DraftKings NFL Picks, Week 12: Best bargains in DFS play
By Drew DeLuca
Tight Ends
Top tier tight ends are harder to come by than ever this week. Travis Kelce and Hunter Henry enjoy bye weeks, while George Kittle, Evan Engram and Austin Hooper continue to nurse injuries that will likely keep all three out of action. Therefore, finding value at the tight end position is of paramount importance in Week 12.
This effort becomes a bit harder for those who’ve used the “plug-in-whoever-plays-the-Arizona Cardinals” approach. The Cards are also on bye, along with the resurgent Kyle Rudolph, the Red Zone Reindeer. The landscape is as barren as a Jakku junkyard but we sifted through the sands and unearthed a few items of value.
Mark Andrews (BAL at LAR, $6,100) should be a focal point of the offense, given that Hollywood Brown will draw Jalen Ramsey, and the rest of the receiving corps inspires little hope beyond rookie Miles Boykin, who has done little more than flash his raw talent thus far. Expect a monster day from Andrews, who is actually averaging more points per game than Kittle this season.
Zach Ertz (PHI vs. SEA, $6,000) should likewise be the centerpiece of his team’s aerial attack, given the plethora of pathetic pass-catchers surrounding him. Be shocked if Wentz’s good buddy doesn’t see 10 or more targets while scoring at least one touchdown.
Darren Waller (OAK vs. NYJ, $5,700), to the disdain of Foster Moreau hipsters, reasserted himself as the top option in the Raiders’ passing attack last week, leading the team in targets. The 6-6, 256-pound behemoth moves well and should exploit mismatches in the red zone in what promises to be a high-scoring affair.
Ryan Griffin (NYJ at OAK, $4,200) might be highly-owned at this price, especially after last week’s performance. People sure do love themselves some recency bias, but odds are high that this backup tight end pressed into starting duty won’t outscore Le’Veon Bell in back-to-back weeks. Still, given the Raiders’ red zone struggles and the fallow field that is the Week 12 tight end landscape, Griffin must be considered.
Vance McDonald (PIT at CIN, $3,500) is well-positioned as this week’s Ryan Griffin. Terrible opponent? Check. Lack of healthy, dependable surrounding red zone targets? Check. With James Washington and Johnny Holton projected as his starting wide receivers, McDonald could serve up a cheap value meal for DFS players hungry for value at the tight end position.
The highlights from the pile of other low-budget tight ends include Noah Fant (DEN at BUF, $3,900) and Dallas Goedert (PHI vs. SEA, $3,700), who offer the highest upside of the lot. Volume opportunities await for Ross Dwelley (SF vs. GB, $3,700) due to the Kittle injury.
Meanwhile, Cameron Brate (TB at ATL, $3,600) is benefiting from O.J. Howard‘s presence in Bruce Arians’ doghouse, and Ben Watson (NE vs. DAL $3,100) is starting to see a slight, consistent uptick in targets as a part of the league’s seventh-ranked passing offense, led by Tom Brady.
Finally, those crafting “studs and scrubs” lineups will want to keep an eye on Scott Simonson (NYG at CHI, $2,600), the lowest priced tight end who might be worth a look, thanks to the absences of Evan Engram and backup Rhett Ellison.