There are four teams on bye during Week 12, the Arizona Cardinals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Minnesota Vikings.
So that means you can forget about starting Patrick Mahomes or Kirk Cousins at QB this week both on the shortlist at different betting sites for favorites to be MVP. If you haven’t checked your lineup yet and you have significantly impactful players from any of those four teams – not that there is anyone significant on the Cardinals other than Murray– you best weight your options. Do you have a suitable replacement already on your bench or should you hunt the waiver wire and available players?
Replacing Kyler Murray, Philip Rivers, Patrick Mahomes, and Kirk Cousins
So we are going to assume that you don’t have Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, or Deshaun
Watson because you might have been starting them over any of these four anyhow.
Definite Start – Matt Ryan hasn’t been great this year, but accruing 172 fantasy points isn’t bad either. He started super hot but now has only had a total of three passing touchdowns over the last three games. Now he’s facing a Tampa Bay defense that is No. 31 in the league against QBs. The one thing that might hold you up on giving him the nod is the fact that he’s still listed as questionable from that ankle injury which is probably playing a big role in his decreased onfield performance. That said, I have a feeling that this is the week he gets back on track. If you see him on the waiver, don’t be afraid to snatch him up and give him the start.
Possible Breakout Performance – Baker Mayfield has been a disappointment this season , but he’s going to be rolling into Week 12 with the Dolphins having to pay him a home visit. The Fins
suck. Period. They are No. 28 against QBs in the league and after failing to intentionally lose
twice, will have the coaches calling exceptionally stupid schemes to try and make sure their defense gets burned.
A Solid Selection – Carson Wentz is projected to put up 17 or more and he’s going against a Seattle defense that is is now ranked No. 20 in QB fantasy football points. Carson had a tough game against the Patriots, only putting 12 points – which is understandable. But he hit 15 against the Bears before his bye and also had a good performance against the Vikings which is a top D.
Consider With Caution – Mr. Crablegs has been hit and miss, throwing a ton of picks. But thankfully, INTs don’t matter in most fantasy leagues . The Falcons are ranked way back at No. 26 against QBs and Winston, despite his multitude of picks has still been tossing for quite a bit of yardage. But the Falcons secondary has played very well over the last two weeks and Winston is nursing a bum ankle as well. So, if you have the choice on a pick-up, take Ryan. I think Winston might be one of those that is worth considering for the start but could end up being a total bomb.
Stay Aways – Brandon Allen is inexperienced and will be going against the Bills’ top-rated defense. They rank 4th in the league for fantasy points allowed against QBs. Andy Dalton might seem like a decent pick, but Pitt is 10th against QBs and if the Bengals were not intentionally throwing games at the beginning of the season, they definitely will be now to try and snag themselves one Joe Burrow. Steer clear of Dalton! Another to avoid is Daniel Jones. As tempting as it might be with all of the hype surrounding the young QB, the Bears are a tough team against QB fantasy points. Chicago is No.5 at keeping your starting QB from adding points to the board and given the fact that he is young and inexperienced, this Bears’ pass rush is going to create a lot of problems for him
There you have it. A few different options at QB to augment your lineup if you have a starter on their bye week. Also, a few that might be tempting but you should use caution or just avoid altogether.
Good luck out there!