If you’ve never played weekly salary-cap fantasy games, you’re missing out on what’s quickly becoming the hottest new trend in fantasy football and a great way to make some quick cash. No longer are you locked into a team for an entire season (or longer) and subject to the pain of injuries and poor performance. Instead, each week you pick a new set of players to fill your lineup. This is an exciting format that takes away a lot of the stress that goes with season-long fantasy leagues.
For those not familiar with DraftKings’ format, you are awarded a total budget of $50,000 to fill a roster of nine players (QB, RB1, RB2, WR1, WR2, TE, FLEX (RB/WR/TE), K and DST). You must pick players from at least two different NFL teams that represent two different games that week. The scoring rules are similar to most PPR scoring leagues, but you can check out the details over at DraftKings for more information there.
Now that we’we've gotten the introductory information out of the way, here’s the most valuable DraftKings lineup for Week 12.
Quarterback
Case Keenum, Houston Texans ($7,000)
Yes Keenum was benched towards the end of last week’s game, but that shouldn’t deter you from starting him against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Keenum is a great value as the 12th most expensive quarterback at just $7,000 and is averaging 19.1 fantasy points-per-week since taking over as the Texans’ starter. Jacksonville’s 25th ranked pass coverage unit comes into the game with a -26.2 grade and have allowed 20 touchdown passes to opposing quarterbacks this season, which is the third most in the league.
Running Back
Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams ($6,200)
Stacy has emerged as a legitimate RB1 in his short time as the primary ball carrier in St. Louis and is currently averaging 13.6 PPW on DraftKings. This week he has a great matchup against the Chicago Bears and their atrocious run defense, which is currently ranked dead last with a -53.4 grade. The Bears have allowed over 1,300 total yards and 12 total touchdowns to opposing ‘backs this season and are giving up 19.3 fantasy PPW as well. Stacy is definitely going to finish in the top five among running backs this week, which makes him a steal at $6,200.
Andre Brown, New York Giants ($6,000)
Brown is the only better running back value than Stacy this week at the bargain price of $6,000. Brown has been extremely successful since returning from injury, running all over opposing defenses and averaging 17.1 PPW. Brown is almost certainly a lock to finish in the top three this week against the Dallas Cowboys 30th ranked run defense, which has surrendered nearly 1,700 total yards and 13 total touchdowns to opposing running backs. They’re also allowing 22.3 fantasy PPW to running backs each week, which is the most in the NFL.
Wide Receiver
Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions ($10,000)
By starting cheaper options like Keenum, Stacy and Brown, you know have the ability to spend big on the most-expensive player on DraftKings this week. Johnson is worth every penny of that $10,000 salary though, as he’s averaging a whopping 27.5 fantasy PPW and going up against a Tampa Bay Secondary that has allowed 1,615 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. It doesn’t matter that Darrelle Revis will likely be covering Johnson for most of the game, there’s really no stopping Megatron – who should finish the week as the top pass catcher, as usual.
Rueben Randle, New York Giants ($4,700)
Randle is such a great and dirt-cheap option this week, going up against the Cowboys’ secondary that is getting torched on a weekly basis. So far this season they’ve surrendered nearly 2,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns to opposing receivers on just 135 receptions and are allowing 23 fantasy PPW. Despite significantly less targets, receptions and yards, Randle has higher yards-per-reception and YAC-per-reception numbers than Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks – plus his six touchdowns are more than Cruz and Nicks combined.
Tight End
Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts ($5,000)
This one is pretty easy to figure out. Fleener is a solid cheap option at $5,000 normally, but going up against the Arizona Cardinals this week, he’s gold. The Cardinals have allowed 886 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns to opposing tight ends this year, which are the most in both respective categories. They’re also giving up 14.0 fantasy PPW, the highest in the league. Fleener is easily a top-10 fantasy tight end this week.
Flex
Rashad Jennings, Oakland Raiders ($5,500)
Jennings has been electric since taking over for the injured Darren McFadden, amassing more yards, a higher yards-per-carry number and more yards after contact than McFadden on less carries. This week Jennings will be going up against the San Diego Chargers’ 29th-ranked run defense, which currently sports a -28.7 grade and has given up over 1,000 total yards and five touchdowns to opposing running backs this season. Jennings is a great FLEX play, and one of the only primary ‘backs in the $5,500 price range.
Kicker
David Akers, Detroit Lions ($3,000)
If you’ve been reading this article’s all year, you know I like to find the cheapest/safest bet at kicker and defense. Well, this week is no different. The Lions shouldn’t have a problem putting up the points against the Buccaneers, which will give Akers plenty of opportunity to do his thing. Of all the cheapest kicker options, he’s averaging the most points-per-week at 8.0.
Defense and Special Teams
New York Jets ($2,300)
Just like Akers, the Jets are the best option of the cheap defenses, which is even better as they’re actually the cheapest this week. While they aren’t anything special, the Jets defense should be able to slowdown the Baltimore Ravens’ running game, which will force them to go Vertical. New York isn’t the best against the pass, but Joe Flacco is known for being prone to making mistakes when forced to go one dimensional.
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