We're just a couple of weeks away from the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues, and with that this might be one of the last chances you get to add a player that can be a significant contributor the rest of the way. OK, that's not true since guys get hurt all the time, but it doesn't mean that there aren't a couple of guys who might be floating on the old waiver-wire that could really give your club a boost over the last quarter of the NFL season.

A WEEKLY FANTASY BATTLE

Take on Ray Flowers. Show me that you've got more football knowledge than the arrogant one. Sign up for the Weekly Fanduel.com/BaseballGuys.com NFL Salary Cap Contest. Pick your one week squad based on salary cap levels for players. Finish in the top-15 in Week 12 and you will at least double your $10 investment (all top-15 finishers will receive at least $20). Win the battle and you're looking at a $250 windfall. Simple as that. You interested?

BYE: BUF, CIN, PHI, SEA


WEEK 12 - FAAB THOUGHTS
(Assuming a $100 Budget)


QUARTERBACKS

E.J. Manuel, Bills
Working with a bunch of depth players out wide, Manuel looked surprisingly sharp against the Jets completing 71 percent of his passes for 245 yards and two scores. The natural assumption is that he will be even better when the offense is whole. I can't share that point of view. This was the first time since Week 1 that he threw for more than one score in a game, and it was the first time in four outings that he threw for more than 170 yards. He's nothing more than a low end QB2.
FAAB BID: $5

Matt McGloin, Raiders
Displaying a strong arm and good decision making, Matt M. as I'm now calling him threw for 197 yards and three scores against the Texans. After the game, his head coach wasn't willing to say that Terrelle Pryor would take back over the starting job when his knee was right. “Here’s what I’m going to do; I’m going to enjoy this win,” HC Dennis Allen said. “Then we’ll go back and we’ll evaluate. Matt definitely did a very good job today.” QB controversy ensue. Regardless, McGloin wouldn't be anything more than a low end QB2 even if he were to gain the job so he's really only worth a look in two quarterback leagues.
FAAB BID: $5

Carson Palmer, Cardinals
All of a sudden people seem to remember that this guy is a solid NFL QB – if his o-line gives him the time to throw the pigskin. For the first time since Week 1 he threw for more than 300 yards, 419 of them to be precise, and for the third straight game he also tossed two scores in Week 11 (he's only thrown two interceptions in his last three games). Don't get too ahead of yourself though. The o-line still struggles and Palmer's thrown for an average of 207 yards in his previous two contests. Oh, he's also thrown for 14 scores versus 15 interceptions on the year. He's trending in the right direction no doubt, but he's not someone you should be overly confident in starting even with his success the past couple of weeks.
FAAB BID: $5-10


RUNNING BACKS

Montee Ball, Denver
Six guys ran for two scores in Week 11, and this guy might be the least likely one of the bunch. Ball has scored three times in three weeks but don't go getting all ahead of yourself. Ball has a total of 13 carries the past two weeks. He's run for a total of 113 yards in his last six games. His running mate, Knowshon Moreno, carried the ball 27 times in Week 11. Do you really think there's going to be a changing of the guard in Denver? There isn't going to be. Ball is still a bench stash who could be something if Moreno were to go down with injury.
FAAB BID: $10

Toby Gerhart, Vikings
"Actually, it was bothering me a lot," Adrian Peterson said about his groin issue. "There were a couple plays in the first half, oh man, I knew if I was able to explode the way I normally do I could have gotten some big chunks, even taken it to the house." AD still had 21 carries on the day, but he only ran for 65 yards. Gerhart isn't someone you can play unless Peterson is ruled out, but this is just a reminder that even the best are one play away from giving someone else a shot at strong fantasy value.
FAAB BID: $10

Chris Ogbonnaya, Browns
Willis McGahee had 13 snaps while Fozzy Whitaker was on the field for 23 but guess who led the Browns in snaps in Week 11? Ogbonnaya used the snaps, 48 of them to be prescise, to great effect as well as he touched the ball 14 times leading to 99 yards (six of those touches were receptions). Be a bit wary though. (1) The Browns pass the ball a lot. (2) Ogbonnaya fumbled in Week 11. (3) Forty-three of the yards he had were on one run. (4) McGahee still gets short yardage work. It's pretty clear at this point that McGahee is done and that Ogbonnaya is the back to own in Cleveland, but he's still going to be hard pressed to be a top-25 back, at least with confidence, the rest of the way.
FAAB BID: $15

Bobby Rainey, Buccaneers
I'm shocked. I saw the box score and thought to myself that the drinking I did on Saturday night must still be influencing my brain to the point where I was seeing things with beer goggles on come Sunday afternoon. Nope. Rainey actually was that flippin' good. Rainey touched the ball 32 times (30 carries) against the Falcons. I don't think anyone in the NFL, at any point, thought that Rainey would ever handle 30+ touches in an NFL game. Rainey was a superstar with that workload rambling for 163 yards on the ground. Amazing, but not all that there is to see. Rainey also scored three times. Folks, that's 160+ yards and three touchdowns from a guy that was on NFL waivers a month ago. I was totally wrong in suggesting everyone add Leonard over Rainey last week – Leonard touched the ball eight times for 37 yards – and for that I apologize. You'll now have to empty your wallet to add Rainey who will likely be the #1 FAAB target this week at any position.
FAAB BID: $35-45

