
FanDuel’s Week 12 Main Slate features 16 games and will kickoff at noon ET.
The slate doesn’t have much in the way of obvious value at quarterback and is loaded with elite but expensive running back plays. Optimal builds will likely force us to scavenge for value at wide receiver.
This slate breakdown will go position-by-position, highlighting the top options and giving an overview of the toughest choices we face this week. The top options are broken down into two categories. Players listed as Core Plays are those who you can play with high confidence in both cash games and tournaments. Players listed as Worth Considering are viable as cost-saving options in your main lineup or high-upside options for tournaments
Quarterback
Positional Overview
Jalen Hurts ($12,000) is a fantastic play once again. We want to try to jam him in this week. There are a number of strong options in the 10K range for the Superflex spot (or if you want to fade Hurts), led by Brock Purdy ($10,200), Joe Burrow ($10,500), and Sam Ehlinger ($10,100).
The value options are tough to get excited about but still worth exploring. Jayden Daniels ($9,000) should be back and has a solid matchup against Oregon State. John Rhys Plumlee ($8,700) hasn’t done much as a passer but could still end up being a strong GPP play if he can score a couple rushing touchdowns against LSU. Tyler Huntley ($8,000) hasn’t been running as much for Utah but the price point still looks pretty enticing.
Core Plays
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma ($12,000)
Even priced in his own tier, it is tough not to play Hurts. Aside from an early blowout against an FCS team, he has topped 36 fantasy points in every single game this season. We now have a big enough sample size to feel very comfortable with projecting Hurts for massive production as a runner. In the eight games against FBS opponents, he has rushed for at least 68 yards and 1 touchdown in every single game. His absolute floor as a runner has been 13 fantasy points. We aren’t paying just for the incredible floor, we also want a huge ceiling at this price tag. Hurts brings that as well and has 40+ fantasy points in three straight. His floor as a runner was 13 fantasy points but he also has a game with over 35 points just as a runner. The rushing numbers come on top of his averaging over 300 passing yards and 2.7 passing touchdowns per game. The matchup this Saturday is a difficult one. Baylor has the 14th ranked SP+ defense. However, Iowa State is ranked 18th in SP+ defense and Hurts put up nearly 40 fantasy points just in the first half against them. Of the teams on this slate favored by fewer than two touchdowns, Oklahoma has the highest implied team total (39) points. Given the backslide we have seen in recent weeks from the Oklahoma defense there is no reason to believe we won’t get four full quarters of aggressive play-calling from Oklahoma’s offense and a full game from Hurts. He is a cash-game lock and strong GPP option as well.
Brock Purdy, Iowa State ($10,200)
There are a number of strong options in the pricing tier below Hurts but Purdy looks like the best of the bunch. Iowa State’s implied team total of 36.5 is 7th-highest on the slate and 2nd-highest in games that are projected within two touchdowns. There are a couple factors that push Purdy up near the top of the quarterback list this week. First, unlike some of the other expensive passers, he is a true dual threat. In 18 career starts, he has 12 rushing touchdowns. He has been running even more of late with seven rushing touchdowns in his last seven games. Second, the matchup against Texas and Sam Ehlinger has obvious shootout potential. There is no reason to expect anything other than four full quarters of aggressive play-calling, including as many designed runs as Purdy can handle. Texas hasn’t been able to stop anyone this season. The defense ranks 80th in SP+ and is allowing 299.6 passing yards per game on the season.
Others to Consider
Joe Burrow, LSU ($10,500)
Burrow has the highest passing projection on the slate and probably has the second-highest floor behind only Jalen Hurts. He is averaging a ridiculous 355.3 passing yards and 3.7 passing touchdowns per game. He has a bit of rushing upside as well (189 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season), though not quite as much as Purdy or Hurts. Going on the road against Ole Miss as a 21-point favorite is a potential letdown spot for the Tigers after an emotional, season-defining win over Alabama last week. If Mississippi is able to hang close in this one, it will be because they have some success running the ball and playing keep away from the LSU offense. Due to the style of offense Ole Miss plays, there is only a very narrow path to a shootout game script. Thus, Burrow’s upside is slightly limited compared to Hurts and Purdy.
Mac Jones, Alabama ($5,500)
With Tua Tagovailoa listed as questionable with an ankle injury, we should keep a close eye on news reports Saturday and be prepared to play Jones in some tournament lineups if Tagovailoa scratches. The odds of that happening are probably better than the public thinks because the Vegas line for this game (17.5 points) feels a little fishy. On a neutral field, Alabama should be favored by between 25 and 30 points in this matchup against Mississippi State. Even adjusting for home field advantage, the line is still at least a touchdown too low. Jones probably isn’t a cash game play even if confirmed as the starter. He looked very shaky against Tennessee in relief of Tagovailoa and was solid but didn’t put up huge numbers (235 passing yards and 3 touchdowns) in his start against an awful Arkansas defense. In tournaments, Jones would be a very intriguing play, however. We are starved for value on this slate. Jones’ salary in the flex spot would provide a path to Jalen Hurts and a pair of top running backs without having to completely punt the wide receiver position.
