And down the stretch we come! Turkeys are eaten, leftovers are gone, fantasy playoffs are in sight. Week 12 had some mighty fine results. Here are those who earned Game Balls this week.

QB
Robert Griffin, III, WAS, 311 passing yards, 4 TDs, 29 rushing yards – RG3 is now officially a fantasy stud. After his Thanksgiving performance, he solidified his stature. He was already there, but now he’s producing so consistently you can’t bench him. He’s on pace for over 900 rushing yards too.

Matthew Stafford, DET, 441 passing yards, 2 TDs – Stafford and the Lions have discovered their passing ways, much like they did last year. It could be too little too late for many of his owners who suffered through early season disappointment. Stafford has 1,300 passing yards in the month of November. Needle is pointing up for Stafford and his owners.

RB
Arian Foster, HOU, 102 yards, 2 TDs, 5 catches, 15 yards – Pre-draft debate about who was number one overall has been silenced. It’s Foster, and it’s not even close. Foster is a relentless fantasy player, racking up double digit points every week. Foster already has 12 TDs on the season, so do the math here in Week 12.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CIN, 129 rushing yards, 1 TD – It’s now back-to-back game balls for BJGE and back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances for the Bengals RB. He’s paying nice dividends for his owners who had previously benched or released him. Now he’s showing his fantasy value when you need it most.

WR
Dez Bryant, DAL, 8 catches, 145 yards, 2 TDs – Bryant always had potential as a WR1, and was likely drafted as such. Now he’s starting to show that he’s more than just hype. Tony Romo and the Cowboys are starting to throw the ball a lot and Bryant now seems to be Romo’s preferred target.

Julio Jones, ATL, 6 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD – Believe it or not there was talk of fantasy owners benching Jones over concerns about a nagging injury. But Jones showed again this week why he is a must-start every week, regardless of situation or matchup. He’s just too explosive and too talented.

TE
Charles Clay, MIA, 6 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD – The Dolphins tight end was one of the top fantasy scorers of the week and is owned in .1% of all leagues. Is this a fluke or a trend? Probably closer to a fluke, but after this performance, he still earned his game ball.

Dustin Keller, NYJ, 5 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD – I’ve been a Keller fan for a while. He’s the best scoring option on the Jets offense. That doesn’t say much, I realize, but Keller has been underutilized most the year, and has battled injuries. Now finally healthy, Keller may be a nice play for fantasy owners down the stretch.

GAME-USED SOCK AWARD
Vernon Davis, SF, Goose eggs – Davis got ZERO fantasy points. None. Zilch. Goose eggs. And it was Davis who was supposedly the benefactor of having Colin Kaepernick under center. Yet, he was invisible again. This isn’t the first time it’s happened for Davis, who lacks consistency to be counted on regularly. In one league, I made the great choice to start Cecil Shorts over Davis in a flex. Boy am I glad I did. Nevertheless, Davis has earned this game used sock award for his lack of performance this week.

Fantasy Football game balls, week 12, dez bryant, vernon davis, arian foster, robert griffin iii, julio jones

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Here's the GSI Cheat Sheet for Week 12 (last update 11/24)...

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*All rankings are based off year-to-year leagues, PPR formats with yardage and TD's.

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Fantasy Football 2012 fantasy rankings, fantasy advice, gsi cheat sheet, fantasy projections, week 12

Here’s a quick look at some injuries that could impact your fantasy lineup this week…

QB
Ben Roethlisberger (rib, shoulder) – out for Week 12; Charlie Batch to start vs. CLE
Michael Vick (concussion) – not ready to return; Nick Foles starts Monday vs. CAR
Jay Cutler (concussion) – looking good, but must be cleared Saturday to play in Week 12
Alex Smith (concussion) – expected to be cleared, but Colin Kaepernick likely starter
Blaine Gabbert (forearm, shoulder) – placed on IR; Chad Henne takes over as starter

RB
LeSean McCoy (concussion) – has been ruled out; Bryce Brown to start Monday vs. CAR
Darren McFadden (ankle) – will not play for third straight game; Marcel Reece gets nod
Demarco Murray (foot) – missed 6th straight game; Team not sure when or if he’ll return
Willis McGahee (knee) – IR designated to return list; Ronnie Hillman, Lance Ball take over
Darren Sproles (hand) – listed as probable for Week 12 vs. SF; NO RB situation murky
LaRod Stephens-Howling (ribs) – questionable and dealing with return of Beanie Wells

