Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 12 in 14-team leagues

Our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 12 include several injury replacements that could step into plenty of opportunities to post solid fantasy production.

In larger, 14-team fantasy leagues, you’ll need to dig a bit deeper into the waiver wire to uncover these hidden gems poised to take advantage of these new roles. Our focus below is on identifying players who are ready to step up and fill the void left by these injuries.

Week 12 Fantasy football waiver wire pickups in 14-team leagues

Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Rostership: 32.4%

Seattle’s running back Kenneth Walker III had to leave Sunday’s game due to an oblique injury, and it’s expected that he will be sidelined for a while. While it’s unclear exactly how long he’ll be sidelined, Charbonnet is likely to step up as the Seahawks’ top RB in the upcoming Thursday game against the San Francisco 49ers. He could maintain this role for a few weeks. The rookie filled in for Walker on Sunday, carrying the ball 15 times for 47 yards and making 6 receptions for 22 yards. He should see similar volume moving forward for as long as Walker is out.

Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Rostership: 0.9%

Mark Andrews experienced a season-ending ankle injury in Week 11, and Likely is expected to fill the starting tight end role moving forward. Despite seeing just one target after Andrews’ exit, Likely still ran the second-most routes among the team’s pass-catchers. This bodes well for his fantasy value, and he has the potential to rank among the top ten fantasy tight ends for the remainder of the season. If you’ve been looking for a consistent option in this position, Likely could be the solution you need.

Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers

Rostership: 18.7%

In Week 10, Reed caught all five targets for 85 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He backed that up with another strong showing in Week 11, catching 4-of-6 targets for 46 yards and adding three carries, 46 rushing yards, and a touchdown on the ground in Green Bay’s 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. With RB Aaron Jones dealing with an injury, there’s a chance Reed will continue to get some rushing attempts in an effort to open things up on the outside.

Demario Douglas, WR, New England Patriots

Rostership: 24.5%

The Patriots had a bye last week, so maybe your fellow fantasy enthusiasts have forgotten about Douglas. Kendrick Bourne was the top receiver for New England until he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8. In two games since then, Douglas has stepped up as the Patriots WR1 with a combined 11 catches on 16 targets for 139 receiving yards. Next up, he’ll face a New York Giants defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.