Running Back
Positional Overview
This might be the strongest the position has been at the top all season. Chuba Hubbard ($10,600) is an elite option in a dream matchup against Kansas. Top rushing offenses have destroyed Nebraska in recent years, so Jonathan Taylor ($10, 400) is also positioned for a potentially massive fantasy outing. Travis Etienne ($9,900), Zach Moss ($9,800), and Clyde Edwards-Helaire ($9,200) would have been slam dunk cash game options on a different slate with each having very favorable matchups.
There is an opportunity cost in not rostering two of the five backs listed above but with cap space tight this week, saving some money at RB2 or using a third running back in the Superflex spot could be an attractive option. There are a number of strong plays under $8,500. Eno Benjamin ($8,400) could get back on track against Oregon State. Pooka Williams ($8,200) could gash Oklahoma State. Kennedy Brooks ($7,300) is the undisputed lead back for Oklahoma with Trey Sermon out. Journey Brown ($7,100) provides real cap flexibility and looks like the top option for Penn State. Last but not least, Master Teague ($7,100) could have a big game off the bench for Ohio State.
Core Plays
Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State ($10,600)
Hubbard has been the most productive major conference running back and gets a matchup against the Power 5 school with the worst defense. This is a strong enough spot that we almost have to lock Hubbard into cash lineups. Oklahoma State is averaging 268 rushing yards per game and Kansas is giving up a ridiculous 235 rushing yards per game. No other defense on this slate is giving up 200+. The Cowboys offense was already built around Hubbard but has become even more run-heavy without star wideout Tylan Wallace in the lineup. Aside from an early game against an FCS opponent, Hubbard has put up at least 127 total yards and a touchdown in every single game this season. 20 fantasy points has been his absolute floor. He should come closer to hitting his ceiling this weekend, which is massive. Hubbard has topped 35 fantasy points five times already this season and we can project a similar output on Saturday.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin ($10,400)
Taylor and the Wisconsin offense broke out of a mini-slump in the fourth quarter against Iowa last week. He was able to break off a number of long runs against a stout Hawkeyes defense to put the game away. This weekend’s matchup is a get right spot for Taylor, who hasn’t scored since early in the October 19th game against Illinois. Taylor has put up massive fantasy numbers in his two previous matchups against Nebraska. He rushed for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns in Lincoln as a freshman in 2017 and 221 yards and 3 touchdowns last season in Madison. There is no reason to expect anything different this season. Nebraska hasn’t taken the step forward many expected and is allowing 174 yards per game on the ground. Even that unimpressive number doesn’t tell the whole story, however. Nebraska has been destroyed by the better rushing offenses on their schedule. Ohio State rushed for 371 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Cornhuskers. Minnesota ran for 322 and 4 touchdowns. Even Illinois gashed Nebraska for 221 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. If this game goes according to script (Wisconsin is favored by 14.5 points), Taylor should see in the neighborhood of 30 carries. With that kind of volume in this favorable of a matchup, Taylor is hard to fade.
Others to Consider
Travis Etienne, Clemson ($9,900)
If we didn’t have guys like Hubbard and Taylor on the slate, Etienne would be a cash-game lock. I project Clemson to run for 300+ yards and at least 3 touchdowns against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have allowed 225 or more rushing yards three times in their last five games, including 228 and 4 touchdowns to Virginia Tech last week. Clemson has a huge team total of 47 points as a 34.5-point home favorite. The only real question is how much of that rushing pie will go to Etienne and how early Clemson pulls the starters. After the struggle against North Carolina, Clemson has blown out five straight opponents and Etienne has put up at least 130 total yards and a touchdown in each of those games. He has a high floor and there is quite a ceiling as well. Etienne has scored eight touchdowns in the last three weeks and has topped 200 total yards three times this season. From a narrative perspective, this will be Etienne’s last ever home game for Clemson. As one of the school’s all-time best backs, we could see Dabo Swinney giving him a couple extra carries to let him go out on a high note. The Tigers have a bye next week and will be heavy favorites in their final two games before the playoffs, so there isn’t a real need to keep Etienne fresh.
Master Teague, Ohio State ($7,100)
It is hard to imagine a conference game being much more of a mismatch than the upcoming Ohio State versus Rutgers tilt. The Vegas implied team totals have the Buckeyes beating the Scarlet Knights by a score of 57 to 5. Ohio State’s offense is going to rack up a bunch of yardage and touchdowns, the only question is which players will have the biggest share of the total. Last week, Ohio State rushed for 383 yards and 6 touchdowns against Maryland on 56 carries. Teague easily led the team in rushing attempts (18) and yards (111) but somehow didn’t get into the end zone. Expect his touchdown luck to change this week. Starting running back J.K. Dobbins isn’t likely to play more than three or four series. Ohio State will want their star back fresh for what could be a very tough three game gauntlet against Penn State, Michigan, and the Big 10 West champion (Minnesota?), if the Buckeyes win the East. Teague should take over sometime in the first half. The bigger question is how long we get Teague before he gives way to the third and fourth string backs. Do we see Teague much after halftime? The question marks make Teague a GPP-only play but he has undeniable upside. He could easily rush for 100 yards and multiple touchdowns, which given his salary, would make him a potential Gap-winning play.
