The final third of the NFL season starts this week, and it’s time to lock into the “nitty gritty.” There are five games with implied point totals of 45 or higher this weekend. That said, some players from these potentially high-scoring affairs can be targeted for NFL DFS lineups on Sunday’s main slate.
Let’s dive into building a winning roster!
(NFL DFS salaries courtesy of DraftKings)
Week 12 NFL DFS Picks & Lineup Advice (2024)
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders) | $7,000
It’s not often that I recommend paying up for a quarterback. This week, that changes. Jayden Daniels faces the abysmal Dallas Cowboys. It’s ugly down in Dallas, and this week, they travel to Washington to take on a Commanders team who is going up.
Daniels will likely be less rostered than usual because his last two starts have been less than ideal, scoring under 15 points in both of them. The Cowboys’ secondary also did decent against C.J. Stroud this past Monday night. They limited him to 257 yards through the air and no touchdowns.
However, Daniels has a secret weapon he likes to use that Stroud doesn’t. It’s his legs. The LSU product has the third-most rushing attempts by a quarterback this season (92) and the second-most yards (482). Go ahead and sprinkle in four rushing touchdowns to pad the stats. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback, and there’s a solid chance he will destroy the Cowboys by himself come Sunday.
Running Back
James Conner (Arizona Cardinals) | $6,500
James Conner has quietly been dominating in fantasy football and NFL DFS lobbies this season. At an average of 16.3 Points Per Reception (PPR) points per game, Conner is an absolute smash play on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are currently allowing 22.6 points per game to the position. Only 10 teams in the NFL are allowing more so this far into the season.
In a game with an implied point total of 47.5, there’s very little to dislike about starting Conner in your lineup. The Cardinals have turned it up as of late. A key part of Arizona’s success is the steady train that is Conner. This team runs through him, literally. That leads to their success in games they’ve won this season. If this game hits the implied total, there is a strong chance that Conner hits his average points per game.
Wide Receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) | $6,300
The emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been a confusing tale, to say the least. Smith-Njigba can blow teams out of the water, and then he can go completely invisible. But in the last three games, “JSN” has accumulated 31 targets, 23 receptions, 359 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Geno Smith is beginning to look his way more often. This bodes well in a huge matchup against division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals. This matchup will have major implications for the NFC West or, at minimum, a chance to sneak into one of the three wild card spots. They’ll need their stars for this huge divisional game.
The Cardinals are in the middle of the pack when defending fantasy wide receivers this season, allowing 26.7 points per game to the position. Perhaps D.K. Metcalf may get in the way, but you can’t argue with the recent production. Smith-Njigba is the cheaper option in fantasy this week and has been the better fantasy asset as of late.
Tight End
Luke Schoonmaker (Dallas Cowboys) | $2,500
This is a complete punt, and it depends on the health of Jake Ferguson, who is currently in concussion protocol. However, Luke Schoonmaker might be the best overall punt play at tight end in Week 12. After Ferguson exited the game last week, Schoonmaker was hyper-targeted. Sure, he only scored 11.6 fantasy points, but Schoonmaker finished with 10 targets, six receptions and 56 yards on “Monday Night Football. That’s not bad for a backup tight end.
On Sunday, he faces off against the Commanders, who have been getting after the quarterback. In that same time, the Cowboys have been getting their butts handed to them, and Cooper Rush has looked terrible. Expect Washington to get after Rush, leading him to get rid of the ball quickly. Enter Schoonmaker in the flat and the middle of the field behind the defensive front.
Defense/Special Teams
Denver Broncos D/ST | $3,200
The last time the Denver Broncos faced the Raiders in Week 5, it wasn’t pretty for Las Vegas. The Broncos had three sacks, three interceptions and a defensive touchdown. The Broncos are also playing defense at a very high level this season, especially in recent weeks. With all kinds of issues for the Raiders, the path to the Broncos repeating this type of performance is almost a cakewalk. They’re a bit expensive, but it’s easy to see why.
Check out all of our Week 12 fantasy football content:
- Fantasy Football Whiplash! | Week 12 News & Notes (2024)
- Week 12 Fantasy Football Advice Mailbag (2024)
- Week 12 NFL DFS Picks & Lineup Advice (2024)
- Week 12 Fantasy Football Trade Targets (2024)
- Week 12 Shore Thing Sleepers (2024)
- Week 12 In the Scope Targets (2024)
- PropKings: NFL Week 12 (2024)
Thanks for reading my Week 12 NFL DFS picks! Check out more of our fantasy football and other written content here at In-Between Media, or head over to our YouTube channel to get your fix via video.
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*Photo Credit: Steven Bisig – USA TODAY Sports*
