Eric KarabellNov 17, 2025, 12:40 PM ETCloseEric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of “The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments”.Follow on X
play1:25Stephania Bell: ‘Jacoby Brissett is fantasy gold’Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell discuss Jacoby Brissett’s productive fantasy performances since taking over for Kyler Murray.
play0:43Could Emanuel Wilson be a prime waiver wire pickup for Week 12?Matt Bowen breaks down Emanuel Wilson’s fantasy prospects after his performance in Week 11.
play1:03Should fantasy managers start Michael Wilson in Week 12?Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down Michael Wilson’s fantasy production in Week 11 for the Cardinals.
Should fantasy managers look to add Sean Tucker? (0:54)Eric Karabell reacts to Sean Tucker’s big fantasy game vs. the Bills. (0:54)
Stephania Bell: ‘Jacoby Brissett is fantasy gold’Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell discuss Jacoby Brissett’s productive fantasy performances since taking over for Kyler Murray.
Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell discuss Jacoby Brissett’s productive fantasy performances since taking over for Kyler Murray.
Could Emanuel Wilson be a prime waiver wire pickup for Week 12?Matt Bowen breaks down Emanuel Wilson’s fantasy prospects after his performance in Week 11.
Should fantasy managers start Michael Wilson in Week 12?Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down Michael Wilson’s fantasy production in Week 11 for the Cardinals.
The 11th Sunday of the NFL season began with the final international game of the season, as the Miami Dolphins topped the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain, and ended with the Philadelphia Eagles outlasting the Detroit Lions in windy South Philly.
Much happened in between, including Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen accounting for six touchdowns, Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett breaking the NFL record with 47 completed passes and the debut of controversial Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. That last one did not go well.
Sanders was one of several backup quarterbacks called into duty due to injuries to the usual starters. Among those hurt on Sunday was Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Aaron Rodgers (wrist). We await further clarity on which quarterbacks will be available for Week 12. Green Bay Packers RB Josh Jacobs (knee) left his game prematurely as well and Tennessee Titans WR Calvin Ridley (leg) will not play again this season.
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!
Could Emanuel Wilson be a prime waiver wire pickup for Week 12?
Matt Bowen breaks down Emanuel Wilson’s fantasy prospects after his performance in Week 11.
Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers (42.2%): Gainwell scored 29.5 points in Sunday’s blowout win over the rival Bengals, much of it because of seven receptions and a pair of TD catches produced after starter Jaylen Warren (knee) left the game. However, it seems like Warren will be available for Week 12 against the Chicago Bears. Gainwell has scored double-digit points in only two games this season, but we should expect more if Warren’s health is compromised.
Should fantasy managers start Michael Wilson in Week 12?
Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down Michael Wilson’s fantasy production in Week 11 for the Cardinals.
Michael Wilson, Cardinals (15.2%): Wilson figured to be the primary beneficiary of the Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendicitis) unfortune and, wow, that really was the case in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. Wilson hauled in 15 of 18 targets for 185 yards, scoring a WR-best 33.5 points. It was the first time this season Wilson reached double-digit fantasy points. Harrison seems unlikely to return in Week 12 to face the Jaguars and he may miss even more weeks.
Wilson has had some intriguing fantasy moments during his first few NFL seasons, but this may be his breakout, thanks to Harrison’s absence and Arizona’s propensity to fall behind in games and force Brissett to throw, throw, and throw some more. Diminutive colleague Greg Dortch (3.5%) scored 18.6 points and, depending on Harrison’s status, may be worth adding as well. Take Wilson first.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (40.6%): Pierce and his pals served a Week 11 bye, but let’s not forget that Pierce scored 35.9 points in his previous two contests. The deep threat may not continue his success the next two games against the tough Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans, but there are two games against the Jaguars remaining, too.
Dalton Schultz, Texans (53%): Check your league’s waiver wire to see if Schultz remains available. Schultz caught six of nine targets for 51 yards on Sunday, and he has scored double-digit fantasy points in five of six games. The targets should remain there for Week 12 against the Bills.
