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This is the final week fantasy owners while have to scrounge the waiver wire to replace some of their studs against the bye weeks.
The final four teams are on a bye in Week 12, and a handful of studs have the week off. Guys like Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy and A.J. Green will be unavailable, forcing owners to find viable replacements. If the following guys are available, go get ‘em.
And yes, that picture above is quite terrifying, and I love it.
Mike Tolbert @ Miami Dolphins: Is it crazy to think that Tolbert is the best fantasy option in the Panthers backfield? No, no it’s not. Sure, Jonathan Stewart is back in the mix, but Carolina still averages 31.5 rushing attempts per game, which is the fourth-most in football. Tolbert is going to see plenty of goal line work, and has the best chance to score out of anyone in this backfield. Week 12 serves a strong matchup against a Miami defense that is allowing the 4th-most fantasy points per game to rushers (25.35). Opposing offenses are averaging 29.8 rushes per game, which is top-three in football, and they are also sporting a rushing touchdown percentage of 45.45%, which is the third-most among defenses. That bodes well for Tolbert, who should be the goal line back. I like him to score this week.
Chris Ogbonnaya vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Ogbonnaya shouldn’t be a sneaky option, as he should be universally thought of in fantasy land. However, he is only owned in 28 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and he warrants more attention. Ogbonnaya is coming off a career game on Sunday in which he posted career highs in snaps (46), touches (14) and yards (99). The Browns were high on him during their bye, stating they needed to get him more looks. It paid off, as Ogbonnaya looked strong. A terrific pass-catcher, “Silent G” has actually had the second-most targets on the Browns since Jason Campbell took over. Yes, even more than Jordan Cameron. Meanwhile, Cleveland is very quietly leading the league in pass attempts per game this year (42.5), so Ogbonnaya will see plenty of work. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season.
Nate Burleson vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After sacrificing his arm to save his pizzas, Burleson is back in the Detroit lineup this week, and a strong matchup awaits him. In the three games he’s played this year, Burleson has hauled in 19 passes, making for a strong PPR option. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is very vulnerable to opposing number two receivers. Over their last five games, Tampa has allowed the likes of Harry Douglas (twice), Rishard Matthews, Doug Baldwin and Brandon LaFell to combine for 95 fantasy points. While Calvin Johnson soaks up all the attention, Burleson could quietly grab 7-10 balls this week.
Miles Austin @ New York Giants: After resting up his hamstring, Austin is expected to return to the Cowboys lineup this week. Despite the emergence of Terrance Williams, Dallas said that Austin will serve as the Cowboys number two receiver. It may be difficult to trust him, but it’s a fairly good matchup against the Giants, a team he has absolutely owned over the years. During his last three meetings against the G-Men, Austin has hauled in a whopping 23 passes for 278 yards and a score. If you are desperate in a PPR league, Austin is worth a look.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
