A huge 11-game Monday morning Draftstars slate greets us for Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season, and with multiple high-total matchups, divisional grudge games, and a massive AFC showdown involving the Kansas City Chiefs, this is a slate DFS players will attack aggressively.
The early window is highlighted by the Chiefs hosting the Colts in a must-win spot for Kansas City after losing four of their last six. That game headlines a window that includes three totals of 50+, giving fantasy managers a wide range of stackable environments. Expect heavy interest in Giants @ Lions, one of the premier offensive environments of the season, where stacking Lions—particularly Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams—will be enormously popular.
In the late window, the spotlight lands squarely on the NFC East showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys in Dallas. One caution: Philadelphia have turned into pace-killers recently, with their last two games combining for just 52 total points while allowing the 3rd-fewest yards per play over that span. Whether the Cowboys can force a shootout is the million-dollar question DFS players will wrestle with.
With $20,000 guaranteed on Draftstars and $2,000 to first, lineup differentiation and smart roster construction will be the key drivers of profit. Below, we break down every position and map a clear route to anchoring, stacking, and leveraging your way toward the top of the leaderboard.
NFL 2025-26 Daily Fantasy Tips: Week 12 Monday
Quarterbacks
Drake Maye — $18,430
Drake Maye enters Week 12 as the second-highest averaging QB on the slate, and he draws a true A1 matchup at home against the Bengals. Cincinnati rank bottom five over the past month in defensive EPA per play, while allowing 7.4 yards per attempt and the fifth-most explosive pass plays.
Maye has settled into more of a decisive pocket passer during the last five weeks, but the touchdown upside remains massive. New England rank top eight in red zone touchdown rate and Maye has logged multiple passing TDs in four of his last five games.
He is one of the easiest stacking QBs on the board:
- Maye + Treveyon Henderson + WR
- Maye + Hunter Henry
- Maye + Patriots D/ST (onslaught correlation in a blowout script)
This is a smash spot for the second-year superstar, and another monster outing strengthens what is now a legitimate MVP résumé.
Caleb Williams — $13,690
It’s been a rocks-or-diamonds season for the former number one overall pick, but this week presents a pristine environment at home against the Steelers. Since Week 7, Pittsburgh have:
- Allowed the second-most passing yards per game
- Allowed the 8th-most passing TDs
- Ranked 18th in success rate per dropback
- Logged the fourth-lowest pressure rate
- Recorded only two sacks across their last three games
Williams is at his best when he has time, and this matchup gives him that luxury. The Bears’ weapon group remains extremely strong, and with Rome Odunze emerging as a true alpha target, the ceiling is very real.
Pair him confidently with Odunze, and consider double-stacking with a secondary option to leverage his low salary.
QB Strategy
Week 12 offers a classic DFS quarterback dynamic:
Pay Up for Certainty (Maye, Hurts, Mahomes)
High-total games + elite red-zone efficiency make these the safest cash and GPP anchors.
Mid-Range Explosion Paths (Williams, Goff, Darnold)
These QBs carry elite ceiling outcomes relative to cost. Williams is the standout due to matchup.
Leverage Plays (Shough, Cousins)
If you fade the chalk stacks (Giants/Lions, Colts/Chiefs), these mid-tier pivots can differentiate your build while opening salary for elite RB/WR combinations.
Stack Principles:
- Always stack your quarterback in GPPs.
- Double stacks are optimal in high-total games.
- Bring-backs are crucial in dome games and shootouts.
Running Backs
Jahmyr Gibbs — $19,120
Gibbs is not only the RB1 of the slate—he may be the number-one overall scorer across all positions. He’s reached the point where the Lions’ offense quietly runs through him, with Gibbs handling:
- 62% of snaps over the last four games
- 72% of RB routes
- 18 touches per game, with elite receiving involvement
He faces a Giants run defence ranked bottom four in:
- Rush EPA allowed
- Yards after contact allowed
- Missed tackle rate
Montgomery still siphons goal-line touches, but Gibbs’ efficiency and chunk-play rate (league-leading 15% explosive run rate) give him unmatched ceiling. Stack him with Lions passing game pieces or play him standalone—either way he is a lock-button consideration.
