We’ve made it to Week 12 — the final playoff push. Just three weeks left before your squad either punches a ticket to the postseason or packs it up for the offseason. This is what you’ve been grinding for all year, and now is not the time to fade. Lock in. With the Broncos, Chargers, Dolphins, and Commanders on bye and the injury bug still biting, lineups are getting tricky. The silver lining? This is when rookies start to shine. (No surprise Andy’s Starts of the Week are all rookies.) If you’re looking for that extra edge, I’ve got you covered. I’m diving into the top Start/Sit questions from the FootClan using the Fantasy Footballers’ Start/Sit tool. Let’s stack some wins and keep that championship dream alive.
Jacoby Brissett just broke the NFL single-game record with 47 completions, threw for 452 yards and two TDs, and has quietly been one of the more dependable fantasy QBs since taking over for Kyler. He’s finished as a top-12 QB in all five starts, including two QB3 weeks. This week, the Cardinals get Jacksonville, who have been a weekly green light for fantasy QBs. They’re 28th vs. the position, giving up 21.3 fantasy points per game and the 5th-most passing TDs, per Julia Papworth in her DFS FanDuel Cash Picks article. Yes, the Jaguars’ defense shut down Justin Herbert last week, but context matters. Herbert came in with a beat-up O-line and injuries of his own. Brissett’s situation is way healthier, and Arizona has no reason to shy away from the pass here. You can’t run on the Jags, so I fully expect the Cardinals to keep the ball in the air.
QBs with 5 straight Top-12 finishes this season…
Mahomes
JacobyEnd of list. pic.twitter.com/o291sZOKZi
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) November 19, 2025
Daniel Jones and the Colts roll into Kansas City for what Vegas predicts to be a full-on shootout. The total’s sitting at 50.5, and honestly… yeah, that makes sense. Both teams are walking into this one with something to prove. The Chiefs are clinging to the edges of the AFC playoff picture, trying to keep their season alive. The Colts will be fresh off a bye and sitting pretty as the No. 2 seed in the conference. They’re going to want to prove they’re legit contenders. The Colts should come in rested, organized, and ready to push the tempo, especially with Shane Steichen getting an extra week to cook up something spicy for KC. But whatever the plan is, it has to include keeping Daniel Jones upright. Over the last two games, Jones has been absolutely demolished by opposing defenses, getting sacked 12 times. Yes. 12. If Indy wants a shot at walking out of Arrowhead with the dub, they’ve got to give him at least a fighting chance in the pocket. That’s easier said than done. The Chiefs’ defense thrives against the pass. They are holding QBs to just 16.4 FPPG. Still, if the Colts’ line shows up and Jones stays upright, this rested, motivated Indy team has the tools to make some noise.
Verdict: As fun and clutch as Daniel Jones has been this season, I’m rolling with Jacoby Brissett in Week 12. The matchup is much easier on Brissett’s side, and he’s already shown real upside with two top-5 QB finishes. Arizona needs him to throw; their run game isn’t doing much, and Jacksonville has been an easy matchup for QBs. The Colts, on the other hand, can lean on Jonathan Taylor. The Chiefs are soft against RBs, and Jones has been sacked 12 times in his last two games. It’s tough to trust that Indy fixed their protection issues over the bye. Brissett has the matchup, the volume, and the safer path to points. He’s the play.
With Ja’Marr Chase suspended for Week 12, Andrei Iosivas steps into a WR2 role for the Bengals. He’s already shown he can deliver when the volume is there. In high-scoring games earlier this year (Detroit in Week 5 and Chicago in Week 9), Iosivas posted five catches on seven targets in each, going for 82 yards and 66 yards with a TD. This week sets up the same way. Bengals vs. Patriots carries a juicy 51.5 total, and New England has given up plenty of production to WRs lately (well… except against the Jets, but that doesn’t count. It’s the Jets). The Patriots allowed 47.4 fantasy points to the Buccaneers WRs and 39.3 to the Falcons WRs the week before. Joe Burrow returned to practice and is trending toward playing (the betting markets have already dropped props). Still, even if it’s Flacco under center, he’s proven he can run this offense efficiently. With increased snaps, a clear path to targets, and a friendly matchup, Iosivas is firmly in the Week 12 streaming conversation for me.
No Chase = Andrei Iosivas is startable in Week 12 pic.twitter.com/HynCQRpGUI
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) November 19, 2025
Another waiver wire warrior, Parker Washington, has been filling a bigger role with Brian Thomas Jr. sidelined and Travis Hunter done for the year. Last week was basically a throwaway. Jacksonville smoked the Chargers, ran the ball into the ground, and attempted just 22 passes, leaving Washington with only two targets. This week sets up much better. A 47.5-point total against Arizona points to real passing volume, and while the Cardinals rank 11th against WRs, it’s not a matchup you need to fear. They smothered the 49ers last week, but the two weeks prior, they gave up 29 fantasy points to Seattle’s WRs and 33.4 to Dallas’ WRs. And the best news? Brian Thomas Jr. has officially been ruled out again. That locks Washington right back into a stable role. He’s a viable flex play in Week 12.
