We’ve made it past Thanksgiving, which offered three games on a busy 16-game Week 12 NFL slate. All three of the matchups were competitive in certain spots, but Buffalo’s game-winning drive to secure a walk-off field goal in Detroit was a great way to jumpstart the holiday festivities. The New York Giants came out swinging early against the Dallas Cowboys but CeeDee Lamb (WR – Cowboys) and company proved to be too much for the Giants’ defense to contain, as they surrendered a halftime lead and found themselves down 28-13 in the closing minutes of the game. The primetime game between Minnesota and New England was very entertaining, providing a surprisingly high-scoring outing that saw Kirk Cousins (QB – Vikings) lead the Vikings to their ninth win of the season with three touchdown passes in a 33-26 win at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Week 11 saw a lot of production from my recommended picks, so I hope you followed along when building your DFS lineups. In the interest of time, we can jump over the typical previous week’s recap and get right to the good stuff. There are no Bye Weeks in play during Week 12, so lineups are completely open to fill for the first time since early October. Most of the spreads are indicative of one-score games on Sunday, so without further ado, let’s jump into the action and figure out which players should be prioritized when building lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel for Sunday’s Week 12 main slate.
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Justin Herbert (QB – Chargers): $7,000
It’s been a tough year for Justin Herbert, primarily due to the injuries plaguing his wide receiving corps. The return of Mike Williams (WR – Chargers) and Keenan Allen (WR – Chargers) opened up softer coverage for other wideouts within the Chargers’ offense in Week 11, as Josh Palmer (WR – Chargers) netted eight receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns in a thrilling primetime loss against Kansas City. Herbert logged his first 20-point outing on DraftKings since Week 4 against Houston, which is encouraging ahead of a Week 12 road trip to face an underwhelming Arizona pass defense. Herbert gets a top-eight quarterback matchup against the Cardinals, so fire him up with confidence now that all of his weapons are healthy.
Joe Burrow (QB – Bengals): $6,700
Looking for an even bigger upside at quarterback in Week 12? Joe Burrow has you covered. The Bengals’ third-year quarterback is playing well and is reportedly set to get star wideout, Ja’Marr Chase (WR – Bengals), back from a hip injury against a porous Tennessee pass defense. The Titans are the fourth-best quarterback matchup on DraftKings this season, so even without Chase in the lineup, Burrow is worth plugging into lineups, as he’s thrown for over 300 yards or three touchdowns in three of his past five games.
Honorable Mention: Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – 49ers) ($5,600) had his best game of the season against Arizona in Mexico City on Monday Night Football to close out Week 11. Don’t expect another repeat performance but Garoppolo is set up for more success against New Orleans’ defense, which ranks 25th in points allowed, surrendering 24.3 points per game.
FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $60,000
Patrick Mahomes (QB – Chiefs): $9,000
After the miraculous comeback win against the Chargers in Week 11, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are the recipients of the largest spread on the Week 12 slate. That’s right, the Chiefs are favored to win by 15.5 points in Arrowhead against a struggling Rams offense that will be without its QB1, WR1, and several offensive linemen on Sunday. Mahomes is the MVP-front runner right now and could easily hang another 300-yard outing with three to four touchdowns against the Rams’ defense due to his momentum and confidence.
Geno Smith (QB – Seahawks): $7,600
Seattle’s season has been full of surprises, particularly with Geno Smith. The veteran quarterback has spent a few years in Seattle as the QB2 but without Russell Wilson (QB – Broncos) in the picture, he’s elevated his play and thrown for 275 yards and two touchdowns in consecutive games. The Seahawks had an extra week to rest and prepare for their home game against Las Vegas on Sunday, so expect Smith to dial up another rock-solid performance against the Raiders’ porous defense, which is allowing 21.82 points per game to quarterbacks on DraftKings, ranking as the third-best matchup for DFS quarterbacks.
Honorable Mention: Bryce Perkins (QB – Rams) ($6,600) is risky but he’s likely going to be the starter against a bad Kansas City pass defense on Sunday. No one is giving the Rams a chance, so Perkins shouldn’t feel pressured to make big plays. He also has a couple of nice wideouts and an emerging presence in rookie running back Kyren Williams (RB – Rams) in the backfield behind him. The Rams’ offensive line is banged up and playing awful football, which means we could see Perkins rush for over 50 yards and a touchdown, offering a nice floor at $6,600.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Austin Ekeler (RB – Chargers): $8,500
The Chargers’ offense funnels targets to Austin Ekeler when they are down receivers while increasing his carries with the full complement of weapons in the lineup. Whether it’s carries or targets, Ekeler is a proven commodity in DFS lineups, scoring 18 points on DraftKings with only two catches for 17 yards in Week 11 against the Chiefs. He’ll face Arizona’s run defense, which is the 13th-best matchup for running backs on DraftKings, so pay up for Ekeler once again with a 15-point floor and 30-point ceiling.
