynch had just three completions over 10 yards. A key indicator will be how Lynch does, or doesn't, rebound if he makes a mistake early in the game. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
What's gone wrong with the offense? Can we trust its top weapons to produce against a struggling Bills defense?
Everything has gone wrong for the offense, from Kareem Hunt not getting the help that he was receiving early in the season to Alex Smith playing his worst game of the year last week against the Giants to wide receivers Chris Conley and Albert Wilson being out of the lineup. It's hard to believe the Chiefs are suddenly this bad on offense. They'll rebound at some point, though not to the level they were at in September. That rebound could start against the Bills. -- Adam Teicher
Oakland Raiders
Has Derek Carr regressed from last season, or is there some other factor that's limiting offensive production?
Carr is still putting up stats and projecting out to 3,506 passing yards and 22 touchdowns while completing 63.9 percent of his passes, but something is just missing. He does not look as comfortable or as confident in the pocket and is seemingly getting rid of the ball too early, before his pass-catchers can get any type of separation. Maybe the broken leg from Week 16 last season is still on his mind. Or the broken pinkie suffered last November. Or the broken bone in his back incurred this October. Or maybe, just maybe, the Raiders made a mistake in turning over the No. 6-ranked offense over from Bill Musgrave to Todd Downing, who now has the No. 21-ranked offense in the league. Whatever it is, Carr is not the same gunslinger he was last season. He still has time to revert. -- Paul Gutierrez
NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles
Will Jay Ajayi finally step into a larger role against the Bears, or are the Eagles committed to a three- or four-man committee?
Expect Ajayi's workload to fluctuate over the remainder of the season depending on that particular week's matchup and game flow. There are no plans to cut LeGarrette Blount and surprise rookie Corey Clement out of a rushing attack that ranks second in the NFL (145 yards per game). Ajayi is getting more comfortable with the playbook and should evolve into the lead back before long, but he'll continue to share carries. -- Tim McManus
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Was last week a fluke, or has Tarik Cohen been promoted back into a significant offensive role?
Cohen will have a significant role against the Eagles on Sunday. The Bears went to great lengths to get him more touches in last week's loss to Detroit. Initially, the Bears used Cohen in a traditional running back role to make sure he touched the ball and got in the flow of the game. As the afternoon progressed, the Bears began lining up Cohen at wide receiver. Plus, Cohen is still the primary return man on the kickoff and punt units. The rookie should be back to getting his customary 15 touches per game over the final six weeks. -- Jeff Dickerson
Green Bay Packers
Jordy Nelson investors want to know: Do you believe Aaron Rodgers will return this season?
Rodgers will return if -- and only if -- the Packers are still in playoff contention. He's been aggressive with his rehab and wants to play again this year, which would obviously help Nelson, whose production has fallen off the map with Brett Hundley at quarterback. But the Hundley-led Packers will have to win at least twice more between now and Week 15 to remain relevant enough to make that a consideration. -- Rob Demovsky
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Julio Jones has had plenty of opportunities near the goal line, but he has only one touchdown. Is there any logical explanation for the lack of scoring?
Of course, Jones is going to draw added coverage wherever he is on the field, especially in the red zone. Through 10 games, Jones has just 10 red zone targets with three receptions and one touchdown. But, as offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian says over and over, that's not a bad thing if the other guys around Jones are stepping up and making plays -- at least for the team's purpose. Mohamed Sanu leads the Falcons with four touchdown receptions, including a spectacular, one-handed grab in last week's win over Seattle. And eight Falcons have touchdown receptions from Matt Ryan. The fade to Jones always is an option because of his ability to go up and get it. But the Falcons won't force the issue and risk a turnover just to get their marquee player the ball. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
Do you expect Greg Olsen to be limited in his return from injured reserve against the Jets?
