Thanksgiving brings three great NFL matchups this season. As we prepare to enjoy turkey, stuffing and time with family, we also have DFS lineups to make. Let's dig into the Thanksgiving FanDuel NFL DFS slate and highlight some of the top players to consider.
The Games
A lot of the focus of NFL DFS picks is on individual players. Skills certainly matter, but finding game environments that are likely to promote a lot of points scored is a way to narrow the focus of our player pool.
| Over-Under | Road Team | Road Team Total | Home Team | Home Team Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48.5 | Packers | 23.5 | Lions | 25.5 |
| 51.5 | Chiefs | 27.5 | Cowboys | 24.5 |
| 51.5 | Bengals | 22.5 | Ravens | 29.5 |
All three games have a total of at least 48 points. Be sure to check RotoWire before the slate begins to get the latest NFL odds.
Value Options
Kareem Hunt, KC at DAL ($6,400): Hunt received a season-high 30 rushing attempts in an overtime win over the Colts in Week 12, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown. He also caught all three of his targets for 26 yards, and he now has four straight games with at least one touchdown.
The Chiefs are expecting Isiah Pacheco (knee) to return for his game, but he wasn't great even before he was sidelined. He hasn't rushed for more than 58 yards in a game, and he has just one rushing touchdown. When the Chiefs get in close, their first choice for carries has usually been Hunt. That's important to keep in mind for a matchup against a Cowboys team that has given up 28.5 points per game.
Christian Watson, GB at DET ($6,000): The Packers only attempted 22 passes in their convincing win over the Vikings last week, but Watson still finished with five catches for 49 yards on seven targets. He has posted at least 45 receiving yards in all five games since returning from injury, with at least four receptions in three.
The Packers might need to throw more this week, given that the Lions have averaged 29.6 points per game. Tucker Kraft (knee) is out for the season, so Watson has the potential to continue to receive plenty of targets. Also helping his case is that the Lions have allowed 15 touchdowns to wide receivers, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL.
Other Value Options
QB Jordan Love, GB at DET ($7,300)
RB Chase Brown, CIN at BAL ($7,200)
RB Isiah Pacheco, KC at DAL ($5,500)
WR Zay Flowers, BAL vs. CIN ($7,100)
WR Andrei Iosivas, CIN at BAL ($5,400)
TE Isaiah Likely, BAL vs. CIN ($5,300)
Stacks to Consider
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Lamar Jackson ($8,700) threw four touchdown passes against the Dolphins in Week 9, which was his first game back from injury. Since then, he has a total of one passing touchdown and hasn't topped 193 passing yards in any of the last three games. However, this is a great spot to get back on track against a Bengals defense that's allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Arguably the most appealing option to stack with Jackson is tight end Mark Andrews ($5,600). With Jackson struggling, Andrews had only seven receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown over the last three games. However, the Bengals have had no answers for tight ends this season, allowing 19.3 FanDuel points per game to the position. The next closest team is the Jaguars, who have allowed 14.1.
Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys
Patrick Mahomes ($8,400) only has one touchdown pass over his last three games, but he had a season-high 352 passing yards against the Colts last week. Not only could he rack up passing yards in bunches again, he could also get his touchdown mojo back, as the Cowboys have allowed 24 passing touchdowns, which is the second-most in the NFL.
The best stacking option for Mahomes might be Rashee Rice ($8,600), who has helped open up their offense since returning from suspension. He came away with eight receptions for 141 yards last week and has been targeted at least nine times in four of the last five games, catching at least six passes in those.
Other Stacks to Consider
Cowboys – Dak Prescott ($7,900) + George Pickens ($8,000)
Lions – Jared Goff ($7,800) + Amon-Ra St. Brown ($9,000)
High-Price Heroes
Ja'Marr Chase, CIN at BAL ($9,500): Chase will return after serving a one-game suspension, but the Bengals won't be complete at wide receiver with Tee Higgins (concussion) out. Even with Higgins mostly healthy this season, Chase has received 30.1 percent of the Bengals' targets and 34.8 percent of their air yards.
Chase dominated the Ravens last season, catching 10 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns in Week 5 and then 11 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns in Week 11. With a ton of targets likely coming his way, Chase enters this matchup with a high floor and ceiling.
Jahmyr Gibbs, DET vs. GB ($9,500): Gibbs had a great matchup against the porous Giants' defense last week and didn't disappoint, rushing 15 times for 215 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 11 of 12 targets for 45 yards and one touchdown. Over the last five games, Gibbs has eight total touchdowns.
When Gibbs faced the Packers in Week 1, they limited him to 19 yards on nine carries. However, he caught all 10 of his targets for 31 yards. Since Sam LaPorta (back) went down, Gibbs has combined for 20 targets over the last two games. Even if the Packers can somewhat contain Gibbs on the ground, his ability to make an impact in the passing game still makes him a very attractive option.
The Smash Spot
Derrick Henry, BAL vs. CIN ($8,800): Henry wasn't efficient against the Jets last week, turning 21 carries into 64 yards, but he did score two touchdowns. Since Jackson returned from injury, Henry has been given 19 red-zone carries in four games, including 11 from inside the five-yard line.
The Ravens have leaned heavily on Henry regardless of who is under center, receiving at least 18 carries in six straight games. Not only have the Bengals given up 12 rushing touchdowns, they have allowed the third-most yards per carry to running backs. In what could be a high-scoring matchup, Henry stands out as one of the top options for the slate, regardless of position.
