The fantasy football season is officially in its stretch run. The bye weeks are finally over and owners can gun for the playoffs without needing to worry about replacing their stud players. The regular season only has two or three weeks left (depending on league settings), so now’s the time to clinch a playoff spot.
Fantasy football waiver wire: Best wide receivers available in Week 12
The bye weeks are finally over and the playoffs are just around the corner.
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest injury news at the wide receiver happened to Kelvin Benjamin. As if things weren’t going bad enough for the Buffalo Bills, Benjamin got carted off with a knee injury early in the first quarter. At best, it looks like a multi-week injury, and at worst he’s done for the year. Either way, it’s another setback in a bitterly disappointing season for Benjamin.
Other receiver injuries are relatively minor. Sterling Shepard sat out with migraines, but should be ready to return on Thanksgiving. Robert Woods had a sling on his shoulder following the game, so owners need to keep a close eye on that.
So with that all out of the way, let’s look at the top wide receiver waiver options, owned in 50 percent or less of Yahoo! leagues.
Danny Amendola, New England Patriots (49 percent)
Chris Hogan is still out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, so Amendola has been picking up the slack in his absence. He had one of his most productive games of the season in Week 11, burning the Oakland Raiders for eight catches, 66 yards, and his first touchdown since Week 4. Seeing more targets than usual, Amendola will likely be a WR4 play against the Miami Dolphins this week.
Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins (38 percent)
Matt Moore replaced a concussed Jay Cutler, and once again Stills’ usage spiked. He exploded with 180 yards and a touchdown on seven catches, helping contribute to the Dolphins fourth-quarter comeback. Moore is an uneven backup, but he’s always had good chemistry with Stills, who will be on the streaming radar if Cutler can’t clear concussion protocol.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns (32 percent)
Making his first appearance since Week 2, Coleman did what he could against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ secondary, and more than held his own. He finished with six catches for 80 yards on 11 targets, clearly establishing himself as Cleveland’s top receiver. Coleman will be an WR3/4-type player for as long as he keeps getting those kind of targets, even with DeShone Kizer struggling under center. He’ll match up with the Cincinnati Bengals next as the Browns still hunt for their first win.
Josh Doctson, Washington (27 percent)
Chris Thompson’s season-ending injury is yet another blow to a Washington offense that’s turning into a MASH unit. On top of that, Terrelle Pryor is getting ankle surgery and Jordan Reed remains AWOL. Doctson should be locked in as Washington’s No. 1 receiver now, especially after his season-high performance in Week 11 (four catches, 81 yards). Fantasy owners can trot him out against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving night.
