Week 12 of the NFL Season begins with a good matchup that has big ramifications for the AFC. The Buffalo Bills are 7-3, sitting as the No. 5 seed in the conference entering the week. They’re also chasing the Patriots, trying to remain one loss back before their second meeting. The Texans, meanwhile, fought their way back to .500 at 5-5. If the playoffs started today, the Texans would be the first team out, sitting in third place in the AFC South.

Both teams need a win. Both teams have been up-and-down on offense. The Texans are back home and hoping to make a statement against a tough opponent. The Bills, meanwhile, want to follow up on last week’s 44-point explosion with another big win.

For the Bills, Josh Allen is a QB1. I like James Cook, but it’s a tough matchup. He’s a low-end RB1 option but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him finish in the RB2 range. In the passing game, with Dalton Kincaid out again, it’s a toss-up. Khalil Shakir is a flex option, while other options are more of a desperation boom-or-bust flex option. If I needed a YOLO pick, it would be Tyrell Shavers.

For the Texans, C.J. Stroud is still in the concussion protocol. Davis Mills starts again and he’s a low-end QB2. In the backfield, the best play is Woody Marks. He’s a low-end Flex option with some upside. In the passing game, Nico Collins is a solid play at receiver and Dalton Schultz is a TE2 with upside.

Now, on to the Week 12 picks.

NFL Picks, Week 12:

Bills Over Texans
Bears Over Steelers
Packers Over Vikings
Lions Over Giants
Patriots Over Bengals
Seahawks Over Titans
Chiefs Over Colts
Ravens Over Jets
Raiders Over Browns
Jaguars Over Cardinals
Eagles Over Cowboys
Falcons Over Saints
Rams Over Buccaneers
49ers Over Panthers

Last Week: 12-3
Season: 107-56

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.