No matter what your record is, if your team is still alive in the playoff hunt in Fantasy Football Week 12, this feels like more of a must-win week than any other so far. You must either win to remain in the race, or to nail down a top playoff seeding. The extra pressure is on.
With the added pressure, though comes the tendency to overthink things even more, and possibly make a decision that can backfire. Just remember that the best you can do is make the most informed decisions possible, and once the games begin, everything is out of your control after that. Don’t worry about what you cannot control, such as who the other team is starting. If you make sound decisions, you will give yourself the best chance of winning. It’s simply about outscoring the other guy, you cannot game plan to defend his players.
We help you make the key decisions that give you the best chance of winning this week. Lock in our best picks for increased odds of success. We also tell you who to avoid that may drag you down.
For help getting ready for NFL Week 11, check out our Waiver Wire Recommendations and FAAB Guide.
Fantasy Football Week 12: Start ‘Em
Running Backs
Tevin Coleman vs. GB: He just has not been the same since his big three TD game, and Coleman has been a disappointment in recent weeks as opponents have looked to stifle the 49ers running game and make Jimmy Garoppolo beat them. This is a get-right week for Coleman, though as the Packers have allowed the third-most Fantasy Points Per Game to RBs.
Phillip Lindsay vs. BUF: He has remained a quality RB2 and always has a pretty good chance to score. Lindsay isn’t the exciting Fantasy pick he was last season, but he can still deliver respectable totals when you need him to, and he will at least produce adequately in Fantasy Football Week 12. Over the past month, the Bills have allowed the fourth-most FFPG to RBs among AFC teams.
Kareem Hunt vs. MIA: He is a nifty plug-in at flex this week or as a RB2 if you are near desperate. Hunt has returned as a quality receiving specialist out of the backfield for the Browns and you can expect a big passing day for Baker Mayfield. He also still has the abilities to provide some sizable gains as a runner, too.
Wide Receivers
Jarvis Landry vs. MIA: This is all about piling on with some Browns this week. I guess you can see where I will be building my main DFS stacks from. Landry has started to rediscover the end zone recently and this is the perfect “Revenge Game” spot against his former team in Fantasy Football Week 12. Miami has allowed an AFC-high 16 TD receptions to WRs.
Tyrell Williams vs. NYJ: He has not been as productive recently as he was earlier in the season, but this is a prime matchup for quality yardage totals and a TD reception or two. The Jets allow the most FFPG to opposing WRs among AFC teams.
DK Metcalf vs. PHI: The Eagles secondary has been playing better recently, but Metcalf continues to improve every week and his size/speed mix will give the Eagles CBs some issues. Philadelphia will have a lot to deal with when trying to contain Russell Wilson’s pass-catchers and Metcalf is a consistent threat for a sizable downfield play or red zone score. Look for some splash contributions from the exciting rookie in Fantasy Football Week 12.
Tight Ends
Ryan Griffin vs. OAK: His breakout game in Week 11 had some Fantasy owners saying “What the Deuce?” I have no time machine from his brother Stewie but I can tell you the Raiders are the worst team in the AFC vs. TEs over the past month and the full season. Ryan Griffin’s performance last week was no joke and he won’t turn into a dog in Fantasy Football Week 12. Yes, I planned all of that.
Dallas Goedert vs. SEA: He has become a consistent TD threat recently and the Seahawks have allowed the fifth-most FFPG to TEs among AFC teams.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield vs. MIA: Book a three-TD outing in Fantasy Football Week 12. The Dolphins have allowed 23 TD passes to QBs, the second-most in the AFC. One is going to Odell Beckham Jr., another to Landry, and maybe a third to Hunt.
Jeff Driskel vs. WAS: And you all assumed that backup NFL QBs immediately dragged a team down and would not be worthy of any Fantasy consideration. Didn’t Gardner Minshew remind you to expect better at times? Driskel is not afraid to gun the ball downfield and he is also a scrambling/running threat. He is a quality streamer if you are without Patrick Mahomes or Kyler Murray this week.
Sit ‘Em
Running Backs
Brian Hill vs. TB: He flopped badly in his first chance to start last week. Now he gets a matchup against a team that has stifled more proven RBs throughout their schedule. You can do better than Hill in Fantasy Football Week 12.
Derrius Guice vs. DET: You may be tempted to flex him after his 45-yard TD reception last week. But Adrian Peterson has not fully gone away yet, and Chris Thompson is also back in the mix. The Redskins are likely not going to ride him too heavily yet and it’s too early to rely on him in such an important Fantasy week.
Wide Receivers
Deebo Samuel vs. GB: He was a nice filler over the past two weeks, but George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders may be back in the mix for the 49ers this time and the Green Bay secondary presents a more formidable challenge than the Seahawks and Cardinals, who Samuel faced in his past two games. He has much less upside in Fantasy Football Week 12.
James Washington vs. CIN: It seems like a great matchup for Washington, who may have to play a larger role in the Pittsburgh passing game with JuJu Smith-Schuster out. But Washington has been nothing but a disappointment in his career so far and you should try to avoid him in a very important Fantasy week if you can. Opportunity does not always lead to production, and that may turn out to be the case here.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers vs. SF: He has not been dependable this year and the matchup is obviously tough enough to curb any possible upside in Fantasy Football Week 12. He’s a risk to not be a Top 12 Fantasy producer this week.
Dak Prescott vs. NE: If you have another quality streaming option or top level passer, you have to consider benching Dak in Fantasy Football Week 12. He has played really well this season, but Bill Belichick will certainly expose any flaws he might have. I don’t have to remind any savvy Fantasy Football player of that fact.
NOTE: At this time of year, there are no outright bench recommendations at TE. If you have a top guy at the position, you start him no matter what. Otherwise you look for a streamer like Goedert or Griffin.
Got a question for Scott about Fantasy Football Week 11? Let him know in the comments below.
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