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Week 12 is here and this can mean only one thing......Thanksgiving Day Slate!
Now, if you're like me, Thanksgiving Day revolves around spending time with family, eating a whole bunch of food, and watching the three NFL games being played that day. Every DFS player knows that the sites will load the Turkey Day slate with plenty of contests so you will need to make sure that you stay diligent and do not spend more on this three-game slate than you normally would on another slate. When glancing back at last year's Thanksgiving Day slate, the 1st place score in the mIllionaire Maker was 189.14 while the minimum cashing score was 138.66.
In this article, I will be providing you with my Week 12 Thanksgiving Day Slate daily fantasy football lineup picks on DraftKings. These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. Be sure to also check out our weekly FanDuel DFS lineup picks and lots of other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big! Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter @jorgepucks. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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NFL Thanksgiving Day Slate
Houston vs. Detroit (-2), 50.5 O/U
Washington vs. Dallas (-1.5), 48 O/U
Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh (-2.5), 46 O/U
DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 12 Picks
Deshaun Watson, QB - vs. DET ($7,400)
On a small slate like this, we want to make sure that we get players that can hit their ceiling and Deshaun Watson is someone that has the ability to hit his ceiling against the Lions. Watson has been great so far this season as he has thrown for 2,883 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions. He is averaging 288 passing yards per game and has had multi-touchdown performances in seven of his last eight games played.
One thing that Watson does offer is his playmaking ability with his legs as he has recorded over 30+ yards of rushing over his last four games while also getting a rushing touchdown in the span as well. The Lions rank 24th against the pass and 27th overall as they allow 409 yards of total offense per game so Watson and company look to be in one of the best overall spots on this three-game slate.
Matthew Stafford, QB - vs. HOU ($5,800)
With the first game of the day projecting to be the highest-scoring game of the three-game slate, it would be best to look at both offenses for some fantasy production. Matthew Stafford has been playing well despite missing some key offensive weapons throughout the season. On the year, Stafford has completed 62.8% of his passes while throwing for 2,581 passing yards while averaging 17.9 DK points per game.
Stafford is coming off of a disappointing performance against Carolina as he completed 54.4% of passes for 178 passing yards and no touchdowns but he has two three-touchdown performances in two of his last four games played. Houston is allowing 266.3 passing yards per game while also allowing opponents to score 26.6 points per game so Stafford and company look to be in a prime spot to put up some numbers and potentially pull out the win against the Houston Texans.
DraftKings Running Backs - Week 12 Picks
Antonio Gibson, RB - @ DAL ($6,000)
If you are looking for one of the safer running back options on the slate, look no further than Antonio Gibson. Gibson has absorbed the every-down running back role for the Washington Football team and has done a very solid job as the bell-cow back for this offense. Gibson is averaging 15 DK points per game and has scored a rushing touchdown in each of his last four games played. Over that same four-game span, Gibson has had double-digit rushing attempts in three of those games and is still used often in the passing game as well.
While the Redskins offensive line hasn't been great, they do get a great matchup against Dallas. The Cowboys are allowing opposing teams to average 153.8 on the ground against them and with the way Gibson has been playing, he is viable in all formats. Gibson leads all rookie running backs in touchdowns and is second amongst rookies in terms of yardage which shows how well he has been playing, especially considering he was supposed to be more of a project as he converted from a wide receiver to full-time running back.
Duke Johnson, RB - vs. DET ($5,700)
Ever since David Johnson was placed on IR due to a concussion, Duke Johnson has stepped into the every-down role for the Texans. While Duke has not truly produced like fantasy owners would have hoped in David Johnson's absence, he is in a prime spot to succeed against Detroit. Duke has seen three straight games where he has seen double-digit carries while still remaining involved in the passing game through check down and underneath routes.
The Lions have struggled to contain opponents on the ground as they are allowing 139 rushing yards per game which rank 30th in the entire league. A good chunk of the focus will be revolving around stopping Deshaun Watson which means Duke Johnson and the ground game could get overlooked in this game. Also, with the news of Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins both testing positive, Gus Edwards becomes heavy chalk for his price which means Johnson could come in lower owned than anticipated.