Treveyon Henderson — $14,380
The return of Rhamondre Stevenson complicates the backfield a bit, but Henderson looks too explosive for Mike Vrabel to ignore. Over the last two weeks, Henderson has:
- Averaged 5.8 yards per carry
- Logged 68% of backfield touches
- Scored in both games
The Bengals have been shredded on the ground all season, ranking bottom three in rushing yards allowed per game and allowing 4.9 yards per carry. They also allow RBs to dominate in the passing game, giving Henderson a massive dual-threat ceiling.
Easy pair with Maye, or use him solo in balanced builds. The floor is slightly lower with Stevenson active, but the upside remains enormous.
Breece Hall — $12,180
Hall is the Jets' offense—full stop. With Garrett Wilson out again, Hall leads the team in:
- Rush attempts
- Targets
- Yards from scrimmage
The Ravens have improved recently, but their run defence remains their biggest weakness. They rank bottom ten in:
- EPA per rush allowed
- Open-field yards allowed
- Yards after contact allowed
Hall’s receiving involvement (7+ targets in four straight games) gives him a stable floor and RB1 upside, even as an underdog.
RB Strategy
Paying Up at RB
This is a slate where paying up (Gibbs, Taylor, Bijan) is extremely viable. Elite RBs have strong matchups, and the mid-range WR pool is rich.
Correlate With Game Script
- Gibbs → Lions onslaught stacks
- Henderson → Patriots blowout stacks
- Hall → Ravens bring-back game theory
Avoid Thin Committees
Several teams (Texans, Panthers, Jaguars) use three-back committees that kill DFS upside. Stick to bell cows and two-man rotations.
RB Leverage
With so much chalk at WR, using double-upper-tier RB builds naturally creates salary uniqueness.
Wide Receivers
Chris Olave — $14,100
Olave projects as a true WR1 this week against a Falcons secondary that was just shredded by rookie Tet McMillan for 130 yards and two TDs. Atlanta are bottom five in:
- Explosive pass plays allowed
- Yards per coverage snap
- Deep ball passer rating allowed
Tyler Shough has been extremely aggressive in his two starts, pushing a top-four aDOT and showing no fear throwing into tight windows. With a bye week to accelerate timing and chemistry, this connection should spike.
Olave is a strong one-off play and a natural leverage stack with Shough. The Saints have a clear path to back-to-back wins with the Falcons fading fast.
Rome Odunze — $10,650
Odunze is the perfect stacking partner for Caleb Williams. The Steelers’ heavy single-high structure heavily favours Odunze:
- 25% target share per route vs single-high
- 1.94 yards per route run vs single-high
- Dominant against man coverage, where the Steelers rank 28th
With DJ Moore drawing safety attention, Odunze sees the isolated matchups he excels in. Everything lines up here for a strong WR1/WR2 result.
Mack Hollins — $8,380
With Kayshawn Boutte out and Stefon Diggs likely shadowed by DJ Turner, Hollins gets a legitimately elite opportunity bump. His usage has spiked:
- 7+ targets in two straight
- Red zone involvement
- 80%+ routes in three straight
He faces a defence ranked dead last in total yards allowed, passing yards allowed, and scoring. Hollins comes with 15–20 point upside at near-minimum price, making him an integral salary relief piece.
WR Strategy
Salary Tier Distribution
The mid-range WR tier (9k–12k) is absolutely loaded this week and will account for enormous ownership. Pivoting to higher-priced alternatives like Olave, Amon-Ra, or JSN provides natural leverage.
Correlate Aggressively
WR scoring is strongly tied to game environment. This is not a slate where you want isolated WR exposure.
Consider Secondary Correlations
Example:
- Gibbs + Wan’Dale
- Kelce + Pittman
- Odunze + Metcalf
Small correlations reduce randomness and boost overall lineup construction efficiency.
Low-Owned Leverage Plays
Players like Hollins, Christian Watson, and Darius Slayton come in under-owned and allow premium RB allocations.
