Fantasy football enthusiasts, get ready for a deep dive into Week 12 with our expert analyst Sal Vetri. He's here to share the keys to victory and guide you through the week's matchups.

Unlock Fantasy Football Success with Sal Vetri's Picks

Pick-up-and-play of the Week: Jonnu Smith vs. NE

Jonnu Smith has been on a roll. In Week 10, he amassed 100 yards and two touchdowns on just eight targets against the Raiders. This isn't a fluke; he's earned six or more targets in five of his last six games. In fact, since Week 5, he leads the Dolphins with a 21% target share. Not only that, but he ranks third in yards per route run and second in yards after the catch among tight ends during this time. Smith is a great bye week filler and could be much more. This week, he takes on the Patriots, who rank bottom 10 in coverage. You can't afford to miss out on this opportunity.Another aspect to consider is Smith's consistency. He's been a top-two option in the Dolphins passing attack for the past two months. This season, he's closing in on being ranked as a top-10 tight end. With such promising stats and a favorable matchup, Smith is definitely a player to watch.

Sketchy Spot of the Week: D’Andre Swift vs. MIN

Swift had another strong fantasy day in Week 11, producing 80+ yards for the sixth time in his last seven games. Since Week 4, he ranks sixth in fantasy points per game among all backs. However, his underlying usage took a hit under new play-caller Thomas Brown. Backup Roschon Johnson saw a season-high 44% of the snaps and handled 100% of the two-minute offense snaps and the majority of the goal-line touches. As a result, Swift saw just 48% of the backfield carries, his second-lowest mark this year.This week, Swift faces a tough matchup against the Vikings. Minnesota allows the second-fewest rushing yards per play and limited the Titans backfield to just 15 yards on 12 carries in Week 11. It's a challenging situation, but with six teams on bye, it's hard to sit Swift. Just be prepared for some lower expectations in this difficult matchup.

Best Spot of the Week: Bucky Irving vs. NYG

Irving is back from his bye this week and finds himself in an ideal matchup. The Bucs are 5-point favorites against the Giants. There's a good chance New York falls behind, which would give Irving more opportunities to carry the ball. And it gets even better because the Giants struggle to defend the run. They allow the most rushing yards per play this season according to NFL Pro.The Giants also give up the third most explosive runs of 10+ yards. Irving has generated an explosive run at the 12th highest rate in the league. He averages 5.6 yards per touch and ranks third in broken tackle rate. In Week 10 against the 49ers, he had a strong performance with 87 yards and a touchdown on 16 touches. We can expect this efficiency to continue against the Giants, and there's even a chance we see his role increase. Don't be surprised if he earns his first 20-carry game of his career.

Must-start: Brian Robinson Jr. vs. DAL

Robinson Jr. had a tough matchup last week against the Eagles' No. 1 ranked defense on a short week. Despite the difficulty, he still managed to produce over 70 total yards and a touchdown. What's even more impressive is that this was his first game back from both a hamstring and knee injury. He returned and took back his role as the Commander's clear RB1, earning 67% of the backfield carries, his second-best usage this season.Now, entering Week 12, he has a much better matchup against the Cowboys. Dallas ranks 30th in run defense according to PFF and allows the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. We can expect Robinson to carry the ball 16+ times and push towards 100 yards and a score. He's a must-start RB this week.

A New WR1 Rest-of-season: Jauan Jennings

Jennings continues to shine as the 49ers' No. 1 receiver. In Week 11, he led the team with 10 catches for 91 yards and a score. He was Brock Purdy's first read in crucial situations, earning six of his 11 targets on third down. In three games this season with either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel Sr. out, Jennings has averaged 11.3 targets and 116 yards per game. He's never seen fewer than 11 targets in any of these three contests and is the top fantasy receiver across those three weeks.This is a small sample size, but it's clear that Jennings is the 49ers' No. 1 receiver ahead of Samuel. This week, he faces a Packers secondary that may be without cornerback Jaire Alexander and allowed Caleb Williams to complete 74% of his passes last week. Jennings is a borderline top-12 receiver this week and for the rest of the season. Make sure he's in your lineup, even if Brock Purdy were to miss with a shoulder injury.

Bye-week Filler: Drake Maye vs. MIA

With six teams on bye this week, we need a bye-week filler. Drake Maye fits the bill. He's finished as a top-10 QB in two of his five completed starts this season and has never finished worse than QB18 in a given week. Considering his top receiver has been Kayshon Boutte and he plays behind an arguably bad offensive line, this is quite impressive.In his last three games, Maye faced the Titans and Bears defenses, both of which rank top five in limiting opposing passing efficiency. Yet, he was able to find success, completing 71% of his passes against the Titans and averaging a season-high 7.4 yards per attempt against the Bears. In Week 11, he had one of his better outings, completing 75% of his passes for 309 total yards and two touchdowns against the Rams.With his composure under pressure and strong rushing upside, Maye is a solid start this week, even if the matchup isn't ideal against the Dolphins. If you need help at QB, pick up and play Maye.

Bounce-back of the Week: Calvin Ridley vs. HOU

Ridley had a subpar game last week against the Vikings, earning just four catches for 58 yards. But this was his first game below 70 yards or eight targets since DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Chiefs. Entering Week 11, he was averaging an elite 36% target share and 100 yards per game in the three games since Hopkins left.This week, Ridley is looking to bounce back as an eight-point underdog against the Texans. The Titans should be trailing often, which will give Ridley more passing volume. Will Levis has been solid since returning from injury. In Week 10 against the Chargers, he completed 78% of his passes and had a top-10 fantasy finish. In Week 11, he produced 295 yards with an average of 9.5 yards per attempt. The improved quarterback play and game script set Ridley up for a strong bounce back in Week 12.

Trending up: Buccaneers WR Mike Evans

Evans is expected to return from injury this week after missing the past three games with a hamstring injury that he reaggravated in Week 7 against the Ravens. He'll face a Giants secondary that ranks 16th in coverage this season. While it's not a great secondary, it's not bad either.The Giants allow the seventh most explosive plays on defense this season, which is perfect for Evans. He has eight deep targets across five completed starts. Evans has finished as a top-10 receiver in three of his five completed starts and has a strong 23% target share in these five contests. With Chris Godwin out for the year, Evans should see 10+ targets. This week against the Giants is a good start, and the good matchups will continue throughout the rest of the year. Evans will face the Panthers twice, the Raiders, and the Cowboys over the next six weeks, all of which rank in the bottom 10 in secondary play.

Trending down: Vikings RB Aaron Jones

Jones entered Week 11 with a rib injury, which was his fourth injury this season that limited him or kept him out of practice the following week. He was limited in practice but still played on Sunday. However, he had his worst usage in a completed game this season, earning just 55% of the snaps and 50% of the rush attempts.Cam Akers was more involved, turning 12 touches into 36 yards and a touchdown. Jones' injury likely played a role, but there's also a chance the Vikings will try to lighten his load moving forward. He'll turn 30 next month and has already dealt with injuries to his ribs, hamstring, hip, and ankle this season. Week 11 has raised a lot of questions for fantasy managers of Jones entering Week 12. Will his usage improve with rest? Will Cam Akers remain heavily involved? This week against the Bears should provide some answers about Jones' role for the rest of the season.Even so, he's still a top-20 RB this week, but for now, it might be wise to start Chuba Hubbard, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Brian Robinson Jr. over him.