Fantasy football playoffs are coming up very soon, so every week means just that much more as the standings get tighter and tighter. And for Week 12 of the NFL season, there are definitely some matchups that help – and hinder – fantasy owners in terms of the running back position.

There are going to be your run of the mill WR1 and WR2 options that absolutely should be started on a weekly basis and are matchup-proof, so the likes of Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, Tyler Lockett, Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, Calvin Ridley, Adam Thielen, and others are certainly going to be in there on an every-week basis, acting as set it and forget it options.

But for the others, there certainly are matchups that will dictate how you should use them, whether they should exist in your starting lineup or sit this week out – take a peek at which players we think you should start and which players you should sit in Week 12 of Fantasy Football.

Fantasy Football WRs to Start in Week 12

DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

Look, picking on the secondary of the New York Jets is one of the easier things to do on a weekly basis, and it just so happens that the Miami Dolphins get the absolute delight this week of facing the still winless Jets squad.

Last week, both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams went off against that hapless secondary, to the tune of 16/145/1 and 4/72/1 for Williams, and DeVante Parker will certainly be in line to continue that trend moving forward into Week 12.

Even with the potential question marks surrounding Tua Tagovailoa, due to how he was replaced last week by Ryan Fitzpatrick in Miami’s loss to the Denver Broncos, Parker’s WR1 status on the team and WR32 in point-per-reception fantasy settings is not something that you should have to waver on this week.

Tagovailoa is going to be back behind center, and he should be able to command a solid target share yet again, especially against a rag-tag bunch of cornerbacks that the Jets will be rolling out. Parker has seen a solid floor ever since the southpaw took over as the team’s starting QB, producing 15/159/2 over the past four weeks after the team’s Week 7 bye.

Could this finally be the week we see the Mike Gesicki breakout? Sure. But chasing that hypothetical is a Week 4 thing, not a Week 12 thing – Parker is the surest thing on this MIA offense in Week 12, especially with their running game up in the air, which will most likely lead to a running back by committee approach.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

Michael Pittman Jr., the USC rookie fresh off of scoring his first career NFL touchdown against the Green Bay Packers, has another smash spot against the Tennessee Titans, the team that he victimized for seven catches and 101 yards just two weeks prior. That game, which helped get him on the map in terms of fantasy relevancy, certainly created a ton of buzz around him, and he should be able to reclaim the top target for Phillip Rivers again.

While his 3/66/1 line is mostly solid due to the score, Pittman is a perfect receiver for Rivers – while he does get his deep shot chances, he thrives in underneath routes, letting Rivers showcase his multiple arm angles to throw the rookie open. Plus, with how the Titans boast the league’s 28th-best defense against wide receivers for fantasy, and it makes sense that Pittman will certainly have a large role yet again.

Expect the TEN defense to probably put a little more emphasis on Pittman than they did the first game, which could potentially open up some options for Zach Pascal, T.Y. Hilton, and the RBs, but certainly Pittman will be in line to get his own, so he should be able to slide in as a WR2/3 for your fantasy football lineup this week.

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

As the WR16 on the year in PPR formats, LSU rookie Justin Jefferson has certainly fit right in as the second option in the run-heavy Minnesota Vikings offense. But with fellow receiver Adam Thielen looking unlikely to play due to being placed on the COVID-19 list earlier this week, his ascension into the top receiving threat not named Dalvin Cook looks to be put to the test this week against the Carolina Panthers.

While the Panthers are certainly stronger in stopping the pass than the run (enter Cook, Dalvin), Jefferson’s abilities to stretch the defense and take the top off should lead to some shot-play conversions between him and QB Kirk Cousins, ultimately helping open up some holes for Cook and company to operate.

Having snagged at least three balls in every game except the opening week against the Packers, Jefferson certainly has a strong relationship with Cousins, which will only help grow that connection when they host the Panthers. While a 100-yard game is certainly in the cards, look for Jefferson to rack up his fantasy football relevancy through his number of receptions rather than yards.

Other Week 12 starts – Jalen Reagor & Travis Fulgham (PHI), Keelan Cole (JAX), Mike Williams (LAC)

WRs to Sit in Week 12

Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, & A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

The season-ending injury for QB Joe Burrow is a devastating blow to a team that finally looked to have some semblance of an offensive identity, something they have struggled to replicate ever since Carson Palmer and Marvin Lewis both left town. With Burrow, he immediately became the face of the franchise and was perfect for their Sean McVay-coaching tree offense that Zac Taylor was rolling out there on a weekly basis.

But for Taylor, their offensive struggles also were all too common, and that will only increase with Brandon Allen getting the first crack at replacing Burrow this year. Both he and Ryan Finley will be looked to at some point to help get the team through the rest of the season, but Allen looks to be getting the first show at it, even though he was on the practice squad and Finley was the QB2 on the active roster.

With that in mind, an immediate downgrade can be thrown the ways of Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green, and Tee Higgins, unfortunately, just simply based on the uncertainty surrounding the potency of this offense.

Boyd is the most trusted weapon on that offense, Green has completely fallen off the fantasy-relevant map, and Higgins has strung together some solid games in his rookie campaign, but all three options will need to establish some sort of relationship with Allen moving forward to help maintain a role in your team’s starting lineup.

Against the New York Giants this week, Boyd seems to be the best option to throw out there, even though he will most likely command James Bradberry on the defensive side, so Higgins may see more targets as well. For Green, he certainly should not be started, and his role as a bench option for you should certainly be questioned as well, as he looks to lose the most here.

Keep an eye on these three options moving forward, but try and move away from any lineup inclusions for all three this week.

Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

Potentially earning more of a look this week in your lineup than he should be based solely on his name, Deebo Samuel and the San Francisco 49ers have a tough NFC West divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams and their strong defense.

With Samuel on the mend from his injury, and with (potentially) Raheem Mostert joining him, both options should be cautiously inserted back into your starting lineups, with Mostert getting the edge here simply based on his projected role and the lack of solid options that remain healthy in the SF backfield.

Samuel, when healthy, is this team’s unquestioned WR1, but until he can maintain a healthy slate of games, combined with a reputation with Nick Mullens, he should be left out of your starting lineups, or at the least inserted with a ton of caution as your WR3 / Flex option.

Jameson Crowder, New York Jets

A one-catch, 16-yard dud of a performance against a beatable Chargers defense in Week 11 certainly was not the best performance of the year by Jameson Crowder, but you try catching passes from Joe Flacco.

With Sam Darnold slated to return under center for the Jets against the Dolphins and their stout defense this weekend, don’t expect a crazy result from this game, as the Jets look very overmatched, as usual. And along with that, Crowder’s slate of dud games could very well continue, especially with the MIA secondary.

In a Week 6 shutout defeat, Crowder caught seven passes for 48 yards, a respectable WR3 line for fantasy purposes, but nothing close to his 100+ yard performances that he started the year with, as he put up those numbers in his first three games that he played in (Weeks 1, 4, and 5). And while he may certainly entertain a large target share due to a solid pass rush, his yardage will most likely need to come on some sort of a broken play or a shot play, making his ceiling high but his floor quite volatile for fantasy football teams.

Play him if you must, but try and steer clear of Crowder for at least this week.

Other Week 12 sits – Jakobi Meyers (NE), Sammy Watkins (KC), Marquise Brown (BAL), Corey Davis (TEN)