NFL DFS Week 12 Example Lineups: Top Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel

Updated: Sunday 11/27 at 11:25am ET

Got those NFL Week 12 DFS lineups all set? We've got a tremendous 11-game slate to play with today and a lot of different directions to take with regard to roster construction. If you've already read through the NFL Week 12 DFS Playbook, then you already know of one type of build we are interested in using for both cash games and GPP lineups, but keep in mind that, while you may really like the idea, you should continue to explore other avenues. One of the biggest mistakes people make is they get fixated on certain players and certain builds and don't try out different things. I'm not saying you continue to build multiple lineups until you have 20 different ones. I'm saying that you explore different builds and then settle in on which one you like best. It's okay to be a multi-lineup player, but keep in mind that throwing everything up against the wall and see what sticks is rarely a successful strategy, unless you're a max-lineup player and you're just using an algorithm and NFL DFS Lineup Generator (DFS lineup optimizer) to create bulk entries. 

For me, I usually like to build one strong cash lineup, take a core group of four or five guys and continue to build around them just to explore different builds for both cash games and GPP tournaments. It's kind of like doing a fantasy football mock draft. You never draft the same way early on. You test things out and see what you like before finalizing. By the end of it, I usually have one primary lineup with one or two pivot lineups at the most, and those are the lineups I play. Sometime I end up staying on the Example Lineups I post here and sometimes I roll with other pivots, but everything I build, I do by hand and I usually stay within the confines of the Playbook and Dart Board.   

Just a few notes here about the lineups below...

The cash lineups were built solely off the players I put in the Playbook. These are the guys who, unless I have indicated otherwise, offer up the higher floor and will help you cash in your Double-Ups and 50/50s. For GPP tournaments, particularly the large-field ones, you need to find alternative routes to the cash line. I will utilize players from the Playbook and the DFS Dart Board to fill in the gaps, but what I am looking for are some lower-owned stacks that make sense based on expected game flow and other news. You may also see in the GPP lineups, there may be some names I haven't discussed this week on the site, but have talked about during the week on the Fantasy Alarm Show or even on the Fantasy Alarm Sunday Gameday Show on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. You will also notice, though, that others on the site have mentioned some of these players in places such as the position coaches, so it's not like we're trying to hide anything from you. The only time, and I mean the only time you will see a player in a GPP lineup who hasn't been discussed is if we are using a stack and need a player from the other team coming back. But it's rare when that happens.

Again, these lineups are meant to serve as examples for you; a sounding board, as I said. They are not meant for you to plug in as your own. That's the lazy way and we don't condone it. We are trying to teach you how to be a better DFS player; we aren't lineup-sellers. You should be creating your own lineups using all the information we provide you throughout the week and then coming here to see if there is anything you may have missed or simply for an alternative perspective.

Best of luck to you this week and let's make some money!

SUNDAY MORNING NOTES:

According to Adam Schefter:

Justin Fields, listed as questionable for Sunday due to his separated shoulder, is not expected to play vs. the Jets, per sources. Bears are expected to start QB Trevor Siemian, and the team also promoted Nathan Peterman from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the backup QB

Raiders’ RB Josh Jacobs, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a calf injury, is likely to play vs. the Seahawks barring any setbacks during his pre-game warmup

Buccaneers ruled out RB Leonard Fournette for Sunday’s game vs. the Browns and also activated RB Gio Bernard from injured reserve.

49ers’ WR Deebo Samuel, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a hamstring injury, is expected to play vs. the Saints barring any pregame setbacks

Cardinals’ WR Greg Dortch, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a thumb injury, is unlikely to play vs. the Chargers, per sources. Cardinals also have ruled out WR Rondale Moore but they did activate WR Marquise Brown.

