Top Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 12
1) Ty Johnson
At this point the available RB options are sparse to say the least, but at minimum if you have James Cook you are doing yourself a disservice by not owning his most-valuable backup in Ty Johnson.
Handcuff purposes aside, Johnson’s explosivity has allowed him to turn minimal touches into double-digit fantasy points in two of his past three weeks.
Over that span he’s caught at least two balls and seen at least one carry in every contest (that statement in itself shows you that the available RB options in most 12-team leagues are about as attractive as someone wearing a MAGA hat), and he’s scored at least 4.6 fantasy points in every game.
Ty Johnson’s TD celly 🤣💀
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/NmFhHcfaXk
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 16, 2025
At halftime in Week 11, James Cook had 1 fantasy point while Ty Johnson had 15.
While their scores evened out as the game went on as Johnson didn’t score any additional points, Johnson’s big-play ability combined with his clear role as a receiver out of the backfield in this Bills offense has officially put him on the fantasy radar in 2025.
Johnson is leading 2025 RBs in yards per reception (14.5) and YAC per reception (17.5).
He also ranks (in terms of RBs) tied for 2nd in yards per target (8.9), 4th in passer rating when targeted (116.2) 22nd in rush yards per attempt (4.4), and 39th in receiving yards.
Ty Johnson is RB 2. He had himself a GAME yesterday.
3rd and 11
Allen calls the check to keep Knox and Johnson in
Johnson adjusts post snap, lets Knox know who to pickup after kind of committing to other rusher
Big conversion to Samuel pic.twitter.com/q2Dqm9YmAu— Cover 1 (@Cover1) November 17, 2025
When he gets the ball out of the backfield he looks like he has shot out of a cannon as his acceleration is astounding.
In terms of Johnson’s ability to seemingly already be at full-speed the second the ball touches his hands no matter the situation is among the best any NFL back has to offer.
Although, in Week 12, Johnson profiles as no more than a handcuff or bench stash and should not be considered a fantasy starter in any format.
However, given his home-run threat and the elite offense he plays in and the MVP candidate he shares the backfield with, he has legitimate potential to develop into a low-end RB2 or risky flex play in 12-team formats even if he maintains or barely increases his current workload.
2) Jayden Higgins
Jayden Higgins’ draft pedigree may finally be turning into a fantasy-relevant role, and the good news for interested fantasy managers is his lack of early-season production has left him unclaimed in just over 80% of ESPN leagues.
In three of his past four weeks, Higgins has scored at least 9.5 fantasy points, seen at least five targets, and caught at least four balls. He’s also scored a touchdown and double-digit fantasy points in two of his past four games.
As a result of his recent statistical upswing, Jayden Higgins now ranks 31st among WRs in receiving success rate and has out-snapped fellow Houston WRs Xavier Hutchinson and Christian Kirk each of the last two weeks, pointing to a real shift on the Texans’ depth chart in Higgins’ favor.
Jayden Higgins runs a 4.47 at 6’4, 214lbs 😮💨pic.twitter.com/z1ujPqHQUY
— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) March 1, 2025
Selected in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, the Texans are invested in Higgins’ short and long-term success, giving this waiver-wire target greater upside than most of the other available WRs in a similar fantasy scoring tier.
Higgins is a polished route runner with dependable hands, and he possesses remarkable short-area quickness and explodes off the line of scrimmage.
How about the rookie Jayden Higgins coming into his own? 2 TDs in the past 2 weeks. pic.twitter.com/v2tlXBSHSR
— big ounce (@_bigounce) November 9, 2025
He plays like a more dominant, explosive, and physical Wan’Dale Robinson (and he should considering he stands at 6′ 4″ rather than 5′ 10″) and plays in a relatively similar offense in the sense that both the Giants and the Texans have some upside from a receiving perspective considering how awful they are and the fact that they often find themselves behind in games thus forced to put the ball in the air.
In light of Higgins scoring at least 9.5 fantasy points in three of his past four weeks, he can be considered a WR3 or flex play with WR2 upside in most formats, so if you’re in a pinch at receiver due to injuries or bye weeks Higgins might just be your man.
3) Darnell Washington
We are searching for tight ends forever and always in fantasy football, and Washington’s sheer size combined with his run after the catch ability is too tantalizing to be rostered in less than 1% of leagues.
Evidence for Washington’s upside and unique skillset lies in the fact that over half (124) of his 209 receiving yards so far have come after the catch.
DARNELL WASHINGTON OH MY GLORIOUS STIFF ARM.
CINvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/vpn6NVgaFU
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
The Steelers clearly made a commitment post-bye to involve Washington more, and since the bye week he has scored at least eight fantasy points, been thrown at least five targets, and hauled in at least three receptions in four of his past six weeks since Pittsburgh’s bye.
So far this season when compared to other TEs, Washington ranks tied for third in YAC per reception (6.9), 11th in yards per catch (11.5), 16th in yards per target (8.0), and 22nd in passer rating when targeted (106.1).
The Steelers know this massive 6′ 7″, 300+ pound semitruck of a human is a red zone weapon, and thus far he has accounted for 17.5% of all of the Steelers’ red zone targets.
Darnell Washington is a national treasurepic.twitter.com/XT06PZqj1u
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 16, 2025
Washington should be valued as a mid-tier TE2 in PPR formats with high-end TE2 upside, but its difficult to say his ceiling is any higher than that for the moment considering his career-high is 10.7 fantasy points, although Washington is trending in the right direction as that high occurred just this past weekend.
Finally, he also led Steelers TEs with a 71% snap share in Week 11 and over the past six weeks post-bye has been on the field for at least 46% of snaps in every game.
In terms of a Week 12 dart throw with the Chargers and Commanders on bye in addition to Kincaid’s injury, Washington is a legitimate option.
