NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Early Only Cash Plays

Got your Week 12 NFL FanDuel DFS lineups all set and looking for a good reason to avoid tinkering with them? Make some more lineups on some smaller slates!! This article will focus on the top cash game plays for the 1PM only slate on Fanduel.

For the newbies, NFL DFS cash games are simply the games in the lobby that are 50/50 or close to that to win. These are basically all of the games other than the tournaments, and guaranteed prize pool tournaments (GPP’s). Head-to-Head’s (H2H), 50/50, and double-ups would best summarize cash games.

Let’s continue by saying this, if you don’t like chalk, these slates are not for you. This article highlights who the top options are in my opinion, and whether they are popular plays or not is not any of my concern. I am just trying to give you a good starting point and a few plays to build around for this seven-game slate. With that said, let’s move along and see how the Thanksgiving Special GPP sample lineup played out.

NFL FanDuel Week 12 Thanksgiving Special Recap:

I am a big fan of transparency, and I will be the first to admit I do not always get them right. But I think if you appreciate the conclusions I come to by you doing further research yourself, then I know you will be back for another read. Again, I am always here to help so reach out to me on Twitter, and that sample lineup is just a SAMPLE cash lineup. Regardless, I will play it every week, and we will track it right here!

 QB – Drew Brees – $9,000 – (21.44)
RB – Ezekiel Elliott – $8,700 – (22.8)
RB – Tarik Cohen – $6,000 – (15.4)
WR – Michael Thomas – $8,800 – (5.8)
WR – Cole Beasley – $5,300 – (1)
WR – Taylor Gabriel – $5,100 – (8.4)
TE – Jordan Reed– $6,000 – (10.5)
FLEX – Mark Ingram – $7,400 – (7.6)
DEF – New Orleans Saints – $3,200 – (15)

                                                                         (107.94)

It was another miss, as low owned players like Amari Cooper and LeGarrette Blount broke the slate. Congratulations to you if found those two gems, despite all of that expected fantasy goodness of the Saints/Falcons game, that never really came to fruition. I faded cash games because it was a three game slate, and I am kind of glad I did. I actually made five GPP lineups all based around this article and they all missed, so instead of breaking down what went wrong here, it seems pretty obvious where I went wrong. Nevertheless, I am ready to get back to breaking down a bigger slate, and getting back to focusing on cash games.

NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Cash Plays (1PM Only)

QB – Carson Wentz – Philadelphia Eagles – $7,700 

This week at QB, I am kind of throwing up in my mouth a little, and welcoming the idea that Jameis Winston may be the chalk. Yes, Winston is back in at quarterback for the Bucs, and they will host the 49ers, in a game which features the highest Vegas total on the slate at 54. Early indications seem to be that game stack will be popular, and I am nowhere near it really. Aside from a few value plays at the wide receiver position, I see much better individual match-up’s elsewhere.

If you read this article often, you know I like to target the Bucs defense, but I am just not quite sold on Nick Mullens enough to consider him viable. He could be a great GPP play however, so keep that in mind if you make multiple lineups.

So about Wentz, I am guessing most that played him last week immediately crossed him off this week. It was an ugly dud at New Orleans last week, as Wentz posted just 3.84 FDP, throwing for just 156 yards and three interceptions. It was a bad game against a good defense, nothing more in my eyes, and I look for Wentz to right the ship this week at home against the Giants.

In the October 11th meeting between these two games in New York, Wentz had one of his best performances of the season, throwing for 278 yards and three touchdowns. This week he gets this defense at home, and I think the floor here is about is as safe as it gets, unless we get extremely unlucky. However, I think Wentz will be able to utilize all of his weapons this week, and with that solid receiving corps they have assembled adding Golden Tate, I am expecting this offense to erupt this week.

***Also Consider: Cam Newton $8,600 – Baker Mayfield $7,500***

NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Cash Plays (1PM Only)

RB – Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns – $7,500

I am going to be completely different this week, and instead of paying up for the top backs this week, a different, more balanced approach at running back looks like the way to go. There are viable cash plays here in this price range, and on top of that, there is a top-tier WR target if you didn’t figure that out yet by the feature image.

Chubb has been the lead dog in this backfield for five weeks now. I was surprised to see it had been that long already since the trade of Carlos Hyde to Jacksonville, but either way here we are. Four games and four touchdowns later, the rookie is coming off of his best game of his young career, as he amassed 176 yard on 20 carries two weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Browns were on bye last week, so Chubb has had an extra week to prepare for the worst defense against the run in the league, in the Cincinnati Bengals. He could easily end up the top back on the slate, and comes much cheaper than top priced guys Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley.

RB – James White – New England Patriots – $7,400

White finally had a quiet week last time out, which was two weeks at Tennessee.In a tough loss on the road. White was targeted eight times, but only caught five passes for just 31 yards. He is never a threat to carry the ball more than a few times, but he is quietly leading running backs in targets and receptions this season, and has also scored six times through the air as well.

