Waiver-wire news changes throughout the week as injuries and depth-chart shenanigans overtake us. So be sure to follow me on Twitter by clicking on the link next to my headshot at the bottom of the column, and I'll keep you updated as news warrants.
Let's get to the best fantasy roster additions heading into Week 12:
Standard ESPN league finds
Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (owned in 41.7 percent of ESPN leagues): Matthews still doesn't play in two-receiver sets, but often on the Eagles that's a nominal distinction, especially when they trail big. Matthews played a whopping 66 snaps Sunday in a blowout loss, compared to 37 in a Week 10 blowout win. But the larger point: Even if Riley Cooper (13.2 percent) is ahead of him, Matthews has out-targeted him 17-10 in the past two weeks and is ahead of him 69-61 this season. The rookie is obviously the superior player. Let's hope Mark Sanchez keeps using him, because the No. 2 role in this Philly offense is valuable. I'd take the shot and add Matthews in all leagues, though I'd still like to see more consistency before I feel great about starting him.
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns (23.9 percent): Lo and behold, after Terrance West dominated touches in a Week 10 win, coach Mike Pettine decided to switch things up and give Crowell the start. Listeners of the "Fantasy Underground" podcast know that I identified Crow as my favorite in Cleveland very early on, then waited in anguish as he mostly rode pine, so I'm inclined to hope this change is permanent. The release of Ben Tate certainly makes Crowell an apt acquisition, but I'm not sure how great a fantasy starter it makes him, when a West-dominated game could randomly crop up at any time.
Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (28.2 percent): Allen Robinson broke his foot and is out for the season, which should make Shorts the top target for Blake Bortles. While Bortles hasn't played well, he does average about 35 throws per start. Shorts might not stay healthy for long, and he'll probably lose looks to some lesser weapons, but my guess is he comes near double-digit targets in Week 12.
Indianapolis Colts' defense (24.9 percent): Even if Shorts shines, I'd take the Colts facing the Jags at home. When they traveled to Jacksonville in Week 3, this group mustered two picks, a fumble recovery, four sacks and a Greg Toler pick-six off Bortles. Don't overthink it. If you can't get the Colts, you could try the Green Bay Packers (28.7 percent), who'll hit the road to face a Minnesota Vikings offense that has been painfully conservative. That can mean fewer chances for turnovers, but it also can mean fewer points and yards allowed.
Other solid waiver adds, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Mark Sanchez, QB, Eagles (46.2 percent); Tre Mason, RB, Rams (41.3 percent); Jonas Gray, RB, Patriots (9.3 percent); Branden Oliver, RB, Chargers (49.1 percent); Knile Davis, RB, Chiefs (32.2 percent); Andrew Hawkins, WR, Browns (46.9 percent); Owen Daniels, TE, Ravens (29.6 percent); Charles Clay, TE, Dolphins (30.5 percent).
Speculative standard-league finds
Juwan Thompson, RB, Denver Broncos (3.0 percent): With Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman out presumably for multiple weeks, C.J. Anderson looks like the Broncos' starting rusher, but he's already owned in 77.8 percent of leagues. (If he's available in yours, by all means, he's your No. 1 waiver add of the week.) If you're in a speculative mood, though, you could try Thompson, who figures to be the backup. That could mean change-of-pace or even goal-line looks, and it would mean a valuable spot if Anderson got hurt, too.
Daniel Herron, RB, Colts (0.1 percent): Ahmad Bradshaw is probably done for the year with a broken ankle, meaning Trent Richardson is the starter in Indy and Herron is his backup. The "T-Rich Balloon" (ask your "Fantasy Underground" listening friends) has played OK in short spurts, but mostly he's the same floating, indecisive runner we remember from last season. There's a potentially meaningful role waiting here for Herron. I just wish I was more excited about him as a player. Plus, you have to wonder whether the Colts might be thinking of adding the recently released Ben Tate.
Latavius Murray, RB, Oakland Raiders (0.7 percent): Murray out-touched Darren McFadden in Sunday's loss and had a couple of runs that made this viewer take notice. You'd think that an 0-10 team would want to look at an athletic young runner rather than veteran retreads, but everyone in this organization is a DPW (dead person walking), so they don't exactly have much incentive to look toward the future. Still, adding Murray makes some sense, if only to try to catch lightning in a bottle later on.
