Week 12 was light on wide receiver options, but significant injuries to quarterbacks and running backs put those positions on the radar. We have already seen Dallas and Jacksonville flip to other quarterbacks due to injury. The Raiders will be forced to do the same, and rumors are swirling around the Jets. 

This article will discuss deep league waiver additions, focusing on Dynasty league formats. 

Players will fall into four primary categories: 

• Short-term Starters - Players capable of providing immediate production in deep leagues. 
• Proactive Pickups - Players who need the depth chart to be clear before them but are more available than other players in a similar role. 
• Deep Darts - Speculative players who have a chance at value.
• Dynasty Buys - Players whose values have changed, and the market may not have caught up.

Quarterback

Short Term Starters

Tyrod Taylor, NY Jets (25% Sleeper rostered) 

The Jets will eventually tell us what they will do. They need to figure it out first. 

The winds are blowing towards Aaron Rodgers's release, perhaps soon. The departure of GM Joe Douglas following HC Robert Saleh erodes Rodgers' support within the organization. An odd story came out about an injury situation with Rodgers refusing scans.   

Even without a release, Taylor's name has been in the media. Despite the Jets' struggles, Taylor, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall demand attention in fantasy. 

Taylor started five games in 2023. His weekly finishes: QB7, QB10, QB11, QB21, QB27. The math is easy. Taylor averaged 29.6 rushing yards per start, and he is a competent enough passer to feed the Jets' weapons. 

Taylor is a potential fringe QB1 down the stretch. 

Aidan O'Connell, Las Vegas (25% Sleeper rostered) 

Gardner Minshew II's season-ending collarbone injury is very disappointing. Minshew gave minimal value himself, but since the Davante Adams trade, he has helped Brock Bowers achieve TE2 overall status and Jakobi Meyers become WR20. 

The silver lining is O'Connell became eligible to return from IR this week. He is back at practice, but HC Antonio Pierce noted he needed to show some vigorous practice sessions. Still, the Raiders likely do not want to start Desmond Ridder.

Proactive Pickups

Brandon Allen, San Francisco (38% Sleeper rostered) 

The good news is Allen is not expected to play in Week 13. The 49ers missed Brock Purdy in a game the Packers controlled from start to finish. 

But the injury seal is broken, and the 49ers are outside the playoffs. Purdy is their franchise, so if this injury lingers and the 49ers are eliminated, expect him to be shut down. 

Allen would be surrounded by talent, but he falls more into the caretaker side than playable in fantasy. Still, in deep leagues, he could be a potential option. 

Nick Mullens, Minnesota (9% Sleeper rostered) 

Mullens productively closed the 2023 season for the Vikings, finishing as fantasy QB10 over the last four games. 

Sam Darnold is working through a foot injury. He picked up a midweek injury designation but dropped it going into the game. Mullens pitched in for two snaps as Darnold briefly worked through something in Week 12. Mullens was clutch, going two for two for 38 yards. 

We know Minnesota's skill talent. If Darnold did miss time, Mullens is a potential QB1 stream option and a likely sure starter in Superflex.

Desmond Ridder, Las Vegas (25% Sleeper rostered) 

The Raiders may not want to start Ridder, but they may have to. 

You may also have to do so, depending on your quarterback situation in Superflex. 

There are situations in which I could talk myself into starting Ridder, but there are not any in which I would feel good about that development. However, I will not deny that he has athleticism and that Bowers and Meyers are talented enough to create production. 

Running Back

Short Term Starters

Jeremy McNichols, Washington (14% Sleeper rostered) 

Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are questionable for Week 13 with injuries. If both miss, McNichols should step into the higher-value role than Rodriguez. McNichols is a natural passing down back who popped early in the season with three touchdowns in September. 

There are no bye weeks to contend with, but McNichols would still be a deep league streaming consideration if Robinson and Ekeler are out. 

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington (21% Sleeper rostered) 

Without Robinson and Ekeler, Rodriguez would be involved. He handled 11 carries for 52 yards against the Giants in Week 9 and would project for goal-line usage. 

