Week 12 Fantasy Football Last-Minute Streamers: Justice Hill, Noah Brown, Ja'Tavion Sanders and More

It’s Sunday morning: How much work have you put into your fantasy team this week? It’s easy to lose focus as the season goes along, though at least football is just once a week rather than every day like most other fantasy sports.

We’re getting near the fantasy playoffs, and your determination is probably directly tied to your team’s place in the standings: those with good records are tedious in their detail, and those out of the running are probably looking once per week (on the weekend).

For those in the latter group, let’s look at two players at each offensive fantasy position who have good matchups and are widely available in fantasy leagues on Sunday morning. I used stats from NFL.com and our FantasySP defensive fantasy rankings to help determine the best matchups. I will reference those numbers often.

Quarterbacks

Brandon Allen, San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers

Tommy Devito, New York Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both guys are here for the same reason: They are starting their first game of the season and are virtually unowned in fantasy leagues. The circumstances are different, as Allen is filling in for an injured Brock Purdy, while Devito was moved into the starting lineup when Daniel Jones was benched then released.

Drew Lock probably gives the Giants a better chance of winning; that’s also a likely reason that he’s still on the bench. New York will be shopping for a new quarterback of the future, maybe at the top of the draft, and losing improves their chances of getting the top QB prospect.

Devito has a good matchup in this one, as the Bucs have given up the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and 11th-most yards per pass attempt. Tampa is in the bottom 10 in interceptions and top 10 in passing touchdowns allowed.

Allen’s matchup is middling or worse. The Packers are right at average in yards per pass attempt allowed but just 25th in fantasy points per game given up to quarterbacks. Even Brock Purdy would have been a questionable fantasy play, so Allen is probably below the level of a fantasy starter.

These guys are only options for the most desperate of owners or those in two-QB leagues who are looking at their fantasy team for the first time Sunday morning to find out they have Joe Burrow or Josh Allen on bye.

Devito would seem like the better option because of the matchup, but Allen is playing in a much better situation. It’s a toss-up really as to who will have a better fantasy week; I slightly favor Devito.

Running Backs

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers

Some are predicting this game to be a shootout. There’s also a realistic outcome in which LA’s stout defense holds down Baltimore, and it’s a low-scoring affair. That battle will determine how many fantasy points are available in this one.

The Chargers have done very well against running backs from a fantasy perspective, but they have allowed the ninth-most yards per rush attempt. Los Angeles is often leading, causing teams to throw the ball, so running backs haven’t gotten much volume.

That might change in this one, as Baltimore has one of the best offenses in the league. If they get the lead and can run the ball, it might stand out more that the Chargers have struggled to stop the run.

Derrick Henry will always lead the way, but Hill gets about six touches per game and could make an impact. Again, it’s a low-level play, but desperate owners could do worse than putting in Hill as a flex player.

Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys

Washington has a good chance to dominate the Cowboys at home this week. That would mean a lot of rushing attempts, which could extend to the third back McNichols. Dallas has faced the eighth-most rush attempts because teams have been running out the clock while they beat the Cowboys.

McNichols is fourth on the team in carries behind Brian Robinson Jr, Austin Ekeler, and Jayden Daniels. He’s only averaging about four touches per game. Running back streamers are tough to find this time of year, though, and a player on a good team with a really good matchup isn’t the worst play.

The Cowboys have allowed the eighth-most yards per rush attempt and third-most fantasy points per game to running backs. Again, the most likely outcome is the Commanders holding a lead and running the ball a lot.

He’s only a desperation flex player, but McNichols holds a little upside if you’re without any other options at RB.

Wide Receivers

Noah Brown, Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys

Brown is Washington’s second receiver but clear third option behind Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz; even Ekeler has more catches than Brown. This is a game in which there will be plenty to go around, though, against maybe the worst pass defense in football.

Though they’ve given up an average number of fantasy points to receivers, the Cowboys have given up the second-most yards per pass attempt (something we’ll see again with the next team). I mentioned above that Dallas has faced the eighth-most rush attempts; they have also seen the second-least pass attempts. Teams run a lot as they’re beating up the Cowboys.

Brown has the chance to hit a big play or score a touchdown against a team that has allowed major efficiency from opposing offenses. It might turn into another game where the run game dominates for Washington, but Brown has a great matchup if you’re desperate for a receiver.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs @ Carolina Panthers

Smith-Schuster returned last week to play for the first time since he was on the field for seven snaps in Week 7. Throw in the Week 6 bye, and the last time Smith-Schuster really played full snaps was in Week 5, when he caught seven of eight targets for 130 yards.

Smith-Schuster is a boom-or-bust guy, and the matchup is in his favor to possibly boom in Week 12. Carolina has allowed the eighth-most yards per pass attempt. They are in the middle in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, but a big part of that is teams running out the clock as they beat the Panthers: Carolina has faced the seventh-least pass attempts but second-most rush attempts from opponents.

This is nothing more than a lottery ticket for your WR3/4/flex spot, but Smith-Schuster is widely available and has a matchup that might allow him to hit big on a deep shot. The Chiefs might be looking to do a little damage after suffering their first loss, and a couple bombs downfield could be part of the satiation.

Tight Ends

Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens

Dissly was here last week as well and paid off in a major way, catching four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown in a good matchup with Cincinnati. The matchup is good again in this one, as the Ravens have allowed the fifth-most yards per pass attempt and ninth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Dissly is second on the team in both targets and receptions and fourth in receiving yards. Last week’s TD was the first of the season, but Dissly has been involved in the offense.

Any owner without a tight end late in the week would be blessed to find Dissly. He’s not a guaranteed success, but Dissly has been a valuable fantasy player at times. His receiver teammate Joshua Palmer is another lottery ticket at wide receiver who benefits from the good matchup.

Ja'Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

I’ve been talking about Weeks 12 and 13 for Sanders since before his Week 11 bye because he has two of the best tight end matchups this week and next against Kansas City and Tampa Bay. They are third and fourth, respectively, in most fantasy points per game allowed to tight ends.

Sanders has been moderately involved in his rookie season, enough that he is a viable fantasy streamer. The Panthers are likely to be playing from behind against both the Chiefs and Bucs, meaning they will throw the ball a lot. With a lot of volume against teams that don’t stop tight ends, Sanders has top-10 TE upside in Weeks 12 and 13.

Any fantasy owner without a weekly starter should pick him up now. It won’t last forever, and there’s also a low floor given Bryce Young’s struggles at times, but Sanders is a hot fantasy item for two weeks.