WR
Percy Harvin (foot) – hasn’t made enough progress thru bye week; doubtful for Week 12
Julio Jones (ankle) – been limited in practice this week is questionable – GTD vs. TB (1PM)
Danny Amednola (foot) – downgraded to doubtful after ankle limited him all week
Antonio Brown (ankle) – questionable after returning to practice field – GTD vs. CLE (1PM)
Greg Jennings (groin, abdomen) – making progress (questionable), still likely a week away
Andrew Hawkins (knee) – did not practice all week; doubtful for Sun vs. OAK
Alshon Jeffrey (knee) – sidelined 2-4 weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery Wed
Laurent Robinson (concussion) – placed on season-ending IR by Jags this week

TE
Coby Fleener (shoulder) – limited participant after missing 3 games; GTD vs. BUF (1PM)

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, injury report, gametime decisions, week 12, fantasy football injuries

QUARTERBACKS
Stud – Andy Dalton (CIN): Dalton has thrown for seven touchdowns in the last two weeks and now he gets a Raiders’ D that has watched quarterbacks throw for three scores in back-to-back weeks and that allows the fifth-most fantasy points to the position on the season. With all the talk surrounding Carson Palmer’s return to Cincinnati look for the Bengals’ new quarterback to steal the show.

Dud – Nick Foles (PHI): Eagles fans were clamoring for Foles to replace a struggling Michael Vick just a couple short weeks ago. Now, they can’t wait to get Vick from a concussion. Foles looked terrible last week as he completed only 21 of his 46 passes for 204 yards, 0 TD’s, and two picks. Despite a decent matchup vs. Carolina, Foles should not be trusted in fantasy lineups.

Sleeper – Jake Locker (TEN): The young Titans’ signal caller has passed for a pair of scores and had at least 35 yards rushing in each of last two full games he’s played and now he gets to face a Jaguars’ D that has allowed the fourth most points to fantasy QB’s over the last five weeks as they’ve yielded 25.8 fantasy points per game during that span.

RUNNING BACKS
Stud – Marshawn Lynch (SEA): Lynch has hit the 100-yard mark on the ground in four straight games and scored a touchdown in each of his last three outings. Look for that run to continue versus a Miami rushing defense that has allowed 100+ total yards to three of the last four running backs they’ve faced.

Dud – Reggie Bush (MIA): Daniel Thomas continues to steal carries away from Bush, who hasn’t broke 60 yards on the ground since Week 4 and has only rushed for two TD’s during that period. Only four teams have allowed fewer fantasy points to running backs this season than the Seahawks, who’ve only ceded 11.8 fantasy points per game to the position.

Sleeper – BenJarvus Green-Ellis (CIN): With TD’s in two of his last three outings the Law Firm is starting to gain trust of fantasy owners again. Now he faces a Raiders’ team that has yielded 5.9 yards per carry to runners over their last three contests and at least one RB score each game in that timeframe.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Stud – Randall Cobb (GB): After making six trips to the endzone over his last five games, Cobb has emerged as an elite fantasy wide receiver option. With the Packers facing off against a Giants’ secondary that has given up seven scores to wide receivers in their last four games the second-year wideout is poised for another big effort.

Dud – Larry Fitzgerald (ARZ): While the matchup against the Rams certainly suggests success, owners may be wise to stay clear of Fitzgerald in Week 12. He’s been held to 52 yards or less and without a score in three of his last four games and now will have Ryan Lindley throwing him the football.

Sleeper – Cecil Shorts (JCK): Few receivers have more productive than the Jags’ wideout in recent weeks. Over the last five weeks he ranks eighth in scoring at the position, including third in yards per catch (19.3), and has four scores of 39 yards or more. Now he faces a Titan’s secondary that cedes 23.3 fantasy points per outing to receivers.

TIGHT END
Stud – Vernon Davis (SF): With Colin Kaepernick under center last week, the 49ers’ tight end once again provide some fantasy relevance catching six balls for 83 yards and scoring his first TD since Week 3. Now he’s set to face a Saints’ defense that has watched a tight end make his way into the end zone three times over the past two weeks.

Dud – Heath Miller (PIT): As long as Ben Roethlisberger is sidelined the entire Steelers’ passing attack takes a huge fantasy hit. The biggest impact could be had on Heath Miller, who enters Week 12 on a three-game scoreless streak.  No team has allowed fewer fantasy points to tight ends this season than the Browns, who give up just 5.2 points per contest to the position.

