This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
Before jumping in headfirst into the whirlwind of fun that is Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football, be sure to differentiate from the variety of games offered. Since Head-to-Heads, 50/50s and Double Ups pay nearly half of entrants, your best bet to cashing is to target players with higher floors. Think heavily targeted No. 1 WRs, RBs who get the bulk of a team's carries and upper-echelon QBs in matchups with a tight Vegas point spread and a high total.
Tournaments/Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs) require a bit more of your inner contrarian -- target offensive players with higher ceilings in advantageous matchups. Huge point totals can come from the most unpredictable of places -- the most obvious plays are not always the right ones. Although previous week's performances should be noted, each new week of action should be considered its own season. Don't chase last week's stats.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP - GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
Eli Manning (NYG, $32)
Manning appears buried as there are 11 quarterbacks priced higher in the Week 12 slate. He's owned the Redskins recently, throwing nine touchdowns to one interception in their last three meetings and enters with 300 yards in two of his last three games. Although the Redskins gave up five touchdowns to Cam Newton last Sunday, they've been decent at home, most recently limiting Drew Brees to a season-low 209 yards. It's all the more reason to expect Manning to be glanced over when others create their rosters.
Javorius Allen (BAL, $17)
There are a host of running backs who could play be in featured roles this week due to injury, and thus have enticing prices. Allen, however, appears to be the one option guaranteed for heavy usage. Allen had 27 touches in relief of Justin Forsett last week, and those came with Joe Flacco healthy. With Matt Schaub set to take over under center, Allen could take on an even larger role in the passing game in addition to a likely 20-plus carries against the Browns' league-worst rush defense.
T.Y. Hilton (IND, $24)
Most managers will simply glance over Hilton after a two-catch, 21-yard outing, thinking that without Andrew Luck, Hilton's downfield ability is sunk. It's a rational thought, but not one that fully played out during Luck's first two-game absence this year. Hilton had 12 catches and 155 yards against Jacksonville and Houston in Weeks 4 and 5, and faces a Buccaneers defense that has allowed 21 touchdowns through the air, second most in the league.
Other Against-the-Grainers:
QB: Matthew Stafford (DET, $32)
RB: Eddie Lacy (GB, $14), Thomas Rawls (SEA, $14)
WR: Calvin Johnson (DET, $31), Stevie Johnson (SD, $22), Willie Snead (NO, $22), J.J. Nelson (ARI, $10)
TE: Kyle Rudolph (MIN, $11)
DEF: Detroit Lions ($11)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers (GB, $38)
This one appears as simple as they come. Rodgers has eight touchdowns in his last three games, and has 13 touchdowns in his last three meetings against the Bears. There are four quarterbacks priced higher than Rodgers, making him a slight bargain while likely providing a nice security blanket to your lineup.
Running Back
Adrian Peterson (MIN, $34)
The running back pricing this week seems a bit odd, as there are injured stars priced high in Devonta Freeman ($34) and Matt Forte ($29), while you could easily play things frugally on a bounceback options like Eddie Lacy ($14). Peterson is coming off of his second-lowest output of the season, though he's now scored in three consecutive games. The last time Peterson was so limited was in Week 1, and he rebounded with a 29-carry, 134-yard outing. The Falcons' defense is hard to figure, as it allows the fewest rushing yards in the league (874) but the third-most rushing touchdowns (11). The spread suggests this game remains close (2.5), which should allow the Vikings to ride Peterson as much as they'd like.
Jonathan Stewart (CAR, $22)
Stewart has at least 20 carries in six consecutive games. While there isn't much argument needed for his inclusion in a safe lineup at this price, Stewart has also scored in three of his last four. The Cowboys have been gashed by workhorse backs like Devonta Freeman and DeMarco Murray previously, and Stewart seems more than happy to do the Panthers' dirty work while Cam Newton does the dancing.
Wide Receiver
Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG, $34)
Beckham comes out of a bye looking to remain white hot. He's topped 100 yards in three straight on 38 targets. He'll face a Redskins defense he scored on in Week 3 that gave up five touchdowns passes Sunday. The spread in this tilt is somewhat surprisingly close at 2.5, making it likely the Giants will be throwing in the fourth quarter. And if they aren't, it's likely because they've enjoyed success in the first three quarters.
Allen Hurns (JAX, $26)
Hurns may be a tad overpriced given his injury concerns, but with more than a week to recover after last Thursday's disappointing outing, Hurns could restart his scoring streak that reached seven games prior Week 11. The Chargers figure to use corner Jason Verrett to shadow Allen Robinson, which would leave the undersized Brandon Flowers or Patrick Robinson to handle the 6-foot-3 Hurns.
Tight End
Crockett Gillmore($14)
Rob Gronkowski ($28) is going to be a popular pick, and rightly so as the Patriots may not have anyone else to throw to. But Gillmore offers a much cheaper alternative who could see plenty of checkdown passes with Matt Schaub taking over at quarterback. The chemistry is certainly in question, but Gillmore had scored in two straight before posting his first 100-yard game of the season last Sunday. And the Browns' defense has given up five touchdown receptions to opposing tight ends in the last three weeks.
Defense/Special Teams
Arizona Cardinals ($14)
It's likely to be a weekly trend; picking against San Francisco's offense, but it's truly difficult not to. That Blaine Gabbert, Shaun Draughn and company mustered 13 points a week ago is marginally shocking, and perhaps their game management approach last week equates to low yardage, low scoring and low mistakes. The Cardinals held the then-Colin Kaepernick 49ers' to seven points in their first meeting and could take out some frustration after surrendering 63 points in their last two games.
Honorable Mentions
QB: Carson Palmer (ARI, $39)
RB: DeAngelo Williams (PIT, $23), Latavius Murray (OAK, $22)
WR: Julio Jones (ATL, $33), Amari Cooper (OAK, $28), James Jones (GB, $15)
TE: Rob Gronkowski (NE, $28)
DEF: Cincinnati Bengals ($13)
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