DraftKings.com NFL DFS Week 12 Picks and Plays for Cash Game and GPP Lineups

Week 12 of NFL DFS is here, and everyone is looking to cash in on the big daily fantasy football money at DraftKings. Every week, we’ll bring you our top NFL DFS picks at each position, separating them into Cash and GPP plays. And to keep up with all things PlayPicks, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

As with any daily fantasy sport, the advice below is relevant for fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than in real life due to matchup, price, gameflow, and various other factors. This is important to remember when constructing a roster.

Weather will play a key factor in NFL games going forward, so make sure to check the forecast for each Sunday.

For those looking for plays for the Thanksgiving slate, scroll to the bottom for our position-by-position breakdown of the holiday games.

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Best Week 12 NFL DFS Quarterback Plays

Andy Dalton vs. CLE ($6.0K) – GPP/Cash
Cleveland is 25th against quarterbacks in terms of DK points allowed, and Andy Dalton has a history of shredding the Browns. Just this year, he tallied 29.3 DK points on 286 yards and four touchdowns. In the past two weeks, Dalton has thrown for a combined five touchdowns, which came against the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. The Browns have a worse secondary than both of those teams, and Dalton has thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of his last five games against the Browns. As such, he’s got a nice floor this week, along with four-TD upside.

Matt Moore @ NE ($4.8K DraftKings) – GPP
Obviously, this play is contingent on Jay Cutler missing this week due to a concussion, which seems probable. Matt Moore has himself a fine matchup if that ends up being the case. In limited snaps this season, Moore has looked good at times, and bad one time. That time was against a very difficult Baltimore defense, which intercepted two passes and shut down Miami. However, in the two games where Moore replaced Cutler mid-game, he’s thrown 49 times for 470 yards and three touchdowns. He won’t throw the ball 49 times this week (I don’t think), but against a Patriots defense allowing the most DK points to opposing quarterbacks, Moore has a very high floor considering his $4.8K price tag.

Marcus Mariota @ IND ($6.3K) – GPP/Cash
Marcus Mariota got through last week’s Thursday Night Football game with a respectable DK score of 21.7, even if he threw four interceptions and his Titans lost 40-17 to the Steelers. This week, he gets an Indianapolis Colts team allowing the fourth-most DK points to opposing quarterbacks. Mariota already threw for over 300 yards against Indy earlier this season. Mariota has a great floor due to rushing ability and matchup, and the Titans are in the playoff hunt, so they need to find a way to win this divisional matchup.

Russell Wilson @ SF ($7.0K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
With the Legion of Boom decimated by injuries and no run game to be found, Russell Wilson is now very clearly the Seahawks’ only hope. The weakened defense let the Atlanta Falcons score early and often on Monday Night Football, and Wilson leads the team in rushing yards. Frankly, given everything required of him, I’ll have very heavy exposure to Wilsosn until he’s priced more aggressively (over $8.0K). Further, the 49ers may start Jimmy Garoppolo, which could give that offense a boost, while Seahawks are only -7 opening favorites. This game has blowout potential, but no matter what way it goes, Wilson will almost certainly get his.

Secondary options: Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor, Drew Brees

Best Week 12 NFL DFS Running Back Plays

Alvin Kamara @ LAR ($7.9K DraftKings) – GPP
Seemingly out of nowhere, the New Orleans Saints have the best backfield in the NFL, and it’s not even close. Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara have been remarkable this year, each putting up massive numbers despite the presence of the other. In fact, until this week, there should’ve been more talk of Ingram-Kamara stacks. Now, the two combine for $16.2K in salary, meaning you’re almost certainly going to have to pick one (and you should pick one; I’m concerned about each hitting value at these prices).

While Ingram is normally the one forr me, I think the gameflow of this matchup will likely be more in Kamara’s favor. The Rams are two-point favorites at home. As such, I’m skeptical the Saints will have the luxury of getting Ingram carries in the high-teens (he had 11 in a come-from-behind win last week). Instead, I expect Kamara to see more and more work as the game goes on. The Saints will likely need to lean on the pass. Sure, Ingram gets targets, but Kamara is better suited for this passing offense, and I expect he’ll be less popular due to the massive price increase.

Joe Mixon vs. CLE ($4.4K DraftKings) – GPP
Joe Mixon is the man in Cincinnati, even if his 20 carries for 49 yards in Week 11 wasn’t exactly inspiring. However, the Bengals are back from a lengthy road trip, and Mixon should see 20+ touches against a bad Cleveland Browns defense this week. Frankly, he’s risky, having not topped 13.6 fantasy points in any game this season. But if there was a week for Mixon to break out, this seems like the one. I’m inclined to pounce on a sub-$5.0K guy who will see 20+ touches. While this isn’t the best matchup on paper, Mixon’s potential workload and $4.4K salary really do make him the type of GPP play you want — high volume, low salary.

