Week 12 of the regular NFL season is in the books and fantasy owners are looking for temporary replacements heading toward their playoff push. We bring you our weekly list of players who might be potential waiver wire busts or who have downside. Some of these players may appear in our waiver wire suggestions, but this list is designed to simply point out factors that could impact or limit their production.
TE Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (26 percent owned)
Washington rookie tight end Jordan Reed was declared inactive for Monday Night Football so Fred Davis will get the start. Davis has been a healthy inactive since October 13. Unless something unforeseen happens with Reed, Davis is nothing more than a temporary fill in. He had three receptions on seven targets for 25 yards before losing out to the rookie early in the year. Davis will need a big push to get back into Washington's offensive gameplan.
RB Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots (six percent owned)
Patriots running back Brandon Bolden was limited early on with a knee injury but played. When Shane Vereen returned he was declared a healthy inactive in Week 11. Unfortunately, Stevan Ridley's fumbles have continued and therefore Bolden got his playing time after a Ridley and then LeGarrette Blount fumbled in the first quarter. Bolden carreid the ball thirteen times for 58 yards and a touchdown while catching only one pass for eleven yards. He might be worth a stash but probably not a guy you want to rely on going into crunch playoff time.
WR Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (39 percent owned)
Like Patriots running back Brandon Bolden, wide receiver Julian Edelman has been an inconsistent target this year. On Sunday Night Football, Edelman got eleven looks from Tom Brady and caught nine passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. It was his best game since Week 4 in terms of targets and yards. He only has one other two touchdown game and that came in Week 1. He has four touchdowns on the year. Going with Edelman into crunch fantasy playoff time isn't a likely key to success.
QB Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers (two percent owned)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn took over for Scott Tolzien in the third quarter of Sunday's tie with the Minnesota Vikings and threw for 218 yards and a touchdown while rushing four times for 28 yards. Following the game, Mike McCarthy remained noncommittal about the starter for the Packers Thanksgiving game and indicated Scott Tolzien might be in the mix. You can't trust any Packers quarterback not named Aaron Rodgers and not him until he returns.
RB Dennis Johnson, Houston Texans (eleven percent owned)
The Houston Texans offense is a hot mess right now as Andre Johnson recently admitted. In Week 12, Ben Tate was ineffective after seven carries for one yard so Dennis Johnson got the bulk of the carries against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He rushed thirteen times for 74 yards for a 5.7 yards per carry average. Following the game, head coach Gary Kubiak announced Ben Tate would be the starter and workhorse going forward (of course he did) so it's difficult to figure where Johnson fits right now. It's doubtful that Johnson would help you make your playoff push.
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