Gus Edwards, RB - vs. PIT ($4,000)
Speaking of Edwards, if you opt to play cash games on this slate, Edwards will be one guy you will most likely want to use. As mentioned previously, both J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram are both out due to testing positive for COVID-19 which means Gus Edwards will slide into the starters role for the Thursday showdown against their arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. On the season, Edwards has had 85 rushing attempts for 376 rushing yards while also finding the end zone three times.
In Week 8, Edwards played a big role against the Steelers as he carried the rock for 87 yards on 16 rushing attempts while also finding the end zone once. The matchup against the Steelers is a tough one as they are limiting opponents to 103.4 rushing yards per game but even regardless of the matchup, the volume that Edwards could see is too good to pass up when also factoring in his pricepoint as well.
UPDATE: The Steelers-Ravens game has been moved to Sunday.
DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 12 Picks
Terry McLaurin, WR - vs. DAL ($7,000)
Scary Terry is having himself a great year and has truly emerged as a top deep threat in the league. McLaurin is the top receiving option for this Washington Football team and holds a 23% of the team's total target share which ranks top-five in the league as well for all receivers. He is seeing 9.6 targets per game and has recorded 5+ receptions in five straight games. McLaurin draws a very favorable matchup against Dallas as they are allowing 30 points per game and 396 total yards per game as well. In Week 7, McLaurin had a big day against this Cowboys secondary as he hauled in seven catches on 11 total targets for 90 receiving yards and one touchdown. McLaurin is the safest receiving option on the slate and should be used in all formats.
Brandin Cooks, WR - vs. DET ($5,300)
Brandin Cooks has really emerged as a top target for Deshaun Watson in this Texans offense. On the season, Cooks has recorded 47 catches for 634 receiving yards while also hauling in three touchdowns. Cooks is averaging 13 DK points per game and leads this Texans offense with 68 total targets on the season in addition to receptions as well. Cooks has topped 60+ receiving yards in five of his last six games played and has hauled in all three of his receiving touchdowns over that span. The matchup against Detroit is a good one as they are allowing teams to throw for over 270 passing yards per game and with the Texans averaging over 280 passing yards per game, this could be a very good day for Houstons receivers.
CeeDee Lamb, WR - vs. WAS ($5,400)
Despite the constant carousel at quarterback, CeeDee Lamb has been arguably the most consistent player on this Cowboys offense. Since Week 5, Lamb has led the Cowboys receivers in targets (44) while also leading in receiving touchdowns as well. Lamb is averaging 14.6 DK points per game and he has eclipsed double-digit DK points in eight of ten games played this season. Lamb has recorded a receiving touchdown in two straight weeks and has recorded four catches per game over his last three games. The last time Lamb played Washington, he had five targets but was unable to record a catch but that performance was in part to having Ben DiNucci as his quarterback. He definitely gets a bump now that Dalton will be under center which makes him a much better overall play.
DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 12 Picks
Eric Ebron, TE - vs. BAL ($4,100)
Eric Ebron has emerged as a big-time target for the Steelers offense but his price point has not indicated that at all. He is $4,100 on this slate which seems like a steal considering how involved he has been on the offensive end over the last seven games played. Ebron ranks third in the league in total targets at the tight end position over that seven-game span (42) while also recording a receiving touchdown in three out of his last four games played. The Steelers played the Ravens back in Week 8 and in that game, Ebron hauled in four of his five targets for 48 yards and a receiving touchdown. With a lot of the focus surround James Conner and the rest of the receiving group for Pittsburgh, Ebron could be in for a solid night as he could get overlooked by the Ravens Defense and fantasy owners alike.
UPDATE: The Steelers-Ravens game has been moved to Sunday.
Logan Thomas, TE - vs. DAL ($3,500)
Thomas has been a constant in this Washington offense and is at a very good price point on this slate. He comes in at $3,500 and is the 10th highest targeted tight end in the league. Thomas is averaging 5.8 targets per game and has hauled in three receiving touchdowns so far this year. With how limited this Washington offense is from a playmaker standpoint, Thomas certainly gets his looks in the middle of the field and on underneath throws. Thomas has posted double-digit fantasy points in three of his last five games played and has his best fantasy output on the season against Dallas in Week 7 as he racked up 60 receiving yards on four catches for one touchdown.
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