NFL fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 12
By Lior Lampert
RB Waiver Wire Pickups, Fantasy Football Week 12
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks (45 percent rostered)
With Kenneth Walker’s status officially in doubt moving forward after suffering what head coach Pete Carroll an “oblique strain that was legit,” per The News Tribune’s Seahawks beat Writer, Gregg Bell.
As of this writing, Walker did not practice in Monday’s walkthrough as the Seahawks prepare to face the 49ers on Thanksgiving. Carroll not only seemed pessimistic about Walker’s chances of suiting up this week but also cast doubt over his status in the coming weeks after seeming unsure about whether or not he’ll need to be added to the injured reserve list.
Even if he isn’t placed on injured reserve, it sounds like Walker could be headed for a multi-week absence, paving the way for rookie running back Zach Charbonnet to pace the backfield in usage.
Charbonnet played 85 percent of the snaps in Week 11 as a result of Walker’s injury, earning 21 touches. While the touches didn’t amount to much (69 yards), the touches are eye-opening. Charbonnet had six receptions, showcasing his pass-catching ability
If Walker is forced to miss any time (which it sounds like he will based on Carroll’s comments), Charbonnet becomes a must-start fantasy option and borderline RB1 thanks to his receiving prowess and role within a talented offense.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (44 percent rostered)
Ty Chandler was expected to have the backfield to himself on Sunday Night Football after Alexander Mattison suffered a concussion in Week 10. However, Mattison was able to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol in time for Week 11. Despite this, Chandler still earned a sizeable workload and performed admirably with the touches he earned.
Chandler converted 14 touches into 110 yards from scrimmage, including this 31-yard gain on a gutsy fake punt call made by Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Mattison played well too, rushing for 81 yards on 18 carries. But, Chandler was more efficient with his touches and saw the bulk of the pass-catching work out of the backfield (four targets to Mattison’s two).
Even before Mattison suffered a concussion in Week 10, he was ceding carries to Chandler against the Saints. Mattison has operated as the team’s workhorse for much of the season but is averaging a measly 3.7 yards per carry, paving the way for Chandler to get a shot.
Chandler offers standalone value as a low-end FLEX for managers struggling to get through bye weeks but has immense upside as a handcuff to Mattison if he were to get injured and/or lose his grip on the backfield.