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MIAMI, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Tua Tagovailoa and Anthony Richardson are among my five must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 12. Lamar Jackson leads my Top-20 quarterback rankings, which are below. Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield and Justin Herbert are among my other Top-5 plays. Jared Goff, Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Richardson and Bo Nix round out my Top 10.
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My Week 12 running back and wide receiver rankings remain available for your preparation. My free-agent targets article is available here.
My positional rankings will continue to be updated for developments, including injuries. Players from the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets should be benched, as those teams serve Week 12 byes.
Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, who played in Thursday's Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns game, were removed from my rankings.
Tommy DeVito, who was among my top waiver-wire targets, joins Tagovailoa, Richardson and Nix among my must-start options. Several streaming options also can be found within my rankings.
Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings.
Justin Herbert
Herbert was a Top 6 quarterback, in terms of fantasy points per game, over the last four weeks. The Los Angeles Chargers star was responsible for multiple touchdowns in each of his last four appearances, including two passing scores in three of those starts.
This week, Herbert and the Chargers will host the Baltimore Ravens, who own the worst pass defense in the NFL. The Ravens surrendered a league-high 304.5 passing yards and the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. They held Russell Wilson without a touchdown in Week 11, but entered that game with an allowance of at least two passing scores to an opposing quarterback in five of their previous six games.
Look for Herbert, who also was among my must-start plays in Week 11, to throw for at least 275 yards and two scores in this meeting. He is my No. 6 play.
Tua Tagovailoa
Last week, Tagovailoa recorded his first three-passing score outing since Week 8 of 2023. He also threw for 288 yards in the Miami Dolphins' win over the Las Vegas Raiders, his second-highest total of the season.
Tagovailoa, who threw multiple touchdown passes in two of his last three starts, has a great shot to do so again when the Dolphins host the New England Patriots on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Patriots allowed the 15th-most passing yards (229.7) per game to quarterbacks so far this season. They also just surrendered 295 yards and four scores to Matthew Stafford in Week 11. That performance marked the fourth time in six weeks that an opposing quarterback threw at least two passing scores against the Patriots defense.
Tagovailoa, my No. 7 option, has had success against the Patriots throughout his career, including his 324-yard, three-score effort in Week 8 of last year. I expect a similar performance this week from the Dolphins passer, who appears to be warming up after his concussion-triggered hiatus earlier this season.
Anthony Richardson
Richardson provided the fifth-most fantasy points among starting quarterbacks in Week 11, when he threw for 272 yards and a score while rushing for another two touchdowns in an Indianapolis Colts win over the New York Jets.
This week, the Colts quarterback will face a Detroit Lions defense that tied for allowing the fewest passing scores (0.7) per game to opposing passers, but also surrendered the sixth-most passing yards (249.6) per contest to the position.
They also allowed at least 30 rushing yards and/or a touchdown to an opposing quarterback five times this season. I expect Richardson to become the sixth player to join that group, while throwing for at least 200 yards and finding the end zone with his arm. He is my No. 9 play due to his versatility.
Bo Nix
Like Herbert, Nix was among my must-start quarterbacks in Week 11 and can remain in starting lineups in Week 12. The Denver Broncos rookie was the No. 2 quarterback in fantasy football in Week 11, trailing only Jared Goff in fantasy points.
He also averaged the fourth-most points among quarterbacks over the last four weeks, trailing only Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
This week, the Broncos quarterback will face a Las Vegas Raiders defense that allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the sixth-most passing scores (1.8) per game to quarterbacks through 11 weeks.
That stretch included surrendering at least two passing scores to quarterbacks in each of their last three games, when they allowed 10 passing touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.
Nix, who threw at least two passing touchdowns in five of his last seven games, is a near lock to do so once again in this stellar matchup. He is my No. 10 option.
Tommy DeVito
DeVito is a decent streaming option this week, when he will start his first game this season for the New York Giants, who recently released former starting quarterback Daniel Jones.
DeVito, a former third-string option, is a bit of a dart-throw play, but should be useful with six quarterbacks on bye. He threw multiple touchdown passes in each of his first two starts last season, including a three-score effort on the road against the Washington Commanders.
This week, DeVito and the Giants will see a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that surrendered the most fantasy points and third-most passing yards (281.3) to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. They also tied for allowing the second-most passing scores (2.0) per game to the position.
The Buccaneers permitted opposing quarterbacks to throw at least two passing scores in five of their last six games, including each of their last four appearances. They also allowed at least three passing scores in four of those games.
I don't expect DeVito to throw five touchdown passes, but a two-score effort seems reasonable. He is my No. 12 play.
Week 12 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at LAC
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles at LAR
3. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders vs. DAL
4. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NYG
5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. BAL
6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at IND
7. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins vs. NE
8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at SEA
9. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts vs. DET
10. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos at LV
11. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs at CAR
12. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants vs. TB
13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI
14. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers vs. SF
15. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears vs. MIN
16. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI yards
17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers at GB
18. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings at CHI
19. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans vs. TEN
20. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans at HOU
