These kinds of pots come up from time to time and I'm often confused how to proceed, even when I'm confident that those small donk bets are what they appear. Could use a little theory to back up my decisions.

Excellent fishy live 1/2 game. Been here 30-45 mins. Opener across table has been routinely opening to $6 and $7 with most of his (loose) range, often getting several callers. I've been waiting for decent spots to 3bet/squeeze for value.

Opener has $275 and raises to $6. Two calls. I 3bet button to $20 with AQ and all 3 active players call. Callers have $300; I cover all.

Pot: $80
Flop: J75
Opener is first to act and donks out for $12.
Two folds to me.

I very strongly suspect this $12 to be what it represents, a marginal made hand stabbing in the dark. What should the plan be here and why?

call/call/raise usually gets rid of them OTR, unless you want to keep em in at that point.

If you had less equity, I would pop it to 60 right here.

Your preflop raise is way too small. Try to figure out if this guy has a fold button and act accordingly.

More pre.

As played, you have a lot of options. I like flatting his lol donk bet and betting/raising on later streets, if we need to, to knock him off of his hand.