Week 12’s DraftKings main slate is here. And boy, the season is flying by. Soon, we will be talking about Wild Card Playoffs DraftKings slates. As for this DraftKings slate, the weather looks great. No issues to speak about, which keeps the entire player pool open. Adding to the large player pool, three games are at 47.5, and five more have a projected total of at least 45.5. So, Week 12 is a great week for DraftKings. There will be some favorites in excellent matchups that I cannot simply ignore. Let’s start with the living legend whose nickname is just his name.
DraftKings Plays for NFL Week 12 Main Slate
Favorite Play: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (6.9K)
Drake “Drake Maye” Maye has the best potential matchup this week. He is QB3 in fantasy points per game at the position. And has ascended into the upper echelon of quarterbacks in both fantasy and real life. Now, he is playing a defense that is giving up the second-most passing yards, the most passing touchdowns, and the worst estimated points added against the pass. New England has the third-highest team total on the slate. I am okay with paying the high DraftKings salary for Maye and will look to stack him with one or more of his pass-catchers. Maye will be popular, but against this defense, he will likely be worth it.
Contrarian Play: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (5K)
Is it cheating if I mention the same player two weeks in a row for different reasons? Last week, I changed this part of an article because McCarthy was popular, but I believed he was a good player who had to be mentioned. He went on to score eight DraftKings points and ruin several lineups. Now, he gets a seemingly tougher matchup, and the list of doubters is at an all-time high.
However, he gets a sneaky decent matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are allowing the 12th-highest estimated points added against the pass. The team is 27th in fantasy points allowed to the position. Has McCarthy been bad, yes, but at his DraftKings salary, which is $100 above an injured Michael Penix, I will take that gamble any day of the week.
Running Back
Favorite Play: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions (8.3K)
This is a pick I do not need to spend much time on. Gibbs is likely going to be the most popular play on the slate. Jonathan Taylor has hit $10K salary on DraftKings. And he is starting to become unplayable; he has a tough matchup against the Chiefs, regardless.
The Giants are allowing the third-most fantasy points to running backs, and the Lions have the highest projected team total on the slate at 31.75. New York has been bad against the run, giving up the second-most rushing yards in the league, behind, of course, the Bengals. Gibbs’ expanded role with Laporta out likely means we see him finish as the RB1 overall this week.
Contrarian Play: Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (5.9K)
After last week’s game, Etienne would be the last player to expect as a contrarian on DraftKings. However, Vegas’s odds make it more likely people will lean on rookie Bhayshul Tuten. Both running backs are -180 to score a touchdown for the team. They are also nearly even in rushing yard projections, which means that this backfield could go either way.
The Arizona Cardinals are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. So, both backs could find the end zone. It just depends on how they handle the timeshare with two injury designations throughout the week. This pick is a risky one on DraftKings, but Etienne could land in the optimal if the timeshare breaks his way.
Wide Receiver
Favorite Play: DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles (5.6K)
Picking Smith is a callback to a few weeks back. I stated that Smith was the Eagles’ best wide receiver. Now, he has had a few down games since then. As you may know, the Eagles have been an offensive disaster as of late. However, the Dallas Cowboys are a defensive disaster against the pass.
The Cowboys play zone coverage at a top-ten percentage in the league, and Smith averages 2.14 yards per route run against zone, which is good for 16th in the league among receivers with a minimum of ten targets. Dallas also gives up the most fantasy points to opposing receivers, making this a dream matchup for him, in a game where the Eagles have to win by a few touchdowns to inspire any confidence in their offense.
Contrarian Play: Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (3.6K)
Burden has finally taken over for Olamide Zaccheus. And his role should only continue to grow in the offense. He earned five targets last week, and his DraftKings salary prices him as a part-time player. The Steelers allow the third-most points to opposing receivers. I like Burden as a punt play to save salary against a weak Steelers secondary.
Tight End
Favorite Play: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (5K)
Let me be honest with you here. My favorite play this week is Trey McBride. However, that honestly feels like cheating. So, Kelce it is for this week. Kelce is coming off a massive week in which he saw 13 targets and scored 24.1 DraftKings points. And that was against one of the better defenses against tight ends heading into Week 11.
Now, he gets an easy matchup against the Colts, who give up the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, in a matchup where we could see Mahomes throw 45 times again if the Colts offense shows up like they have been. Kelce is a great secondary play if you do not want to pay up for McBride or even Bowers.
Contrarian Play: Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans (3.7K)
Being almost two-touchdown underdogs and going against the defense that gives up the fifth most points to the position. Okonkwo has potential fantasy gold written all over him. This pick could easily go bad, considering the quality of their offense, and Trey McBride certainly inflated that number two weeks ago.
Looking at the position, the only other player that stands out in this DraftKings salary range is Hunter Henry, and he does not qualify as a contrarian pick in the slightest against the Bengals. Colston Loveland, Mason Taylor, and Harold Fanin Jr. could also be potential picks at the position. However, I do not feel strongly about anyone outside the top four in salary and Henry.
Final Thoughts
This week is shaping up to be one of the most random weeks yet. Gibbs and Maye feel like the only two locks on a slate that could be broken wide open by Emmanuel Wilson or one of Seattle’s running backs. The contrarian plays are to offer options that some people might overlook, but if I had to rank them in order of priority, it would be Burden due to salary relief. Etienne, because I am a believer in the talent.Then McCarthy, who is a true contrarian option this weekend, and then Okonkwo, who will likely be sub two percent rostered on DraftKings today. Either way, best of luck setting your lineups for this wild Week 12 DraftKings slate.