Commanders’ TE Logan Thomas, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a rib injury and illness, is expected to play vs. the Falcons

Commanders’ DE Chase Young, listed as questionable due to the knee injury he suffered last year, is unlikely to make his 2022 debut Sunday, but the team does not want to make any decisions until it first sees him in pre-game warmups

Players already ruled out Sunday include Ronnie Stanley, Sheldon Rankins, Russell Gage, Greg Newsome, Joe Mixon, Denico Autry, Derek Stingley, Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler, Matt Ioannidis, Mike Williams, Rondale Moore, Byron Murphy, Matthew Stafford, Kadarius Toney and Romeo Doubs

Other News:

Steelers ruled out RB Jaylen Warren (hamstring) for Week 12 against the Colts.

theScore's Jordan Schultz reports Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (questionable, hip) won't play in Week 12 against the Titans.

Ravens promoted WR DeSean Jackson ahead of Week 12 against the Jaguars.

Seahawks placed WR D'Wayne Eskridge on injured reserve.

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely (ankle) did not travel with the team and is out for Week 12 against the Jaguars.

Titans downgraded K Randy Bullock to out for Week 12 against the Bengals.

POTENTIAL WEATHER CONCERNS:

CHI/NYJ – Supposed to be heavy rain throughout the game with winds 10-15 mph

BAL/JAC – Brief showers are possible but not long-lasting; winds averaging 15mph

TB/CLE –  Scattered showers in the area with sustained 10-15mph winds and gusts up to 25 mph

CIN/TEN – Potential showers with15 mph winds

ATL/WAS – Heavy rain early in the day and into the game but should taper off

LV/SEA – Scattered showers with only light winds

GPP STACKS:

As a reminder, when you're stacking in GPP, you always want to run someone back from the opposing team. One-sided games often turn to a running back seeing higher-than-usual volume or the back-ups start to play. For a stack to really pop, the other team needs to keep things competitive. 

Chalk Stacks (Expect High Ownership): 

*Chargers: Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler or Joshua Palmer or Gerald Everett (Conner or Hopkins coming back)

Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster or Marquez Valdes-Scantling (K Williams or Robinson coming back)

*Cardinals: Kyler Murray DeAndre Hopkins, James Conner or Trey McBride (Allen or Ekeler or Palmer coming back)

Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, Jeff Wilson, Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle (Pierce or Cooks or Collins coming back)

*Bengals: Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd or Samaje Perine (Henry coming back)

*Buccaneers: Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Rachaad White or Chris Godwin (Chubb or Cooper coming back)

*Seahawks: Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, Kenneth Walker or Tyler Lockett (Jacobs or Adams coming back)

*Raiders: Derek Carr, Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs or Mack Hollins or Foster Moreau (Walker or Metcalf or Lockett coming back)

Possible Lower-Owned Stacks:

49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel (Kamara or Olave coming back)

*Ravens: Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Demarcus Robinson or Gus Edwards (Etienne or Kirk coming back)

Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk or Evan Engram (Andrews coming back)

Falcons: Marcus Mariota, Drake London, Cordarrelle Patterson or Olamide Zaccheaus (McLaurin or Gibson coming back)

Commanders: Taylor Heinicke, Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson or Curtis Samuel or Logan Thomas (London or Patterson coming back)

Titans, Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Treylon Burks or Austin Hooper (Higgins or Boyd coming back)

Bears: Justin Fields, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney or Cole Kmet (G Wilson or Carter coming back)

Browns: Jacoby Brissett, Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb or David Njoku or Donovan Peoples-Jones (White or Evans coming back)

Dart Throw Stacks:

Saints: Andy Dalton, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara (McCaffrey or Aiyuk or Samuel or Kittle coming back)

Texans: Kyle Allen, Dameon Pierce, Brandin Cooks or Nico Collins (Wilson or Hill or Waddle coming back)

Jets: Mike White, Michael Carter, Garrett Wilson (Montgomery or Mooney coming back)

Broncos: Russell Wilson, Courtland Sutton, Kendall Hinton or Greg Dulcich (Foreman or Moore coming back)

Panthers: Sam Darnold, D'Onta Foreman, DJ Moore (Sutton or Hinton or Dulcich coming back)

*denotes favorite