It's hard to imagine Olsen easing back into this. He's anxious to help the offense, and quarterback Cam Newton is anxious to get back his favorite target. As long as Olsen isn't experiencing any pain in his foot, he'll be on the field. Does that mean he'll play every snap as typically does? Probably not. But with a big game against New Orleans the following week, the Panthers want to get their three-time Pro Bowl tight end as acclimated to what they're doing as possible. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
Was Coby Fleener's strong performance last week simply a product of game flow, or can we now count on him to play a consistent role?
I anticipated this question while watching Fleener catch five passes for 91 yards over the final six minutes of last week's comeback win over Washington. No, I don't expect a consistent role for Fleener, since he had zero catches before the Saints got into that hurry-up, two-minute-drive mode. But it was a reminder of how effective he can be in those situations as their No. 1 pass-catching tight end, and he is capable of a 100-yard performance under the right circumstances. (I'd give the same advice when it comes to Drew Brees, who was 11-for-11 for 164 yards and two touchdowns over those final six minutes). The Saints have been relying on their defense and run game while playing with comfortable leads for most of the year. But chances are, they'll have to throw to catch up in a few more games -- maybe on Sunday against the Rams' potent offense. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Why has Cameron Brate's role decreased in recent weeks? What should we expect from him against Atlanta?
It's really not that Brate's role has decreased so much as what teams are doing to stop him. Two weeks ago, the Jets doubled up on him in the red zone, the first time New York had done that all year. The Jets were able to devote resources to that because of Mike Evans' absence, who was serving a one-game suspension. Brate is also a bit of a victim of his own success there. Teams know he's the guy in the red zone. Things should even out a bit now that O.J. Howard and DeSean Jackson are having some success, and the pendulum should swing back in Brate's direction. But Brate's still very active. In the past two weeks, he ran 43 routes. By comparison, Howard ran 29. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
Which wide receiver do you expect to see the biggest boost in targets with John Brown out against the Jaguars?
Well, it depends. If Bruce Arians feels like giving J.J. Nelson another shot at making up for his drops the past two weeks, then him. But if Arians doesn't feel as giving as the holiday season kicks off, Larry Fitzgerald's targets likely will increase even more. By losing Brown for this game and releasing Andre Ellington, Arizona won't have its third- and fourth-most targeted receivers on the field Sunday. -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
Do you expect Sammy Watkins to finally play a consistent role with Robert Woods sidelined?
I don't think the Rams have much choice but to feature him. Cooper Kupp will certainly draw more targets, too, but the rest of their receivers -- Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas and Josh Reynolds -- are very unproven. Plus, the Rams haven't really used Tavon Austin in the passing game. Watkins can expect a spike in targets, but he and Jared Goff need to get in sync. Watkins is frequently beating his defender off the line of scrimmage, but he has hauled in only 63.2 percent of Goff's passes. They're 2-for-10 on passes that travel at least 20 yards past the line of scrimmage. -- Alden Gonzalez
San Francisco 49ers
As the team returns from its Week 11 bye, do you expect a bigger role for any of the young pass-catchers?
It's a good question considering the injuries the team is dealing with at wide receiver. Trent Taylor is expected back from a rib injury soon and he seems the most likely to get more opportunities when he gets back, but Kendrick Bourne is probably the guy that could get the biggest boost. Bourne didn't light it up against the Giants, but he did make three catches, all of which went for first downs. That's the kind of thing that can earn a young player more reps from the coaches and more trust from the passers. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
Do you expect J.D. McKissic to again lead the backfield in carries and receptions against the 49ers?
Nothing would surprise me anymore with the Seahawks' backfield, but I don't expect that this week. McKissic's increased workload last Monday night was a product of several factors: Mike Davis getting hurt in the third quarter, Thomas Rawls being inactive and Seattle not wanting to overwork Eddie Lacy in his return from an a groin injury. McKissic gave Seattle some nice production vs. Atlanta (53 yards on 12 touches), and he'll still be involved Sunday with Davis unlikely to play because of a groin strain. But I think the Seahawks will keep McKissic in a complementary role behind Lacy and Rawls. -- Brady Henderson
Thursday's games
Minnesota Vikings
Stefon Diggs had the bigger day when Minnesota faced Detroit in Week 4, but is it fair to expect red-hot Adam Thielen to be the better producer this time around?
