First things first: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! May the holiday be truly a great one for all. With all that must be done, don’t forget to fortify your fantasy team with the waiver pickups needed to complete the roster. Of course, first identifying the players to pick up is the primary concern. Worry no further, as that is the very reason this fantasy football week twelve waivers edition exists. Below are the selections that will round out a fantasy team. So that you can get back to your holiday routines, not another moment will be wasted. Remember that all ownership percentages come from ESPN and that fortunately, no teams are on bye this week.

Top Week Twelve Running Back Waiver Pickups

Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 33.8% Owned

Last week, Rachaad White was mentioned as a player to keep an eye on and stash if there was roster space. This week, he leads off the running back session, as Tampa Bay will be back in action after their bye week. It has been reported that teammate Leonard Fournette is almost certain to play against Cleveland. Even if Fournette does suit up, White is the play for fantasy managers moving forward. He is getting the touches, and the results, that everyone is looking for.

Against Seattle in Germany, White carried the ball 22 times for 105 yards. For those counting at home, that comes to a 4.8 yards per carry. Additionally, White put up 15 fantasy points. Every game since week seven, White’s fantasy points have gone up. There is every reason to believe that trend will continue. Both White and Fournette, if healthy, will get their touches going forward and both have fantasy relevance, although White is the only player available in any fantasy format.

White will run the ball and Fournette will catch it. If running back is a need on the roster, place a claim on White. Any manager that does so will be pleased with the results.

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs, 43.2% Owned

Kansas City is known for its passing attack, of course, but there is still a Chiefs running back worth owning if on the waiver wire. That player is Isiah Pacheco. The Sunday night game against the Chargers presents clear reason why that statement is true. Pacheco carried the ball 15 times for 107 yards. That averages out to an incredible 7.1 yards per carry. Any fantasy team can use a running back that carries a rushing average like that, regardless of format.

Pacheco, however, does have just one catch in his last four games, capping his potential a bit in PPR leagues. Even so, managers in that format should look to add him as he is an integral part of a high-powered offense. Those in standard formats, adding him goes without saying. Since the bye week, Pacheco has raised his fantasy point total three straight games, finishing with 13 against the Chargers.

It is clear that Pacheco is the lead back for Kansas City and will be going forward. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has disappeared from the landscape and also was injured Sunday night. Reports say the injury could keep him out for an extended period. Regardless, Pacheco was the king of that backfield before the injury. If available, Pacheco is near the top of the list on this fantasy football week twelve waivers edition.

Latavius Murray, Denver Broncos, 33.8% Owned

This season has been a train wreck of massive proportions for the Denver Broncos. Seriously, no one can dispute that. Even as that is the case, they have a running back worth owning in fantasy. His name? Let’s talk about Latavius Murray. He split carries evenly with Melvin Gordon through the first half of their Sunday game against the Raiders. However, Gordon had a costly fumble (no way we have seen that before, right?) and Murray saw his role expand in the second half.

In the game, Murray set season highs in carries with 17 and receptions with four. He also scored on a one-yard run, which helped make up for his paltry 2.9 YPC as he finished with 49 yards. The Broncos coaches have to be about fed up with Gordon and his fumbling problem and Chase Edmonds has an ankle injury. If the two running backs above are off the board, Murray is worth a pickup as would any running back that is at the top of a team’s roster.

Top Week Twelve Wide Receiver Waiver Pickups

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers, 50% Owned

For the second consecutive week, Christian Watson is featured in these articles. There aren’t a lot of players in the NFL that have scored five touchdowns this season. Watson has done it in his last two games. His ownership percentage shot up 45% since he burned the Cowboys in week ten. Expect that meteoric rise to continue after Thursday’s performance against Tennessee. If he is available in your league, act immediately or he will certainly be residing in someone else’s residence this holiday season.

Over the past two games, Watson has 14 targets, of which he has pulled down eight catches for 155 yards and those five big touchdowns. In the fantasy realm, Watson has scored an eye opening 37 fantasy points over those contests. The connection between him and a certain Hall-of-Fame quarterback continues to grow, even as the Packers’ season has derailed.

Don’t expect numbers close to the last two games against Philadelphia on the road this Sunday. However, Green Bay does face Chicago and Miami in the next four weeks after that. Needless to say, those defenses are not among the best in the NFL. There are more big games in store for Watson down the stretch and into the playoffs. Without question, he is the leading receiver to pick up if available on this fantasy football week twelve waivers edition.

Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans, 22.7% Owned

To be completely upfront, Treylon Burks is the first Tennesse Titan player featured in this fantasy football week twelve waiver edition, but he won’t be the last. Burks missed four games this season and was nothing to write home about in the four games he did play before that. However, that assessment must now be reviewed as the entire Titans team is clearly one of the best teams in the NFL at the moment.

In Thursday’s game against the Packers, Burks was targeted eight times. Of those, he caught seven of them for (are you ready for this?) 111 yards, by far the most he has had in a game in his young career. His yards per catch average came out to 15.9, the fourth time this season he has been above 13. Burks now has 14 targets in his last two games.

With stability at the QB position and quite possibly the best running back in the game, the Titans offense will purr coming down the stretch and in the fantasy playoffs. Most likely, a lot of managers dropped Burks earlier in the year. If available and picked up, Burks will bring a lot of smiles to fantasy faces deep into December.

Nico Collins, Houston Texans, 10.3% Owned

Don’t look now, but there is a receiver widely available on the waiver wire that has 17 targets in the last two weeks. Most fantasy managers have no reason to look in the direction of the Houston Texans for answers. However, those having receiver problems need to check out Nico Collins. Along with the fore mentioned targets, Collins has 10 catches for 97 yards over his last two games. Add in a touchdown to boot.

