SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.
For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 12 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 12 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.
Start
Cam Newton, Panthers
at Dolphins
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In his first start since returning to the Panthers, Newton made his presence felt by throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 46 yards and a score on the ground.
It made Newton the QB4 overall on the week and gave fantasy managers hope that he can be a potential starting option the rest of the season.
Next up is a Dolphins defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Sanders quietly tallied 94 rushing yards on 16 carries last week in his first game back off injured reserve. The reason his fantasy stat line didn’t jump off the page was because he failed to reach the end zone and fumbled once.
However, with teammate Jordan Howard dealing with a knee injury that will sideline him for Week 12 and perhaps longer, Sanders is in a position to see plenty of volume in the Eagles’ revived rushing attack.
Philadelphia’s schedule is excellent the rest of the way, starting with a matchup against the Giants who are the seventh-easiest opponent for fantasy running backs.
Rookies often get off to a slow start in their debut campaign before taking on a larger role in the second half of the season.
Moore has been on that track, and the days of him being underutilized appear to be over.
Over the last few weeks, he’s emerged as a dangerous weapon in the Jets’ offense, with stat lines of 6-67-0, 7-84-2, 3-44-1, and most recently 8-141-1. He’s also done it with a revolving door at quarterback.
Zach Wilson is slated to return under center this week and there’s nothing to fear about the Texans’ pass defense. With teammate Corey Davis nursing a groin injury, this should be another chance for Moore to showcase his skills.
Boone’s projection: 89 receiving yards, TD
Other WRs to start
Brandin Cooks vs. Jets
Brandon Aiyuk vs. Vikings
Marvin Jones vs. Falcons
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
at Bengals
Jason Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Freiermuth has averaged the fifth-most fantasy points among tight ends since Week 6.
His breakout coincided with Eric Ebron missing time a few weeks back. In the two games Ebron was sidelined, Freiermuth finished as the TE3 overall (Week 8) and TE1 overall (Week 9).
When the veteran returned to the lineup, Freiermuth’s playing time and production took a hit.
Now, with Ebron expected to miss time with a knee injury, the rookie will be unleashed as a true top-10 fantasy option.
Boone’s projection: 63 receiving yards, TD
Other TEs to start
Rob Gronkowski at Colts
Dallas Goedert at Giants
Dan Arnold vs. Falcons
Sit
Ryan Tannehill, Titans
at Patriots
Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Don’t start fantasy quarterbacks against the Patriots. Just don’t do it.
Here’s a list of recent QBs and where they’ve finished after taking on Bill Belichick’s defense.
Gaskin has been an extremely boom or bust fantasy back with most of the booms coming against easier opponents and most of the busts happening versus tough run defenses.
Some recent bust examples include the Ravens in Week 10 (RB42) and Bills in Week 8 (RB34).
The Panthers are permitting the third-fewest fantasy points to running backs, which should make you question using Gaskin this week.
There’s also the addition of Phillip Lindsay to consider, though that’s more of an issue for Gaskin’s value the rest of the season.
Despite the new contract extension he signed this week, Sutton has been underperforming ever since Jerry Jeudy returned to the field. He’s caught just five passes over the last three outings.
A player of his caliber is destined to bounce back eventually, but this isn’t the game to bet on Sutton escaping his slump.
The Chargers rank ninth in Football Outsiders‘ pass defense DVOA and are giving up the second-fewest fantasy points to receivers.
Boone’s projection: 48 receiving yards
Other WRs to sit
Kenny Golladay vs. Eagles
Jarvis Landry at Ravens
Tyler Boyd vs. Steelers
Hunter Henry, Patriots
vs. Titans
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Henry has only topped 42 yards once this season, but his touchdown scoring has kept him fantasy relevant.
With seven trips to the end zone over the last eight games, Henry is the definition of a touchdown-dependent play.
Unfortunately for him, the Titans – who are a bottom-five matchup for fantasy tight ends – have only allowed three touchdowns to the position this season.
Boone’s projection: 37 receiving yards
Other TEs to sit
Tyler Higbee at Packers
Tyler Conklin at 49ers
Jared Cook at Broncos
Stash
DeeJay Dallas, Seahawks
Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Chris Carson is officially done for the year and former first-round pick Rashaad Penny is once again dealing with an injury that will likely keep him on the sidelines.
Alex Collins has taken the lead in Seattle’s backfield, but the coaching staff seems reluctant to use him as a pass-catcher – capping his upside.
Meanwhile, Dallas (3% rostered) saw his largest snap share of the season in Week 11 and began to carve out a role. He even scored a rushing touchdown in the game.
Though waiver wires tend to be picked apart at this point in the season, Dallas has a shot to earn significant touches on a depth chart desperate for someone to create a spark.
Curtis Samuel, Washington
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
It’s been a long and disappointing season for Samuel (12% rostered) in Washington. Injuries have kept the versatile receiver out of all but two contests, and he was limited to just 30 combined snaps in those appearances.
However, Samuel is finally back at practice and may actually suit up for a Monday night matchup with the Seahawks.
While there’s still a long way to go before we can trust him in our fantasy lineups, now is the time to scoop Samuel up and get him on your bench.
Quit
Mike Davis, Falcons
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Davis was outplayed by Cordarrelle Patterson early in the season, but at least he was getting volume over the first five weeks.
Since the Falcons’ Week 6 bye, the 28-year-old has fallen off the fantasy map. Davis has just one game with more than 21 yards from scrimmage in the past five outings and hasn’t found the end zone during that span.
With Patterson sidelined in Week 11, Davis managed just three carries for one yard while gaining 20 yards on three receptions.
Unlike other backup runners around the league, Davis doesn’t come with upside … regardless of how many injuries strike Atlanta’s running back room.
The roster spot he’s occupying is being wasted. Drop him and find someone who at least has a path to more production.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.
WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).
Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.
“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.
Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.
Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.
Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.
The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.
Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.
WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.
The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.
Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