I'd say so. Thielen is on a hot streak with a touchdown in each of his past three games and averaging 20.3 yards per catch. His ability to get separation will be critical against these cornerbacks, as Detroit's defense, as a whole, doesn't allow teams to get big chunks of yardage. Thielen is second in yards with 916, trailing only Antonio Brown after performances of 98, 166 and 123 receiving yards in the Vikings' past three wins. You'll want to keep your eye on the milestone tracker this game. Thielen is on pace to become the first Vikings receiver since Sidney Rice in 2009 to accumulate 1,000 yards in a season. While he had only 59 his last time against Detroit, I wouldn't be surprised if he got the 84 he needs to surpass that mark. -- Courtney Cronin
Detroit Lions
With his recent struggles against Xavier Rhodes' shadow coverage in mind, is it fair to expect a quiet day from Marvin Jones Jr. against the Vikings?
If Rhodes follows Jones, it likely won't be a productive day for the receiver. The Lions have Kenny Golladay this time around, though, and Golladay's big-play potential could take some attention away from Jones, who has been pretty good over the past month. Jones has never played well against the Vikings -- seven career catches -- and Matthew Stafford has averaged 220 yards passing against Minnesota since coach Mike Zimmer took over. So consider all of that when you're making a Jones decision Thursday. -- Michael Rothstein
Los Angeles Chargers
Why has Tyrell Williams' play fallen off this year? Do you expect him to play a lesser role moving forward with Mike Williams on his heels?
Tyrell Williams' targets are down this year for a couple of reasons. The most obvious is Keenan Allen has regained his role as the team's No. 1 receiver now that he's healthy, and Tyrell Williams is adjusting to having a lesser role in the offense. Along with that, the Chargers are working rookie Mike Williams into more of an expanded role, and that's also cutting into Tyrell Williams' workload. Tyrell Williams also had a big drop on a deep ball that would have been a touchdown two weeks ago against the Jaguars. Bottom line is Tyrell Williams will have to make the most of his opportunities when the ball does come his way. -- Eric D. Williams
Dallas Cowboys
Why has Jason Witten been limited to exactly one target in two of his past three games? Can we trust him to be more involved against the Chargers?
Witten has sandwiched one-catch games around a seven-game catch in the past three weeks, which speaks to the issues the Cowboys are having in their passing game. When Dak Prescott was humming last season, Witten and Cole Beasley were focal points of the passing game. Now they can't be found and the Cowboys can't make plays outside. This week, Prescott said he needs to do a better job of getting the ball underneath and letting those players make plays instead of hoping for the big play. Left tackle Tyron Smith returns to the lineup against the Chargers after missing two games, and that should help free up Witten a little more in the passing game. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
Do you believe Orleans Darkwa's strong play could earn him a long-term gig as the lead back?
He's already the lead back for the duration of this season, barring an injury. He's earned that with almost 5.0 yards per carry while making a good chunk of his yards after contact. After this year is a crapshoot. Darkwa is a free agent at season's end, and the Giants haven't exactly been sold on him in the past. You would think that would change after what he's done this year, but you never know with this team and the way it handles running backs. -- Jordan Raanan
Washington Redskins
How do you expect backfield touches to be distributed with Chris Thompson out for the season?
A better question would be: Which backs will be left standing? With their current group, there's no doubt that Samaje Perine will carry the bulk of the load. The plan to have him as their lead back hasn't changed, but they also might leave him on the field more in situations where, in the past, Thompson would have played. Perine must be able to handle the protections like Thompson. But Byron Marshall will get time as the primary third-down back. He was signed only a week ago, so there's a lot he must learn. If he progresses well and can pick up the blitz, then he'll get more reps in this role. Otherwise, it'll be a heavy dose of Perine with LeShun Daniels Jr. giving him a breather as a primary runner on occasion. -- John Keim