Those stats are not the best news though. Next on the schedule is the Miami Dolphins. They rank 20th in overall defense and 21st against the pass. There is little doubt that the Texans will have to throw the ball a lot to keep up with Miami’s offense. Of course, that will create an excellent opportunity for Collins to pile up the receptions and fantasy points. If the other receivers mentioned here are already on a roster, Collins can be this week’s solution.

Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars, 30.2% Owned

To be sure, when it comes to a receiver that is available on the wire that has a favorable schedule the next two weeks, no one compares to Zay Jones. Coming out of their bye week, the Jaguars face Baltimore and Detroit in back-to-back games. Currently, the Ravens rank 25th in the NFL in pass defense and the Lions are one spot above them in 24th. That is about as good a schedule that any fantasy manager could possibly ask for.

Above all, though, is the fact that Jones can produce stats regardless of the competition. In week 10 versus Kansas City, Jones caught eight of ten targets for 68 yards and finished with 14 fantasy points. It was the third game this season that Jones has had ten targets, and he has two others with at least eight. His points aren’t touchdown dependent, as he hasn’t hit the endzone since week three.

Just think what Jones could score once he does catch that elusive touchdown pass. He easily could score more than 20 fantasy points. Double digits are about his floor, and there aren’t many receivers on the wire that can match that. If the receiver position needs a boost, Jones can certainly provide it.

Other Wide Receiver to Consider:

That would be Donovan Peoples-Jones (36.7% owned) of the Cleveland Browns. He has double digits in fantasy points the last five weeks and scored his first TD of the season against the Bills. His quarterback situation looks great moving forward, placing Peoples-Jones in an excellent spot to aid managers down the stretch and into the fantasy playoffs.

Top Week Twelve Tight End Waiver Pickups

Austin Hooper, Tennessee Titans, 6.1% Owned

Recently, the tight end, the weakest by far of all positions in fantasy, has been hit hard with injuries. Fortunately, with the return of Ryan Tannehill (see below), Austin Hooper is a widely available tight end that can solve a manager’s problem. Every game since week eight, Hooper’s fantasy production has increased. On Thursday against the Packers, Hooper exploded across the fantasy landscape with two touchdown catches.

To be clear, those were the first two TDs for Hooper on the season, which, most likely, won’t happen again this year. However, with tight end being a slim position to begin with and adding in all of the injuries, a player that scores 19 fantasy points can’t be ignored. For the game, Hooper caught all four of his targets for 36 yards.

He did receive eight targets the week before, which indicates he will be a featured member of the offense moving forward. With nearly everyone needing help at tight end, Hooper moves to the forefront of this fantasy football week twelve waivers edition.

Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders, 22.2% Owned

Speaking of tight end injuries, it is certain that everyone is aware that Darren Waller is on injured reserve. At the very least, those that drafted Waller need to pivot to the wire and pickup Foster Moreau without delay. Everyone else needs to glance his way to help heal the huge hole that the tight end position has caused on fantasy rosters throughout the land. Just don’t look for any evidence to back up those statements coming out of the Denver Bronco’s game Sunday, however.

Clearly, Moreau and quarterback Derek Carr didn’t get on the same page in this game, as Moreau only had one reception in three targets. Even so, there is obvious potential here, as that one catch went for 33 yards. The previous week, Moreau had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Next is the Seahawks and their 20th ranked pass defense. Moreau has the chance to put up some good stats in that game. With the current state of the tight end position, potential may be about all there is to look for.

Other Tight End to Consider:

Check out Trey McBride (5.6% owned) Arizona Cardinals. As the Monday night game has not happened as this is being written, check the stats when the game is over to see just how worthy McBride might be going forward.

Top Week Twelve Quarterback Waiver Pickups

Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans, 7.8% Owned

Quick, name the fantasy quarterback that has thrown for four touchdowns the past two week and is less than 10 percent owned. You probably guessed with his name above, but the answer is Ryan Tannehill. Since returning to the lineup after missing two games, all Tannehill has done is throw for 588 yards with the four TDs and just one interception. That interception shouldn’t concern anyone, as it was his first in the past five games.

The level of competition that he has done that against have been solid defensively, with Denver the number one pass defense in the NFL. Green Bay checks in at number 18, which isn’t great but not terrible, either. Not since week one has Tannehill enjoyed that level of success, but there is every reason to expect that will continue going forward.

He has his work cut out for him again this week against the number eight pass defense in Cincinnati. Even so, if there are any issues at quarterback this week, Tannehill is widely available and is on a team playing extremely well and has Derrick Henry at running back, which all defenses must concentrate on.

Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders, 22.6% Owned

As with Moreau above, don’t look to Sunday’s game for proof that Taylor Heinicke is a player that screams to be added to fantasy rosters. However, the reason he is featured is that Washington goes up against the Atlanta Falcons, the last ranked defense against the pass in all of football, this Sunday. They have given up at least 25 points in four of their last five games. Really, what more is needed for a recommendation?

Other Quarterback to Consider:

Derek Carr is just above the 50 percent ownership percentage and most likely not available in a lot of leagues. If he is on the wire, however, Carr is worth the add if a quarterback is needed. Even as the Raiders have disappointed this season, Carr has played well of late, throwing for two touchdowns in three straight games. He also threw for 307 yards against a tough Denver defense. Seattle’s D doesn’t compare, which should give Carr plenty of stat opportunities this coming Sunday.

The Last Word

Thank you for joining me for this fantasy football week twelve waivers edition! As always, I welcome any and all suggestions, comments and input from my readers. Let’s discuss! Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea. Please feel free to share this article. Tune in for the Belly Up Fantasy Live Preview Show every Sunday morning at 11 AM EST on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or BellyUpTV. Be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy for all the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL happenings and the latest sports news! 

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