Verdict: With Brian Thomas Jr. ruled out again, Parker Washington is the play. Last week’s dud wasn’t about talent — Jacksonville just didn’t need to throw. That won’t be the case against Arizona. This matchup gives us everything we want: a real game script, a solid total, and a locked-in role for Washington. The moment the Jags have to air it out, his usage bounces right back. I get the temptation to roll with Iosivas, especially if Burrow is back… but don’t forget how slow Burrow historically starts in his first game returning from injury. Parker Washington is the better start this week.
If you’re digging deep for a desperation FLEX or bye week RB fill-in, Blake Corum at least checks some of the right boxes this week. The Rams are 6.5-point favorites at home in a 49.5-point total, and Tampa Bay ranks 25th against RBs, giving up 23.7 fantasy points per game to the position. That’s the kind of environment where secondary backs can sneak into usable production. Corum’s role is what it is: a clear change-of-pace option behind Kyren Williams. He’s hit at least nine touches in four straight games but hasn’t flashed much upside (just 3.6 PPR per game since Week 5). His red zone usage has been encouraging, though he has yet to punch one in. If the Rams control this game, as Vegas expects, Corum can stumble his way into volume. There is also an added wrinkle: the Buccaneers are battling an illness that has reportedly hit around 20 people in the building. If that defense comes in less than full strength, it only boosts the matchup for L.A.’s backfield.
Chuba Hubbard is tough to trust right now. This matchup carries a solid 49.5-point total, and the 49ers are middle of the pack against the run (15th vs. RBs, allowing 20.2 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields). On paper, that’s not a matchup you have to run from. The problem is Hubbard’s role. He’s logged single-digit carries in three straight games, and Rico Dowdle has completely taken over this backfield. The only thing keeping him even remotely in the desperation FLEX conversation is his receiving involvement. He saw three targets last week, and that’s an edge he holds over Blake Corum, who doesn’t see passing-game work at all. But outside of that small PPR bump, the floor is rough. With the Panthers seven point underdogs, I expect them to have to play catch-up against the 49ers this week.
Verdict: It’s Blake Corum for me. Corum simply has the more usable role right now. He’s seeing consistent involvement as the RB2 in a strong offense, has hit at least nine touches in four straight games, and walks into a soft matchup against a Tampa Bay defense giving up 23.7 fantasy points per game to RBs. The game script is also much more favorable for the Rams, with them as 6.5-point favorites. Chuba, meanwhile, has been squeezed out of his own backfield. Three straight games of single-digit carries.
Cade Otton’s Week 11 lackluster performance wasn’t a shocker. The Bills have been the toughest defense against TEs all season, allowing the fewest fantasy points to the position. Otton still saw five targets, and that usage matters. This week, against the Rams, who rank 20th against TEs, Otton should produce. They have quietly become a matchup you can target: they’ve allowed at least 10 receptions for 70 yards or a TD to TEs in three straight games, and they have let four different TEs finish top-14 since Week 9. The concern? Chris Godwin could finally be back. Yes, that’s right. Chris Godwin. Almost forgot he was still part of this team, even after he missed nearly the entire season with injuries. Godwin’s return could cap the ceiling a bit, but Otton should remain a reliable target for Baker, especially if Godwin isn’t up to game speed out of the gate.
Colston Loveland is quietly turning into a weekly thing, and this is another spot where he deserves real streaming consideration. The Bears get Pittsburgh in a 45.5-point total, and the Steelers have been getting cooked by TEs all year. They’re 27th vs. the position, giving up 13.6 fantasy points per game. That’s sixth-most in the league. He’s also earning more trust every week, seeing at least four targets in each of his last five games. Chicago is also targeting its TEs on 23% of red-zone opportunities. We love that for Loveland, especially against the Steelers, who have allowed six TDs to TEs this season. He’s Andy’s TE Start of the Week.
Verdict: Give me Cade Otton. Loveland is a solid streamer, and the matchup is definitely there, but Otton’s setup is just better this week. He’s coming off a tough matchup against the league’s best TE defense, still saw five targets, and now walks into a much softer spot against a Rams unit. Godwin’s potential return adds a slight wrinkle, but even with him on the field earlier this season, Otton still had a stable role and steady target share. Baker trusts him, especially in the short and intermediate game, and this matchup profiles as one where Tampa will need to keep throwing. Loveland’s fine, and the matchup is good, but he’s still sharing opportunity with Cole Kmet. Otton has the safer floor and the cleaner path to volume in Week 12.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Start/Sit breakdown! Hopefully, you are feeling a little more confident heading into a crucial Week 12 slate. If you’ve got more lineup questions or need a last-minute sanity check, drop a comment below or hit me up on X. I’m always down to talk through the tough calls. Make sure you’re using the Ballers’ Start/Sit too and checking the weekly rankings to get every edge you can. And of course, don’t forget about Mike’s Sunday Start/Sit Show to lock in those final decisions before kickoff.
Let’s stack some wins and keep that playoff push rolling.