Happy Thanksgiving Week. With the holiday season officially in full swing, we are quickly reaching the finale of the fantasy football season. Only a few precious weeks remain to clinch potential playoff spots, add keeper picks for future seasons and scour the waiver wire for last-minute adds that might make the difference.
Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday — the combination of family, food and football is unmatched. Sharing stories and reminiscing about past experiences, laughter amidst loved ones, all while in the presence of platters toppled high with savory delights and the NFL in the background. Tryptophan-infused couch naps, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie. *Chef’s Kiss*
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Reflecting on what you should be grateful for in the presence of those you cherish is paramount, though. Make sure to take a moment and celebrate. You’ve earned it.
Speaking of things that we should be thankful for (and those that drew our ire), here are some notable performances from Week 12.
Fantasy Football Studs & Duds: Week 12
Quarterback
STUD: Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA)
Do you think Miami is thankful Tua Tagovailoa was able to return healthy this season? After his earlier concussion scare that forced him to miss Weeks 3-7, Tagovailoa has reignited Mike McDaniel’s offense, culminating with his best performance to date on Sunday.
Tagovailoa picked apart a weakened New England secondary all afternoon, completing 29-of-40 passes for 317 yards and four touchdowns. In an afternoon where Miami threw nearly twice as many passes as rushing attempts, Tagovailoa continually hit Jaylen Waddle (8/144/1) and Jonnu Smith (9/87/1) at will while effectively using De’Von Achane (3/24/2) as a check-down option when necessary.
The Dolphins’ playoff hopes rest upon keeping up this momentum on Thanksgiving in the late-night game of Week 13 on the road against Green Bay. I can’t wait for that matchup.
Kyler Murray was projected to finish as a high-end QB1 this past weekend against Seattle in a matchup with one of the highest point totals, per Vegas odds. Rather than rising to the occasion, Murray finished with rather hollow statistics, passing for 285 yards and zero touchdowns on 37 attempts.
Even more concerning, he was continually bottled up in the pocket and only scrambled twice for nine yards. One of the more hyped players at the position this past draft season following the addition of Marvin Harrison Jr., Murray has thrown for one touchdown or fewer in nine of his 11 games this season. Arizona’s run-heavy offense and a demanding schedule have limited his opportunities.
He will look to right the ship in Week 13 on the road against Minnesota, a defense that currently surrenders the fifth-most passing yards per game.
Running Back
STUD: Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI)
Holy smokes. There are few superlatives left I can use to describe Saquon Barkley’s amazing 2024 season. One thing is clear — the grass is greener in Philadelphia.
For the fourth time in the past five weeks, Barkley finished with more than 22 rushing attempts, tearing apart the Los Angeles Rams’ lackluster linebackers for 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a pair of 70-yard scampers. The absence of DeVonta Smith also increased his usage as a receiver, as Barkley caught four passes for 47 yards as a short-yardage outlet for Jalen Hurts.
His 302 total yards on Sunday night were a personal and franchise record and one of the best performances of the past decade at the position. The Eagles are leaning on him as a focal point in their offense. There is no reason (barring injury) he shouldn’t be considered an MVP candidate. He’s currently the runaway overall RB1 on the season.
DUD: Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)
Since returning to action in Week 10 against Tampa Bay, Christian McCaffrey has been rather underwhelming. It is clear he is still knocking off the rust of his extended absence.
McCaffrey was bottled up for just 31 rushing yards on 11 attempts this past Sunday against Green Bay, losing a fumble in the process. Three receptions for 37 yards somewhat salvaged his afternoon, but this was still a bitter pill to swallow in a rough stretch for San Francisco.
Without Brock Purdy under center, the Packers were able to limit the 49ers’ offense all afternoon. One has to hope Purdy can return in Week 13 from his shoulder injury for the team to have a remote chance against Buffalo. McCaffrey has failed to find the end zone in the three weeks since his return and is currently one of the biggest first-round busts in recent memory.
Wide Receiver
STUD: Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
Justin Jefferson who? Jordan Addison finished with the highest yardage (162) and reception (eight) totals of his career on Sunday against a stout Chicago secondary that was intent on limiting the damage Jefferson did to them.
Held in check all season other than Week 4, this was a positive development for Addison’s managers after failing to return his draft day investment. The return of tight end T.J. Hockenson has helped mitigate defensive attention on Addison. He is determined to exploit any opportunities that opposing secondaries are providing him.
He will still play second-fiddle to Jefferson on every passing route, but this was an encouraging sign in an otherwise disappointing season. Minnesota is currently fighting with Detroit and Green Bay in a highly competitive NFC North division that will likely feature multiple Wild Card teams. The Vikings square off with Arizona in a crucial matchup for both teams at home in Week 13.
Justin Jefferson was the runaway failure at wide receiver in Week 12, but since I just touched upon him in the prior blurb, I wanted to pivot to DK Metcalf instead. One has to wonder at this point if there is a change of guard in Seattle, especially with who tops the depth chart at the position.
In their nine games together this season, Metcalf has just one more target than Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 75 to 74 (credit to Mike Clay of ESPN for digging up that statistic). On a dreary afternoon in Seattle, Metcalf finished with just 59 receiving yards on four catches. This marks the fifth consecutive game he has failed to reach the century mark.
Since returning from his knee injury, it is clear Metcalf isn’t operating at full strength and has struggled to overcome defensive attention. Things won’t get any easier for him in Week 13 against the New York Jets, who currently rank second-best in the league against the pass.
Tight End
STUD: Trey McBride (TE – ARI)
How is it possible Trey McBride can be featured this much and be so productive but still not find the end zone? Perhaps I’m being overly picky. The lone bright spot for Arizona’s anemic offense on Sunday, McBride finished with 12 receptions on 15 targets for 133 yards, pacing the team in all categories.
During an afternoon when the Cardinals couldn’t get anything going on the ground, McBride was left routinely wide open. He constantly made big plays to carry the offense. Already up to 61 receptions for 685 yards in 2024, McBride will look to better his 81/825/3 split from last year as the cog the Cardinals funnel through.
He will remain an unquestioned top-three option at the position and be a focal point for an Arizona team looking to string together victories for a playoff run.
DUD: Cade Otton (TE – TB)
Truth be told, Tampa Bay didn’t need to throw the ball much against a dismal New York Giants team in a dominating 30-7 victory. The return of alpha wideout Mike Evans further limited looks Cade Otton’s way, leading to a quiet afternoon for the tight end, finishing with just one reception for 30 yards.
The Buccaneers have two additional cake-walk contests against Carolina and Las Vegas upcoming, so the hope is Otton will be featured more prominently in those outings before Tampa Bay begins to eat up the clock with their running game. Otton has had a steady statistical decline since Week 8 and will be ranked as a fringe starter at the position for the remainder of the year.
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