Daily Fantasy Football Week 12: DraftKings, FanDuel Strategies and Value Picks

The beauty of daily fantasy football is that managers don't get stuck dealing with struggling or injured players for weeks at a time. Of course, this doesn't simply mean they can turn loose every healthy superstar, either.

Budgeting is a huge part of daily fantasy, which is why value picks are important. It's impossible to spend big at every position, but those star players become more affordable when you can successfully play the matchups with middle-tier players at other positions.

Here, you will find a look at some of the top value plays of Week 12 with prices from FanDuel and DraftKings. Adding one or two of these players should help you fit the stars you love on to your roster.

With one final round of byes remaining—the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings are out of action—it's important to know which star players are worth the price. Therefore, you'll also find a look at some of the best individual matchups of Week 12.

DFS Value Picks, Week 12

Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns: $7,500 FanDuel, $5,900 DraftKings

Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets: $7,400 FD, $5,800 DK

Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears: $5,700 FD, $4,800 DK

Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns: $5,600 FD, $5,600 DK

Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons: $6,700 FD, $6,500 DK

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins: $6,000 FD, $5,200 DK

Hunter Renfrow, WR, Oakland Raiders: $5,900 FD, $4,500 DK

Vance McDonald, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers: $5,300 FD, $3,500 DK

Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos: $5,100 FD, $3,900 DK

Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns: $8,200 FanDuel, $8,100 DraftKings

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

If you're looking to splurge on a running back, Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns is a strong option for Week 12. He's averaging just over 100 yards per game in 2019 and has a favorable matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins have allowed an average of 148.3 rushing yards per game. Only the Cincinnati Bengals have given up more. Miami has also surrendered an average of 4.7 yards per run, which suggests the poor ranking isn't simply due to teams getting out to an early lead.

Chubb will be splitting time with Kareem Hunt, of course, which is why you'll find Hunt among the value picks. However, Hunt has largely been used as Cleveland's receiving back. He has 13 receptions in his two games with the Browns. Chubb has 47 carries and 208 rushing yards in those same two contests. He is as safe a DFS pick as you're likely to find this week.

Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons: $8,400 FanDuel, $8,000 DraftKings

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones didn't practice on Wednesday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned. According to the team's official website, he was given an off day and was a full participant again on Thursday. 

The 30-year-old should be a full go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, and this makes him one of the best options among DFS stars. The Buccaneers rank 31st in pass defense, allowing an average of 290.9 yards per game through the air.

This is the same reason why fellow Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley is among the value picks for Week 12. Given Tampa's struggles against the pass this season, it might not be a bad idea to even double up on Falcons receivers.

In Week 11, Jones and Ridley combined for 14 receptions, 234 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Jacob Hollister, TE, Seattle Seahawks: $5,800 FanDuel, $4,300 DraftKings

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

A couple of short weeks ago, the idea of Jacob Hollister being a fantasy star might have seemed a bit silly. However, he's one of the top options—and the pricier ones—here in Week 12.

Why? Because the 26-year-old has emerged as a legitimate playmaker for the Seattle Seahawks in recent weeks. In his past two games, he has caught 12 passes for 99 yards and three touchdowns. He's also become one of Russell Wilson's most trusted targets.

"Hollister has been great," Wilson said, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.

While the Philadelphia Eagles pass defense is no longer one of the worst in the league—it's allowing 237.5 passing yards per game—it's been pretty bad in the red zone. In 10 games, Philadelphia has surrendered 17 passing touchdowns.

That's good news for Hollister and a big reason why he's one of the best TE plays in Week 12.