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5 fantasy matchups to exploit in Week 12

during the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville , Fla., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Welcome to the Matchups Machine, which narrows down ideal matchups from around the league on a weekly basis using the tools we have available at PFF, the Las Vegas odds, and insight from yours truly.

PFF has all the tools to break down each individual matchup. Do you want to know how your wide receiver is going to do? Well, if he lines up as a split end on 90 percent of his snaps, we can pinpoint which cornerback he will be matching up with for those snaps. We can also tell you how that cornerback has performed.

Of course, as was the case in the past, this column will become more accurate as the season goes on and we compile more grades for the players and get a feel for the tendencies and overall strengths/weaknesses of the 32 teams.

The goal of this column is to help you with those tricky decisions in year-long leagues, but also to help you narrow down your best options in daily fantasy leagues. You will see a mix of big-name players and fringe starters. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

Eli Manning at Redskins

Sometimes you have to zig when others zag when looking for the best matchups. It’s easy to pinpoint that Brian Hoyer is matched up with a Saints defense that has allowed 14 passing touchdowns in their past three games — Hoyer will be highly owned in daily leagues. Instead of diving into that crowded pool, we target a quarterback in an excellent matchup who should carry a low ownership percentage across the board.

In Manning’s first meeting with the Redskins in Week 3, he threw for 279 passing yards and two touchdowns. In his past three meetings against the Redskins, Manning has combined for 9 touchdowns and 829 yards while completing just under 70 percent of his passes. The Redskins have a new scheme, but a lot of familiar pieces in place.

For a third consecutive season, the Redskins have really struggled in pass coverage. Only six teams have earned a worse grade in pass coverage, as injuries have taken their toll along the defensive front and in the secondary. In Week 11, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton racked up a season-high five touchdown passes and 246 yards on just 21 completions. Manning operates out of a higher-volume offense with a tendency to run no-huddle as a way to spark the offense.

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Dan Schneier is a staff writer at PFF Fantasy and he covers the NFL for FOX Sports. You can find him on Twitter @DanSchneierNFL. You can also add him to your network on Google+ to find all of his past material.

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