Fantasy Football Risk vs. Reward | Week 12 

Going into Week 12, fantasy football is getting more and more significant in terms of making the necessary adjustments to ensure victory.

Just adding the right player to your team could be the difference between winning out and losing your playoff position.

But it’s still necessary to take risks at times in fantasy. Being a risk taker will hurt you at times, but will also put you over the top if you do your research.

Here’s a few risky selections that could really pay off in Week 12.

Vince Young, QB, Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England

If Young gets the start against the Patriots, you have to take a look at playing him.

Yes, the Patriots are coming off of a huge Monday night defensive performance, but they are the same banged up defense that has given up the most yardage in the league.

Young will turn the ball over, but he has the potential to make plays in that lineup.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Tennessee

Freeman hasn’t been great this year, but he has still been a decent option for many weeks.

Tennessee’s defense is shutting down the run, but is still struggling against the pass.

Freeman will likely do his best to put on an aerial assault to shut down the Titans.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Tennessee Titans vs. Tampa Bay

Hasselbeck (elbow) is expected to play against Tampa Bay, and if he can play at a high level, look for him to have a solid game.

Only New England ranks worse in total yards given up per game, so we know that the Buccaneers will struggle a bit.

Hasselbeck has been above average this year, and could be a solid replacement if you’re down a quarterback.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta

The match-up doesn’t necessarily bode well on the road, in Atlanta.

But there’s something about Gerhart that just feels like he’s going to put up good numbers in his first NFL start.

Gerhart is a hard runner that is capable of big time runs and goal line touchdowns. Look for Minnesota to try and get the ground game established with him.

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts vs. Carolina

If Joseph Addai (hamstring) sits, Brown should be the go-to guy for the Colts.

Delone Carter will get a few carries as well, and could make plays, but Brown has been the scorer for the Colts recently.

Brown should see the bulk of the load, and against a very poor Carolina run defense, he could have a solid game.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets vs. Buffalo

Buffalo’s defense needs a lot of work still, especially in stopping the run.

Greene is nothing to get excited about, but he’s a tough runner between the tackles that could make a couple nice plays to reward his (few) fantasy owners.

Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans @ Jacksonville

Johnson looks to return to his first action since Week 4 against Pittsburgh.

His owners are ecstatic, as he is back right in time for the playoffs.

But he still isn’t guaranteed to be 100%, and even worse, Matt Leinart is his starting quarterback .

Look for a run heavy offense in Houston, although Johnson only needs a couple targets to make something big happen.

Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco

The 49ers secondary still needs some work, but they haven’t been atrocious.

But Joe Flacco has been wildly inconsistent, and San Francisco can put up big time pressure on the talented quarterback.

Look for Boldin to have respectable numbers, but don’t expect a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills Defense @ New York Jets

The Bills have really screwed the pooch recently, and they just can’t seem to stop anybody.

But they still have talent, and they still face Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez needs quite a bit of work, and has been inaccurate for his entire career.

If they can get to him, and force bad decisions, then they could be a sleeper defense in Week 12.

St. Louis Rams Defense vs. Arizona

This match-up is dependent just how well John Skelton plays.

St. Louis is down several members of the secondary, but John Skelton has also struggled and been inconsistent.

Honestly, Skelton was a solid quarterback for Weeks 9 and 10, but dropped the bomb against San Francisco in Week 11.

The Rams have put up a few points in select weeks this year and it may not be a terrible match-up.