A Cincinnati Bengals star leads our list of the five wide receivers you must have in your fantasy football starting lineup for NFL Week 12
17:02 ET, 19 Nov 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase handshake celebration
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Tee Higgins will be the Bengals' top wide receiver option with Ja'Marr Chase out suspended(Image: Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Picking the right players for your starting lineup is more crucial than ever with the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon.
Last week, I mentioned George Pickens as a must start, and the Cowboys wide out finished as the third-highest scoring WR (29.4 fantasy points) in Week 11 despite being benched for the opening drive alongside CeeDee Lamb.
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Pickens trailed just two wide receivers, the Arizona Cardinals’ Michael Wilson (33.5 FPTS) and the Carolina Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan (33), in scoring last week.
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Let’s get into the five wide receivers you must start in fantasy football in Week 12.
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Tee Higgins (vs. New England Patriots)
Higgins should benefit from the one-game suspension handed out to fellow Bengals wide out Ja’Marr Chase for allegedly spitting on Jalen Ramsey in their Week 11 game.
There’s two ways to think about Higgins’ fantasy outlook for Week 12. He will be Joe Flacco’s clear top target in the game but will also draw more attention from the Patriots defense. Both may be true, but all signs point to Higgins having a high-volume day.
AJ Brown (at Dallas Cowboys)
Yes, AJ Brown told his fantasy owners to “get rid” of him after the Eagles offense struggled yet again in Week 10 against the Packers. It didn't get much better last Sunday against the Lions, with Philly putting up just 16 points and Brown scoring a slightly-improved 11.9 PPR fantasy points.
Week 12 against Dallas is a perfect opportunity for Brown to boom. The Cowboys’ pass defense is one of the weakest in the league, and Brown and DeVonta Smith will be licking their lips on every pass play.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown runs a route against the Lions
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AJ Brown recorded a season high seven receptions in Week 11 vs. Detroit(Image: Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Rome Odunze (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
After a steady start to the season with at least 15+ fantasy points in his first four games, Odunze has been up and down since the Bears’ Week 5 bye.
The second-year wide out has gone over 18 FPTS twice and under 6.1 FPTS four times, including a goose egg in Week 9.
Again, this one is about the matchup against the Steelers defense, which allows a league-high 261.7 pass yards per game. Odunze should have plenty of opportunities to score in Week 12.
Darnell Mooney (at New Orleans Saints)
I mentioned Mooney as a waiver wire add to consider this week, with the Falcons' wideout expected to feature prominently in the absence of Drake London.
It’s not an ideal situation with Kirk Cousins in for the injured Michael Penix Jr. (knee), but any WR1 going up against a two-win team should be in your fantasy lineup.
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Jameson Williams (vs New York Giants)
Williams has caught fire in recent weeks, finding the end zone in three straight games despite the Lions’ relative offensive struggles.
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Detroit should have no issues moving the ball down the field at home against the Giants, with the fourth-year speedster a prime candidate to post a huge day.