Fantasy Football: Week 12 Add/Drops from Waiver Wire

MIAMI, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- With no NFL squads on bye weeks for Week 12, more fantasy teams will be at full strength.

Still, there are plenty of important players available on the waiver wire that can help you now, during your playoff push, or in the postseason.

With A.J. Green, Darren Sproles, Giovani Bernard, and C.J. Prosise getting knocked out indefinitely last week, look for new guys to shine as they take on more prominent roles on stellar offenses.

Here are my top players to add and top players to drop for Week 12:

ALL-ADD TEAM

QB | Carson Wentz; RB | Wendell Smallwood, Kenneth Dixon, Mike Gillislee, Tim Hightower; WR | DeVante Parker, Tyler Boyd, Adam Thielen; TE | Jared Cook; D/ST | Buffalo Bills; K | Kai Forbath

HONORABLE MENTIONS

QB | Colin Kaepernick; RB | Adrian Peterson, Bilal Powell, Rex Burkhead, Jerick McKinnon; WR | Brandon LaFell, Cameron Meredith, Marqise Lee, Tajae Sharpe; TE | Vance McDonald; D/ST | Miami Dolphins

TOP DROPS

QB | Cody Kessler; RB | Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Giovani Bernard, T.J. Yeldon, Darren Sproles, C.J. Prosise; WR | John Brown; TE | Zach Miller

QUARTERBACK

Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz might have been dropped before his Week 4 bye, but don't let him hang out on the waiver wire if you are desperate at the position. Wentz just passed for 218 yards and two scores against a vaunted Seattle Seahawks secondary. He gets the Green Bay Packers this week and several other beatable units down the stretch, making him a worthwhile add for depth.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick makes my add list again this week. Kaepernick continues to put up solid fantasy stats, despite not looking like a legitimate NFL passer. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games. He also has 260 rushing yards in his five starts. I envision Kaepernick as a top-12 option for the next few weeks, mostly because of his ability to fill up the stat sheet.

RUNNING BACK

Wendell Smallwood should be one of the top waiver wire adds for Week 12. With Philadelphia Eagles running backs Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles ailing, Smallwood should produce solid value against the Green Bay Packers. Smallwood should put up low-end RB2 numbers after piling up 17 touches in Week 11, even if one of the aforementioned backs ends up playing. The Packers have allowed seven rushing touchdowns to running backs in the last four weeks.

Kenneth Dixon is the best running back option available for the Baltimore Ravens. He is still second in line for carries behind Terrance West, but I expect him to get more carries down the stretch. He is more of a flier for down the road and a great depth piece for the playoffs. He is only usable this week in deep leagues as a flex play.

WIDE RECEIVER

Adam Thielen might not sound like a sexy option, but the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver is quietly getting it done. Thielen has scored in two consecutive games, snatching all five of his targets in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals. Look for Thielen to remain a great check down option for Sam Bradford when Stefon Diggs can't get open. He is a safe bet WR3 in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions.

Tyler Boyd has to get more work in Cincinnati after the Bengals lost A.J. Green indefinitely from a hamstring injury. The rookie wide receiver scored the first touchdown of his career last week against the Buffalo Bills and tied his season high with six receptions. The Bengals have a tough divisional test against the Baltimore Ravens on tap for Week 12, but Andy Dalton needs Boyd to step up if the Bengals want to remain a balanced offense. Look for a lot of Boyd and Tyler Eifert on Sunday. Boyd is worth WR3 consideration in deep leagues.

TIGHT END

Jared Cook made his first appearance since Week 3 last week against the Washington Redskins. He responded with six catches, 105 yards, and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers tight end should see plenty of looks from Aaron Rodgers in Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles. I will have him ranked as a TE2, only worth starting consideration in deep leagues. The Eagles, while holding tight end yardage to a minimum, have allowed scores to the position in two of its last four games.