
Should I start Jaylen Waddle or John Bates in Week 12 (2026, Standard)?
BEFORE YOU DECIDE
Check availability before choosing
Jaylen Waddle: His availability is unresolved. Recheck his status before kickoff; a projection is not confirmation that he will play. His projections are shown below, but this comparison needs an availability check. Check back later this week for updated projections and injury news before setting your lineup.
Jaylen Waddle ยท Injury report dated
- Jaylen Waddle: 6.3 FP recent scoring average.
- Jaylen Waddle: 3.75% matchup reduction against PIT.
Forecast updated ยท Standard


John Bates
TE ยท WASStats & schedule โบWhy this pick?
Jaylen Waddle
- FF projection
- 6.7 FP +0.4vs ESPN
- ESPN
- 6.3 FP
- Sleeper
- 8.1 FP
- FantasyPros
- 6.7 FP
- Boosted Trees
- 5.0 FP
- Experimental ยท saved Oct 27, 12:03 AM ET
Jaylen Waddle faces PIT in Week 12. Recent scoring average: 6.3 fantasy points. The position-specific defensive matchup adjusts the forecast down 3.75%. Jaylen Waddle is questionable. Check his availability before kickoff.
John Bates
- FF projection
- 1.1 FP +0.4vs ESPN
- ESPN
- 0.7 FP
- Sleeper
- 1.2 FP
- FantasyPros
- 1.4 FP
- Boosted Trees
- 1.7 FP
- Experimental ยท saved Oct 27, 12:03 AM ET
John Bates faces ARI in Week 12. Recent scoring average: 0.0 fantasy points. The position-specific defensive matchup adjusts the forecast up 5%.
Your next decision
Scoring & lineup notes
FORTIFIED RANKINGS ยท
FLEX. The bigger picture.
Ranked by FF expected points. Displayed ties favor the higher FF-minus-ESPN margin. Medians and ranges add context.
- 1
Jahmyr GibbsRB ยท DET vs CHIThu 1:00 PM ETRange unavailableMean 20.8Range unavailableMedian unavailableESPN 19.1Sleeper 22.4FantasyPros 18.320.8Expected FP - 2
Kenneth Walker IIIRB ยท KC vs BUFThu 8:20 PM ETRange unavailableMean 19.2Range unavailableMedian unavailableESPN 19.4Sleeper 16.9FantasyPros 18.519.2Expected FP - 3
Bucky IrvingRB ยท TB vs CARMon 8:15 PM ETRange unavailableMean 19.0Range unavailableMedian unavailableESPN 16.9Sleeper 16.3FantasyPros 15.319.0Expected FP
How the forecast and ranges work
FF uses position-specific provider weights, rescored CBS and FFToday stats, and the existing bounded form, defense and metric adjustments. Saved Boosted Trees and Workload have bounded model influence when available. Monte Carlo supplies the distribution; it does not get a duplicate mean vote.
Every player is ranked by the FF expected score (mean), whether or not a simulation distribution is available. Equal displayed scores use the higher FF-minus-ESPN margin when both ESPN forecasts are known, then unrounded FF, a comparable FantasyPros/Sleeper estimate, and stable identity order if still level. This tiebreaker is not a measured probability of beating ESPN. The median marker is additional information and never changes the order. Missing or availability-conditional ranges do not switch the ranking statistic. The window shows the experimental middle 80% (P10โP90), rather than the difference between two model means. Its observed coverage under this new version is still collecting. Availability-conditional distributions are labeled and are not shifted to a different center.
Missing sources and incompatible scoring are excluded. Bye and confirmed unavailable players remain excluded. ESPN, Sleeper and FantasyPros are the benchmark markers. The common scale covers the displayed outcome windows and available benchmarks.
YOUR LINEUP ยท A CLOSER LOOK
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