This week's bargains and busts are overshadowed by two issues. First, a massive number of recent injuries have impacted a lot of players. Most of these changes haven't been factored into expert weekly rankings. For example, Brian Hill will replace Todd Gurley in the starting lineup, but his consensus Week 12 RB ranking is 41st. I can't legitimately claim he's a "bargain," since he'll need only about six points to exceed expectations, and he's likely headed toward a double-digit day. Meanwhile, guys like Chris Carson, Raheem Mostert, Teddy Bridgewater, and many others are questionable. So there's no point speculating at this point, and their rankings will be immediately outdated once we know if they're in or out.
Second, the Steelers-Ravens game has been pushed back again, this time to Tuesday. More COVID-positives could send it to Week 18--or from what I understand, could even cancel it altogether. So everyone leaning on Pittsburgh or Baltimore players needs to have a backup plan. You can roll the dice on the game being played, or you can hedge your bets and start some (almost) guaranteed to play Sunday or Monday. And for today's column, there's obviously no way to accurately assess Steeler or Raven player values. Throw their rankings out the window. It's simply a "What's your risk tolerance" question, and each manager can answer it based on how bullish or safe you want to play it.
At quarterback, Kirk Cousins once again if one of my favorite weekly bargains, even with Adam Thielen out. Cousins' consensus Week 12 expert ranking is QB-20. But Justin Jefferson and the adept pass-catching Dalvin Cook can help him crack the top 14 on just a few snaps. On the flip side, Taysom Hill (QB-10) will regress in Denver.
At running back, Lamical Perine was shut down on Tuesday, so there's no way experts should be overlooking Frank Gore (RB-34). While the veteran's floor is around top 35-40, his ceiling is top 20. That makes him a high-probability bargain. Meanwhile, it's been clear all week that Rex Burkhead suffered a long-term injury, and yesterday it was confirmed, making James White (RB-29) a fantastic PPR streamer. On the flip side, Wayne Gallman (RB-16) has scored in each of his past four games. He's caught only one ball in each of his last three and has been pretty pedestrian on the ground. In other words, he'll crack the top 16 only if he scores, and possibly needs two to guarantee it. He's a deceptively high-risk RB2 this week.
At wide receiver, don't give up on Jamison Crowder, even though most experts have (WR-45). And Mike Williams (WR-43) has been startable in three of four games and shouldn't be ranked outside the top 30. On the flip side, Allen Robinson (WR-15) will get a QB "upgrade" in Mitch Trubisky. And as many of you know, I thought it was a mistake to replace Mitch with Nick Foles and am glad to see Mitch get another go. But Robinson hasn't hit double-digit targets since Week 5 and is no lock to do it again in Mitch's first game back.
At tight end, Mike Gesicki (TE-14) is a forgotten commodity for good reason: he hasn't been relevant in seven weeks, but his usage has been creeping upward, particularly since Preston Williams' injury. Gesicki is an ideal start if you don't have a top-10 option, as Miami should put up 24+ on the Jets. On the flip side, Evan Engram (TE-7) is a bit too overvalued given his low catch rate and TD rate.