This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
Here are my favorite DraftKings tournament plays for Week 12, picking from the main slate that only includes games on Sunday afternoon. The focus here is on value more so than projected ownership, but it's still a nice bonus if a player doesn't figure to be a popular choice.
Quarterback
Russell Wilson, SEA (at SF), $7,000 - The 49ers' pass defense is almost as hopeless as the Seahawks' rushing attack, creating the perfect storm of opportunity for Wilson to thrive in terms of both volume and efficiency. He actually struggled in the first meeting between these teams back in Week 2, but he's been the leading scorer in the fantasy world since that time, averaging 28.1 DraftKings points per game while incredibly topping 29 points in five of eight outings. Wilson figures to be the most popular choice at quarterback, but this isn't a situation where I'm looking to deviate from the pack. I might take Wilson and Tom Brady vs. the field if I were betting on the top producer at QB this week. Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, Paul Richardson and pass-catching back J.D. McKissic are all in play as stacking options, offering appeal for different reasons. Baldwin is the No. 1 target, Graham the red-zone hog, Richardson the deep threat and McKissic the cheap-o play.
Other options: Tom Brady, NE (at MIA), $7,700; Cam Newton, CAR (at NYJ), $6,600; Matt Ryan, ATL (vs. TB), $6,400; Marcus Mariota, TEN (at IND), $6,300; Andy Dalton, CIN (vs. CLE), $6,000; Derek Carr, OAK (vs. DEN), $5,600; Paxton Lynch, DEN (vs. OAK), $4,400
Running Back
Tevin Coleman, ATL (vs. TB), $6,500 - I was originally debating between Todd Gurley, DeMarco Murray, Joe Mixon and Devontae Booker as the second running back deserving of a write-up alongside Carlos Hyde. The Falcons then rewarded me for running a bit behind schedule this week when they announced early Friday afternoon that Devonta Freeman (concussion) will miss another game. Coming off back-to-back outings with 21 touches and a 68-percent snap share, Coleman figures to see a similar workload against a mediocre Tampa run defense that's allowed running backs to produce 3.9 yards per carry, 90 rushing yards per game and seven touchdowns on the ground. Those numbers are mediocre more so than bad, but Coleman figures to land somewhere between 15 and 25 touches as the lead back in an offense with an implied total of 29.5 points. The Falcons are 10-point favorites, suggesting Coleman should have a busy second half.
Carlos Hyde, SF (vs. SEA), $5,500 - Consistently underpriced in relation to both his workload and production, Hyde has topped 12 DK points in eight of 10 games this season, also going over 20 in four contests. He might seem to be more floor than ceiling, but keep in mind that 25 points would be a pretty huge game for this price. Hyde gashed Seattle for 124 yards on 15 carries back in Week 2, and he'll now get to face the same team without run-stuffing safety Kam Chancellor (neck) in the lineup. With starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman (Achilles) and Shaquill Griffin (concussion) joining Chancellor on the sidelines, the Seahawks likely will have Earl Thomas and fellow safety Bradley McDougald play a bit more conservative than usual. Hyde may also find success breaking carries outside, as Sherman and Griffin are two of the bigger starting corners in the league, both offering unusually strong play against the run. If the 49ers are going to keep this game close enough to force Russell Wilson to keep throwing, Hyde likely will be the one leading the charge, as he's recorded five straight games with 16 or more touches and a snap share above 68 percent. No other Niner has consistent involvement in the offense on a weekly basis now that Pierre Garcon (neck) is out for the year.
Other options: Todd Gurley, LAR (vs. NO), $8,800; Tevin Coleman or Devonta Freeman, ATL (vs. TB), $6,500 or $5,700; DeMarco Murray, TEN (at IND), $5,200; Duke Johnson, CLE (at CIN), $4,600; Joe Mixon, CIN (vs. CLE), 4,400; Devontae Booker, DEN (at OAK), $3,700; J.D. McKissic, SEA (at SF), $3,700; Elijah McGuire, NYJ (vs. CAR), $3,700
Wide Receiver
Michael Thomas, NO (at LAR), $7,200 - Thomas is seventh in the league with 9.4 targets per game, despite playing for a New Orleans team that ranks 16th in pass attempts per contest (34.1). He's compiled five or more catches on eight or more targets in all but one game this season, with his remarkable consistency perhaps obscured by a flukish lack of touchdowns (two). Given that he's 6-foot-3 and scored nine times on 122 targets as a rookie, Thomas figures to correct the end zone drought sooner rather than later. In a rare matchup that may force the Saints to actually air it out, Thomas feel like a safe bet to continue his five-game streak of at least 14.5 DK points, with a chance to do a whole lot more if he hits paydirt. The Rams have done a nice job limiting wideout production on the whole, but top cornerback Trumaine Johnson has taken a step backward, ranking 69th among 80 qualified cornerbacks in yards allowed per snap in coverage (1.49), per Pro Football Focus.