Kenneth Walker III (RB – Seahawks): $6,900
After being stuffed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, rookie running back Kenneth Walker III gets a juicy matchup against a terrible Las Vegas run defense at home in Week 12. Walker still caught six passes for 55 yards on eight targets despite being shut down in the run game against Tampa Bay, so expect a double-digit floor with a 30-point ceiling against the Raiders on Sunday. Walker is the focal point of Seattle’s offense, which is a balanced attack that utilizes him in a variety of ways, creating a huge upside and good value at $6,900 on DraftKings.
Honorable Mention: James Conner (RB – Cardinals) ($6,600) didn’t have the prettiest outing in a lopsided loss to San Francisco in Week 11, but he did manage to find the end zone on only 14 carries. Kyler Murray’s (QB – Cardinals) return will help Conner out a lot in Week 12, but he is already gifted a plus-matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers’ bottom-three run defense. Conner is relatively cheap and doesn’t have any real competition other than Murray at the goal-line, so fire him up with confidence in a potentially high-scoring affair between the Cardinals and Chargers on Sunday.
FanDuel
Josh Jacobs (RB – Raiders): $8,700
Josh Jacobs has cooled off since his hot stretch from Weeks 4-7, but he’s still a solid floor play in DFS lineups against the Seattle run defense on Sunday. The Raiders’ offense feeds Jacobs over 20 carries per game, which he typically turns into high-end RB2 production with RB1 upside. Last game against Denver, Jacobs saw a spike in targets, hauling in three receptions for 51 receiving yards. The Seahawks have surrendered the seventh-most points to running backs on FanDuel at 22.17 points per game this year, making Jacobs a bonafide RB2. You’ll need to deal with the high salary but the production will neutralize the cost.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB – Dolphins): $7,700
The best running back matchup in Week 12 goes to Miami’s backfield. More specifically, Jeff Wilson Jr. The 27-year-old running back was traded from San Francisco to Miami at the trade deadline and he’s made an immediate impact in the Dolphins’ running game, averaging 5.7 YPC against Chicago and 7.0 YPC against Cleveland. The Texans are the worst run defense in the league, allowing over 28 points per game to opposing running backs on FanDuel, so don’t even look at the salary. Simply plug Wilson into lineups as a foundational piece that could deliver a 100-yard, two-touchdown performance in South Beach on Sunday afternoon.
Honorable Mention: Rachaad White (RB – Buccaneers) ($6,400) quickly took over Tampa Bay’s backfield before their Bye Week, handling 22 carries for 105 yards in an overseas win against Seattle in Week 10. The rookie running back is set for a great matchup against Cleveland’s 31st-ranked run defense on FanDuel, allowing 27.32 points per game, so get White into lineups at a discounted rate ahead of Sunday’s road tilt in Cleveland, Ohio.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Ja’Marr Chase (WR – Bengals): $7,600
Assuming Ja’Marr Chase’s availability continues trending upward, he’s a lock in DFS lineups on Sunday in Nashville. The Titans are the fourth-best wide receiver matchup on DraftKings this season and Joe Burrow will be itching to funnel targets to his favorite offensive weapon. A hip injury kept Chase out of lineups for the past few games but Cincinnati is still playing very good offense, meaning Chase’s return could yield a 20 or 30-point performance in DraftKings lineups once Sunday’s main slate concludes.
Chris Olave (WR – Saints): $6,600
San Francisco has one of the top defenses in the league but they can still be thrown on. Andy Dalton (QB – Saints) is not the most complete quarterback by any stretch of the imagination but he’ll hit the road and arrive in the Bay Area with top weapon, rookie wideout Chris Olave, fresh off of a huge outing against the Rams in Week 11. Olave netted five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, which was his first since Week 5 against Seattle. At $6,600, you’re getting good value with Olave in a plus-matchup, where the Saints will fall behind early and be forced to air it out to play catch up. Insert the best rookie wide receiver in as many lineups as possible ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. ET kickoff.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Aiyuk (WR – 49ers) ($6,400) had an absurd stat line in Week 11, hauling in two receptions for 22 yards and two touchdowns. That’s right. Both of Aiykuk’s receptions resulted in touchdowns during San Francisco’s 38-10 win over Arizona. Aiyuk is a solid WR2 who offers a double-digit point floor, with the ability to hit 20 points well within his range of outcomes against the Saints’ pass defense at home on Sunday.
