Each week I'll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define "widely available" as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here's my NFL Week 12 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:
ADD
WR Treylon Burks, Titans (ESPN: 23%; Yahoo: 20%): Burks has barely played over half of Tennessee's snaps, but has still received 14 targets in two games since returning from injured reserve following his foot injury. With Ryan Tannehill (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 16%) playing well — he's the overall QB8 since returning from injury Week 10 — and defenses forced to account for Derrick Henry, the rookie playmaker could make a big difference down the stretch.
RB Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs (ESPN: 44%; Yahoo: 64%): Clyde Edwards-Helaire had already slipped to third on the depth chart before suffering a high ankle sprain against the Chargers on Sunday night. Kansas City now features a two-man backfield with Pacheco handling a majority of the early down work, producing 189 yards on 31 carries the last two games — Jerick McKinnon (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 26%) is the clear receiving option. The Chiefs' upcoming schedule is very favorable for running backs with plenty of positive game scripts on the horizon.
QB Deshaun Watson, Browns (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 48%): This will be the last time I cover Watson in this space. I imagine he'll be close to universally rostered in most leagues after this week. He has returned to practice and will make his first start against the Texans in Week 13. Cleveland features significantly more talent on offense than there was in Houston, where Watson finished as the overall QB5, QB5 and QB4 in his three seasons as a full-time starter. One of the talented individuals Watson will have the privilege of throwing the football to and remains widely available in fantasy leagues is Donovan Peoples-Jones (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 45%), who has actually been a flex-worthy option since Week 4. He has at least four receptions and 50 yards in seven straight games — five of those games he has at least 71 yards — and finally scored a touchdown against the Bills.
RB Latavius Murray, Broncos (ESPN: 34%; Yahoo: 25%): Murray has been the overall RB31 in standard formats (RB27 in PPR) since joining the Denver backfield in Week 6. This was before Melvin Gordon was released because of fumbling issues on Monday.
TE Juwan Johnson, Saints (ESPN: 19%; Yahoo: 31%): Johnson is the overall TE3 across all formats since Week 6 — only Travis Kelce and George Kittle are ahead of him — on the strength of five TDs in the last five games and consistent usage.
BONUS: RB Rachaad White, Buccaneers (ESPN: 34%; Yahoo: 61%): Tampa Bay's bye likely kept White's roster percentage in check. The backfield has been slowly, but surely trending in the rookie's favor for the last month and this culminated with him receiving his first start against the Seahawks in Munich, finishing with a career-best 105 yards on 22 carries. Leonard Fournette will likely still be a factor going forward, but he did suffer a hip injury in Germany that will require monitoring.
BONUS: WR Odell Beckham Jr., Free agent (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 43%): Beckham has been fully cleared to play and will likely choose a team by the end of the month. He's a must-stash and potential difference maker for the fantasy playoffs, as contenders for the All-Pro's services include the Bills, Cowboys, 49ers, Giants and Ravens.
BONUS: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (ESPN: 45%; Yahoo: 63%): Christian McCaffrey is having a similar affect on Garoppolo that an emotional support animal has on someone dealing with severe anxiety. Throwing out the Kansas City game (CMC was in the building for five minutes), he's been sharper and, more importantly, calmer in the pocket (the best he's been since 2019), making better decisions when his first read isn't open (usually finding McCaffrey toying with some poor linebacker in coverage). Garoppolo has been the overall QB8 since Week 5.
BONUS: RB Samaje Perine, Bengals (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 9%): Perine's work on third down enabled him to catch a TD to end the first quarter against the Steelers on Sunday. He added two more TD receptions after Joe Mixon left the game with a concussion. Perine will deserve flex consideration (and have RB2 upside) despite a difficult matchup against the Titans if Mixon remains in the NFL's concussion protocol.
BONUS: WR Darius Slayton, Giants (ESPN: 22%; Yahoo: 51%): I recently included Slayton in this space on his own merits. He's produced at least five receptions, 66 yards or a TD in five of the last six games. I'm including him now because his role as the WR1 in an improving offense is secure after Wan'Dale Robinson suffered a torn ACL against the Lions.
BONUS: TE Foster Moreau, Raiders (ESPN: 25%; Yahoo: 40%): Moreau is the overall TE14 in standard formats (TE12 in PPR) since Week 8 and his next two matchups are premium. The Seahawks have allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, and the Chargers have allowed the fifth-most.
BONUS: WR Nico Collins, Texans (ESPN: 11%; Yahoo: 27%): Collins is emerging as the WR1 in Houston with a 24 percent target share the last two games. He's the overall WR22 in standard formats (WR23 in PPR) over that span. He'll have WR3/flex upside going forward if he maintains this type of usage.
BONUS: RB James Cook, Bills (ESPN: 21%; Yahoo: 17%): Cooks received 11 carries and two targets in only 16 snaps, running for 86 yards against the Browns. He isn't a viable starting option yet (he needs more playing time for that), but there's value in rostering him. There's too much talent here and it's clear the NFL's most explosive offense is starting to trust the dynamic rookie.
BONUS: D/ST Vikings (ESPN: 21%; Yahoo: 33%): I'm doubling down on a defense that just gave up 40 points and got torched by Tony Pollard for 189 total yards and two receiving TDs. You probably won't have a lot of competition for this group now, but they were the eighth-highest scoring defense in fantasy before the debacle against Dallas because of a league-high 22 takeaways. Now they face back-to-back anemic offenses (the Patriots and Jets) at home with a chance at redemption.
BONUS: D/ST Dolphins (ESPN: 32%; Yahoo: 26%): Miami is a solid streaming option against the Texans at home this week coming off its bye. Houston has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season.
DROP
WR Cooper Kupp, Rams: Kupp is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery this past week for a high ankle sprain. There's no reason for him to play again this season.
TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons: Pitts has been placed on Injured Reserve and will "likely" have surgery on his MCL.
RB Nyheim Hines, Bills: Hines has only received a single target in all three games with Buffalo, while playing 20 total snaps in three games. His primary use has been as punt returner, while Cooks has solidified himself as the No. 2 RB behind Devin Singletary.
WR Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants:The promising rookie will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee on Sunday.
TE Robert Tonyan, Packers: Tonyan hasn't scored a TD since Week 4 (his only score of the season), and hasn't topped 35 yards since Week 6 while only receiving nine targets in the last three games.
