Boom or Bench: Week 12's toughest start/sit decisions
Boom or Bench provides insight and analysis to help you handle your difficult fantasy football starting lineup decisions every week
QB: Lions' Jared Goff vs. Giants
Goff has a great chance to rebound at home against a Giants defense that's allowed more fantasy points per game to quarterbacks than every team but the Cowboys. It's hard to beat switching from an outdoor road game against a good defense to playing an indoor home game against a soft defense.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Goff and Detroit really step on the gas. They got embarrassed last week and are currently outside the playoff picture. That won't sit well with Dan Campbell, and it'll be the Giants' problem this weekend.
Projection: 294 passing yards, 3 passing TDs
Other QBs primed to boom:
- Cardinals' Jacoby Brissett vs. Jaguars
- Seahawks' Sam Darnold at Titans
RB: Patriots' TreVeyon Henderson at Bengals
Henderson has exploded for excellent fantasy outings in each of the last two weeks. He scored five total touchdowns and recorded over 200 rushing yards combined over those games.
The 23-year-old should be able to keep that momentum rolling against the Bengals, who have allowed the most fantasy points per game. Cincinnati has also surrendered the most rushing yards and the second-most receiving yards to running backs.
Projection: 97 rushing yards, 22 receiving yards, 2 receptions, TD
RB: Saints' Alvin Kamara vs. Falcons
As good as the Falcons' defense has been at times this year, it's struggled to keep tailbacks in check. Just five teams have allowed more rushing yards to running backs than Atlanta, and it's tied for allowing the second-most receiving yards to runners.
Kamara's impact has been limited most weeks, but this is one of his best opportunities of the season. He's seen at least five targets in four games this campaign, and he should get plenty of looks against the Falcons.
Projection: 43 rushing yards, 62 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD
Other RBs primed to boom:
- Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III at Titans
- Lions' David Montgomery vs. Giants
WR: Patriots' Stefon Diggs at Bengals
Like Henderson, Diggs has enjoyed a string of solid performances and now gets a good matchup to continue his streak. Cincinnati's allowing more passing yards per game than every team but the Steelers.
The Bengals have actually done a solid job against receivers, ranking around the middle of the league in statistics allowed to the position. But Drake Maye has been one of the NFL's hottest quarterbacks all season long, and Diggs should see plenty of targets after getting 19 combined over the last two games.
Projection: 99 receiving yards, 7 receptions, TD
WR: Cardinals' Michael Wilson vs. Jaguars
Wilson's unlikely to produce a performance as impressive as his 15-catch, 185-yard outing against the 49ers last week, but he's set up for another strong outing against the Jaguars. They're tied for eighth in touchdowns allowed to wide receivers, and they've given up the 12th-most receptions to the position this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. may return against Jacksonville, but I like Wilson this week even if he does. Although Harrison would cap Wilson's ceiling, Wilson was too impactful last week to be left out of Arizona's game plan.
Projection: 87 receiving yards, 6 receptions, TD
Other WRs primed to boom:
- Buccaneers' Tez Johnson at Rams
- Raiders' Tre Tucker vs. Browns
TE: Bears' Colston Loveland vs. Steelers
The Steelers are eighth in yards, tied for third in touchdowns, and ninth in receptions allowed to tight ends this year. Pittsburgh is simply one of the worst defenses at guarding the position this season.
Loveland has started to emerge as a more consistent option for Chicago. He's recorded at least 40 receiving yards in his last three games, and he's played at least 62% of the Bears' offensive snaps in each of the last five contests.
Projection: 80 receiving yards, 6 receptions, TD
Other TEs primed to boom:
- Patriots' Hunter Henry at Bengals
- Vikings' T.J. Hockenson at Packers
QB: Colts' Daniel Jones at Chiefs
Jones took a bit of a step back in his two games before Indianapolis' bye week. He finished as QB16 and QB17 in those games with three total touchdowns against four combined interceptions.
He's unlikely to return to top-12 status on the road against a Kansas City defense that's been very effective against quarterbacks. No team has allowed fewer passing touchdowns, and only four teams have surrendered fewer passing yards.
Projection: 199 passing yards, passing TD, INT
Other QBs to bench:
- Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence at Cardinals
- Raiders' Geno Smith vs. Browns
RB: Bears' D'Andre Swift vs. Steelers
Swift has finished as RB18 and RB28 the last two weeks. He saw plenty of volume, but he didn't find the end zone and mostly relied on rushing yards for fantasy points, while Kyle Monangai scored a touchdown in both games.
That's no recipe for success against a Steelers defense that's allowed 106.4 team rushing yards per game and only four rushing touchdowns to tailbacks this season. Pittsburgh's given up just one receiving touchdown.
Projection: 54 rushing yards, 17 receiving yards, 2 receptions
RB: Giants' Tyrone Tracy Jr. at Lions
Tracy has underwhelmed since Cam Skattebo's season-ending injury. He's only finished as RB20 or better twice this season. Tracy's RB14 finish last week against the Packers was his best of the campaign, largely due to his four receptions for 51 receiving yards.
The Lions have given up the fewest receiving yards to the position, and they're one of five franchises that haven't given up a receiving touchdown to a running back. Opponents haven't fared much better when they try to run the ball: Detroit is tied for seventh in rushing scores allowed and eighth in team rushing yards allowed per game this season.
Projection: 39 rushing yards, 22 receiving yards, 4 receptions
Other RBs to bench:
- Cardinals' Zonovan Knight vs. Jaguars
- Titans' Tony Pollard vs. Seahawks
WR: Colts' Michael Pittman Jr. at Chiefs
Daniel Jones' top receiver in receptions and touchdowns, Pittman will likely get the most attention from Kansas City's defense. I've already mentioned that Jones' matchup is tough, but things look even more dire for Pittman.
The Chiefs have surrendered just six receiving touchdowns to wideouts in 10 games. Kansas City has also conceded the fewest receiving yards to the position all year and the 11th-fewest receiving yards per game overall.
Projection: 50 receiving yards, 5 receptions
WR: Packers' Romeo Doubs vs. Vikings
Doubs is dealing with a wrist injury, but virtually every Packers wide receiver is banged up. I wouldn't feel good about starting any of them this weekend against the Vikings, even if they were all healthy. Green Bay's offense has been inconsistent at best the last few weeks, and Minnesota has a strong defense - especially when it comes to wide receivers.
No team has allowed fewer receptions than the Vikings, and only six clubs have given up fewer receiving yards to wideouts. Assuming Doubs is able to suit up, it's difficult to imagine he'll finish as anything better than a fringe flex option.
Projection: 39 receiving yards, 4 receptions
Other WRs to bench:
- Bills' Khalil Shakir at Texans
- 49ers' Jauan Jennings vs. Panthers
TE: Falcons' Kyle Pitts at Saints
The Saints are a middling matchup for Pitts in terms of fantasy points allowed per game to tight ends. However, the Falcons' pivot from Michael Penix Jr. to Kirk Cousins after the former's likely season-ending injury hurts Pitts' prospects quite a bit.
Atlanta's offense hasn't done enough to feature Pitts in previous matchups to warrant the risk this week. The Florida product has just two games with double-digit half-PPR fantasy points this season despite being third on the team in receiving yards behind Drake London and Bijan Robinson.
Projection: 42 receiving yards, 3 receptions
Other TEs to bench:
- Saints' Juwan Johnson vs. Falcons
- Browns' David Njoku at Raiders
Andrew Dixon is a contributing fantasy analyst for theScore.