X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

DraftKings NFL DFS Lineup Picks - Week 12: Break The Slate

Joe Nicely's DraftKings NFL DFS picks and lineup sleepers for Week 12. His top daily fantasy football recommendations to target for DraftKings DFS contests.

Hi there, RotoBallers, and welcome back to Break The Slate! It's great to be back talking NFL DFS with you! In what's been a recurring theme this season, we once again saw a "can't miss" DFS spot underperform in Week 11, with the DAL vs KC game largely disappointing. It was a great reminder that it's ok - and even smart - to sometimes go "against the grain" in GPP formats.

As we turn our attention to the Week 12 slate, it doesn't appear that there's one matchup that will soak up a huge percentage of ownership like DAL vs KC did last week. However, there are multiple game environments that offer the potential for DFS fireworks that we'll touch on in this week's article!

These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on matchups, projected ownership, overall upside/talent levels, opportunity, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home-field advantage, and more. There are quite a few great plays available, so read on to find out which players are the best for Week 12. Be sure to also check out our weekly FanDuel DFS lineup picks and lots of other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big! I try to update the article on Saturdays to reflect any significant injuries or late-breaking news, as the landscape of the slate can change quickly in the NFL throughout the course of a week, so I hope that you will drop in to check those out before finalizing your lineups. Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups, let's Break The Slate together!

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 12 DFS Picks

Jalen Hurts - PHI @ NYG ($7,300)

While there is lots of QB star power on this Week 12 slate, it's fairly easy to poke holes in many of the elite names when you start digging into their matchups. There's no such issue with Jalen Hurts, a player with a DFS floor that rivals or exceeds that of the majority of star QBs available this week. The Philly signal caller's rushing ability remains a coveted DFS asset and that's especially true on a Week 12 slate that primarily consists of pocket passers.

Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with eight rushing TDs and stands second in rushing yards with 616. The Eagles have shown a desire to go run-heavy over their last three games, but that philosophy has led to rushing attempts of 18/13/10 for Hurts. If his usage on the ground remains consistent, he should have no trouble finding success in a matchup against a Giants defense that ranks 30th in the NFL in Rush Defense DVOA.

 

DraftKings Running Backs - Week 12 DFS Picks

Joe Mixon - PIT @ CIN ($7,500)

Listen, Jonathan Taylor is awesome and proved he's capable of smashing against anyone last week in Buffalo. But he's again faced with a brutal task in Week 12 against a rugged Bucs run-stopping unit that is allowing just a minuscule 3.51 yards per carry. Despite the tough matchup, we can expect Taylor's ownership to be elevated due to his Week 11 explosion.

Meanwhile, I feel as though Joe Mixon will once again go largely overlooked at $7.5k, despite posting 25 or more DK points in four of Cincy's last five games. Mixon is averaging a massive 20.7 total opportunities per game on the season, the seventh-most in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers brand name might inspire fear when it comes to deploying RBs against them, but the numbers point to a unit that is beatable on the ground. Pittsburgh is allowing a whopping 4.69 yards per carry - the fourth-most in the league - and their 6.78 yards per target allowed to opposing RBs also ranks near the bottom of the NFL.

Miles Sanders - PHI @ NYG ($5,100)

We've all probably been burned by Miles Sanders at some point, which makes it hard to keep pulling the trigger on the Eagles' hard-luck back. However, I'm willing to get hurt again on this slate, as Philly's newfound dedication to the run, coupled with Sanders' affordable price tag and a matchup against the Giants, makes him tough to ignore.

Philly ranks first in the NFL in team rushing play percentage (64.65%) over their last three and surprisingly handed Sanders a season-high 16 carries in his first game back from a prolonged stint on the IR, which he converted to 96 rushing yards. While it is scary to trust this Philly coaching staff, we can assume that they will be willing to continue attacking on the ground against a New York Giants squad that stands 30th in the NFL in Rush Defense DVOA and has allowed an average of 4.51 yards per carry to opposing backs.

 

DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 12 DFS Picks

Deebo Samuel - MIN @ SF ($7,900)

With the type of season he's put together, it's fair to wonder why Deebo Samuel hasn't been listed in this article every week. Samuel has been the one true mainstay for a Niners offense that has dealt with both injuries and inconsistency throughout the year. He's been a usage monster, averaging 8.8 targets per game on the season and a massive 30.1% target share in San Fran's passing attack, the third-highest in the NFL.

With the Niners' backfield extremely banged up, we've even seen Samuel running the football over the last two weeks, tallying 115 yards and two TDs on 13 carries. He'll bring his dynamic bag of tricks into a Week 12 matchup against a Minnesota Vikings defense that allowed 372 passing yards last week and is allowing nearly nine yards per target to opposing WRs on the season.

Michael Pittman Jr. - TB @ IND ($5,600)

We know the Colts want to run this offense through Jonathan Taylor, but they might eventually be forced to the air in this Week 12 matchup against what's a legitimate pass-funnel defense. While Tampa Bay hasn't been horrible against the pass by any stretch - 17th in the NFL in yards per pass allowed - their brick-wall run defense - second in the NFL in yards allowed per carry at just 3.51 - makes throwing the ball against the Bucs seem like a great option.

If the Colts are indeed eventually forced to pass, the best bet for a slate-breaking type of outing is Michael Pittman Jr. The second-year wideout has been the clear alpha of the Indy passing attack this season. He dominates in both team target share (22.6%) and team Air Yards share (31.6%). That usage has led to a rock-solid average of 15.4 DK points per game for Pittman this season, as well as four outings with 20 or more DK points.

Van Jefferson - LAR @ GB ($4,900)

With the Rams entering Week 12 after suffering back-to-back beatdowns and a subsequent bye week, it is fair to wonder - outside of Cooper Kupp - how many pieces of this L.A. offense will garner much DFS attention. However, let's not forget that this is an offense that scored at least 20 points in every game over the first eight weeks of the season, has a 61.12% pass play rate, and will be without Robert Woods - a player that was garnering a 22.1% share of the Rams targets - going forward.

Enter Van Jefferson, a second-year downfield threat that will inherit Woods' role in this offense. Jefferson boasts an attractive aDOT 0f 13.57 on the year and received seven targets in L.A.'s first game without Woods in Week 10. He comes with a season-high $4.9k price tag this week (which should keep his ownership depressed) but he profiles as one of the strongest sub-$5k GPP plays on the slate that no one seems to be talking about.

 

DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 12 DFS Picks

George Kittle - MIN @ SF ($6,400) 

After an extensive stint on IR, George Kittle has returned to the Niners' lineup and is once again playing with the mad-dog style that we've grown accustomed to in recent years. He's been hyper-efficient since his return, catching 15 of 19 targets for 185 yards and 3 TDs over San Fran's last three. The Niners have held comfortable leads in each of the last two weeks, but we can expect an improved game environment for Kittle and the passing attack against Minnesota in a matchup that carries both a tight point spread and high Over/Under.

Rob Gronkowski - TB @ IND ($4,400)

We touched on some reasons why this is one of the more intriguing matchups on the slate when discussing Indy's Michael Pittman Jr., the chief of which being that it is the only Week 12 game with an Over/Under that's currently set at over 50 points. Rob Gronkowski has spent the better part of the year on IR, but looked good against the Giants on Monday Night Football, playing 46 offensive snaps and grabbing six of eight targets for 71 yards. We know what the combination of Brady and Gronk are capable of and they'll get a chance to make their mark against a Colts defense that ranks bottom-five in the NFL in receptions, yards, and TDs allowed to the TE position.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Weekly DFS Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF