Week 12 fantasy football rankings

Below are Week 12 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.

Quarterback

1 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville 
2 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay at Minnesota 
3 Peyton Manning, Denver vs. Miami 
4 Drew Brees, New Orleans vs. Baltimore 
5 Tom Brady, New England vs. Detroit ...Strength versus strength - Detroit gives up the fewest points per game to opposing quarterbacks
6 Tony Romo, Dallas at N.Y. Giants 
7 Jay Cutler, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay 
8 Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
9 Josh McCown, Tampa Bay at Chicago ...McCown makes his return to Chicago, who give up the 2nd-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks
10 Ryan Tannehill, Miami at Denver 
11 Matthew Stafford, Detroit at New England ...Stafford cracked 20,000 yards last week in 71 games, the fastest quarterback ever (Dan Marino had held the record at 74 games)
12 Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. Arizona 
13 Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas 
14 Philip Rivers, San Diego vs. St. Louis 
15 Matt Ryan, Atlanta vs. Cleveland 
16 Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco vs. Washington 
17 Zach Mettenberger, Tennessee at Philadelphia ...Philadelphia gives up the most points to opposing quarterbacks
18 Joe Flacco, Baltimore at New Orleans 
19 Andy Dalton, Cincinnati at Houston 
20 Brian Hoyer, Cleveland at Atlanta ...Hoyer and Browns' fans welcome Josh Gordon at wide receiver this week
21 Robert Griffin III, Washington at San Francisco 

Running Back

1 DeMarco Murray, Dallas at N.Y. Giants ...Murray is now on pace for 1,973 rushing yards
2 Jamaal Charles, Kansas City at Oakland 
3 Matt Forte, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay 
4 Eddie Lacy, Green Bay at Minnesota 
5 LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
6 C.J. Anderson, Denver vs. Miami ...Anderson should be very busy with Montee Ball and Ronnie Hill both likely out
7 Justin Forsett, Baltimore at New Orleans 
8 Trent Richardson, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville ...With the season-ending injury to Ahmad Bradshaw, T-Rich has a chance for a much more significant workload (and in a great match-up)
9 Mark Ingram, New Orleans vs. Baltimore ...Baltimore gives up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs
10 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle vs. Arizona 
11 Andre Ellington, Arizona at Seattle 
12 Rashad Jennings, N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas 
13 Arian Foster, Houston vs. Cincinnati ...Foster's status for Week 12 is TBD (groin) - if he starts move him up to around RB6
14 Denard Robinson, Jacksonville at Indianapolis 
15 Tre Mason, St. Louis at San Diego 
16 Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati at Houston ...Giovani Bernard should be back this week, and the split between he and Hill is TBD but expect both to get plenty of work
17 Frank Gore, San Francisco vs. Washington 
18 Steven Jackson, Atlanta vs. Cleveland 
19 Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland at Atlanta ...Cleveland has released Ben Tate
20 Lamar Miller, Miami at Denver 
21 Jonas Gray, New England vs. Detroit ...Wow - Gray's 4 touchdowns last week were the most in a single game in Patriot history, although Detroit sports the league's top run defense
22 Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati at Houston ...Bernard (hip) is back at practice and is expected to return to action this week
23 Charles Sims, Tampa Bay at Chicago 
24 Darren Sproles, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
25 Alfred Morris, Washington at San Francisco 
26 Bishop Sankey, Tennessee at Philadelphia 
27 Joique Bell, Detroit at New England 
28 Shane Vereen, New England vs. Detroit 
29 Alfred Blue, Houston vs. Cincinnati ...Arian Foster's status for Week 12 is TBD - I am assuming a time share with Blue
30 Fred Jackson, Buffalo vs. N.Y. Jets ...Jackson should make his return this week

