Sunday’s Best NFL DFS Core Plays: GPP Building Blocks – Week 12

Welcome to my NFL Daily Fantasy Sports guide for this Sunday’s games! In this article, I’ll walk you through my strategic approach for selecting top players and crafting optimal lineups to give you a winning edge in NFL DFS for 2024. I’ve thoroughly analyzed each game and position to highlight the best plays and explain the reasoning behind my selections.

*I’ll be updating this article on Sunday morning if there are any changes. Be sure to check back for the most current and accurate DFS plays

Sunday Updates:

• Terry McLaurin gains some steam with Trevon Diggs
• Moving Mike Evans down a bit
• Play Abdullah if you want. Salary makes sense.

Quarterback Rankings

• Baker Mayfield
• Sam Darnold: favorite low-owned, large-field GPP QB. High risk.
• Bo Nix
• Drake Maye
• Tommy DeVito: You don’t need Malik Nabers if you have Tommy DeVito, you need Tommy DeVito if you have Malik Nabers. $4K is hard to say no to. 

Running Backs

Kareem Hunt

Last week, I was high on him, and he busted, but I will go right back in the nuts matchup against the Carolina Panthers. They have allowed a league-most rushing TDs (14) in just ten games. I would have even considered him if Isiah Pacheco was in, but now that he is confirmed, you can feel confident that Hunt exceeds value here. Nothing has changed with the Mahomes passing game. They still don’t have enough reliable bodies to throw it, too, and they won’t need to. The Chiefs are up against a short week (another reason Pacheco is out), so they might as well just run Kareem Hunt into the ground and keep the rest of the guys healthy for the day after the Thanksgiving game against the Raiders. 

Brian Robinson

We just touched on the league’s worst rush defense, but the Cowboys are making a case for it by season’s end. They now allow the second most rushing TDs (13) in just 10 weeks. The teams with the next most rushing TDs allowed (NO, JAX, WAS, CIN) all have played 11 games, and three are not even on the slate. Robinson is priced right next to Kareem Hunt, and they are both clearly in the best spots on the slate. They will be popular af but it makes perfect sense. If you want to get different for ownership’s sake, I would be overweight rather than under. 

Others to consider:

If you want to spend up on CMC or Joe Mixon, I can’t really talk you off of it. 

• De’Von Achane
• Kenneth Walker
• James Conner
• Tyrone Tracy 
• Rhamondre Stevenson
• Bucky Irving
• Audric Esteme (he still made the Milly Maker winner last week, and if his number is called randomly by Sean Payton this week, then he will do it again)

Wide Receiver 

Mike Evans

The Giants were the worst team against the WR1 in week 11 (that are on the slate). Mike Evans will clearly be the WR1 and, if 100%, could easily break double-digit targets. Todd Bowles said that as long as he is 100% (paraphrasing), he will be out there. The Giants allow the most production in the league to the deep left side of the field. Guess who runs on the left more than any other Buccaneers receiver? Mike Evans. 

Josh Downs

This guy has been on a heater, no matter who the quarterback is. He has been piling up receptions while scoring twice in the past four games. His salary is only $6,200 in a game where the Colts should certainly be trailing the Lions. Due to gamescript, the Lions are the most targeted secondary in the league while also giving up the most receptions. They allow the 4^th most fantasy points to receivers (39.8), trailing only the Ravens, Vikings, and Jaguars. Josh Downs has the 4^th highest target percentage in the league (for starters) while only being behind Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Malik Nabers. He is ahead of guys like Nico Collins, CeeDee Lamb, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. That is a pretty good case for Downs to get high consideration in your main build. 

Minnesota Vikings Receivers 

Everyone is scared to target the Bears secondary, but they have been slipping a bit lately. Last week, they allowed Christian Watson to get 150 yards while Jordan Love threw for 261 yards and one passing TD. The Bears ranked 30^th against the WR2 that week while ranked 10^th against the WR1. When you look at the cornerbacks for the Bears, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon allow the first and second most yards per route run on the entire slate. That was shocking to see. I know they are both “good” corners, but those numbers are concerning, and I doubt anyone else is pointing this out. Justin Jefferson will see some Jaylon Johnson, but it isn’t a shadow situation. This lines up great for him, as well as for Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor. Not to mention that Hockenson is back, giving Sam Darnold plenty of options. The Vikings are my sneaky stack of the week in large-field GPPs. 

Adam Thielen

He will get the majority of the slot routes in a game the Panthers will be trailing. I have heard people chattering that the Panthers should run the young receivers to see what they have, which they will, but Thielen will also be highly involved. Bryce Young isn’t worried about showing off the new toys. This guy is worried about keeping his job. The best thing he can do is what has worked before, which is feeding Adam Thielen.

Tyreek Hill 

Patriots stand-out corner Christian Gonzalez is questionable. If he is out, Hill would be in the position to put up a vintage big day. If he is in, I would pump the breaks on Hill just a touch. The Patriots were 26^th against the WR1 in Week 11, and Gonzalez being out isn’t going to make that number any better. 

Courtland Sutton

Perhaps the most obvious mispricing of the week.

Note:

Other Good Options:

• Nico Collins: in contention for the WR1 on the slate, will avoid the slot against the Titans, which they defend better than the outside where Collins operates 
• Marvin Harrison
• DK Metcalf > JSN
• Terry McLaurin 
• Jayden Reed/Christian Watson – no one knows where it is going to go consistently in Green Bay, but these are the top two options.
• Jameson Williams 
• Alec Pierce (leads the slate in Air-Yards)
• Calvin Ridley (I loved him last week and had TD called back; he will continue to get the targets)
• Demario Douglas/Kendrick Bourne
• Sterling Shepard (better if Evans happens to be out; fine large field GPP either way)

Tight End Rankings

Value: Luke Schoonmaker

Sam LaPorta

Ok, $4,300 is way too low for Sam LaPorta. The Colts allow the 6^th most fantasy points and 3^rd most receptions to the position. The Lions spread it around to everyone and are the highest-scoring offense in the league, putting up 33 points per game. 

Theo Johnson

The Buccaneers have been poor against the Tight End. They are ranked 30^th in DVOA against TE. At the same time, allowing the 5^th most fantasy points to the position. Johnson comes in at only $2,700 on DraftKings and may benefit from increased check-downs from the Giants QB2. 

• Brock Bowers
• Travis Kelce
• Trey McBride
• Cade Otton
• Spann-Ford as a Schoonmaker pivot

Again, I will update this article if anything changes. Be sure to come back and check for the most up-to-date plays. 

Again, I will update this article if anything changes. Be sure to come back and check for the most up-to-date plays.