Corey Coleman, CLE (at CIN), $4,300 - Coleman returned from a broken hand last week and enjoyed one of the better games any wideout has managed against the Jaguars this season, catching six of 11 targets for 80 yards (all team-high marks). He's been targeted on 24 of Cleveland's 104 pass attempts in the three games he's played this season, even though 15 of those pass attempts occurred Week 2 in Baltimore after he broke his hand and was removed from the contest. The amended target share works out to a lofty 26.9 percent, which makes sense considering the Browns don't have many other options — or at least they won't until Josh Gordon returns from suspension, presumably next week. Coleman accounted for 24.5 percent of his team's targets in the 10 games he played as a rookie, suggesting that this year's workload hasn't just been a small-sample fluke. Even against a solid Cincinnati defense that's mostly shut down opposing receivers, Coleman makes for a nice bargain due to the expectation he draws eight or more targets.
Other options: Julio Jones, ATL (vs. TB), $7,700; Brandin Cooks, NE (vs. MIA), $7,100; Doug Baldwin, SEA (at SF), $7,000; Jarvis Landry, MIA (at NE), $6,800; T.Y. Hilton, IND (vs. TEN), $6,700; Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. OAK), $5,700; Amari Cooper, OAK (vs. DEN), $5,400; Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (vs. OAK), $5,200; Cooper Kupp, LAR (vs. NO), $5,000; Corey Davis, TEN (at IND), $4,900; Sammy Watkins, LAR (vs. NO), $4,900
Tight End
Jack Doyle, IND (vs. TEN), $4,500 - Sticking with the general theme of volume hunting, Doyle stands out as the clear bargain at tight end on a slate that otherwise favors the premium options. He turned in a nine-yard dud right before the Colts' Week 11 bye, but only after recording five straight games with at least five catches and seven targets in Weeks 4-9. With the Colts completely devoid of talent at wide receiver behind T.Y. Hilton, their top tight end figures to stay busy whenever Jacoby Brissett (concussion) is forced to air it out. Doyle has accounted for 22.6 percent of the targets in Brissett's nine starts this season, averaging 5.6 catches and 11.5 DK points per game. With T.Y. Hilton ($6,700) looking a bit overpriced again, Doyle is my preferred counterweight for Tennessee stacks featuring Marcus Mariota. A big day by the Tennessee offense likely would force Brissett to attempt at least 30 passes, assuming he passes through the concussion protocol by Sunday and is able to play. In the unlikely event Brissett is out, I won't be rostering Doyle.
Other options: Travis Kelce, KC (vs. BUF), $7,300; Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. MIA), $6,900; Jimmy Graham, SEA (at SF), $5,800; Delanie Walker, TEN (at IND), $5,000; Jared Cook, OAK (vs. DEN), $4,600; Tyler Higbee, LAR (vs. NO), $2,500
D/ST
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE), $3,900 - While far from prolific in terms of accruing turnovers, the Bengals have been at least solid in all the other major defensive categories, tied for fourth in sacks per game (2.9), tied for 10th in points allowed (19.9) and ranking 12th in yardage (323). They're also trending in the right direction as the prepare to play at home for only the fifth time this season in the best possible matchup for a defense. I'm intrigued by a Bengals-Mixon-Coleman stack, hoping for a scenario in which the Bengals cruise to a victory and rack up rush attempts while the Browns force-feed their top receiver in a feeble attempt to make up ground. Given that Cincinnati is an eight-point favorite, it's not exactly a stretch.
Other options: Jacksonville Jaguars (at ARI), $4,100; Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CHI), $3,600; New England Patriots (vs. MIA), $3,400; Carolina Panthers (at NYJ), $3,300; Atlanta Falcons (vs. TB), $2,900; New York Jets (vs. CAR), $2,400
