Fantasy football advice, Week 12: Who to start/sit for New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns

Fantasy owners already had enough to deal with on Thanksgiving, whether it’s polarizing dishes, cliché racist uncles, or scalding themselves in the kitchen. So no one wants to add “being served a slice of awful fantasy lineup” to their list of gripes, which is completely understandable. So when the Giants take on the Browns during the first slate of Sunday’s football games, it’s best for fantasy owners to at least attempt avoiding that outcome.

No argument can be made about taking Odell Beckham, Jr. out of fantasy lineups, and in Week 12, it would be difficult to do the same for Eli Manning and Sterling Shepard. Though the Browns somehow held the Steelers to zero passing touchdowns in Week 11, they have surrendered multiple touchdowns through the air in 9-of-11 contests. Manning is a solid QB1, and Shepard’s matchup propels him into flex consideration.

Fantasy owners hopefully haven’t had to rely on Rashad Jennings given his dismal output throughout the season, but with back-to-back 100-yard efforts, Jennings is back into flex consideration against a Browns defense that has surrendered more fantasy points to running backs than every team but the 49ers. Will Tye also deserves starting consideration for fantasy owners in need of a tight end, and with tight end being such a shallow position, several owners should fit that description.

Paul Perkins, Victor Cruz and Dwayne Harris can remain on fantasy benches in all formats.

With Josh McCown announced as the starter, the passing game gets a slight boost, but not one that should have fantasy owners excited. Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman have the talent to capitalize on heavy targets, and though there is upside in playing both receivers, fantasy owners know all too well the downside that the Browns’ offense presents. Pryor is a WR2 while Coleman can be considered a volatile flex.

McCown, Gary Barnidge, and the backfield tandem of Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell can remain on benches as the Browns’ ground game continues to sputter. With the Browns trailing often, they have been forced to abandon the run game often, and Week 12’s bout with the 6-3 Giants won’t likely deviate from the norm.