Tight Ends
Travis Kelce — $10,960
Kelce finally looked like peak Kelce last week, and with Kansas City desperate for a win, he should again operate as Patrick Mahomes’ clear primary read. His 13 targets, 9 catches, 91 yards, and TD in Week 11 show the usage is back.
The Colts are bottom three in fantasy points allowed to tight ends, and they have been repeatedly beaten by TE seam routes and red-zone matchups. Kelce carries slate-breaking upside at a position lacking reliable ceiling.
Kyle Pitts — $9,770
With Drake London out again, Pitts becomes the primary middle-of-field weapon for Kirk Cousins. Atlanta’s red zone offense is heavily TE-influenced, and Cousins historically targets tight ends at a top-five rate when operating with limited perimeter options.
The floor is not ideal, but the ceiling remains very real—especially if the Falcons fall behind early and Cousins chases volume.
TE Strategy
- Kelce = Pay-Up Hammer
Often the TE1 by 5–10 points when he hits. McBride the only TE with higher upside
- Mid-Range Dead Zone
Too many 5-target ceilings with low TD equity.
- Punts in Big Stacks
Cheap tight ends from high-total games (e.g., Lions, Chiefs) are viable salary savers.
- Always correlate when punting
TE production is too volatile not to stack with your QB.
Defence / Special Teams
Las Vegas Raiders — $6,540
This one is uncomfortable—but that’s exactly what makes it a GPP gem. Shadeur Sanders continues to struggle with pressure recognition, and the Raiders have an elite disruptor in Maxx Crosby, who owns a top-three pressure rate despite facing double teams at the second-highest rate in football.
This total is extremely low for a dome game, suggesting Vegas expects a slog. Turnovers and sacks are both in play, and the Raiders make an excellent leverage pivot off the chalkier defensive plays.
Baltimore Ravens — $6,510
The Ravens' defence has steadily improved over the past month, particularly in coverage. This week they draw a Jets offense starting Tyrod Taylor—who is far more turnover-prone when forced to throw than his reputation suggests.
The Jets have struggled to generate explosive plays and carry one of the lowest implied totals of the week. Baltimore are large favourites, making them a premier D/ST option.
D/ST Strategy
- Target low team totals (Jets, Titans, Browns)
- Chase pressure, not turnovers
Pressure = predictable. Turnovers = random.
- Pair with your RB when projecting a blowout
Henderson + Patriots D/ST is textbook correlation.
- Avoid road underdogs
The hit rate is extremely low and rarely worth the savings.
Slate Strategy & Roster Construction
1. Early vs Late Window Strategy
The early window carries the highest totals, but late-slate hammer stacks (Cowboys/Eagles) will be under-owned because of recency bias toward Eagles unders.
2. Balance Chalk with Leverage
- Chalk stacks: Lions, Chiefs, Patriots
- Leverage stacks: Saints, Bears, Rams
Balance one chalk stack with one leverage play to avoid duplicated lineups.
3. Prioritize RB Certainty
Gibbs, Henderson, Bijan, and Hall offer both volume and receiving involvement—key on Draftstars.
4. Use Secondary Correlations
Mini-stacks increase lineup coherence without requiring full game stacks.
5. Embrace Ceiling at WR
WR variance is high—lean into it. Avoid too many floor plays.
Final Thoughts
Week 12 is rich with fantasy goodness: elite RB matchups, high-total early games, and a late-slate rivalry tilt that could break open if Dallas control the pace. The Lions will attract heavy ownership, while the Patriots and Chiefs will form the backbone of many stacks.
To separate yourself, embrace uncomfortable leverage—Olave, Hollins, Pitts, and the Raiders D/ST all project at low ownership despite excellent contextual upside. Balance chalk with strategic pivots, correlate aggressively, and avoid fringe committee backs.
Build smart, correlate heavily, and trust ceiling outcomes. There’s an edge to be found on this slate—and the lineup that threads the needle between chalk and leverage could very well take down the $2,000 first-place prize.
Suggested NFL Draftstars Lineup
