Week 12 of the NFL season has arrived, and the fantasy quarterback landscape has taken quite the turn. Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow currently reign supreme, but who will stand out this week?
Let’s break down my Week 12 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football quarterback picks.
Start ‘Em: Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) at Giants
Mayfield is coming off his worst game of the season against San Francisco, in which he only managed 8.9 fantasy points. However, there’s plenty of reason for optimism that he’ll bounce back in a big way this week.
2024’s current QB5 has been stellar for virtually the entirety of this season. The only other occasion he scored fewer than 10 fantasy points, he responded with 28.8 in his next outing. That type of performance could be in store for Baker against the Giants, who allow the ninth-most points to quarterbacks.
With this matchup and Mike Evans set to return, fire up Mayfield as a strong QB1.
Sit ‘Em: C.J. Stroud (Texans) vs. Titans
The Texans are 7-4, but it’s been an uninspiring campaign for last season’s Rookie of the Year.
Now, it is worth noting that Stroud has been dealing with a decimated receiving corps of late, and with Nico Collins back in the equation he could be primed to snap out of his funk. However, that wasn’t the case against Dallas. While Houston rolled, Stroud’s fantasy numbers were incredibly underwhelming.
The 23-year-old has now scored fewer than 13 points in five straight games. I just can’t justify starting a guy who is in the midst of such a slump, regardless of his talent.
Check out my full Week 12 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Justin Herbert (Chargers) vs. Ravens
After failing to score 15 fantasy points over the first seven weeks of the season, Herbert has burst onto the scene in his last four games. The star racked up at least 19 points in each of those contests, including a 24.4-point performance against the Bengals last Sunday night.
While Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman still want to run the ball, Herbert has made the most of his passing attempts, also providing unexpected value on the ground. This week, he’ll take on Baltimore in the Harbaugh Bowl. The Ravens allow the third-most fantasy points to opposing signal callers, making Herbert a solid QB1.
Sit ‘Em: Geno Smith (Seahawks) vs. Cardinals
Despite being QB11 on the season, Smith just hasn’t been fantastic over his last five outings. Across that span, the veteran has hit the 20-point mark just once.
Geno is coming off an underwhelming performance against the Niners, in which a game-winning rushing touchdown salvaged what would have otherwise been a very poor performance. This week, he takes on the Cardinals, who have been surprisingly stout against quarterbacks this year. Keep Smith on your bench until he showcases a high ceiling consistently again.
Fantasy Advice Twitter Takeover
On Sunday from 11-1 ET, Jeff Pratt will be taking over the DraftKings Network X account to answer all of your start/sit questions. Don’t miss out!
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 12 fantasy football quarterback picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
