10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 12

Thomas Rawls

ESPN Ownership: 37%
Yahoo Ownership: 32%

If you are a Marshawn Lynch owner who has been rostering a guy on your bench that you never play and that player's name isn't Thomas Rawls, well, just be glad I can't reach my hands through this computer screen sitting in front of me. All kidding aside, if you are a Lynch owner, and Rawls is still available in your league (as he is in 63% of ESPN leagues), then he immediately becomes your first waiver priority. And if Lynch is diagnosed with a sports hernia, as late reports from Sunday night are indicating, he becomes the top overall waiver wire add of the week, regardless of whether you own Lynch or not.

Look, I know it's kind of grating to discard your bench depth even as we get closer to the end of the season. But in Week 11, Rawls showed you exactly why that's necessary. If you don’t have your stars backed up with high-upside fliers and handcuffs, you might be the one snaked out of a player you can plug in in place of your injured stud who goes off for 209 rushing yards and 2 total touchdowns in a single game.

Rawls had such a phenomenal day, accumulating an outrageously impressive 14.14 Total Net Expected Points (NEP) , and quite frankly, has had such a phenomenal season when given his opportunities, that it's worth wondering whether the Seahawks want to use him more moving forward regardless of Lynch's health status. On 71 rushes prior to Week 11, Rawls had accumulated a very impressive 0.08 Rushing NEP per rush whereas Lynch has only managed a meager -0.06 Rushing NEP per rush on 111 carries while battling a multitude of injuries.

Even if Lynch comes back as the Seahawks' bell cow in Week 12, which is appearing less and less likely, don't attempt the high wire act of not handcuffing him any longer. Make sure you get Rawls on waivers if at all possible because your leaguemates are going to try and get him too.