Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Luke Musgrave, Jonnu Smith, Cade Otton, Isaiah Likely (Week 12)

The week is nearly wrapped up, and of course there were another round of injuries and surprising performances. As a result, fantasy managers will be on the lookout for wavier wire additions and replacement options for those injured over the weekend or just to bolster their lineup moving forward. Here are a few players to consider adding via the waiver wire this week. And here’s all of our fantasy football Week 12 waiver wire advice and targets.

• More Waiver Wire Picks
• Weekly Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
• Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
• Fantasy Football Trade Tools

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

Isaiah Likely (BAL): 3% rostered

• Next Opponents: @LAC, BYE, LAR
• True value: $8
• Desperate need: $12
• Budget-minded: $5

Analysis: Likely is the TE pickup of the week with the terrible news of Mark Andrews‘ season-ending injury. Likely has flashed big-time upside at various times in his brief NFL career. In five career games with at least 67% of snaps played, he has finished with at least seven targets, six grabs and 77 receiving yards twice. If he can grab a foothold in this passing offense with Lamar Jackson‘s passing skills arguably at the height of their powers this season, Likely could be a weekly TE1.

Cade Otton (TB): 20% rostered

• Next Opponents: @IND, CAR, @ATL
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Otton has made this column plenty of times this season as a matchup-based streaming option. In Week 12, the matchup is right again for Otton to sneak into the top 12 fantasy tight ends for the week. Otton has managed at least four receptions and 40 receiving yards four times this season, and he could make it a fifth against the Colts. While that might not sound like an amazing stat line, the bar is low for streaming tight ends to make it into TE1 territory. If you add a touchdown on top of any of those weeks, Otton would be a TE1. Indy has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game and ninth-most receiving yards per game to tight ends this season.

Luke Musgrave (GB): 46% rostered

• Next Opponents: @DET, KC, @NYG
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Musgrave has started to heat up recently, with at least four targets in each of his last three games while surpassing 50 receiving yards twice in that span. Jordan Love is coming off a strong performance in Week 11, and if he can build upon that in Week 12, Musgrave could be headed for a TE1 week. Detroit has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game and the 12th-most receiving yards per game to tight ends.

Jonnu Smith (ATL): 28% rostered

• Next Opponents: NO, @NYJ, TB
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Smith is the TE15 in fantasy points per game, ranking 12th among tight ends in red zone targets. Smith already has four TE1 weeks on his resume this season (TE3, TE12, TE4, TE5). He could add a fifth top-12 showing to the ledger in Week 12 against New Orleans, which has allowed the second-most receiving touchdowns and the 12th-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.