Wide Receivers

1 Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Miami 
2 Jordy Nelson, Green Bay at Minnesota 
3 Dez Bryant, Dallas at N.Y. Giants 
4 A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Houston 
5 Randall Cobb, Green Bay at Minnesota 
6 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay at Chicago 
7 T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville 
8 Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay 
9 Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
10 Brandon Marshall, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay 
11 Josh Gordon, Cleveland at Atlanta 
12 Calvin Johnson, Detroit at New England 
13 Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. Cleveland ...Jones has now gone seven games in a row without a touchdown
14 Odell Beckham Jr. , N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas 
15 Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
16 Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville 
17 Roddy White, Atlanta vs. Cleveland 
18 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco vs. Washington 
19 Torrey Smith, Baltimore at New Orleans 
20 Sammy Watkins, Buffalo vs. N.Y. Jets 
21 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Cincinnati 
22 Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas 
23 Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Miami ...Sanders (concussion) will need to be monitored for Week 12 - move him up to the Top 10 if starting on Sunday
24 Steve Smith, Baltimore at New Orleans 
25 DeSean Jackson, Washington at San Francisco 
26 Keenan Allen, San Diego vs. St. Louis 
27 Golden Tate, Detroit at New England 
28 Kenny Stills, New Orleans vs. Baltimore ...Brandin Cooks will be out for the rest of the season, which is a huge boost to Stills' 2014 potential going forward
29 Andre Johnson, Houston vs. Cincinnati 
30 Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay at Chicago 
31 Michael Crabtree, San Francisco vs. Washington 
32 Julian Edelman, New England vs. Detroit 
33 Mike Wallace, Miami at Denver 
34 Kendall Wright, Tennessee at Philadelphia 
35 Jarvis Landry, Miami at Denver 
36 Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. Arizona 
37 Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville at Indianapolis 
38 Marques Colston, New Orleans vs. Baltimore ...Colston should get more looks with Brandin Cooks out for the year
39 Percy Harvin, N.Y. Jets at Buffalo 
40 Brandon LaFell, New England vs. Detroit 
41 Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati at Houston 
42 Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland at Atlanta 
43 Allen Hurns, Jacksonville at Indianapolis ...Hurns will start with Allen Robinson out for the season
44 Pierre Garcon, Washington at San Francisco 
45 Michael Floyd, Arizona at Seattle 
46 Kenny Britt, St. Louis at San Diego 
47 Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets at Buffalo 
48 Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City at Oakland 
49 Terrance Williams, Dallas at N.Y. Giants 
50 Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona at Seattle

Tight End

1 Rob Gronkowski, New England vs. Detroit 
2 Jimmy Graham, New Orleans vs. Baltimore 
3 Larry Donnell, N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas 
4 Antonio Gates, San Diego vs. St. Louis 
5 Travis Kelce, Kansas City at Oakland 
6 Coby Fleener, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville ...Fleener gets a major boost with the Week 11 injury to Dwayne Allen
7 Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay ...Like last year, Bennett has really cooled off after a hot start to the season - just 1 TD in his last seven games
8 Jason Witten, Dallas at N.Y. Giants 
9 Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Tampa Bay at Chicago ...Chicago gives up the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends
10 Mychal Rivera, Oakland vs. Kansas City 
11 Charles Clay, Miami at Denver 
12 Delanie Walker, Tennessee at Philadelphia 
13 Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Miami ...Thomas (ankle) will be questionable for Week 12
14 Vernon Davis, San Francisco vs. Washington 
15 Owen Daniels, Baltimore at New Orleans ...New Orleans give up the fewest points to opposing tight ends
16 Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati at Houston 
17 Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota vs. Green Bay ...Rudolph make his return last week, but he only played in passing downs and wasn't targeted 
18 Eric Ebron, Detroit at New England 
19 Jared Cook, St. Louis at San Diego 
20 Jace Amaro, N.Y. Jets at Buffalo 

Kicker

1 Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville 
2 Phil Dawson, San Francisco vs. Washington 
3 Stephen Gostkowski, New England vs. Detroit 
4 Dan Bailey, Dallas at N.Y. Giants 
5 Mason Crosby, Green Bay at Minnesota 
6 Cody Parkey, Philadelphia vs. Tennessee 
7 Cairo Santos, Kansas City at Oakland 
8 Steven Hauschka, Seattle vs. Arizona 
9 Robbie Gould, Chicago vs. Tampa Bay 
10 Billy Cundiff, Cleveland at Atlanta 
11 Justin Tucker, Baltimore at New Orleans 
12 Randy Bullock, Houston vs. Cincinnati 
13 Nick Novak, San Diego vs. St. Louis 
14 Matt Bryant, Atlanta vs. Cleveland 
15 Brandon McManus, Denver vs. Miami 
16 Shayne Graham, New Orleans vs. Baltimore 
17 Patrick Murray, Tampa Bay at Chicago 
18 Caleb Sturgis, Miami at Denver 
19 Mike Nugent, Cincinnati at Houston 
20 Ryan Succop, Tennessee at Philadelphia 

Defense

1 San Francisco DT, vs. Washington 
2 Buffalo DT, vs. N.Y. Jets 
3 Philadelphia DT, vs. Tennessee 
4 Green Bay DT, at Minnesota 
5 Houston DT, vs. Cincinnati 
6 Indianapolis DT, vs. Jacksonville 
7 Seattle DT, vs. Arizona 
8 San Diego DT, vs. St. Louis 
9 New England DT, vs. Detroit 
10 Kansas City DT, at Oakland 
11 Chicago DT, vs. Tampa Bay 
12 Denver DT, vs. Miami 
13 New York Jets DT, at Buffalo 
14 Baltimore DT, at New Orleans 
15 Dallas DT, at N.Y. Giants 
16 Arizona DT, at Seattle 
17 Detroit DT, at New England 
18 Cleveland DT, at Atlanta 
19 St. Louis DT, at San Diego 
20 New York Giants DT, vs. Dallas 

   

Please check out  Fantasy Football Warehouse for my full Week 12 fantasy football rankings.