J.J. McCarthy, Brock Bowers, Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, and the Bottom-5 Week 12 Fantasy Football Offenses
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Fantasy football owners are always looking to find the best offenses to help with Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em decisions every week, but it’s equally important to find the worst offenses to avoid.
We’re now 12 weeks into the season (and being on this list doesn’t mean teams are going to be on this list next week or every week), but we’re starting to see some real trends emerge. If you’ve been reading this article all year, you’ll notice some repeat offenders (ahem...Browns and Raiders).
And with that said, let’s dive into the five worst fantasy offenses in Week 12 and try to see which ones we should avoid (or consider forgiving) as we move forward into Week 13 and beyond.
5. Cleveland Browns
While the Cleveland Browns won on Sunday, they still only had 270 yards of total offense in the 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Shedeur Sanders provided a boost for the Browns, but was a mediocre 11-20 for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception. And though Quinshon Judkins added two touchdowns, he only mustered 47 rushing yards on 16 carries. The end result is the only one that matters here, but it doesn't bode well for fantasy football owners moving forward.
Week 13 Best Bet to Produce: Quinshon Judkins
4. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have become a mainstay on this list, and Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Browns did nothing to move them off of it. They managed just 268 yards of total offense on the day and only scored three points, not counting garbage time. Ashton Jeanty managed just 50 rushing yards on 17 carries while Brock Bowers had just 55 receiving yards. The Raiders have a lot of talent, but this offense is going to be frustrating for fantasy football owners.
Week 13 Best Bet to Produce: Brock Bowers
3. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens now have possession of first place in the AFC North after beating the New York Jets 23-10, but it wasn't because their offense was humming. The Ravens managed just 251 yards of total offense on the day and were actually outgained by the lowly Jets. Derrick Henry had two touchdowns on the day, but he only ran for 64 yards, while Lamar Jackson threw for just 153 yards. The Ravens are rolling as they've now won five straight, but their offense isn't exactly fantasy-friendly right now.
Week 13 Best Bet to Produce: Derrick Henry
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is a tricky one as the Buccaneers have been one of the better offenses this season, but injuries have finally caught up to them. With Mike Evans and Bucky Irving still out, the Bucs will now have to face the possibility of being with Baker Mayfield as he's set for an MRI on his shoulder. The Bucs managed just 193 yards of total offense in their blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and could very quickly become a team for fantasy owners to avoid if Mayfield is forced to miss any time.
Week 13 Best Bet to Produce: Emeka Egbuka
1. Minnesota Vikings
That's two weeks in a row on this list for the Minnesota Vikings. J.J. McCarthy isn't the answer for Minnesota, as he threw for just 84 yards in the 23-6 loss to the Packers, marking his third straight game with two interceptions. While McCarthy is still just 22 years old and could have a solid future, that future isn't right now, and he's bringing down the Vikings' offense with him. Justin Jefferson is averaging just 48 yards per game with McCarthy at quarterback, so fantasy owners will have to temper their expectations for him.
Week 13 Best Bet to Produce: Justin Jefferson
Once a top-ranked fantasy gamer on ESPN, Nick Raducanu has been playing fantasy sports for over 25 years. His written fantasy coverage includes stops at Rotoworld, Rotowire, and The New York Times.