Antone Smith, Falcons
At one point the Falcons were down 38-13 as they got smoked by the Bucs. Steven Jackson carried the ball 11 times for 41 yards, and Jacquizz Rodgers carried the ball six times for 22 yards. But the leading rusher for the club was Smith who ran for 88 yards an a touchdown. At the same time it should be noted that Smith ran the ball twice. Two times. I find it hard to see him carving out a significant role in the offense, at least until SJax is hurt again, since Jason Snelling should return in Week 12 after missing Week 11 dealing with off the field issues (marijuana possession). I'm not buying that he's going to all of a sudden take on a big role in the offense.
FAAB BID: $3-5


WIDE RECEIVERS

Michael Floyd, Cardinals
Guess his shoulder is fine (he injured it in Week 10 and there was some question  through the week about whether or not he would be able to play in Week 11). One hundred ninety three yards and six receptions with a score will cause people to take note. I've been a fan of Floyd for a long while now, telling folks that the production wasn't reflective of what was going on. Folks are listening now. Floyd has scored three times in his last five games, and in three of those games he's caught at least five passes. However, in the other two games he's caught a combined five balls for 61 yards, and four of those five games he's failed to crest 60 yards. It's unlikely he's on the waiver-wire unless you're in a very shallow league, but if he is he shouldn't be, even with his up and down efforts.
FAAB BID: $15-20

T.J. Graham / Marquise Goodwin, Bills
Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods were out in Week 11 allowing these two to step up. The two certainly gave the Bills something to think about. Graham caught two balls for 74 yards an a score while Goodwin caught six balls for 81 yards an a score of his own. If I had to place a waiver-wire bid on either I'd favor Goodwin. Graham can make big plays, but he's just not going to see the field enough  to do much (think Kenny Stills as a best case scenario). As for Goodwin, he'll settle back in as the Bills' 3rd WR when Johnson/Woods return. Be careful not to overspend.
FAAB BID for Graham: $1-5
FAAB BID for Goodwin: $5-10

Ace Sanders, Jaguars
Cecil Shorts had this to say about the Jaguars effort of late in the passing game. "I'm going to have to say something and sit down with them because it's getting ridiculous." Gotta admit, he's right as he's only been targeted nine times for four receptions and 64 yards – in two weeks. He's the #1 target in the offense for goodness sakes. If he's not getting looks who is? Well, it's not likely to be Mike Brown who suffered an AC sprain in his shoulder in Week 11. What about Sanders? Even though he had only 16 receptions coming into Week 11 he was the main guy in Week 11 with eight receptions and 61 yards on a team best 10 targets. Sanders is a 5'7”, 175 lbs slot man in an offense that is totally lost right now. You can do better.
FAAB BID: $5-10

Rod Streater, Raiders
Someone liked seeing Mr. McGloin  under center. While Denarius Moore scored, so did Streater who had the much bigger afternoon against the Texans with six receptions for 84 yards (he also had eight more yards on a run). That's two efforts of at least five receptions and 80 yards in three weeks for Streater as his role seems to be growing, Still he caught one pass for six yards in Week 10 which has to make you a bit nervous as the Raiders' offense has been far from consistent. Also, we don't know who the Raiders will use under center in Week 12, and with that Streater's value is a bit uncertain. His outlook would be much better of McGloin is under center rather than Pryor who is looking more and more like a QB who would be struggling to have success if he was still in college.
FAAB BID: $10-15

Jarius Wright, Vikings
The Vikings offense is a mess. They have no idea how to use Cordarrelle Patterson (three catches, 28 yards). Greg Jennings is dealing with an Achilles injury that knocked him out of Week 11 as a scratch. Jerome Simpson is dealing with off the field issues (DUI). All of that gave Wright a chance to step into the void which he did scoring twice for the Vikes. Still, we're only talking about three catches for 69 yards so it's not like he went bonkers or anything. It's hard to get excited about any pass catchers in this lineup.
FAAB BID: $5


TIGHT ENDS

Rob Housler, Cardinals
As I noted above, Carson Palmer has improved the last two weeks. With that, Housler has finally found his legs after struggling with injury and lack of opportunity for the majority of the campaign. Housler isn't likely to improve upon what we've seen the last two weeks, 10 receptions for 127 yards an a score, but even if he doesn't he's got the look of a guy who could, just might, sneak into low level TE1 status the rest of the way. Notice how I chose the terms “could” and “might” right?
FAAB BID: $10-15

Mychal Rivera, Raiders
A TE2 no matter who is under center. Only once this season has he gone for 50 yards. Only once twice this season has he had more than three receptions in a game. He caught five balls for 54 yards an a score in Week 11, his best game of the year, but it also represents 25 percent of his overall season long point production in a PPR setup.
FAAB BID: $1-5

Delaine Walker, Titans
A potential TE1 the rest of the way, and the guy you want at this position of the three that I've noted. Walker has caught 14 of 18 targets the last two weeks from Captain Checkdown, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the move to the Titans' backup QB is huge for Walker (Jeff Locker doesn't lock on the tight end with anywhere near the frequency of Mr. Fitzpatrick). Walker has gone for at least 60 yards and a TD in each of the last two games, and as I noted, dude has received 18 targets. That will play in pretty much any league.
FAAB BID: $20-25

 

Ray Flowers can be heard daily on Sirius/XM Radio on The Fantasy Drive on Sirius 210 and XM 87, Monday through Thursday at 7 PM EDT & Friday's at 9 PM EDT. For more of Ray's analysis you can check out BaseballGuys.com or the BaseballGuys' Twitter account where he tirelessly answers everyone's questions.