McNichols would hold a higher ceiling in PPR formats. But Rodriguez gains appeal in standard leagues or leagues that award points for carries. 

Rodriguez and McNichols should be on the radar in almost any league size. 

Proactive Pickups

Craig Reynolds, Detroit (4% Sleeper rostered) 

David Montgomery left Week 12 early with a shoulder injury. He is expected to be back, but the Lions hit the early Thanksgiving window this week. 

But Reynolds stays in Proactive Pickups instead of hitting the streaming area because we have seen OC Ben Johnson operate without one of Montgomery or Jamyr Gibbs. 

The other becomes a feature back and elite fantasy player. 

Reynolds is a handcuff that requires two players to go down. Unfortunately, we must add him to deep leagues because the injury seal is broken on one back. 

The Lions could end up in a scenario with little at stake in Weeks 17 and 18, and Reynolds could get a spot start in a critical fantasy week. 

Hassan Haskins, LA Chargers (9% Sleeper rostered) 

J.K. Dobbins left Monday night's game before halftime with a knee injury. No updates have been provided. 

Without Dobbins, the Chargers run game is severely hindered.

Gus Edwards is the primary running back without Dobbins. Perhaps the team should give Kimani Vidal another chance, though he had a month to solidify himself earlier this year and was phased out before Edwards returned. 

Haskins may be available in deep leagues. There is not a lot to get excited about in Haskins's game, but we have seen running backs in strong offenses provide fantasy value in the fantasy playoffs. Haskins is a stash if Dobbins's news comes back in a worst-case scenario. 

Deep Darts

Sincere McCormick, Las Vegas (0% Sleeper rostered) 

So, never Dylan Laube. 

Laube contributed to special teams with an excellent kick return, but McCormick complemented Ameer Abdullah with Alexander Mattison and Zamir White out. 

McCormick was an incredibly productive college back. Between 2020 and 2021, his 2,946 yards were second only to Breece Hall's. McCormick left school early but went undrafted. He spent his rookie year on IR before 2023 and 2024 on the Raiders practice squad. 

McCormick performed well in his first NFL action, gaining 33 yards on five carries. At some point, the Raiders need to call a spade a spade and see what they have in players like McCormick instead of playing backs on the wrong side of 30. 

Wide Receiver

Short Term Starters

David Moore, Carolina  (6% Sleeper rostered) 

Moore has been a secondary piece behind Xavier Leggette, Jalen Coker, and Ja'Tavian Sanders regarding fantasy attention. A 29-year-old journeyman will not get much attention compared to the mystery box that is rookie pass catchers. 

Moore has the trust of HC Dave Canales, and if Sunday's game is any indication, he also has Bryce Young's trust. 

Coker was out, but Adam Thielen returned. Moore still hit a season-high 94% snap share and set a career-high with ten targets. He looked good against a complex Chiefs defense. Every bit of receiving production is up in the air in Carolina, but Young seems capable of supporting fantasy-relevant receivers. If Moore can follow up on an intense week 12, he will be considered for deep league lineups. 

Proactive Pickups

Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh (49% Sleeper rostered) 

Can we please see Austin as the full-time starting WR2 just once?

Austin is second on the Steelers in receiving yards and leads the team in receiving touchdowns despite playing 49% of the snaps compared to Van Jefferson's 63%.

We often see players creating splash plays like Austin yet receiving part-time usage to generate significant social media buzz (or frustration). For Austin, it has been quiet. 

This is an excellent opportunity to grab an emerging second-year player for cheap. 

Tight End

Deep Darts

Cade Stover, Houston (54% Sleeper rostered) 

Stover scored his first career touchdown in Week 12. Stover, the former college teammate of C.J. Stroud, played as a complementary piece to Dalton Schultz in his rookie season. 

He has flashed plays to suggest there is room for much more upside. 

His touchdown was nice, but his hands on what ended up being a mistake stood out more. Stroud was attempting to ground the ball, but Stover dove and made an athletic catch. 

Stover was a significant contributor for Ohio St., posting the second-most yards on the 2023 team behind Marvin Harrison Jr. He has a long-term relationship with Stroud and can be Schultz's long-term replacement.