Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season kicks off tonight with a matchup of AFC playoff contenders as the Buffalo Bills visit the Houston Texans. Buffalo enters as a 5.5-point road favorite, with an over/under of 43.5. The Bills are trying to keep pace with the Patriots in the AFC East title race while the Texans will try to make it three straight wins without C.J. Stroud at quarterback.
Below, we will take a look at the best DFS plays for this Thursday night showdown.
Captain’s Picks
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (FLEX $13,600, CPT $20,400)
Allen was a touchdown machine against the Buccaneers last Sunday, totaling six for the afternoon to help the Bills get back into the win column in a 44-32 triumph. The reigning MVP racked up a season-high 47.68 fantasy points in DFS in their Week 12 victory, his fourth straight game with at least 23 points and his first 40+ point performance since his spectacular outing against the Ravens in the season opener.
He’ll have a tough challenge going up against the Texans’ D on a short week, but he typically does well in these situations. After all, Allen is a perfect 8-0 in Thursday night games, averaging a 73.5 completion percentage, 242.5 yards, and 2.3 touchdowns in these contests. That’s an indicator that he *should* have things under control this evening and even with a heavy price point, I still wouldn’t hesitate to make him the captain of my lineup.
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans (FLEX $12,400, CPT $18,600)
C.J. Stroud’s absence has not hindered Collins’ production over the past few weeks as he’s continued to be the biggest impact player of the Texans’ offense. The Pro Bowler’s nine receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown was enough to push the team to a 16-13 victory over the Titans last Sunday and it was a proper follow-up to his 136-yard outburst against the Jaguars the week prior.
Collins now has 46 targets over his last four outings and has been a vital part of the team climbing back into the playoff mix after a rough start to the campaign. Even when facing a tough Bills secondary, he should command enough targets to make a captain’s selection worthwhile for DFS managers.
Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans (FLEX $10,400, CPT $15,600)
Marks has also gotten a healthy workload within the Texans’ offense and has easily supplanted Nick Chubb as the starting running back. The fourth-round rookie tailback has commanded double-digit carries in six of his last seven outings and has combined for 32 attempts, 107 yards, and a touchdown in Houston’s victories over the past two weeks.
Tonight, Marks will have a favorable matchup against a Buffalo defense that is struggling to stop the run. The Bills have the second-worst EPA per rush on defense in the NFL while giving up the fourth-most rushing yards at 1,530 and the most rushing touchdowns at 17. We just watched Bucs backup running back Sean Tucker rip them to shreds last Sunday and there’s a chance that Marks can do the same.
Value flex plays
Nick Chubb, RB, Houston Texans (FLEX $5,800, CPT $8,700)
Similar to Marks, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Chubb post a solid effort on the ground in this primetime showdown. The veteran All-Pro has been held to single-digit touches over the past few weeks, but was routinely in the double-digits in the weeks prior. He’s averaging just 6.5 fantasy points per game for DFS managers and given tonight’s matchup, these a possibility of him clearing that average with ease.
Tyrell Shavers, WR, Buffalo Bills (FLEX $3,800, CPT $5,700)
Shavers caught four of five targets for 90 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Bucs on Sunday and was able to get extra reps in this game due to Keon Coleman being benched for being late to a team-meeting on Friday. Coleman looks like he’ll be a healthy scratch yet again for tonight’s game, opening the door for the third-year wideout to get some more run. Stay laser focused on him as a good, cheap Flex option.
Ty Johnson, RB, Buffalo Bills (FLEX $3,400, CPT $5,100)
Johnson had his most productive game of the season against the Bucs on Sunday, taking a single carry for nine yards on the ground while catching targets for 61 yards and a target through the air. He gets a smattering of touches in both the run game and the passing game every week, so he’s a cheap lineup option that could pay dividends.