Sleeper – Dallas Clark (TB): The veteran has heated up of late. He’s been targeted 5.2 times per game over his last five contests, including a season-high 11 targets last week. During that span he scored three times. A matchup against an Atlanta defense that has yielded more fantasy points (15.3 per game) to tight ends over the past three weeks than any other team is promising.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, week 12, lineup advice, studs, duds, sleepers

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WEEK 12 GAME CARD (Print & Play)

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Here's a look at some great fantasy reads from around the web for Week 12:

Weekly Average Cheatsheet (FantasySportsCentral.com) - average weekly cheatsheet with many sites included.

Weekly Projections (FOXSports.com) - Weekly stat projections, projected fantasy points and rankings by position. Powered by WhatIfSports.

Fantasy Trade Value Chart - (CBSSports.com) Dave Richard unveils his Trade Value Chart to help owners make the best deal possible.

2012 Strength of Schedule (FFToolbox.com) - Ranking each player's schedule broken down by week.

Player History (FFToday.com) - Game-by-game lifetime player fantasy points against the team they are playing this week including all game logs

Fantasy Football Sleepers (KFFL.com) - They break down the fantasy football sleepers of the week

NFL Skinny (Yahoo.com) - The Skinny will provide an early look at the matchups for the coming week.

Matchup Reports - (JunkyardJake.com) - Game-by-game look at each player including a star ranking.

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FANTASY 101
--EARLY LINEUP DECISIONS: With lineups needing to be set early owners need to be sure to guard against late injuries and future restrictions. With the status of many players going on Sunday and Monday still in question when Thursday games go off it could lead to some tough decisions. One recommendation is to be sure you have backup plans in place. You should move any questionable player into your flex spot so you have more flexibility when replacing them.

TURKEY DAY TRENDS
(A quick look at players in action for Thursday and whether or not they will give owners reasons to be thankful)

--QB  Matt Schaub (HOU): Though he’s not going to come any near his 527-yard, 5-TD game we saw in Week 10, there are plenty of reasons to suggest that Schaub will make a formidable fantasy play in Thursday’s game at Detroit. Not only has Schaub thrown for multiple scores in three of his last four outings, but wide receiver Andre Johnson also very much looks to be finally back to his old reliable self. The Lions’ defense is respectable, but they have allowed six passing scores over their past three games.

--RB Mikel Leshoure (DET): Leshoure turned in his best yardage output since his debut week by rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in Sunday’s loss to the Packers. His 20 total touches were the most he’s received in a seven-week span. The second-year running back has now scored four times in the past three weeks for the Lions. Touchdowns may be tough to come by in Week 12’s Thanksgiving Day meeting with the Texans, who have yet to allow a running back to score on the ground against them all season.

--RB Alfred Morris (WAS): Washington running back Alfred Morris was held out of the endzone for the fourth straight game in Sunday’s win over the Eagles. He has lost some steam in recent weeks and is averaging 70 yards rushing per contest over his last three outings. Morris will look to get back on track on Thanksgiving at Dallas. The Cowboys have allowed four running back rushing touchdowns over their last five games. Morris is a strong RB2 option in Week 12 despite his recent scoring draught.

--WR Dez Bryant (DAL): Bryant appears locked in over the past few weeks and it resulted in his career-best 145 yards on 12 catches in Week 11’s win over the Browns. He scored for the second straight week and is heating up at the right time for owners who have waited patiently his talent to outshine his baggage. Now he gets to face a Redskins’ secondary that has been torched by opposing wideouts to the tune of 27.3 fantasy points per game this season.

FANTASY INFIRMARY
--Felix Jones (knee): Jones suffered a knee injury in Week 11’s win over Cleveland and has not been able to practice all week leaving him as a game-time decision for Thursday’s tilt with the Redskins. Demarco Murray is still sidelined with a foot and will not play. If Jones can’t go look for Lance Dunbar to get the starting nod and Phillip Tanner to get some work as well. Neither are very appealing fantasy plays.

--LeSean McCoy (concussion): It’s looking more likely that McCoy will not be able to suit up for Monday’s matchup with the Panthers. He suffered a concussion last week and is still dealing with headaches three days later and has not been cleared yet to resume football activities. It makes no sense for the 3-7 Eagles to rush him back so expect him to sit in favor of Bryce Brown, who is a must-add filler if available.