Juwan Johnson, Saints (35%): The Saints come off their bye and feature an attractive schedule the rest of the season, starting with the Falcons in Week 12. Johnson scored 19.2 points in Week 10, and he has reached double digits in four consecutive games. He looks like a top-10 TE.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (73.6% rostered in ESPN leagues): OK, so Burrow may be rostered in your awesome league, stashed away in the IR slot, but he is hardly rostered in every ESPN league. As a result, we must highlight Burrow, even though he is rostered in more than 50% of leagues. Burrow (toe), who many believed would not return to active duty until the fantasy playoffs, may return on Thanksgiving Day (Week 13) to face the Baltimore Ravens. Check your league’s waiver wire to see if Burrow (who passed for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns a year ago) is available, because he is that good.
Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals (23.7%): Few have ever compared Brissett to Burrow, but something’s going on here. Brissett scored 21.88 points in Sunday’s blowout loss while breaking the league mark for completions in a game, throwing for 452 yards and two touchdowns. The Cardinals trailed the entire game, necessitating him to throw a lot. We could assume the completions, attempts and passing yards are aberrant, but Brissett — a 32-year-old journeyman with his sixth franchise in as many seasons — has started the past five games and finished among the top 12 quarterbacks in fantasy each time. He aims to make it six in a row in Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This may be legitimate.
Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (28.6%): Fantasy managers have wished to see more of Tucker’s skills since Week 6 of last season, when he tore up the New Orleans Saints for 192 scrimmage yards. On Sunday, with Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) still sidelined and Rachaad White again looking ordinary, Tucker hammered the Bills for 140 total yards and three touchdowns — a cool 34 fantasy points. He was active in only 16.2% of ESPN standard leagues. What happens in Week 12? Irving may return to face the tough Los Angeles Rams, perhaps relegating Tucker to lower volume, but that seems unlikely after this performance.
Emanuel Wilson, Packers (5.9%): Wilson relieved an injured Josh Jacobs in the close win over the New York Giants and scored 13.9 points, turning 12 touches into 49 yards and a touchdown. If Jacobs (knee) is unable to perform in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings, then Wilson — an undrafted free agent in his third season — would earn his first career start. Remember, he scored rushing touchdowns in each of the final three games last season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Even if Jacobs is fine, Wilson may carve out a bigger role down the stretch.
Christian Watson, Packers (26.2%): Watson turned half of his four receptions on Sunday into highlight-worthy TD catches, scoring 20.6 points. As mentioned in this space before, it’s tough to rely on any Packers wideout, because this offense aims to run first. Plus, it rosters several young options and spreads targets around. No Packer entered Sunday with 500 receiving yards. Perhaps you believe things will change with TE Tucker Kraft (knee) out for the season and Jacobs compromised, but Watson has never been a high-volume option. If you think he will keep scoring touchdowns, go get him, but be prepared for ordinary numbers for receptions and yards. Teammate Romeo Doubs is the safer choice.
Should fantasy managers look to add Sean Tucker? (0:54)Eric Karabell reacts to Sean Tucker’s big fantasy game vs. the Bills. (0:54)
CloseEric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of “The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments”.Follow on X
Carolina Panthers starter Bryce Young (7.5%) threw for a career-best 448 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Falcons. How awesome! The problem is Young, even with this productive Week 11 outing, has reached 200 passing yards in only two games this season. It is hard to rely on him in Week 12 against the San Francisco 49ers. Again, there are simply better options.
The Giants have made it clear how they want to split the touches with rookie Cam Skattebo (knee) done for the season. Devin Singletary (32.6%) is the touchdown fellow and he found the end zone twice in Sunday’s loss to the Packers. Tyrone Tracy Jr. still outscored him with 17.9 points. Adding Singletary is fine, but he’d better score a touchdown because he otherwise may not help much.
Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten (18.4%) earned a season-best 15 carries in the easy win over the Los Angeles Chargers and many of them came early, not with the score in doubt. Tuten, who left early due to an ankle injury, scored his second touchdown in three weeks. Travis Etienne Jr. remains the starter, and he had the better performance, but the Jaguars certainly looked like they wanted to share the touches on Sunday.