As we approach the end of the fantasy football regular season, rookie quarterbacks are starting to figure it out, and injuries are plaguing some of the league's best offenses. Don't forget to set your lineups for a three-game slate on Thanksgiving. And remember to travel safely over the holidays!
For in-depth information on Caleb Williams, Devaughn Vele, Rachaad White, and more, check out this week's waiver wire episode of The Footballguys Fantasy Football Show with Alfredo Brown and Dave Kluge (me).
Three Up
QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
The career-high 340 passing yards was great, but the way Caleb Williams got there made his Week 12 performance especially exciting. He completed throws that few quarterbacks in NFL history could make. He displayed power, touch, creativity, and cognizance. He extended plays with his strength and scrambling abilities. Despite losing back-to-back divisional matchups the last two weeks, Williams' recent play has been promising. After Shane Waldron was fired, Thomas Brown took over and developed a plan tailored to the rosters' strengths and weaknesses. Roschon Johnson has been more involved in creating a complimentary backfield duo with D'Andre Swift. Screens are regularly drawn up to get the ball in DJ Moore's hands. Williams is peppering Rome Odunze with first-read targets. Keenan Allen is operating and the underneath safety blanket for Williams. And by putting Bears' playmakers in roles that suit them best, Williams' surrounding environment is healthier. The game appears to be slowing down, and his throws are precisely calibrated at every level of the field. He's got a brutal stretch of matchups to close out the fantasy football season against the Lions (twice), 49ers, Vikings (again), and Seahawks. But if he continues playing like he has the last couple of weeks, he and the revamped Bears offense could push these opponents into shootout situations.
WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
After an oddly quiet season, Jaylen Waddle decided to remind us that he's an elite talent in Week 12. His 144 receiving yards was a season-high and the second-most of his career. And the nine targets he pulled were also the most in a game this season. His usage was very exciting. He got going early with some in-breaking routes through zone coverage to allow for yards after the catch. Then Tua Tagovailoa gave him some opportunities to win on contested balls outside, which he did. They drew up a screen for him. He pulled an end-zone target on a quick slant. The Dolphins forced the ball to Waddle all over the field, and he delivered on all but one target. The Dolphins have historically struggled in the colder months, and there's enough of a sample that it's hard to ignore. But Waddle looked terrific in Week 12, hopefully giving his drafters a late-season push to compensate for his early-season disappointment.
WR Devaughn Vele, Denver Broncos
Don't look now, but the Broncos may have found themselves a quarterback. Courtland Sutton has been a stellar WR1, sitting behind only Ja'Marr Chase in fantasy scoring over the last five weeks. And 27-year-old Devaughn Vele appears to be entrenching himself as the team's WR2. He pulled eight targets during his career debut in Week 1, but injury forced him to miss the next four weeks. He returned to the lineup in Week 6, pulling a respectable six targets. The production hasn't been great, but he's starting to get more involved. His three highest snap counts of the season came over the last three weeks. He's averaging six targets per game over that stretch. Vele is a big receiver, measuring in at 6'5". But the best parts of his game are the cerebral elements. He's good at adjusting his routes based on coverage to allow himself to be an open target for Bo Nix. He might not have the highest ceiling, but consistent usage on a Broncos' team trending in the right direction is noteworthy. He's just a stash for now, but another good week would move him firmly into the streaming discussion.
Three Down
RB Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White's elite volume propped him up for a top-five fantasy finish last year. Many pundits this offseason pointed to his poor efficiency as a reason for concern going into 2024. And now, three months into the season, those inefficiencies are starting to show. White has seemingly been knocked down the depth chart to RB3. He technically finished with as many carries as Bucky Irving in Week 12, but much of his work came in garbage time when the Buccaneers were up multiple scores. Going into halftime, he was being out-touched by Irving and Sean Tucker. And while there was hope that White would maintain his role gobbling up high-value touches (targets and goal-line work), White pulled just one target to Irving's six. And all three running backs got touches near the goal line. Three-headed committees are typically nebulous, but this one is starting to take shape. Irving looks the best of the bunch, leading the trio in almost every efficiency metric. Expect to see Irving, the young and exciting rookie, carve out a more prominent role at the expense of White.
RB Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Expectations for Jonathon Brooks have continuously changed since he declared for the NFL Draft. Before the Draft, NFL Network's Ian Rappaport suggested that Brooks would be ready for camp. When Dave Canales announced that Brooks would start the season on the PUP list, there was hope that he'd still be ready for Week 1. Early-season scratches were concerning, but there was still a glimmer of hope that he could return late in the season and be a league-winning hammer. As Brooks' timeline for return lengthened, Chuba Hubbard started playing better. After not doing much through his first three seasons, Hubbard surprisingly developed into one of the league's better running backs. He operated as Carolina's workhorse and was gifted with a significant contract for his play. There was concern that Brooks would return to play with a backfield involving Hubbard and Miles Sanders. But Miles Sanders picked up an injury before the Week 11 bye, and reports began circulating that Brooks would make his long-awaited debut in Week 12. Canales confirmed the rumors, stating that "he won't be on a pitch count." Well, Brooks made his debut. He played a total of five snaps, seeing just two carries and zero targets for seven scoreless yards. His role may grow. But with just a few weeks left in the fantasy football season and the stellar play from Hubbard, don't expect much value from Brooks this season.
The San Francisco 49ers
We can finally put the "Is Brock Purdy good?" debate to rest. The 49ers' record hasn't been excellent this year, but Purdy has done enough to keep them competitive in almost every game. He's fifth in the league in EPA/dropback and sixth in completion percentage over expectation. He's found himself in the MVP discussion for the second straight season. But he was injured in Week 11. And the 49ers were demolished 38-10 in the first game without Purdy. Brandon Allen's EPA/dropback of -0.67 ranks dead last among any quarterback who logged a start this season. George Kittle salvaged his fantasy day with six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. But Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Jauan Jennings combined for just 129 scoreless yards on 26 opportunities. There's no timetable for Purdy's return. Kyle Shanahan is downplaying it, but he has proven to be pretty untrustworthy regarding injuries. If Purdy returns, expect him to right the ship. But if Allen has to start again in Week 13, lower expectations for every 49ers player.
