Happy Thanksgiving! It's the time of year to reflect on everyone and everything you're thankful for. Things like 300-yard passing games, multi-touchdown performances and, of course, garbage-time fantasy points. There should be plenty of those to go around this weekend, so be sure to give thanks.
The goal of this weekly column is to help find the most profitable DFS stacks, while avoiding the duds. Stacking, or pairing multiple players from the same NFL team, is an ideal way to maximize your point production, which is crucial in larger GPP (guaranteed prize pool) tournaments. Let's take a look at some of the top DFS stacks for Week 12, loosely sorted by salary.
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High Priced Week 12 DFS Stacks
New York QB Eli Manning and WR Odell Beckham Jr. at Cleveland
This duo is bound to break out eventually. Beckham has gone four straight games without 100 yards, but he does have three touchdowns and 24 receptions over that same span. He's been productive without being other-wordly.
Manning has tossed nine touchdowns over his last three games, but hasn't topped 300 yards since back in Week 6. A matchup with the winless Cleveland Browns and their 22nd-ranked pass defense presents a great opportunity for both Manning and Beckham to change these recent trends.
New England QB Tom Brady and WR Julian Edelman at New York Jets
Brady is 21-7 in his career against the Jets. The only team he's beaten more is the Buffalo Bills (26-3). Given this track record of domination, it seems likely that Brady will once again dominate New York.
The trick for DFS, of course, is figuring out which receiver will catch Brady's touchdown passes. Last week, rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell and running back James White snagged TDs, along with Edelman and Danny Amendola. Look for Edelman to stay hot, especially if Rob Gronkowski (chest) is inactive again.
Oakland QB Derek Carr and WR Amari Cooper vs. Carolina
If the playoffs started today, the Raiders would be the No. 1 seed in the AFC. That's pretty impressive, and the 25-year-old Carr and 22-year-old Cooper are two major reasons why.
Only five teams are allowing more passing yards per game than the Panthers (272), so Carr and Cooper should have little trouble moving the ball. Michael Crabtree is also a viable stack with Carr, as he should bounce back from a quiet outing this past Monday night. But Cooper offers the best upside.
Moderately Priced Week 12 DFS Stacks
Seattle QB Russell Wilson and WR Doug Baldwin at Tampa Bay
It's the second half of the season, so the Seahawks' offense is due to turn things up a notch. Baldwin topped 100 yards this past Sunday for the first time since Week 3, and he even added a passing touchdown on a trick play.
Don't expect another passing TD from Baldwin, but another 100-yard game is certainly within reach against a Buccaneers defense allowing 267 passing yards per game. Wilson appears healthy for the first time since early September, so expect him to continue piling up the fantasy points.
Tennessee QB Marcus Mariota and WR Rishard Matthews at Chicago
Mariota has quietly become a fantasy force this season. The former Heisman Trophy winner has now thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven consecutive games, along with steady yardage totals.
Matthews, meanwhile, has emerged as one of Mariota's favorite targets. Matthews has six touchdowns over his last seven games and is coming off a season-high 122 yards in this past Sunday's game. The Bears have been shredded by opposing wide receivers this season, and Matthews should continue that trend.
Arizona QB Carson Palmer and WR Larry Fitzgerald at Atlanta
It's been a rough season for the Cardinals, but future Hall of Famer Fitzgerald continues to produce at an elite level. He's caught at least six passes in six straight games, though he hasn't found the end zone since Week 5.
Palmer has been up and down this season, but the matchup against the Falcons' 31st-ranked pass defense is too great to ignore. Prior to last weekend's underwhelming outing against Minnesota (198 yards, two INTs), Palmer had topped 300 yards in three consecutive games. There's plenty of upside for him in Week 12.
Bargain Week 12 DFS Stacks
Philadelphia QB Carson Wentz and WR Jordan Matthews vs. Green Bay
Wentz hasn't exactly lit the world on fire in recent weeks, but he's been considerably more effective at his job than the Packers' secondary has been at its job. Green Bay has been repeatedly picked apart by opposing quarterbacks, most recently Kirk Cousins (375 yards, three TDs) and Mariota (295 yards, four TDs).
Nelson Agholor and Bryce Treggs are better pure deep threats, but Wentz relies heavily on Matthews and, of late, tight end Zach Ertz. Matthews is the safest stack with Wentz, but consider Ertz as a contrarian option.
Chicago QB Matt Barkley and WR Cameron Meredith vs. Tennessee
Oh my, things have gotten pretty ugly in Chicago. Quarterback Jay Cutler isn't expected to start due to a shoulder injury, which would leave the starting job in the hands of the third-stringer Barkley.
With the suspension of Alshon Jeffery and season-ending injury to tight end Zach Miller, Meredith enters the game as the Bears' top overall option in the passing game. This is a supremely risky stack, but it offers considerable savings for flexibility elsewhere in your lineup.