NFL Week 11 was definitely one for the ages. While top players like Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson struggled, some unlikely heroes stood tall in their absence.
Jacoby Brissett broke the NFL record for most completions in a game, Bryce Young set a Panthers record for most passing yards in a game, and fantasy football victories were earned thanks to them, and players like Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker and Seahawks tight end AJ Barner.
Their names will be plastered all over Week 12 waiver wire articles this week, but will they be worth your attention or are they the classic one-week wonders?
Fantasy QBs are always tricky. Guys like Brissett and Young are typically bye-week replacements, and in a single-QB league you probably aren’t starting them over any of the current top 12. In superflex leagues they aren’t even available.
If you roster one, chances are you know how to handle things. Given the upcoming schedule for Arizona, Brissett could warrant some spot starts if you’re struggling with players like Trevor Lawrence or Jordan Love, but we’ve seen enough from Young to know that the consistency just isn’t there.
But in looking at running backs and just how barren the position is on your waiver wire, many are going to jump at the chance to add Tucker. You should not. We don’t want to diminish the performance as he ran all over the Bills for 106 yards and two touchdowns on just 19 carries while also chipping in a pair of receptions for 34 yards and a third score, but expecting any sort of a repeat could be a major mistake.
Though Tucker’s performance led all running backs for the week and likely saved the hides of Jonathan Taylor managers, we cannot ignore that conditions for this matchup were ideal. The Bills ranked 30th in DVOA against the run and were allowing the second-most rushing yards per game. As a true north-south runner, Tucker was a much better fit for this game than the typically inefficient Rachaad White, and it showed.
However, with the impending return of Bucky Irving, both Tucker and White will fall back into reserve or complementary roles. And even if Tucker’s performance rates him a few extra carries while Irving gets his feet wet, do you really want to use him in Week 12 against the Rams and their top five-ranked run defense? Probably not.
The same goes for Barner, who saw a career-high 11 targets Sunday, which was more than he saw in the previous four games combined. The Rams corners did a masterful job of stifling the Seahawks receivers, which left Barner in a better position to see some extra looks. But this is still a guy who routinely shares snaps and targets with rookie Elijah Arroyo, and with Sam Darnold so focused on feeding Jaxon Smith-Njigba, there’s just no consistency. Not to mention, Seattle’s next three opponents all rank favorably against the tight end.
Betting on the NFL?
It is easy to get caught up in the hype of a player’s standout performance. But as we enter Week 12, trusting a fluke achievement can be dangerous. Save your waiver priority and your FAAB dollars for more consistency. That’s how you finish the season strong and head into the playoffs.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.
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