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Week 12 Waiver Wire: Mike Gillislee, Tyler Boyd Highlight Pickups to Know

Fantasy Football
November 21, 2016

Injuries have started to play a major factor in the fantasy football realm heading into Week 12. 

The NFL season is a lengthy, often brutal process capable of leaving a fantasy roster depleted and in need of starters—even during a playoff run.

It’s also a window of opportunity.

For owners with an astute eye, injuries create chances for others players to step in and produce. Not every waiver notable is a result of injury in Week 12, but some of the most significant fall into the category.

        

Week 12 Waiver-Wire Targets

        

Wendell Smallwood, RB, PHI (2.3)

Injuries have paved the way for Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood.

Running back is arguably the most difficult position to find production at in the middle of the season, so it’s important to jump all over backs who get opportunities.

As Rotoworld’s Evan Silva pointed out, Smallwood watched as Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews suffered injuries in Week 11:

Even without the injuries, Smallwood has had a couple of interesting weeks with 13 carries and seven points in each of his past two outings.

This doesn’t sound like top-tier production by any means, but the rookie out of West Virginia only needs a rushing score in a good situation to become a must-start player. The production also suggests the coaching staff has seen enough to hand the every-down gig to him while other players miss time.

One more thing—Smallwood‘s mini-test as the lead back came against the Seattle Seahawks. If the backs around him can’t go in Week 12, he gets to possibly run wild in what should be a shootout against the Green Bay Packers. Time for the ownership percentage to skyrocket.

     

Mike Gillislee, RB, BUF (26.3)

Owners likely have a strong sense of deja vu here with Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee.

LeSean McCoy suffered another injury in Week 11, which opens the door for Gillislee to once again act as the lead back. Shady had missed a game in Week 8 against the New England Patriots, when Gillislee stepped in and scored 14 points on 12 carries for 85 yards and a score.

Said performance against the Patriots was part of a stretch where Gillislee scored a rushing touchdown in four of five games. After McCoy left with an issue in Week 11, he took 14 carries for 72 yards and seven points, nearly cashing in on a huge day.

According to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW in Buffalo, McCoy needs surgery on his thumb but will play in Week 12. This smells like a limited situation for the starter—and even if it’s not, Gillislee will see notable chances and produce against a struggling Jacksonville Jaguars defense.

     

Adam Thielen, WR, MIN (4.6)

Who?

Look, Adam Thielen of the Minnesota Vikings is one of Sam Bradford‘s favorite targets as of late.

But even the quarterback didn’t know who Thielen was, as pointed out by Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Kidding aside, the Minnesota State product now has a touchdown in two consecutive games, helping him hit nine or more points two games and running.

As ESPN.com noted on his fantasy profile, Thielen played more snaps than any Minnesota wideout in Week 10, a clear sign he has worked his way fully into the rotation and isn’t going anywhere.

For context, Thielen scored his 12 points in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals while Patrick Peterson tracked Stefon Diggs. But Diggs is the type of player who will receive an opposing defense’s best each week, making the fact Thielen has five or more targets in seven games this year all the more attractive.

    

Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN (5.1)

With a single injury, the Cincinnati Bengals become the Tyler Boyd show.

The Bengals lost star wide receiver A.J. Green to a hamstring injury in Week 11, with Geoff Hobson of the Bengals’ official website suggesting the team fears he’ll miss the remainder of the season.

The injury creates a 100-target vacuum in the Cincinnati offense, with Boyd the likeliest to step in and receive most of the work.

A hyped rookie out of Pittsburgh, the Bengals put Boyd on an accelerated track after losing both Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency last year and realizing a depth chart featuring Brandon LaFell wasn’t helping much.

Boyd shined after Green exited, catching six passes for 54 yards and a score, good for 11 points. While the Bengals still have Tyler Eifert on the roster, a defense’s attention will now go to the tight end, not Boyd. The rookie wideout still outpaced him in targets Sunday, eight to six.

Leaning on a rookie for potential top-tier production down the stretch isn’t fun. But it is clear Boyd has the talent and Cincinnati has the willingness to use him as a No. 1 wideout when it matters.

Owners should, too.

   

All scoring info and statistics courtesy of ESPN.com standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats.

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.

Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com

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