With only three games remaining until the playoffs in most fantasy leagues, now’s the time to add quality players for the stretch run. Here are the best available players in Week 12.
1. Will Dissly | TE | L.A. Chargers (rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues)
Dissly caught four of six targets for 80 yards and a score in a 34-27 win over the Bengals in Week 11, posting a season-high 18.00 fantasy points. Only rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey (63) has seen more targets than Dissly (48), who trails wide receiver Quentin Johnson (354) by two yards for third-most on the team.
Herbert to Will Dissly for the first touchdown of SNF! pic.twitter.com/ZpKOD20dlj
— JM Football (@JomboyMediaFB) November 18, 2024
Since the Chargers Week 5 bye, Dissly is averaging 4.6 catches on 6.3 targets for 44.5 yards per contest. This week he’ll face a Ravens team allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game to the position and with tight end friendly teams like Kansas City (second-most points allowed) and Tampa Bay (third-most points allowed) still to come.
2. Bo Nix | QB | Denver Broncos (rostered in 48% of Yahoo leagues)
Despite our best efforts here at Yardbarker, Nix remains available in the majority of leagues. We offered him up in Week 6 (10% rostered) and again in Week 9 (25% rostered) but he won’t last long with quarterbacks like Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow taking this week off.
Nix went 28-for-33 for a career-high 307 yards, four touchdowns and 28.78 fantasy points, fourth-most among quarterbacks, in a 38-6 home victory over the Falcons in Week 11. He’s now averaging 20.17 fantasy points per game. With teams like the Vikings, Browns and Colts remaining, Nix could be a boon to struggling fantasy teams.
Nix finds Lil'Jordan Humphrey for his 4th TD of the day
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
: #ATLvsDEN on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/Mdm5QBvTaT
3. Jonnu Smith | TE | Miami Dolphins (rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues)
Smith caught two of eight targets for a career-high 101 yards and two scores against the Raiders last week, earning the third-most fantasy points (28.10) of any tight end. In Miami’s first five games, Smith averaged 2.8 catches on 4.2 targets for 28 yards per game. Since then he’s averaged six targets, five catches and 61.6 yards per contest.
This week the Dolphins host the Patriots, a team Smith had five catches for 62 yards against in Week 5. Quarterback Tyler Huntley went 18-of-31 for 194 yards for Miami that day, but this time they’ll have Tua Tagovailoa running the offense.
Jonnu Smith WIDE OPEN for the 57-yard TD!
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
: #LVvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/VMOXPnzMzM
Tagovailoa has shown no ill-effects of the concussion that forced him to miss four games earlier this year and is coming off a 288-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 11, his best performance of the season by far. He’s obviously established a rapport with Smith, making the veteran tight end an ideal plug-and-play option for Week 12.
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The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
A five-year deal completed nearly a year ago is still shaping the way NBA teams and agents are approaching restricted free agency. According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, the contract that Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley signed last July has become a major sticking point. The deal, which includes $162.5 million in guaranteed money and another $12.5 million in incentives, averages $32.5 million per season and could reach $35 million annually. “The Immanuel Quickley contract has totally screwed up restricted free agency,” Marks said during an appearance on ESPN’s YouTube channel. “Because that’s where agents are looking at like the benchmark. Certainly, [Bulls guard] Josh Giddey’s like, ‘I want that contract.’ That number has screwed up a lot of things.” Marks said agents are citing Quickley’s deal in negotiations for other young guards with similar production and upside, but teams haven’t been willing to match the price tag. “I don’t think Toronto got enough heat for that number,” he added. “Because Immanuel Quickley is not a $32, $33 million guy.” Clarkson Still a Wild Card for Knicks The Knicks are hoping Jordan Clarkson provides a spark off the bench, but there is uncertainty about what exactly he brings at this stage of his career. As one Western Conference scout told The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Clarkson hasn’t played meaningful basketball in quite a while and remains a bit of a mystery heading into the 2025–26 season. Still, one Knicks source believes the veteran scorer is “exactly what we needed,” and sees him as a strong fit off the bench. A veteran coach who spoke with Bondy sees upside but also concerns. “High-level shooter. Good going right,” the coach said. “Wild-card-type player. Throw him out there and see if he can get hot. But there’s not much else from a production standpoint. And it’s ugly on defense.” Maxey Gives Back in Philly Tyrese Maxey continues to make an impact beyond the court. The 76ers guard hosted a free youth basketball camp over the weekend and donated $60,000 through his foundation, per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. Maxey’s community efforts have become a regular part of his offseason work in the Philadelphia area. More NBA News Rumors