--Willis McGahee (knee): Denver put Willis McGahee (knee, leg) on injured reserve with a designation to return. Though he could return during the postseason, he won’t be back in time to help fantasy owners again in 2012. Ronnie Hillman, Lance Ball and Knowshon Moreno will share carries in his absence. Hillman is the best playmaker in the bunch and possesses the most upside. Ball will get the short-yardage and goal line touches while Moreno will see spotted looks.

--Darren McFadden (ankle): McFadden didn’t return to practice on Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s trip to Cincinnati. It is not a good sign for his chances to return in Week 12 and with Mike Goodson also still nursing his bad ankle Marcel Reece is in line to handle the load once again. Reece is low-end RB2 play with added upside in PPR formats.

--Rob Gronkowski (arm): The Patriots tight end will be sidelined 4-8 weeks after undergoing surgery Monday for a broken left forearm. Teammate Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is going to return to the lineup after missing four games of his due to injury, but he could be limited Thursday versus the Jets.

Injuries to Watch: Percy Harvin (ankle), Brandon Marshall (shoulder), Jay Cutler (concussion) and Alex Smith (concussion)

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
(Here’s a quick glance at teams with the top 5 most difficult matchups in fantasy for Weeks 14-16)

--QB: Cardinals, Chargers, Bengals, Vikings, Patriots

--RB: Cardinals, Vikings, 49ers, Ravens, Bills

--WR: Chargers, Cardinals, Vikings, Raiders, Patriots

--TE: Chiefs, Raiders, Bengals, Redskins, Dolphins

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, fantasy playbook, week 12, fantasy 101, fantasy strength of schedule, injury report, fantasy injuries.

Bye weeks are over, Thanksgiving is here. Football is everywhere. Does it get any better? This week there are a lot of waiver wire targets due to injuries. Here are the best ones to target

QB
Colin Kaepernick, SF – If you didn’t grab him last week, you must grab him now, after what he did to the Bears Monday night. Kaepernick may move back to his role as backup QB if/when Alex Smith is healthy, or he might not. Either way, Kaepernick appears to be the 49ers QB of the future and has a lot of long-term value.

Chad Henne, JAX – With Henne under center, the Jaguars are a completely different team. Henne will play this week, any maybe beyond and this makes him fantasy viable, especially if you’re an owner who is unhappy with your QB play.

RB
Ronnie Hillman, DEN – Willis McGahee is out 6-8 weeks, and is likely out for the season. Hillman will get the bulk of the carries for the Broncos. However, Lance Ball could swipe some of his touches, especially at the goalline. But, Hillman, a rookie, has nice long-term value and is someone to target.

Jalen Parmele, JAX – Parmele is the new starting RB in Jacksonville, replacing the ineffective Rashad Jennings, who is essentially a fantasy scrub at this point. Parmele has little long term value, but could serve as a decent short term replacement and a great play this week against Tennessee.

WR
Justin Blackmon, JAX – Blackmon finally showed his value as a high rookie pick. He seems to have a connection with Henne, so as long as Henne is the Jags’ QB, Blackmon makes for a decent WR3/Flex type of guy. And given his skill set and age, Blackmon has great long-term value.

Mohamed Sanu, CIN – Here’s another rookie who has worked his way into a prominent role. The Bengals offense is starting to click, and Sanu has scored twice in the last two weeks. Sanu is someone to target and stash. I’m still ready to insert him in a starting lineup down the stretch, but if you’re desperate, he has potential.

TE
Garrett Graham, HOU – Graham went off last week for 2 TDs and 8 catches. That’s fantastic production, but unfortunately, he wasn’t started in leagues, so you don’t get credit for him. If you grab him now, he may not match that type of performance again all year. He is only a tight end to target in deep leagues with desperate owners.

Jermichael Finley, GB – Some experts (myself included) called for the dropping of Finley earlier this year. It was justified advice, but after Finley found the end zone and 4 catches, he might give owners false hope, or this could be his one last stand as a viable fantasy tight end.

Follow Jimmy Dinsmore, The Fantasy Geek, on Twitter @fantasy_geek

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, waiver wire, week 12, colin kapernick, chad henne, ronnie hillman, jalen parmele, justin blackmon, mohammed sanu

GSI.com's Stefanie Theobald offers a few names for you to consider adding to your fantasy team...

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