FanDuel Single-Game Fantasy Football Helper: Week 12 Sunday Night

This week's edition of Sunday Night Football features the Green Bay Packers traveling to take on the Minnesota Vikings.

With the FanDuel main slate ending after the afternoon games, single-game slates allow DFS enthusiasts to stay involved through the evening. For those unfamiliar, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to the main slate. However, kickers are included in these contests and there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5-times his total fantasy points, making this spot crucial.

Bookmakers project the Vikings to win this one by 3-points with a moderate over/under at 47.5-points. Each of these teams has disappointed this year, including a tie when they last faced each other. As it stands now, the Vikings enter this contest with a 5-4-1 record and the Packers come in at 4-5-1. Despite the recent struggles, this game holds the utmost importance as these teams battle for a wildcard spot in the NFC.

MVP Considerations

Kirk Cousins ($14,500): While Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers have struggled recently, quarterback remains the highest scoring position and keeps these two in play as "MVP" candidates. Cousins enters this game $2,000 cheaper than Rodgers and with a better matchup. Per our schedule-adjusted metrics, the Packers rank 18th in pass defense, while the Vikings rank 12th in passing offense. Earlier this season, Cousins ripped up this Packers' defense for a season-high 425 passing yards and 4 scores. Currently averaging 40.9 pass attempts per game, Cousins projects to throw for 290.30 yards, per our metrics. He should be relied upon heavily and offers a cheaper alternative to Rodgers at the MVP spot.

Aaron Jones ($14,000): Coming on of late, Aaron Jones' snap share jumped to a massive 90% in the Packers' game last week. He has handled at least 15 touches in each of his last three games, while Jamaal Williams has touch counts of 3 and 1 in the Packers' last two games. This remains a bet on talent and volume, however, because the matchup is rough as the Vikings rank second in rush defense, according to our metrics. The Vikes have shown vulnerability through the air, though, allowing the 10th-most receiving yards to backs (515). With a relatively high price, Jones should be treated as a contrarian MVP option in a tough matchup.

Stefon Diggs ($13,000): Simply too cheap, Stefon Diggs enters this game ranked sixth in the NFL in targets (103), with only two games below 10 targets all season. Notably, Diggs has out-targeted Adam Thielen in each of his last three games. As mentioned above, the Packers rank 18th in pass defense, but their struggles have increased recently. Over the last four weeks, the Packers have allowed the sixth-most yards to receivers (765) and should have their hands full with Diggs and Thielen. Coming in cheaper than Thielen and with more targets, Diggs provides an awesome option for the MVP slot.

Dalvin Cook ($10,000): After returning from a multi-week hamstring injury, Dalvin Cook showed promising usage despite poor box score results over the last two weeks. Last week in particular, Cook handled 75% of the running back touches and played on 88% of the Vikings' snaps. The Packers have played poor run defense to this point, ranking 26th versus the run, per our metrics. They also lost their stalwart defensive lineman Mike Daniels, further boosting Cook's outlook in the run game. Coming in with immense savings and recency bias working in his favor, Cook provides leverage from the MVP position.

Value Plays

Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($8,000): Despite operating as Rodgers' number-two receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling hasn't put up big numbers lately. However, he led the Packers' receivers in snaps each of the last two weeks, racking up 10 targets. He also projects to run a majority of his routes away from Vikings' premier corner, Xavier Rhodes, who will likely lock in on Davante Adams. Number-two options in a Rodgers' offense seldom come this cheap, making Valdes-Scantling a core play on the single-game slate.

Kyle Rudolph ($7,000): A major disappointment for all of 2018, Kyle Rudolph remains in consideration here due to price. The Packers have allowed the 10th-fewest yards (452) and 5th-fewest catches (29) to tight ends this year. Positively, Rudolph ranks tied for second with 10 red-zone targets on the team, despite recording only 2 touchdowns. Rudolph likely needs a touchdown to hit value, but it should be noted that Rudolph's best game of the year occurred when the Vikings played the Packers earlier this season (7 catches, 72 yards).

Equanimeous St. Brown ($6,500): The strength of this play depends entirely on Randall Cobb's availability. With Cobb out, St. Brown vaults to the top of the value plays, and if Cobb plays, St. Brown remains a dart throw. With Cobb out, St. Brown has played on 58% and 88% of the Packers' snaps the past two games. Like Valdes-Scantling, he has struggled, with only seven targets in the last two games, but he should also avoid the coverage of Rhodes. The status of Cobb needs to be monitored up until lineup lock, but St. Brown will remain in play even if Cobb suits up, given that Cobb would likely be at less than 100% health.

Laquon Treadwell ($5,500): Slowly losing snaps to Chad Beebe, Laquon Treadwell should approach full-time snaps again with Beebe nursing a hamstring injury. Treadwell has been dreadful as a Viking, seeing no more than five targets in any of his past six games. He also hasn't played a role in the red zone, with three targets inside the 20-yard line all season. A boost in playing time will conceivably help Treadwell, but the saving he provides is more enticing than his actual fantasy upside.