As the Boston Bruins prepare for the upcoming NHL season, there are a lot of questions around the roster. Boston missed the playoffs last year, taking a massive step back from where the team normally has been. But even entering this coming year, there isn't a lot of optimism around the Bruins. Boston has a few solid pieces on the roster, but the team hasn't improved much. This has led some to believe that Boston will again miss the playoffs next season. One of those people is NHL writer Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report, who predicted them to be on the outside looking in. "They lack a top-line center, don't have scoring depth after David Pastrnak, the defense wasn't always great even before the injuries to Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm and they desperately need Jeremy Swayman to bounce back and play like the $8 million per year goalie they are paying him to be," wrote Gretz. Boston is going to have a tough time competing in the Eastern Conference this season, and it could see them miss the postseason again. The Bruins haven't done all that much this summer to improve the team, and it could end up costing them. The direction of the Bruins remains one of the bigger mysteries around the NHL, and the front office has been kind of stagnant. If this team wants to contend this season, the best bet is to bank on the team staying healthier than they did last year. But betting on health throughout a season is typically a risky play. Boston's front office still has work to do, and the clock is ticking on them to add to this team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a lot of changes to their roster throughout the 2025 offseason, leading to a lot of storylines. From new signings to unexpected departures, there’s been no shortage of things for fans and analysts to talk about. Even with all the moves, however, some big questions still remain, especially when it comes to depth at key positions and who will step up to fill certain roles. One of the biggest storylines has been the addition of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and with him leading the offense, many are wondering who he’ll be throwing to in the passing game consistently. Recently, former Steelers Super Bowl champion Trai Essex released a new episode of his podcast, The Snap Count, where he and his co-host, Charlie Batch, talked about a variety of Steelers-related topics ahead of the upcoming season. Among the topics discussed on the podcast was the highly-talked about question of who Rodgers is expected to connect with the most in the Steelers’ passing game. Essex mentioned someone that hasn’t been talked about a lot during the offseason, someone he believes could have a big impact in the end zone this year. "You know, I think Darnell Washington is going to be a huge target for Aaron Rodgers in the end zone," Essex said. Darnell Washington, who is a tight end that was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, could have a bigger role this season. While Pat Freiermuth has remained the team’s first tight end, the arrival of Rodgers may create more opportunities for Washington to get involved in the passing game. With his combination of size, strength, and receiving ability, Washington has the ability to be a serious threat in the red zone, like Essex mentioned. Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer, with a historic and successful career behind him up until this point. However, as he begins the next step in Pittsburgh, some have concerns about his age and whether he can still perform at a high level in such a physical league. What has always set Rodgers apart is his arm talent, and according to a recent report, his arm strength remains his best attribute. That not only poses a challenge for opposing defenses, but also presents an exciting opportunity for the Steelers to have a dangerous passing game. The Steelers now have a crowded and talented tight end room, especially with the recent addition of Jonnu Smith, who adds proven receiving skills and versatility to the offense. With this depth at tight end, it’s clear the position will likely play a significant role in the Steelers' offense this season. As the team continues to build around Rodgers for this year, it will be interesting to see how the targets are distributed among the many weapons at his disposal. Steelers Have Plenty Of Receiving Options There’s been plenty of talk surrounding the Steelers' wide receiver group, especially given the amount of receiving talent across the offense, including a strong tight end unit. While DK Metcalf is the clear wide receiver one, the wide receiver two spot is possibly still up for grabs, despite wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni naming Calvin Austin III as the current second option. Like Washington, Austin has a real opportunity to step up and show just how valuable he can be in the offense, especially with a quarterback as talented as Rodgers throwing the football. With this potentially being Rodgers’ final season, there’s added pressure for the Steelers to deliver results now. While much of the spotlight will be on Rodgers to lead the offense effectively, there’s also significant expectation on key receiving players players like Austin and Washington to take a big step forward and make a meaningful impact.