FanDuel
Tyreek Hill (WR – Dolphins): $9,200
Houston’s best asset is its pass defense, but that shouldn’t stop you from rostering Tyreek Hill in Week 12. The Miami Dolphins go as Hill goes, which means he’s due for another double-digit finish in South Beach on Sunday. Hill has either a touchdown or 100-yard outing in four of his past five games played, so he’s worth the expensive salary against the Texans, who are reeling after being blown out by a mediocre Washington offense in Week 11. Hill should yield at least 20 points on FanDuel, so make sure you prioritize building around him as much as possible.
Allen Robinson (WR – Rams): $6,800
A much cheaper wide receiver option, if you’re looking for a potential salary-saver with a good return on investment, is Allen Robinson. The ninth-year wideout scored a touchdown against the Saints in Week 11 and he’s consistently drawing five to seven targets per game. If the Chiefs jump out to an early lead, which is expected based on the 15.5-point spread favoring Kansas City, Robinson will draw more targets than usual, which could lead to his first 20-point FanDuel finish in 2022. It’s risky, but if you spent up elsewhere, Robinson is a good player to take some risk on.
Honorable Mention: Curtis Samuel (WR – Commanders) ($6,500) has taken a back seat to Terry McLaurin (WR – Commanders), but Washington will face the league’s worst pass defense on Sunday. Atlanta is allowing the second-most FanDuel points per game to wide receivers at 43.52 points per game this season, so even if Samuel only draws two to four targets, he could be much more efficient and wind up with his third double-digit outing in the past five games back home in Washington D.C.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Travis Kelce (TE – Chiefs): $7,700
Not much needs to be said about Travis Kelce’s fantasy appeal. The 33-year-old star tight end is Patrick Mahomes’ favorite weapon right now, hauling in six receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner in the closing seconds, against the Chargers last Sunday night. Kelce has scored over 20 points on DraftKings in six of his past seven games, which means he doesn’t even need the touchdowns to deliver a ceiling. He’s worth every penny against the Rams despite the tough matchup against their defense, which is only allowing 9.59 points to tight ends on DraftKings this season.
Honorable Mention: David Njoku (TE – Browns) ($3,600) is currently tagged as questionable but he is expected to lace up his cleats against Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Browns have been competitive but cannot finish games, so with Jacoby Brissett’s (QB – Browns) last game as a starter, expect a flurry of targets for the talented sixth-year tight end against an underwhelming Tampa Bay pass defense.
FanDuel
Gerald Everett (TE – Chargers): $5,200
Any tight end who plays against the Arizona Cardinals should be prioritized in DFS lineups. This week, it’s Gerald Everett, who should see softer coverage, albeit with fewer targets, thanks to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams being back in the mix. Everett has not hit double-digit points in a game on FanDuel since Week 4, but he only needs a touchdown or a couple of big chunk plays to return value at $5,200.
Honorable Mention: Hayden Hurst (TE – Bengals) ($5,100) is going to need to be hyper-efficient with his dwindling targets, but Tennessee will be preoccupied with Chase and the rest of Cincinnati’s wide receiving corps on Sunday. This could allow Hurst to slip behind coverage and deliver an explosive play or two, which we’ve seen him do with Chase in previous lineups. View Hurst as a touchdown-dependent player who could find his way into the end zone for the third time this season against a bad Tennesee pass defense.
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Broncos D/ST: $3,800
The Broncos’ defense has been its strength all season, even after ceding an overtime touchdown to Davante Adams (WR – Raiders) in Week 11. Denver will face the Carolina Panthers, who are slated to roll out Sam Darnold (QB – Panthers) under center for the first time this year. Most defenses should be prioritized against Carolina, especially the Broncos D/ST, which shouldn’t have issues shutting down a one-dimensional offense.
Honorable Mention: Jets D/ST ($3,300) will face Chicago, who may wind up without Justin Fields (QB – Bears) on Sunday due to a separated shoulder injury sustained in a Week 11 loss to Atlanta. As bad as the Jets offense has played, it’s been the defense keeping them afloat, so fire them up at a lowly $3,300 against a run-centric Bears offense that could be without its star player under center.
FanDuel
49ers D/ST: $4,700
The 49ers’ D/ST looked fantastic against Arizona in Week 11, but they were also playing against Colt McCoy (QB – Cardinals). They will return home to Santa Clara, California to face New Orleans, who strung together a couple of touchdowns in a much-needed win against the Rams in Week 11. Nick Bosa (DE – 49ers), Fred Warner (LB – 49ers), and the rest of this talented defense should stay busy teeing off on Andy Dalton in the pocket on Sunday afternoon, making them a worthy investment in Week 12.
Honorable Mention: Miami Dolphins D/ST ($4,400) has not been strong for much of the season, but with Houston benching Davis Mills (QB – Texans) after a brutal showing against Washington in Week 11, it’s worth taking a flier on the Dolphins’ defense in Week 12.
