Fantasy Football 2024: One player I’m fading/starting in Week 12 for each position

Week 12 of the NFL season is here and we've got ... well, some football games. Admittedly, this isn't a week with too many compelling matchups, though the 49ers and Packers facing on Sunday should be a really good one.

But really, this feels like the kind of week where instead of firing up whatever game is on your local CBS or FOX affiliate, you head over to RedZone instead and just watch non-stop touchdowns. It's a week where you dig in and worry about your fantasy lineup more than you worry about the scoreboard of the real-life games. (Aside from your own personal favorite team's games — I obviously won't tell you to care about fantasy more than fandom.)

Here is one player to fade and one player to start at each position in fantasy football for Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season.

Week 12 quarterbacks to fade and start

Fade: Sam Darnold - Minnesota Vikings

While Sam Darnold had a strong showing last week, it's going to be tough to trust him against the Bears in Week 12 as Chicago allows the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

Beyond the matchup, Darnold has thrown five interceptions over the past three weeks. His turnover woes are starting to rear their head and while he's still managed to make up for that with big numbers against the Colts and Titans, the Bears defense is a different monster entirely. Play Darnold at your own risk.

Start: Bo Nix - Denver Broncos

At this point, Bo Nix is an every-week starter in fantasy. Since Week 5, Nix has finished as a top 12 fantasy quarterback in five of Denver's seven games, including a finish as the overall QB8 in his first game against the Raiders.

In that Week 5 contest, Nix was 19-for-27 for 206 yards and two touchdowns while also adding in a rushing score. While his rushing production has been all over the place this season, the fact that he has either 50 yards or a touchdown on the ground five times showcases there's upside there.

Nix is coming off a strong showing against the Falcons last week, tossing a career-high four touchdowns.

Week 12 running backs to fade and start

Sit: Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers

There are a few issues with Chuba Hubbard this week.

One is that he faces one of the NFL's best run defenses. Kansas City allows 85.3 rushing yards per game, the third-fewest in the league, and has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to the position.

The second is that the Panthers are coming off a bye and rookie Jonathon Brooks will likely make his NFL debut this week. It's unclear just how much Brooks will play in this game, but siphoning off some of Hubbard's work against a run defense this good makes it even tougher to trust Hubbard in fantasy.

Start: Tyrone Tracy Jr. - New York Giants

With 100 or more rushing yards in two of the three games before last week's bye, New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is in the midst of establishing himself as one of the league's best young backs.

What's more, the degree to which Tracy has taken over this backfield is incredible, as he played 80% of the team's snaps in the last game. Devin Singletary still managed eight carries in the loss to Carolina, but make no mistake: Tracy is the workhorse back in New York.

The team will likely lean more heavily on Tracy this week after a quarterback change, as Daniel Jones has been benched for Tommy DeVito. DeVito had some exciting moments last season, but the best path for the Giants to win is to run the ball with Tracy, not let DeVito throw a ton.

This week, Tracy gets a juicy matchup against the Buccaneers. Tampa allows the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the running back position

Week 12 wide receivers to fade and start

Sit: Jakobi Meyers - Las Vegas Raiders

I just don't really trust any part of this Raiders offense. The team has scored just 187 points through 10 games and faces a really good Denver defense this week that allows the seventh-fewest passing yards per game.

And while Jakobi Meyers has taken over as the No. 1 receiver in Vegas post-Davante Adams, he hasn't finished as a WR1 since Week 3. He was barely a WR4 against Miami last week and now has another tough matchup on tap.

Start: Quentin Johnston - Los Angeles Chargers

Another week, another touchdown for Quentin Johnston, who has now scored in all three games since he returned from a two-game absence.

Johnston isn't delivering huge numbers outside of the touchdowns, but he has this knack for finding the end zone.

This week, Johnston takes on a Ravens defense that's given up 22 touchdown passes this season, just one fewer than the Jaguars, who have allowed a league-worst 23. I'm trusting Johnston against a defense that just keeps letting teams find paydirt through the air.

Week 12 tight ends to fade and start

Sit: Tucker Kraft - Green Bay Packers

Earlier in the season it looked like Tucker Kraft was on track to be one of the league's better tight ends, but that's been derailed.

Over the last five games, Kraft has surpasses 35 yards just once, capping it off with last week's nightmare against the Bears. Kraft was targeted once in that game and failed to bring in the catch.

Now he takes on a 49ers defense that allows the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight end position. This could be a bounce-back week for Kraft, but I'm not betting on it.

Start: Jonnu Smith - Miami Dolphins

Following a strong showing last week against the Raiders, Jonnu Smith looks like a must-start tight end going forward.

In Week 11, Smith was targeted eight times, catching six passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Since the team's Week 6 bye, Smith has six or more targets in four of the five games Miami has played.

He's not an elite tight end and this matchup isn't ideal, but Smith's current role puts him at the top of the second tier of tight end options.