Kenny Stills, WR, New Orleans Saints (5.8 percent): Brandin Cooks broke a thumb Sunday and will be out for perhaps a month, maybe more. We won't know how the Saints will adapt to losing their lightning-quick rookie until we see it on the field, but my guess is that Stills will slide into a more complete role rather than the deep threat he usually plays. Marques Colston also figures to see an uptick in usage. I'll also take this opportunity to mention that Khiry Robinson is now owned in 21.5 percent of leagues, and while nobody seems to know what his injury actually is and when he might return, or if he'll be back at all in 2014, I'd want to own him.
John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals (14.7 percent): Larry Fitzgerald has a sprained knee. He claims he'll be able to play in Week 12 in a rough matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, but we'll see. The temptation is to assume Michael Floyd will assume a bigger role, mostly because Floyd scored twice Sunday, but he still has been too unreliable to trust. Maybe Brown overachieves against the Legion of Boom if Fitz is forced to sit?
Andre Caldwell, WR, Broncos (0.1 percent): Emmanuel Sanders suffered a concussion on a wicked (and to my eyes legal, though it was penalized) hit in Week 11, and will race the clock to be ready for the Miami Dolphins Sunday. If Sanders can't go, Caldwell could get some run, though rookie Cody Latimer (0.3 percent) might also get in the mix. Let's also mention that Julius Thomas sprained an ankle Sunday and missed the remainder of the game, and while reports indicate he avoided a serious injury, he's not a lock to play in Week 12. In that case, though he hasn't played well, Jacob Tamme (0.3 percent) might be a desperation TE option.
Coby Fleener, TE, Colts (26.5 percent): After Dwayne Allen left Sunday night's game with a sprained ankle, Fleener worked over Brandon Browner to the tune of seven grabs for 144 yards. Allen, too, appears to have avoided a serious injury but can't be considered a sure start against the Jags in Week 12. I don't think Fleener is a particularly good player, but without Allen, his role would grow.
Other speculative standard-league waiver adds about whom I've written in previous weeks: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins (46.6 percent); Drew Stanton, QB, Cardinals (5.1 percent); Bryce Brown, RB, Bills (9.4 percent); Bernard Pierce, RB, Ravens (12.7 percent); Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB, Ravens (31.9 percent); Charles Sims, RB, Buccaneers (20.5 percent); Anthony Dixon, RB, Bills (21.6 percent); Theo Riddick, RB, Lions (8.7 percent); Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers (40.0 percent); DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers (27.9 percent); Kenny Britt, WR, Rams (12.5 percent); Davante Adams, WR, Packers (6.7 percent); Jarvis Landry, WR, Dolphins (9.7 percent); Markus Wheaton, WR, Steelers (15.9 percent); Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings (19.0 percent); Mychal Rivera, TE, Raiders (45.2 percent).
Deeper-league finds
Josh McCown, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8.1 percent): As the Mike Evans story gets bigger and bigger, the rookie wideout is towing his quarterback along with him. McCown has scored 19 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks, and a visit to Chicago to play his old mates doesn't sound particularly intimidating. If you're trying to get out from under a cruddy QB situation, McCown might fill the bill.
Roy Helu, RB, Washington (14.5 percent): Helu lost a significant fumble in Sunday's upset loss, but made up for it near the end of the first half with a catch-and-run for a 29-yard TD. He doesn't carry it much (Helu is stuck on 33), but he's got 32 targets overall and 10 in two games since RG III returned. It would take a super-deep PPR league to consider him, but if you're in one of those, consider him.
Chris Hogan, WR, Buffalo Bills (0.3 percent): It's hard to get excited about Kyle Orton's ancillary weapons. But the checkdown master did give Hogan nine targets Thursday night, giving him 16 in the past two games. In fact, Hogan has at least six targets in four of his past five, and scored a TD in two of those contests. Hogan has proven he can beat the linebackers who often are asked to cover him, though as a slot receiver in an unexciting offense, the upside here is limited.
Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars (0.5 percent): Lewis has been activated from IR, which will probably send Clay Harbor back to the bench. Lewis has a 10-TD season in his distant past, though that was a very different Jags squad. Still, he had a few good moments in September before he injured an ankle.
Other solid waiver adds for deep-leaguers, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Joseph Randle, RB, Cowboys (4.8 percent); Lance Dunbar, RB, Cowboys (1.5 percent); Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers (20.8 percent); Benjamin Cunningham, RB, Rams (10.1 percent); Malcom Floyd, WR, Chargers (31.1 percent); Donte Moncrief, WR, Colts (2.4 percent); Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars (13.8 percent); Andre Holmes, WR, Raiders (15.5 percent); Jermaine Kearse, WR, Seahawks (5.6 percent); Robert Woods, WR, Bills (4.8 percent); Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Buccaneers (2.2 percent); Tim Wright, TE, Patriots (4.6 percent).