Here are my DFS NFL Picks for Week 12. You can play these picks for the Sunday-Monday slates on FanDuel. With a terrible matchup against the Broncos defense, this is one of the few weeks I will be completely avoiding Tom Brady in DFS. This week, I plan to save on my RB selections and spend no more that $6,500 on a running back. Make sure you watch the highly-recommended DFS Strategy video before playing daily fantasy football. The order of the names listed in this article are determined on their prices, most expensive to least expensive.
QB
Carson Palmer $8,100 @SF
Palmer has been one of the most consistent, reliable and flat-out best quarterbacks this season. Regardless of the matchup and injuries to his receivers, this potent Cardinals offense always finds a way to get the job done and then some. Carson Palmer is my absolute favorite QB this week and fits the criteria to be an ideal cash game play for Week 12.
Brian Hoyer $7,100 vs. NO
Hoyer is my alternate choice at QB and there is not surprise here; it’s because of his matchup. Hoyer will be a decent cash game QB as well as a decent tournament QB. If you play him in a tournament you almost have to stack him with DeAndre Hopkins.
More QB Picks
Drew Brees $8,200 @Hou (GPP)
Philip Rivers $8,000 @Jac (GPP)
Matt Ryan $7,900 vs. Min (GPP)
Ben Roethlisberger $7,800 @Sea (high-risk GPP)
Eli Manning $7,700 @Was (GPP stack with Beckham)
Marcus Mariota $7,000 vs. Oak (GPP stack with K. Wright/D. Walker)
Kirk Cousins $6,700 @Was (stack with D. Jackson if playing GPP)
Josh McCown $6,300 vs. Bal (punt if you want to spend up on RBs or Gronk)
RB
T.J. Yeldon $6,500 vs. SD
Yeldon is one of my favorite RBs this week because he is cheap, has a great matchup and we’ve seen him play enough this year to have a good idea of how he will perform. The Jaguars are surprisingly 4-point favorites against the Chargers this week, so we may see the Jags run the ball a little bit more than usual in the 4th quarter. Yeldon averages 4 targets and 3 receptions per game this year and that gives us some safety and immunity regardless of the game script and play calling. Yeldon is a great pick for both GPPs and cash games.
Thomas Rawls $6,300 vs. Pit
This one is even more obvious than Yeldon. Rawls is going to be a very popular pick and an ideal cash game play. His price and the fact that the Seahawks are a run-first team that are favorites at home makes Rawls a safe play at RB.
More RB Picks
Javorius Allen $6,300 @Cle
Tevin Coleman $6,200 vs. Min
Spencer Ware $6,100 vs. Buf (only if Charcandrick West is out)
Alfred Blue $5,900 vs. NO
WR
DeAndre Hopkins $9,400 vs. NO
I think you know why Hopkins is on this list even though he’s the most expensive player on FanDuel this week. He is facing the Saints, leads the league in targets (136) and defenses still haven’t figured out a way to stop this guy.
Julio Jones $9,300 vs. Min
Very similar to Hopkins, Julio Jones is the go-to guy on the Falcons and is right behind Hopkins in targets (135). I am going to have Hopkins and/or Julio Jones in almost all of my cash lineups this week, as I’m saving on RBs.
Odell Beckham Jr. $9,100 @Was
We’ve seen ODB have some huge games, but he’s not as reliable as the two receivers mentioned above. This makes him an ideal tournament play, and I love him this week going against Washington. I won’t have Beckham in too many of my lineups, but if you’re playing in several contests this week, I think you should have this big-play receiver in one or two of your lineups.
Larry Fitzgerald $7,400 @SF
Larry Fitzgerald has been very reliable this year and his price ($7,400) makes him the cheapest WR1 (other than Landry). Because Fitz plays in the slot and sees 9.8 targets a game, he is a safe pick, ideal for cash games.
Steve Johnson $5,500 @Jac
The Chargers were a disaster last week against a good Chiefs defense. Even so, Stevie was able to 7 out of 8 passes thrown to him and he put up 54 receiving yards. This week, he will face a much easier opponent in the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Stevie puts up the same stat line he did last week (8.9 fantasy points), it wouldn’t be a complete disaster because of his cheap price. With Malcom Floyd coming back and Antonio Gates hopefully more healthy, everything points to the Chargers offense performing much better than they did Week 11.
More WR Picks
Antonio Brown $9,000 @Sea (high-risk GPP)
Vincent Jackson $6,400 @Ind (up-and-down WR)
DeSean Jackson $6,300 vs. NYG (up-and-down WR)
Dontrelle Inman $4,900 @Jac (very high-risk)
TE
Tight ends are going to be very unpredictable, especially this week. I would focus on making sure my other positions were fulfilled to my liking, except kicker of course. I still like Rob Gronkowski this week, but I’d much rather spend up on Hopkins/Julio/Fitzgerald at WR, than spend the extra $2,000-$3,000 on Gronk. If you don’t have a lot left to spend on a tight end, you can look at Jimmy Graham or Jordan Reed. If you have more flexibility with the salary, then you may be able to afford Gary Barnidge or Tyler Eifert.
Delanie Walker $6,100 vs. Oak
Marcus Mariota is the player that makes this Titans offense go, and Walker is one of his favorite targets to throw to. Walker has a decent floor (7.3 targets/gm) and decent ceiling because of his touchdown ability (8 targets in the red zone). He is also facing the Raiders defense, who allow a ton of fantasy points to good tight ends.
More TE Picks
Gary Barnidge $6,500 vs. Bal
Tyler Eifert $6,200 vs. StL
Jordan Reed $5,800 vs. NYG
Antonio Gates $5,700 @Jac (GPP)
Jimmy Graham $5,500 vs. Pit
Benjamin Watson $5,400 @Hou (cheap)
K
Here are a list of cheap kickers. Catanzaro could very well wind up scoring the most fantasy points out of all kickers this week and his price is amazing.
Chandler Catanzaro $4,700 @SF
Nick Novak $4,500 vs. NO
Ryan Succup $4,500 vs. Oak
Travis Coons $4,500 vs. Bal
D
Cardinals $5,300 @SF
I project the Cardinals to score the most fantasy points this week, but their price might be a tad too high as they are the most expensive defense for Week 12.
Chiefs $4,500 vs. Buf
If you can’t afford the Cardinals defense, the Chiefs D is the way to go, playing at home, at only $4,500.
More Defense Picks
Bengals $4,800 vs. StL
Ravens $4,600 @Cle
Browns $4,600 vs. Bal
Jets $4,500 vs. Mia