Wide Receiver
Positional Overview
There are a number of strong, higher-priced options on the slate. CeeDee Lamb ($9,500), Isaiah Hodgins ($9,600), and Justin Jefferson ($8,800) are three that standout as prime GPP options. At most, we can fit one of these guys into cash lineups, however.
Given the elite, high-priced options at both running back and quarterback, the optimal lineup build probably includes a pair of top quarterbacks and top running backs and leaves very little money left over for wide receiver. We may have to take some uncomfortable risks. Wake Forest has a brutal matchup against Clemson but injuries to both starting outside wide receivers gives us the ability to get a pair of starting wide receivers, Steven Claude ($5,500) and Waydale Jones ($5,200), for bargain prices. The Ohio State backups are likely to see the field a bunch against Rutgers, which makes somebody like Garrett Wilson ($5,800) a worthwhile gamble on this slate.
Core Plays
Garrett Wilson, Ohio State ($5,800)
It doesn’t feel quite right to list a freshman backup as a core play. However, given the way the pricing sets up on this slate and the unique nature of the Ohio State versus Rutgers matchup, there is a strong case for Wilson in cash games. Wilson was ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver prospect in the 2019 recruiting class and look like a future star for the Buckeyes. He has racked up 18 catches for 216 yards and 4 touchdowns in a reserve role so far this season. Wilson almost broke out in a big way against Maryland last week. He caught 4 passes for 84 yards and 1 touchdown but also had a 56-yard touchdown called back due to a holding call. Wilson led the Buckeyes wide receivers in snaps last week (50) and could do so again. Ohio State wants to continue to get Wilson as many game reps as possible because he is talented enough that he could be a key player in bigger matchups down the stretch. As with all Ohio State players this week, there is at least some risk in terms of playing time but the sub-$6K price point is enough of an incentive to make Wilson an attractive option, regardless.
George Pickens, Georgia ($6,200)
As noted above, we want to be aggressive in seeking out value at wide receiver on this slate. Pickens looks like a worthwhile target given his pricing, steady emergence as a top option for Georgia, and the injury which could limit Lawrence Cager. Pickens was a five-star prospect and has arguably been the most impressive freshman wide receiver in the nation. He has locked down a starting role and ranks second on the Bulldogs with 29 catches and 389 yards and is tied for the team lead with 4 touchdown catches with Cager. While Cager is going to play against Auburn, he has been struggling with a shoulder injury of late. It knocked him from last week’s game against Missouri in the second quarter and he is one big hit or awkward landing from being sidelined again against this week. Pickens had a 5-67-2 line last week in the win over Missouri and should see at least a half dozen targets again in a big game against Auburn.
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma ($9,500)
Oklahoma has played four close games this season. In those games, Lamb has averaged 33.7 fantasy points. The Sooners are favored by just 10 points on the road against an undefeated Baylor team, so Lamb is again going to see a bunch of targets. He had 8 catches for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns against Iowa State last week, doing almost all of his damage in the first half as the Sooners jumped out to a big lead. Oklahoma let off the gas a bit in the second half and it nearly cost them the game. Don’t expect that to happen again. We should see four full quarters with Lamb featured heavily. It is really tough to fit his salary in, especially if you want to stack him with Hurts but there are paths to get to $9,500 and it will likely be worth the effort.
Others to Consider
Steven Claude, Wake Forest ($5,500)
Wake Forest lost both of its big starting outside wide receivers, Sage Surratt and Scotty Washington, to injuries last week. Claude is the next man up and should be the top outside option at wide receiver, which puts him squarely in play given his pricing and the way the slate breaks down. There is reason to fear a dud. Slot receiver Kendall Hinton and tight end Jake Freudenthal will likely be the top two targets, placing Claude third in the pecking order. Plus, Wake Forest has a minuscule 12.5-point team total against Wake Forest. Due to these risk factors, Claude is more of a GPP option. He does have a reasonable path to meeting value in this matchup, though. Wake Forest ranks 16th nationally with 38.3 passing attempts per game and the game script is almost certainly going to require the Demon Deacons to throw it a bunch to try to keep up with Clemson. Even as the third option, Claude is likely to see a decent number of targets.
Justin Jefferson, LSU ($8,800)
Jefferson has one of the highest floors of any receiver on the slate. In five games since returning from injury, he has at least seven receptions in every single game. While Ja’Marr Chase has emerged as a top option as well, Jefferson should probably still be considered the 1A in this offense and even if you want to consider the duo as equals, Jefferson’s $600 price discount compared to Chase makes him the stronger option this week. The matchup against Ole Miss sets up very well for the LSU passing game. The Rebels have been stingy against the run (123 yards per game) but vulnerable against the pass (274 yards per game). Given the matchup, Jefferson has serious upside. We have already seen him post receiving lines of 9-163-3 against Texas, 9-155-2 against Utah State, and 10-123-1 against Florida. Another 100+ yard game with at least one touchdown should be in the offing this weekend.