The Patriots had an extra week to prepare to prepare for the Jets this week, and I am sure they got plenty of practice in the last two weeks, to avoid any mishaps. I can’t imagine playing for Bill Belichick going into a bye week, and getting throttled 34-10. Either way, I look for Tom Brady and company to back on track in this one, and White should be plenty busy in the receiving game once again.

***Also Consider or FLEX: Saquon Barkley $9,000 – Matt Breida $6,400 – Josh Adams $5,700***

NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Cash Plays (1PM Only)

WR – Odell Beckham Jr. – New York Giants – $8,500

My top play this week, and I really can’t believe it here either, is none other than OBJ. Other than Julio Jones, the superstar receiver I roster the least is right here. I love what Barkley does out of the backfield, and I still believe the offense revolves around him, but Beckham Jr. will get his second crack at this Eagles secondary, who currently ranks 27th against the pass.

Saquon Barkley destroyed the Eagles last time, shredding them through the air and on the ground. I think Philadelphia will come into this game more prepared to stop Barkley and the run, which should open up things down the field for OBJ. Beckham is on a roll right now, with four TD’s in the last four games. The Giants will likely be playing catch-up in the fourth quarter in this one, so we could see some garbage time stats as well.

WR – Josh Gordon – New England Patriots – $6,800

It is safe to say Gordon is catching on quick with Brady and this new offense, and the only thing you need to see is his targets over the last two games. People need to remember how freakishly good Gordon is/was, and if he had never had  the off the field issues, we may be talking about one of the best to ever play the game here.

Now we knew Gordon was going to have to come in here and earn his keep, and stay on the straight and narrow, or he wouldn’t last long. Now after two games with 22 targets combined, and a bye week to prepare for the Jets, this could be the week Gordon explodes. It won’t be long before his salary gets a major bump if he continues to be this involved in this offense down the stretch. For now, he is way too cheap, and needs to be locked in on this slate.

WR – Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns – $6,100

I can’t believe I am here again, but what do we do with Landry? Personally, I am fading, but with what his projections will look like here against the putrid Bengals defense, it is going to once again make a ton of sense to see him in plenty of cash lineups. Despite the incredible match-up, we have seen this same type of ordeal the last two weeks against the Chiefs and Falcons, both also bad against the pass.

Not only did Landry not make it double-digit FDP in either game, he only had 12 targets total as well. This is why you read these blurbs sometimes, I am writing up Landry basically telling you he isn’t worth it. Spend down with some value below.

***Also Consider or FLEX: Julian Edelman $7,400 – Chris Godwin $5,500 – Marquise Goodwin $5,000***

NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Cash Plays (1PM Only)

TE – Zach Ertz – Philadelphia Eagles – $7,600

We may have another situation to take advantage of a star coming off of a bad game with Ertz here. The Eagles had nothing against the Saints last week, and Ertz was targeted just three times in that game, marking his lowest total of the year by three targets. Ertz has seen double-digit targets in all but three games this season, and he had nine in one of those games.

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I want to pair up Wentz with his favorite red zone target here, and I am expecting multiple scores from Ertz in a bounce back effort. He followed his previous worst six target outing with a 16 target, 14 catch, 145 yard performance with two TD’s against the Cowboys, and I think he carves up the Giants this Sunday afternon..

***Also Consider: Cameron Brate – $4,400***

DEF – New England Patriots – $4,100

When you take a look at the ever important defensive position this week, the top options in the Ravens and the Jags don’t seem worth paying up for. That brings me down here to a more affordable range with New England, who much like the offense, is looking to rebound after a tough loss and a bye week.

The Pats will travel to New York to face the Jets, who are also coming off of a bye, but got destroyed week 10 by Buffalo 41-10. I expect the Patriots to return to dominant form on both sides of the ball this week, and I expect double-digit FDP here.

On the cheap however, if you take a good look at the Browns at just $3,100, playing them for $1000 less helps you make some significant upgrades to your skill position players. For instance, going down to Cleveland here from New England helps you FLEX Matt Breida instead of the question mark Josh Adams, and I like that looking at it from that perspective. Add in the fact that Bengals offense is struggling, and it does not look like A.J. Green will return this week.

***Also Consider: Cleveland Browns – $3,100***

NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 12 Sample Cash Lineup (1PM Only)

The line-up below is meant to be illustrative only to further back-up the logic laid out in previous slides. It is not an optimal line-up. It is in fact, just a “Sample Lineup.” 

QB – Carson Wentz – $7,700
RB – Nick Chubb – $7,500
RB – James White – $7,400
WR – Odell Beckham Jr. – $8,500
WR – Josh Gordon – $6,800
WR – Marquise Goodwin – $5,000
TE – Zach Ertz – $7,600
FLEX – Matt Breida – $6,400
DEF – Cleveland Browns – $3,100

I hope you enjoyed some slate specific coverage today. You can find me on Twitter with the link at the top of the page. Reach out to me if you would like to see more of this! We have TONS of FREE content here from many incredibly talented writers at FantasyCPR, and new stuff to check out constantly. As we try to cover more and more angles of fantasy sports, you will see more articles focusing on the smaller slates among the different NFL DFS sites. Good luck on the early slate!