Tevin Coleman vs. TB ($6.5K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
As it stands, Tevin Coleman is expected to serve as the Falcons’ lead back this coming Sunday, with Devonta Freeman still in concussion protocol. While he struggled against the Seahawks on Monday, he did manage to find his way into the end zone. Against a Tampa Bay team missing its starting quarterback, the Falcons should control this divisional matchup, leading to more opportunities to sit back and run the ball with Coleman. He should deliver, and his big-play upside makes him very interesting in tournaments where price may scare off players.

Adrian Peterson vs. JAX ($5.0K DraftKings) – GPP
Well, I think this is it: Adrian Peterson’s final chance at staying on my fantasy radar. While that might not be reason enough for him to perform this weekend, a matchup against a bad Jacksonville run defense should. Look, Peterson has been bad the past few outings, but his matchups —against the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks — were favorable. The Jaguars are incredible against the pass, and all they’ll be tasked with is stopping Blaine Gabbert. They are, however, allowing the eighth-most points to opposing running backs and are in the cellar in rush DVOA. This is the put-up-or-shut-up week for Peterson, who really is reliant on bad opponents for any real upside.

Secondary Options: Devontae Booker, DeMarco Murray, Leonard Fournette, Dion Lewis, Todd Gurley

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Best Week 12 NFL DFS Wide Receiver Plays

Alshon Jeffery vs. CHI ($6.3K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
The Chicago Bears actually have a strong defense this season, but I’m all about Alshon Jeffery’s revenge week here. His quarterback is one of the best in the game right now, and Jeffery is averaging more than eight targets per game over his last three. In all three of those games, he topped 16.2 DK points. He’s also scored four times during that stretch. The Jeffery-Wentz connection is real, and Jeffery will get around eight shots at revenge against his former team. Now that he’s the primary WR on a title contender, Jeffery is one big game away from really showing the Bears how wrong they were.

Corey Davis @ IND ($4.9K DraftKings) – GPP
In the game logs, nothing stands out when making an argument for Corey Davis in terms of production. But the 17 targets he’s seen the past two weeks suggest opportunity is there, even if the connection with Mariota is a work in progress. While Davis isn’t safe by any means, he has the athleticism to go off against a Colts defense allowing the seventh-most DK points to opposing wideouts this season. He should see six or more receptions, and his speed should be even more potent on the Colts’ turf. Davis is a good option for GPPs, where his upside could deliver big on just $4.9K in salary.

Kenny Stills @ NE ($4.8K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
Kenny Stills normally doesn’t make it onto any Cash lists, but the Miami wideout has scored in the double digits on DraftKings in five out of his last six outings. He has at least eight receptions in four of the last five games (including eight receptions in each of the last two weeks). Last week, Stills went off for 180 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. He almost certainly won’t have as big a game this week, but there’s something to his connection with Matt Moore, who should get the start this week with Cutler recovering from a concussion. The Pats are allowing the second-most DK points to opposing wideouts. I expect they’ll be more focused on DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry than the oft-overlooked Stills. I prefer him in tournaments but am considering Stills in Cash as well.

Russell Shepard @ NYJ ($3.2K DraftKings) – GPP
Many will flock to Devin Funchess after his two-touchdown performance a few weeks ago, but Funchess actually saw one fewer target than Russell Shepard, who is nearly half the price of Funchess this week. While he clearly didn’t do as much with the additional look, Shepard is just $3.2K and should see around six targets against a Jets defense ranked 23rd in DK points allowed to wide receivers. The matchup isn’t perfect, but you’re really just paying for the additional volume here. At $3.2K, Shepard has a very smooth road to hitting value.

Secondary Options: Julio Jones, Mike Evans, Danny Amendola, Doug Baldwin, Michael Crabtree

Best Week 12 NFL DFS Tight End Plays

Rob Gronkowski vs. MIA ($6.9K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
Rob Gronkowski has burned owners over the past two weeks, which should make him an under-owned option this week on an 11-game main slate. Let the masses flock to Zach Ertz in a bad matchup, or Travis Kelce in a suddenly incompetent offense, or Jimmy Graham also in a bad matchup. Gronk gets the 30th-ranked Miami defense (DK points allowed to TE), and the Dolphins have allowed opponents to score at least 27 points in each of their last five games. I’ll admit this is partially a gut call because Gronk hasn’t done well lately. But the elite tight end is just due. And Miami doesn’t have a way to stop him.

Jared Cook vs. DEN ($4.6K DraftKings) – GPP
The Broncos are shells of their former selves, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. While Jared Cook is inconsistent, he flashed his upside a few weeks ago, scoring 23.6 DK points against a bad Dolphins defense. The Broncos are just slightly better against the TE than the Dolphins, but they’re basically equal in terms of inability to stop that position. Cook has upside you want in GPPs, while I’m staying away in Cash due to his somewhat lofty price tag.

