Top 13 waiver-wire pickups for Week 12 of fantasy football

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Top 13 waiver-wire pickups for Week 12 of fantasy football

Jonathan Williams

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

We're targeting Jonathan Williams, Randall Cobb, and Ryan Griffin on the waiver wire heading into Week 12.

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  • Heading into the home stretch of the NFL season, it's time to start finalizing your lineups for a playoff push.
  • On Sunday, a few players emerged as potential replacements for any fantasy player facing a particularly daunting bye week soon.
  • Here are 13 waiver-wire targets for fantasy players looking to fill in any gaps in their rosters.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As we head into the home stretch of the NFL season, fantasy players are ready to work the waiver wire and fill in any gaps in their rosters.

Below, we've collected 13 waiver-wire targets for fantasy players looking to add some depth to their rosters, going position by position to give you the best chance of earning a spot in your fantasy playoffs.

All ownership percentages come from ESPN, and scoring is based on a standard ESPN points-per-reception format.

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Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets

Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets

ESPN fantasy ownership: 12.4%

Week 11 stats: 293 passing yards, four touchdowns — 25.4 fantasy points

One thing to know: If you have a shaky quarterback situation heading into the fantasy postseason, Sam Darnold might be a name to target. Darnold has finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback the past two weeks and has games coming up against the Raiders, Bengals, and Dolphins.

Jeff Driskel, QB. Detroit Lions

Jeff Driskel, QB. Detroit Lions

ESPN fantasy ownership: 2.3%

Week 11 stats: 209 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown — 27.5 fantasy points

One thing to know: If your quarterback is on a bye for Week 12 of the season, Jeff Driskel is a solid boom-or-bust play in a must-win scenario, facing a Washington defense that has looked somewhat demoralized in recent weeks.

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Jonathan Williams, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Williams, RB, Indianapolis Colts

ESPN fantasy ownership: 0.0%

Week 11 stats: 116 rushing yards, one reception, 31 receiving yards — 15.7 fantasy points

One thing to know: Jonathan Williams is likely the most important waiver-wire target this week after Colts starting running back Marlon Mack went down with a fractured hand. Williams made the most of his opportunity and proved that the Colts can still assert their running game even with Mack on the sideline.

Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens

ESPN fantasy ownership: 4.3%

Week 11 stats: 112 rushing yards, one touchdown — 17.2 fantasy points

One thing to know: Gus Edwards was helped along a bit by the Ravens' throttling of the Texans, but he still only needed eight carries to clear 100 yards rushing on Sunday.

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Bo Scarbrough, RB, Detroit Lions

Bo Scarbrough, RB, Detroit Lions

ESPN fantasy ownership: 0.0%

Week 11 stats: 55 rushing yards, one touchdown — 11.5 fantasy points

One thing to know: Bo Scarbrough got his first real opportunity on Sunday after injuries tore through the Lions depth chart. While taking 14 carries for 55 yards is far from a standout day, this late in the season, an opportunity is everything, and 14 carries are quite a workload for a player available in nearly every league.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Jay Ajayi, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

ESPN fantasy ownership: 1.1%

Week 11 stats: N/A

One thing to know: The Eagles signed Jay Ajayi after a slew of bad news regarding running backs Darren Sproles and Jordan Howard in recent weeks. While he didn't play on Sunday, Ajayi knows the Eagles system well and should work himself into the backfield pretty quickly — don't expect Boston Scott to keep getting seven carries a game, as he did against the Patriots.

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Randall Cobb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Randall Cobb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

ESPN fantasy ownership: 29.6%

Week 11 stats: Four receptions, 115 receiving yards, one touchdown — 21.5 fantasy points

One thing to know: Randall Cobb now has 100 yards and a touchdown in two straight games, and is still available in more than 70% of ESPN fantasy leagues. With Dak Prescott in a phenomenal year, adding any piece of the Cowboys offense feels like a solid bet.

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

ESPN fantasy ownership: 44.7%

Week 11 stats: Seven receptions, 135 receiving yards — 20.5 fantasy points

One thing to know: DeVante Parker has scored at least 11 fantasy points in seven straight games, and on Sunday went off with a huge performance. The Dolphins still have games against the Browns, Bengals, Jets, and Giants left of the schedule. If you're looking for a consistent wide receiver, Parker is an excellent addition to your roster.

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Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets

Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets

ESPN fantasy ownership: 69.7%

Week 11 stats: Five receptions, 76 receiving yards, one touchdown — 18.6 fantasy points

One thing to know: Jamison Crowder has proven to be a top target for Sam Darnold in the Jets offense, and has plenty of favorable matchups heading into the final weeks of the fantasy season. If you're desperate for a big-play receiver to steal a playoff spot, his next three weeks are against the Raiders, Bengals, and Dolphins.

Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

ESPN fantasy ownership: 25.1%

Week 11 stats: Eight receptions, 134 receiving yards — 21.4 fantasy points

One thing to know: Deebo Samuel now has two straight weeks with eight catches and more than 110 yards receiving. Somehow, he's still available in three out of every four fantasy leagues. That won't be true for long.

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Hunter Renfrow, WR, Oakland Raiders

Hunter Renfrow, WR, Oakland Raiders

ESPN fantasy ownership: 7.4%

Week 11 stats: Five receptions, 66 receiving yards — 11.6 fantasy points

One thing to know: Hunter Renfrow is serving as a possession receiver in the Raiders offense, but he has plenty of value for fantasy owners playing in PPR leagues. He's averaging 14 points per game over his past four weeks.

Ryan Griffin, TE, New York Jets

Ryan Griffin, TE, New York Jets

ESPN fantasy ownership: 1.1%

Week 11 stats: Five receptions, 109 receiving yards, one touchdown — 21.9 fantasy points

One thing to know: For anyone looking for a boom-or-bust option at tight end, Ryan Griffin has now been the top tight end in fantasy in two of the past four weeks. He's a red-zone target for Darnold and the Jets and shares the same solid schedule down the stretch.

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Cleveland Browns Defense

Cleveland Browns Defense

ESPN fantasy ownership: 29%

Week 11 stats: Four sacks, four interceptions, seven points allowed — 17 fantasy points

One thing to know: While the Browns defense lost Myles Garrett after his fight with Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, Cleveland's upcoming schedule still makes their defense an interesting add for fantasy players.

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