NFL Week 12 bold predictions, fantasy tips 🏈
Jim Reineking
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Welcome to Week 12 in the NFL! Before discussing the weekend's biggest matchups, we've lined up some essentials for you to review:
- Week 12 picks from USA TODAY Sports' NFL experts ✅
- Need fantasy football advice? We have you covered 🏆
- NFL vodcasts: Fantasy insights, injury updates, more 🎥
- Point spreads for every Week 12 game 🎰
➤ On tap for Thursday night: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans — A funny thing happened in what was expected to be a romp to a sixth consecutive AFC East crown for the Bills. An old and powerful nemesis has re-emerged from the wilderness. The New England Patriots are back atop the division and the Bills are forced to try to keep pace after some unfortunate defeats (Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, anybody?). The Texans — the two-time reigning AFC South winners — have won three of four after a 2-4 start to wedge their way into the "In The Hunt" category of the playoff picture. Houston sits three games behind the division-leading Indianapolis Colts, so its best shot at a postseason return might be via the wild card, thus making this a near must-win for both teams.
➤ Game of the week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams — Baker Mayfield against his former team! The Rams haven't trailed in a game since Week 6. That week was also the start of the team's five-game winning streak that has it in the pole position of Nate Davis' latest power rankings. Tampa Bay has dropped two in a row — both to AFC East teams — but still are in a good spot to win a fifth consecutive NFC South crown.
➤ Sneaky-good game of the week: Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears — The Bears are working on a worst-to-first turnaround. The next test is a home contest against the Steelers, a squad desperately trying to hold off the hard-charging Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North. Once upon a time Bears "owner" Aaron Rodgers has a wrist injury, but might still play in this inter-conference showdown at the unfriendly confines of Soldier Field. This game is one of two this week (Buccaneers-Rams is the other) between division-leading teams.
➤ Just going to rank some games I'm interested in watching without giving any context:
- Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs
- Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers
- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
- Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
- New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals
➤ Dud of the week: Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders — Both teams are in the running for the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Both teams desperately need to find that elusive "future franchise quarterback." Though, maybe Shedeur Sanders — son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — will be the answer in Cleveland 🤔. Sanders will make his first NFL start a week after his pro debut (PHOTOS!). Many were left less than impressed by Sanders' play last week, but our Chris Bumbaca is more thoughtful and giving the polarizing rookie some time to grow into the role.
📸 Eye-popping images from the 2025 NFL season
TNF BETTING LOCK 🔐
🐂 Woody Marks anytime TD (+140). Marks has emerged as the go-to runner in the Texans' backfield, which should translate to increased production. On Thursday night, the Texans face a Bills team that allowed Sean Tucker to run for 106 yards and two touchdowns. We're banking on Marks to reach paydirt against Buffalo; three of his four touchdowns this season have come in home games.
*Odds per BetMGM (as of publication; odds subject to change)
ONE BOLD PREDICTION 😱
➤ Vikings pull off an upset at Lambeau. Minnesota swept Green Bay last season, and has won six of nine against its longtime "Black and Blue Division" rival going back to 2020. The Packers are coming off a thrilling win over the New York Giants. But let's be real, the Giants were operating under an interim head coach (Mike Kafka) and down to their third-string quarterback (granted, it was Jameis Winston). The Vikings defense could give the Packers' still-sputtering offense fits.
🪧 NFL Week 12 picks straight up and against the spread
HOT READS 🎯
The best NFL reads from USA TODAY and our Sports Network:
🏈 The Rams remain atop Nate Davis' latest power rankings, but there's a new team at No. 2.
🏈 Shedeur Sanders is poised to become the 42nd quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise was rebooted in 1999. Jarrett Bell writes about the puzzling circumstances surrounding Sanders not getting any first-team reps before his debut.
🏈 What if the NFL had a soccer-style in-season loan system? Closet soccer enthusiast Nate Davis has a wish list of six star players for hypothetical loans to better teams. ⚽
🏈 Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz writes that a massive bill is about to come due for this one team's miscalculations. 🧮
🏈 There was once a time when it seemed Antonio Brown was a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. However, legal issues complicate Brown's Hall case now. Jarrett Bell further explains how the debate goes deeper than football.
🏈 The Jets have benched Justin Fields in favor of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor. It seems Fields might have finally run out of chances.
🏈 Just three weeks after suffering an ugly ankle injury, Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo got into the brawling action at WWE Raw on Monday night. The next day, Skattebo had a response for the critics on social media.
📷 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games
FANTASY ESSENTIALS ✨
We've hit a critical juncture in the year (and we're not talking about preparations for the greatest of the football/food holidays). There's precious few weeks left in the fantasy football season, so pay close attention to possible waiver wire pickups, lineup strategy and bye weeks (there are four teams off in Week 12).
🏉 Week 12 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends
🏉 Waiver wire: Players to consider adding for Week 12
🏉 Player rankings for Week 12, plus risers and sleepers
📸 Best PPR seasons since 2001: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends
NFL DRAFT: PROSPECT TO WATCH 👀
👉 Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (vs. USC, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+) — This showdown of former Pac-12 rivals is huge in terms of the College Football Playoff picture. This No. 5 vs. No. 16 matchup also will be intriguing if you're scouting prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. Keep your eyes on Oregon's hyper-athletic tight end. Sadiq had eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in the Ducks' 42-13 win over Minnesota last week. USA TODAY Sports' most recent mock draft of record has Sadiq going to the Kansas City Chiefs as the successor to Travis Kelce.
📊 2026 draft tight ends big board: Top 8 prospects at the position
ON THIS DAY IN NFL HISTORY 📜
65 years ago today, on Nov. 20, 1960, Chuck Bednarik administered one of the most violent hits in NFL history on Frank Gifford. Bednarik — the man known as "Concrete Charlie" and the league's last 60-minute man — said on multiple occasions that the hit was like "a Mack truck hitting a Volkswagen."
During the 1960 season, the New York Giants (5-1-1) — who had played in the previous two NFL championship games — were hosting the Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) in a pivotal late-season game at Yankee Stadium. Late in the game, with the Eagles leading 17-10, the Giants had the ball. Gifford caught a short pass from Giants quarterback George Shaw. Gifford, immediately struck by Bednarik, was knocked unconscious and fumbled the ball as he fell to the ground. The Eagles recovered the ball and went on to win the game. Gifford was hospitalized with a head injury and was sidelined until the 1962 season.
The Eagles would go on to win the NFL championship, defeating the Green Bay Packers in the only playoff loss the team ever endured under legendary coach Vince Lombardi.
📷 Teams wearing alt or throwback uniforms this season
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