Fantasy Football: 4 Deep Sleepers for Week 12
If you're in a deep league or are playing some large-field NFL DFS tournaments on FanDuel this week, you'll probably need some deep sleepers on your squad.
Here are some players who are on the majority of waiver wires but need to be on your radar this week.
We'll reference our fantasy football projections. All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook, and lines may change after this article is published.
Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers: Week 12
Noah Brown, WR, Washington Commanders
FanDuel Salary: $5,400 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 10%
Noah Brown has carved out a meaningful role on a team that ranks 3rd in schedule-adjusted offense and will take on a 29th-ranked schedule-adjusted pass defense this Sunday, yet he's available in the lion's share (90%) of fantasy leagues.
On the season, Brown has seen a 61.5% route rate, 16.4% target share, 25.8% air yards share, and 11.1% red zone target share for the Washington Commanders. Those shares alone make him worth targeting against a Dallas Cowboys team that's home to a poor pass D.
The Commanders have an imposing 27.5 implied team total in this one and could exploit the Cowboys even further. Dallas has surrendered an average of 34.4 points across their last five games.
Brown's usage across his last four games has me questioning why he is widely available in fantasy leagues. In this four-game span, he's been afforded a 76.4% route rate, 19.7% target share, 12.5% red zone target share, and a team-leading 32.8% air yards share. Yardage output is primed to follow and Brown could see some positive scoring regression after posting just a 2.4% touchdown rate this season.
It's pretty easy to make an argument for the guy who leads Jayden Daniels' team in air yards as of late, especially with this friendly matchup set for Sunday.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR, Tennessee Titans
FanDuel Salary: $5,500 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 9%
Here's a guy who has scored a touchdown in five of his last six games and is available in 91% of Yahoo! leagues.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is demanding our attention after going for 117 yards and a touchdown this past Sunday. In four games since DeAndre Hopkins got dealt, Westbrook-Ikhine has run a team-leading 87.8% of routes and is seeing a 16.2% target share, 20.5% air yards share, 25.0% red zone target share, and 42.9% end zone target share.
NWI is less likely to bust when given a matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans may have a sixth-ranked schedule-adjusted pass D, but that hasn't stopped them from letting up the sixth-most targets, seventh-most yards per catch, and the most receiving touchdowns (1.45) per game to opposing WRs.
Is NWI's 20.0% touchdown rate (5 TDs on 25 targets) massively unsustainable? Yes. Even still, he's worth an add in deep leagues if you want an available wideout that has shown a high ceiling and will draw a decent-ish matchup this weekend.
Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots
FanDuel Salary: $5,100 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 5%
Drake Maye has made it a little easier to talk about the New England Patriots' offense. He's thrown for 240-plus yards and 2-plus touchdowns in three out of five full games as a starter.
Kayshon Boutte's output has yet to meet up with his intriguing role, though that could happen in Week 12.
In five full games alongside Maye, Boutte has earned a 17.0% target share, 37.6% air yards share, and 12.0% red zone target share. He's running 81.0% of routes in this split, the highest route rate on the team. He popped for 59 yards and a touchdown in Week 6 but hasn't reentered the end zone or 50-yard territory since. However, we can still be into his role. Last week, Boutte ran a season-high 91.3% of routes and logged a 32.5% air yards share.
The Pats will take on the Miami Dolphins for a game that's showing a 46.5 over/under. The Dolphins have an eighth-ranked rush D but fare just 17th in schedule-adjusted pass D. If you're looking to pick up a wideout in season-long fantasy, I'd prioritize Brown, NWI, and Boutte in that order. You might be best served to take Boutte in DFS. He's got the lowest salary of the bunch and should go super overlooked in comparison to his actual usage.
Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Carolina Panthers
FanDuel Salary: $4,900 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 4%
Hunter Henry got some love in Skyler Carlin's NFL Week 12 Sleepers piece. Henry is a top target in DFS if you're looking to save salary at the tight end position, but he's rostered in 45% of season-long Yahoo! leagues. If you need a tight end this week, Ja'Tavion Sanders is available and worth consideration.
In three games since Bryce Young returned to signal-calling duties, Sanders had held a 59.2% route rate and 18.2% red zone target share. In Week 9, he logged 87 yards on five targets. Week 10's contest held Sanders to a mere eight yards, though he did score a touchdown and, more importantly, run 85.2% of routes.
His usage is increasing just in time for a matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are an all-around brutal matchup for the Carolina Panthers, though there's reason to believe Sanders could serve as Carolina's main offensive spark on Sunday. The Chiefs are surrendering the third-most targets, most receptions, most yards, and the 12th-most touchdowns -- good for the second-most fantasy points per game -- to opposing tight ends. Available in 96% of Yahoo! leagues, Sanders is worth a dart throw if you need to make one.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.