Week 12 DFS locks of the week

The bye weeks are behind us but Thanksgiving is upon us, so the main slate for DFS purposes still features a lower number of total teams. But there’s still plenty of goodness to go around, with 12 games on Sunday.

Here’s a list of players you can lock into your Week 12 DFS lineups for Sunday’s main slate.

Note: There’s always a case to be made for playing any player in tournaments. This list of “locks” is cash game focused, but I typically like these players across all contest types.

Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Wilson is currently fantasy’s No. 1 quarterback — and it’s not even close — and he gets arguably the best matchup on Sunday against the 49ers, who have given up multiple passing scores to opposing quarterbacks in five straight games. Wilson is passing and running well; this one is a no-brainer.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Ryan looked like 2016 NFL MVP Ryan in Week 11, and he should keep it rolling in Week 12 against the Buccaneers, who have given up the third-most passing yards to opposing quarterbacks so far this year. I love Ryan as a nearly 10-point home favorite in a cake matchup.

Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills

Assuming Taylor is the starter, it’s hard to see him failing to reach value based on his salary. The Chiefs have given up the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks on the year, and they’ve given up the seventh-most rushing yards to the position. Taylor is just too cheap.

Running backs

Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs

Hunt flopped as the chalk in Week 11, but he gets another shot in Week 12 against a Bills squad that has given up the second-most fantasy points to the position this year, including nearly 4.5 YPC against. The 13 rushing touchdowns Buffalo has ceded pace the league by a wide margin.

Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

This dynamic duo will light it up again in Week 12 against the Rams, who rank bottom-five in terms of fantasy points given up to opposing running backs. Kamara and Ingram rank first and third among all running backs with 50-plus rushing attempts this year in terms of fantasy points per opportunity.

Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh is an unfathomable 14-point favorite against the Packers at home on Sunday night. The Packers are a bottom-half team in terms of fantasy points given up to opposing running backs, and they have given up about 125 total yards and a touchdown per game to opposing backfields. As a bell cow, Bell could reach those numbers individually.

Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley’s Rams take on the Saints in what is expected to be the highest-scoring game of the week. The Saints give up a healthy 4.3 YPC to opposing backs, and they have given up the (tied for) fifth-most receptions to the position (60).

Wide receivers

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Jones is a big home favorite against a Buccaneers squad that has given up the most receiving yards to opposing wideouts this year. They have also given up an insane 146 receptions to the position, which easily paces the league.

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Brown is cash-game viable this week against a Packers secondary that has given up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this year. Brown will primarily draw Kevin King in coverage, our fifth-worst-graded right cornerback on the year.

Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins

Landry has seen double-digit targets in all but two games this year, and unlike year’s past, he’s actually scoring touchdowns in 2017. Landry has a touchdown in six of his past seven games. Patriots slot man Eric Rowe has given up a league-high 2.54 yards per route covered.

Rishard Matthews, Tennessee Titans

Go ahead and lock Matthews into lineups as a cheap option against a Colts defense that has given up the ninth-most fantasy points to enemy wideouts this year. He caught four of four passes for 69 yards in Week 6, and last year, he snagged nine of 13 looks for 122 yards. He should see more than four targets in this game, and the 100-yard barrier is within reach.

Tight ends

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

He hasn’t scored in what seems like a long time, but that could change in Week 12 against the Dolphins, who have given up the fifth-most fantasy PPG to tight ends, including a touchdown to the position in four of their past five games.

Jared Cook, Oakland Raiders

Playing your tight end against the Broncos is officially a thing. Denver has given up the third-most fantasy points to the position this year. Cook ranks eighth in targets (57) and receptions (41) among tight ends, but he’s fifth in yards (535).

Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers

There’s a name I haven’t typed in a while. Assuming he plays, Olsen is in a good spot against the Jets, who have given the eighth-most fantasy points to the position. This play only stands if we get confirmation that Olsen will not be limited in his first game back.