McConkey, Downs among 4 must-start Week 12 fantasy football wide receivers

MIAMI, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Ladd McConkey and Josh Downs are among my four must-start wide receivers for Week 12 of the fantasy football campaign.

A.J. Brown leads my Week 12 Top-50 rankings, which are listed below. Malik Nabers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyreek Hill and Puka Nacua join Brown inside the Top 5 of my rankings.

Justin Jefferson, Mike Evans, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, George Pickens and Zay Flowers join those pass catchers in my Top 10. Calvin Ridley joins Smith-Njigba, McConkey and Downs as my four must-start plays.

Those who roster Evans, Ridley and other players dealing with injuries should monitor their status before plugging them into starting lineups.

Players from the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, who are on bye, should be benched or potentially dropped.

Players also will be removed from or adjusted within the rankings based on injuries. My free agent targets article for Week 12 is available here.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is among my Top-10 options this week due to his recent production and a decent Week 12 matchup.

Smith-Njigba averaged the third-most fantasy points per game among wide receivers over the last four weeks. He eclipsed 100 yards in each of his last two appearances, including last week, when he hauled in 10 catches for 110 yards. That performance followed a 180-yard, two-score effort in his previous outing.

This week, Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks will battle an Arizona Cardinals defense that allowed the 13th-most receiving yards (150.1) per game to wide receivers through 11 weeks. This should be a high-scoring matchup, with Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith continuing to target this second-year playmaker. He is my No. 8 option.

Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts playmaker Josh Downs was the No. 11 fantasy football wide receiver in Week 11, when he pulled in five catches for 84 yards and a score.

He found the end zone twice over his last four appearances and in four of his last eight games. Downs also was targeted at least nine times in six of his last eight games. He received 33 looks over his last four appearances.

This week, the Colts wide receiver will face a Detroit Lions defense that allowed the most catches (15.7), second-most receiving yards (188.7) and seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

I expect Downs' hot streak to continue in this fantastic matchup. Look for Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to log a season-high in passing attempts, which should result in a lot of targets for Downs and a WR2 or WR3 performance. He is my No. 21 option.

Calvin Ridley

Like Smith-Njigba, Tennessee Titans pass catcher Calvin Ridley was among the most productive fantasy football wide receivers over the last four weeks, on a points-per-game basis. Ridley was targeted a total of 38 times during that span, when he registered an average of nearly 90 yards per game and found the end zone twice.

Ridley and the Titans are set to face a Houston Texans defense that allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and 11th-most receiving yards (152.8) per game to wide receivers through 11 weeks. They also tied the Baltimore Ravens for allowing the most receiving scores (1.5) per game to the position.

Ridley is my No. 22 play this week. Look for at least 75 yards from the Titans playmaker, who could climb into high-end WR2 territory if he finds the end zone.

Ladd McConkey

Quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers' passing game got off to a slow start, but is clicking as of late. The Chargers star threw multiple touchdown passes in three of his last four outings. He also eclipsed 275 passing yards in four of his last last five starts.

Rookie pass catcher Ladd McConkey experienced a surge in production during that same span and should continue to be useful as a WR3 in fantasy football.

McConkey totaled a season-high 123 yards on six catches in Week 11 for his second game in four weeks with at least 100 receiving yards. He also has four touchdown catches on the season.

This week, Herbert and McConkey will lead the Chargers' offense against a Ravens defense that surrendered the most fantasy points and receiving yards (189.5) and tied for allowing the most receiving scores (1.5) per game to wide receivers through 11 weeks.

McConkey, my No. 24 play, is a safe WR3 until further notice.

Week 12 wide receiver rankings

1. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at LAR

2. Malik Nabers, New York Giants vs. TB

3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at IND

4. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. NE

5. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI

6. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at CHI

7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NYG

8. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI

9. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at CLE

10. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at LAC

11. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. DAL

12. Nico Collins, Houston Texans vs. TEN

13. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at WAS

14. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals at SEA

15. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI

16. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI

17. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers at GB

18. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at GB

19. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at LAR

20. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears vs. MIN

21. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. DET

22. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans at HOU

23. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers vs. SF

24. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers vs. BAL

25. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions at IND

26. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT

27. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. DEN

28. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers vs. SF

29. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. DET

30. Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers vs. BAL

31. DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs at CAR

32. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos at LV

33. Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT

34. Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants vs. TB

35. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. NE

36. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears vs. MIN

37. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT

38. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens at LAC

39. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans at HOU

40. Tank Dell, Houston Texans vs. TEN

41. DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots at MIA

42. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs at CAR

43. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI

44. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts vs. DET

45. Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers vs. KC

46. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. SF

47. Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NYG

48. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears vs. MIN

49. Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NYG

50. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings at CHI