Fantasy Football Week 12 DFS Lineup: Built Around Patriots, With Drake Maye, TreVeyon Henderson, and More
A DraftKings DFS lineup built around players on the New England Patriots, who have a fantastic matchup in Week 12.
Much of fantasy sports revolves around finding the best matchups. Everyone knows who the best players are; it doesn't take much skill to choose Christian McCaffrey. When you are rounding out your lineup, both in standard fantasy leagues and DFS, finding the middling guys who can have big games against bad defenses is key.
One or two teams usually stand out each week as ones that we can pick a lot of players from, and that team this week is the New England Patriots. The Pats play the Cincinnati Bengals, who have struggled to stop both the run and the pass this season.
Let's look at a nine-man DFS lineup built around New England's great matchup. It's dangerous to count on one team too much, but we have a few Patriots primed for big games, and there should be enough to go around.
Use FantasySP's defensive rankings to find the teams and players with the best matchups each week.
Quarterback
- Drake Maye, New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals
Why not start in New England, where Maye is QB2 behind only Josh Allen and a real MVP candidate. The schedule has been weak and will continue that way, including this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati has given up the third-most yards per pass attempt and the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, setting Maye up for a huge day.
Running Back
- Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants
- TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals
Gibbs is a fantasy superstar, and the matchup falls heavily in his favor in this one also. The Giants have given up the most yards per rush attempt and the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs, setting up Gibbs to maybe be the top RB of the week.
Henderson had two big games in a row with Rhamondre Stevenson out, gaining 243 total yards and scoring five touchdowns. Stevenson is expected to play in this one, though he is questionable, but after Henderson's performance as the lead back, it wouldn't seem to be a prudent move to give the bulk of the carries to the middling veteran.
Stevenson will surely have a role if he plays, but Henderson should get plenty of touches, and the Bengals have given up the fourth-most yards per rush attempt and the most fantasy points per game to running backs, so there could be enough to go around for both backs.
Wide Receiver/Flex
- Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers @ San Francisco 49ers
- D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
- DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
I considered putting Kayshon Boutte here to get a Patriot at each offensive position, but if there's one place you are going to skip New England players, it's wide receiver, as they have mostly low-level players outside of Stefon Diggs.
McMillan is by far the top receiver on the Panthers, doubling (or close to it) the number of targets, receptions, and yards of the next closest player on the team. San Francisco is devastated by injuries on defense and has been middling at best against the pass, leaving the Carolina receiver a chance to accumulate numbers.
Moore has fallen behind Rome Odunze in Chicago's pass-catching hierarchy, sitting second behind the second-year receiver in pretty much every receiving stat. Moore is still involved enough to be considered as a WR3/4/flex type. Pittsburgh is right in the middle in yards per pass attempt allowed, but they have given up the third-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, giving Moore the chance at a decent day.
Wilson had a huge Week 11, catching 15 passes for 185 yards. He's not going to put up anything close to that again, as he is a lower-level player, and Jacoby Brissett had to throw 57 times to get Wilson those numbers, but Marvin Harrison Jr. is out again, so Wilson will have extra targets to soak up.
Philadelphia's offense has question marks, as they have looked more middling than great, and that mostly has affected the passing game. Smith leads the Eagles in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, finding more consistency than Brown and looking like the better fantasy player. The Cowboys have given up the second-most yards per pass attempt and the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Tight End
- Hunter Henry, New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals
Henry has been my guy all week, as he has the best possible tight end matchup. Cincinnati has allowed the most fantasy points per game to TEs, and it's not even close. Combine that with their struggles against the pass in general, and Henry could be in for a huge day.
Defense/Special Teams
- Cleveland Browns @ Las Vegas Raiders
Geno Smith is tied for the league lead with 13 interceptions, and he has been sacked 31 times, the fourth most. There's not a quarterback who produces more fantasy points for opposing defenses than Smith.
Cleveland has a strong defensive unit, so matching them up against a terrible offense in Las Vegas sets both a good floor and a high ceiling. It's likely that Vegas struggles to move the ball or score all day, making the Browns a good fantasy D/ST unit.
