10 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Adds Heading Into NFL Week 12

We're already heading into Week 12. The season is flying by, and the fantasy football playoffs aren't too far away.

With that in mind, here are some of the best additions you can make to your squads heading into Week 12.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL betting odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups

Quarterbacks

Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals

Jacoby Brissett is cooking, and he's in a good spot at home in Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Over the last five games -- all starts -- Brissett has scored between 19.4 and 24.8 fantasy points in each outing. He's run for at least 19 yards in three of the games, giving a lift to both his floor and ceiling, and he's provided a shot in the arm to the Arizona Cardinals' offense.

Jacksonville's just dominated in Week 11, but with Brissett available in nearly two-thirds of Yahoo! leagues, you're not going to find a better streaming option. And he can be more than that as Brissett can flirt with QB1 (top-12) numbers for as long as he keeps the Cards' starting gig.

Others to Consider:

Trevor Lawrence (at ARI), Sam Darnold (at TEN), Bryce Young (at SF)

Running Backs

Emanuel Wilson, Packers

Emanuel Wilson is the top waiver add this week.

Josh Jacobs exited early Sunday with a knee injury, and while it sounds like Jacobs avoided a serious injury, he's extremely questionable for Week 12. For however long Jacobs is out, Wilson is a no-doubt fantasy starter.

Wilson played 71% of the snaps last week, with Chris Brooks mixing in for 9% of the snaps. It sure looks like Wilson will be the guy for the Green Bay Packers sans Jacobs, and while a Week 12 home date with the Minnesota Vikings is a tough matchup, volume alone makes Wilson a fantasy starter this week.

Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers

Similar to the Wilson situation above, Kenneth Gainwell looks like a quality short-term pickup.

Jaylen Warren (ankle) exited early last week, and although early reports point to Warren avoiding a serious injury, it's far from a lock Warren suits up in Week 12. If he's out, Gainwell is going to play a sizable role.

With Warren leaving in Week 11, Gainwell logged a 63% snap rate. He does his best work through the air, and that was highlighted last week as he amassed seven catches for 81 yards and two tuddies.

Keep an eye out for Warren news. If it seems like Warren will miss some time, Gainwell is a stellar add. But even if Warren is expected to play this week, Gainwell makes sense as a waiver add as Gainwell out-snapped Warren 52% to 46% in Week 10.

Bam Knight, Cardinals

The Cardinals' backfield has been tough to pin down since James Conner's injury. A Week 11 injury to Emari Demercado has left Zonovan Knight as the last healthy last RB standing, and Knight is a solid pickup. He racked up five carries and four catches in Week 11.

Something that could throw a wrench into all this is Trey Benson's return. He's eligible to come off IR this week, but we'll have to see if that happens. Benson was called day to day by Jonathan Gannon last week, so it's possible Benson needs more time on the shelf. However, it's also possible Benson returns this week and operates as the Cards' RB1, which makes him a good pickup, as well.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars

Bhayshul Tuten handled 15 carries in Week 11 and turned them into 74 yards and a score.

Through three quarters of the Jaguars’ Week 11 win over the Chargers, Tuten registered a 41.9% snap rate while Travis Etienne was at a 55.8% clip. Unfortunately, Tuten exited with an ankle injury, so we'll have to monitor the news on him -- although Tuten said he's OK.

If Tuten is expected to suit up this week, he's a priority pickup who is playing his way toward a fairly even timeshare with Etienne.

Sean Tucker, Buccaneers

If you told me Bucky Irving was going to miss multiple more weeks, Sean Tucker would be a much bigger priority for me. But with Irving practicing last week, it seems like he's probably going to return in Week 12, so despite Tucker's massive outing in Week 11, he's likely headed to a reserve role behind Irving.

But Tucker clearly showed his upside in a loss at the Buffalo Bills, totaling 140 scrimmage yards and a trio of TDs. He may have moved ahead of Rachaad White on the depth chart, making Tucker -- at worst -- a valuable bench RB in fantasy who could be a league-winner if Bucky missed any more time down the road.

There's a wide range of outcomes for Tucker -- both in Week 12 and the rest of the way. He's worth a stab off the wire.

Others to Consider:

Chris Rodriguez Jr. (bye), Tyler Allgeier (at NO), Keaton Mitchell (vs. NYJ), Jaleel McLaughlin (bye), Tyler Badie (bye)

Wide Receivers

Christian Watson, Packers

Christian Watson has hit the ground running in his return from last year's season-ending injury. He's paced the Packers' WRs in snaps in two straight games -- although Romeo Doubs was injured mid-game in Week 10 -- and has recorded snap rates of 78% and 82% the past two weeks.

Watson is producing, too, hauling in multiple passes in all four of his games this year. He popped for four catches, 46 yards and two touchdowns in Week 11.

The Packers' offense is clearly in a funk, but Watson -- a down-field threat -- is one of the few bright spots of late. He could make a lot of noise down the stretch and needs to be added in all formats.

Darnell Mooney, Falcons

Drake London is going to miss at least Week 12 with a knee injury, thrusting Darnell Mooney onto the fantasy radar.

Mooney will be catching passes from Kirk Cousins instead of Michael Penix Jr. as Penix may potentially be out for the rest of the year due to a knee injury. That's not ideal given how Cousins looked in his lone start this year (173 passing yards), but it's not a death sentence, either, as Mooney put up 992 yards and five TDs in 2024 with Cousins starting the vast majority of the Atlanta Falcons' games last year.

Others to Consider:

Alec Pierce (at KC), Parker Washington (vs. JAX), Parker Washington (at ARI), Luther Burden III (vs. PIT)

Tight Ends

Brenton Strange, Jaguars

Brenton Strange is currently on IR for the Jags but practiced last week and likely has a good shot to return in Week 12. That makes him an interesting TE add.

Strange was targeted 23 times through the first four weeks, and since then, the Jags' WRs have been decimated by injuries, with Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. missing time. Hunter is out for the year while Thomas missed Week 11 and could be on the sidelines for Week 12.

In addition to that, Jags TE Hunter Long sat in Week 11 and could also miss more time.

In short, there's going to be opportunity Strange, who could come back to a role that includes a hefty amount of both snaps and targets.

Others to Consider:

Juwan Johnson (vs. ATL), Dalton Schultz (vs. BUF), Chigoziem Okonkwo (vs. SEA)

Defenses

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are at home this week and are expected to be facing Shedeur Sanders, a rookie QB drafted in the fifth round who will be making his first NFL start.

This matchup checks all the boxes, and while Vegas is bad on D, that may not matter much.

The Raiders' D/ST is available in 91% of Yahoo! leagues, and depending on your league's rules, you may be able to add them now ahead of Vegas' MNF game.

Others to Consider:

Buffalo (at HOU), New Orleans (vs. ATL), San Francisco (vs. CAR)

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.