Secondary Options: Jimmy Graham, Jack Doyle, Charles Clay, Ed Dickson

Best Week 12 NFL DFS Defense Plays

Cincinnati Bengals vs. CLE ($3.9K DraftKings) – Cash/GPP
The Cleveland Browns are allowing the fourth-most DK points to opposing defenses on the season. They possess no real path to victory against a Bengals team that has, relatively speaking, found a spark on offense. The Bengals should run the Browns into the ground, and the Bengals defense should see plenty of opportunities to force turnovers against a Cleveland offense poses no real threat.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. CHI ($3.6K DraftKings) – Cash/GPP
After shutting down an Ezekiel Elliott-less Cowboys offense on Sunday, the Eagles welcome Chicago to Philly. The Bears refuse to turn Mitch Trubisky loose, but the Eagles are a top defense against the run. With Jordan Howard the only good player in Chicago at the moment, the Eagles should be able to focus almost solely on stopping him. Without an effective Howard, the Bears won’t find any success against this dominant Philadelphia defense.

Secondary Options: New England D/ST, Jacksonville D/ST, Seattle D/ST

Best Week 12 NFL DFS Thursday Slate Plays

QB: Philip Rivers @ DAL ($6.1K DraftKings) – Cash
This Los Angeles offense is legit, and a collapsing Cowboys team probably doesn’t have enough to stop it. Dallas is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and Rivers has four touchdowns in the past two weeks. He’s a high-floor guy who has the matchup to go for 20+ DK points.

QB: Kirk Cousins vs. NYG ($7.1K DraftKings) – Cash/GPP
Janoris Jenkins reemerged in the Giants’ defense last week, as New York shocked the Kansas City Chiefs. That said, on the road against Kirk Cousins isn’t the best follow up to that success. Cousins has been stellar the past two weeks, scoring 29.0 and 31.6 DK points. Those performances came against strong defenses in Minnesota and New Orleans. The Giants are below average against the pass, even if Alex Smith couldn’t do anything against them. Cousins will be fine, and he’s a safe, solid-upside option for both Cash and GPP lineups.

RB: Jerick McKinnon @ DET ($5.2K DraftKings) – GPP
Latavius Murray is very clearly the favored back in this system when it comes to the ground attack and red zone, but he generally lacks the upside you want in DFS. McKinnon, meanwhile, possesses that big-play possibility; he has the tools to exploit a Detroit team ranking below average (23rd) in DK points allowed to opposing running backs. Also, this game should be competitive, and the Vikings will likely not have the luxury of just pounding the ball with Murray.

RB: Melvin Gordon @ DAL ($8.1K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
Melvin Gordon has an awful lot working in his favor this week, and an exploitable Cowboys defense is one of them. Dallas ranks 24th in points allowed to opposing running backs, and Gordon has been excellent on the road this year, with at least 18.9 DK points in four of five road games. He should see more work in the passing game than the two targets from last week, making Gordon a near Cash lock but also an intriguing GPP option.

WR: Adam Thielen @ DET ($7.6K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
Adam Thielen has been phenomenal this year, and that continued last week with a 27.3 DK-point performance against the Rams. Weirdly, I think at this moment, Thielen is pretty close to matchup-proof, having dominated the Rams, Redskins, and Browns in his past three games. He’s also scored a combined 60.9 DK points the past two weeks. Fire away on the Vikings’ top wideout.

WR: Keenan Allen @ DAL ($7.3K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
I hate to go chalk again here, but there just isn’t a reason not to play Keenan Allen against a bad Cowboys defense. Allen scored 43.2 DK points last week, which screams fade this week, but Dallas is 24th in DK points allowed to opposing wideouts. Allen has target upside in the mid-teens. He won’t drop 40, but he’s in a prime spot to hit value on a small slate.

TE: Evan Engram @ WAS ($6.1K DraftKings) – GPP/Cash
Don’t get cute here. Evan Engram dropped an absolute dud last week, but on a short slate, he’s the clear top tight end. Washington has allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points to opposing tight ends, and there just aren’t any other real offensive weapons on this team, even if Sterling Shepard plays.

D/ST: Los Angeles Chargers @ DAL ($2.8K DraftKings) – GPP
There is some risk, as Dak Prescott could turn things around. But the Philadelphia Eagles defense just went for more than 20 DK points against this Dallas offense. The Chargers arguably have as good a defense as Philly. Players will be scared off LAC since the Cowboys have name value, but there really isn’t reason to believe this Chargers defense isn’t equipped to handle a Cowboys offense sans Zeke.