Cowboys vs. Lions Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Thursday Night - Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams, Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams

December 3, 2025

Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em lineups advice for Cowboys vs. Lions on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 (2025). NFL matchups analysis and TNF starts/sits.

After a three-game buffet of Thanksgiving football last week, we are back to our regularly scheduled Thursday Night Football. If this is the dessert from a long week of football, we have a matchup that could deliver some tasty fantasy goodness. The matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions has the highest implied total of the week and the highest of any Thursday Night Football game of the season.

That means all of our fantasy assets are in play, but we are waiting on some significant injury news. For two NFC teams that are scratching and clawing to try and stay in the playoff race, this is an intriguing matchup for both fantasy football and NFL real-life implications.

I will bring you Thursday Night Football analysis all season, focusing on who to start, who is on the fence, and who should be benched. Let's dive into this Week 14 Thursday night matchup for the 2025 season. You can also check out our main Week 14 start 'em, sit 'em matchups article for all other games. Good luck in your fantasy football week, RotoBallers!

Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions

Thursday, December 4th, 8:15 PM ET

Notable Injuries:

• George Pickens (WR, DAL) - Questionable - Calf/Knee
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, DET) - Questionable - Ankle
• Kalif Raymond (WR, DET) - Questionable - Ankle
• Brock Wright (TE, DET) - Questionable - Neck

Cowboys vs. Lions Matchup Breakdown

In the last four Thursday Night Football games, we have seen the Jets, Dolphins, Raiders, and Vikings. Yikes... but not this week! Two of the top offenses in the NFL face off as the Cowboys visit the Lions, with the two teams in ninth and eighth place, respectively, and trying to get into the NFC playoff picture.

Cowboys vs. Lions on deck for TNF 👀

DALvsDET– Thursday 8:15pm ET on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/toMTF3GL11

— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2025

Both the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions enter Week 14 as top-five teams in touchdowns per game, red zone trips per game, and both are top-7 in passing yards per game. Similarly, both teams are bottom-10 in passing yards allowed per game over the last three weeks, and are getting gashed through the air. This should make for a strong aerial attack on both sides, with the Lions desperately waiting for news on Amon-Ra St. Brown.

St. Brown officially did not practice on Monday or Tuesday and is very questionable to play. If he should sit, the Lions will roll Isaac TeSlaa - a player who was born to score touchdowns - right into his spot. Once St. Brown left the game on Thanksgiving, TeSlaa played on almost all of the Lions' offensive snaps.

Must-Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Dak Prescott (QB, DAL)

Dak Prescott is the QB4 in fantasy points per game this season, just a fraction of a point behind Jalen Hurts. The Cowboys throw at the seventh-highest rate in the league, and they now have what has to be considered the best wide receiver duo in football. In a game with a 54.5 total, Prescott does not belong on the bench.

CeeDee Lamb (WR, DAL)

He might just be the 1B to George Pickens' 1A in the wide receiver room now, but that doesn't take away that Lamb is the WR9 in half-PPR fantasy points per game in 2025. Lamb has 27 targets in the last three games, and just some unfortunate drops and mistimings have kept him from some truly dominant performances.

George Pickens (WR, DAL)

George Pickens has not scored fewer than 10.2 fantasy points in a game since Week 1 and now leads the Cowboys with 101 targets this season. The Lions just let Jordan Love throw for 234 yards and four touchdowns on just 30 attempts last week. There is more than enough passing volume and touchdowns upside for both Lamb and Pickens.

Jake Ferguson (TE, DAL)

After six straight games with more than 10 fantasy points, Jake Ferguson now has five straight with fewer than 10. Still, there are only six tight ends who are active right now who are averaging more than 10 fantasy points per game, and Ferguson remains an end zone threat anytime the Cowboys are close to punching it in.

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, DET)

Thanksgiving might not have been Jahmyr Gibbs' best game of the season, but he still touched the ball 23 times, continuing a trend where he is getting more than double the number of touches that David Montgomery receives. If Gibbs gets 23 touches against Dallas, he might just come close to cracking 50 points again.

Jameson Williams (WR, DET)

Last week, we saw what is possible for Jameson Williams when St. Brown is out, even against a tough pass defense. Williams played 94% of snaps, saw 10 targets, and caught seven passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. All that and more is on the table against the Cowboys if the Sun God misses again.

CAN'T STOP JAMO

GBvsDET on FOX/FOX One/Tubi
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0c0MDLf3uR

— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2025

Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, DET) 

INJURY UPDATE: Amon-Ra St. Brown is ACTIVE vs. Cowboys

I would consider Amon-Ra St. Brown very questionable to play on Thursday, as he did not practice on Monday or Tuesday, and there have been no positive reports on his ankle. If he suits up, we have to play him because the Lions believe he can help, but my guess is he does not play.

Possible Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Javonte Williams (RB, DAL)

Is Javonte Williams the most consistent and predictable running back in the NFL? He has played exactly 78% of snaps for three straight games, and has between 20 and 23 touches in each of them. He has at least one touchdown or 87 yards in each of those games. The Lions have a tough run defense, but there is a lot of guaranteed volume here.

Jared Goff (QB, DET)

The Cowboys allow 24.8 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, four more than any other team. That's all you really need to know for using Jared Goff. He isn't necessarily a top-10 option this week, but if you need a streamer or replacement for Drake Maye during this last bye week, Goff is an excellent option.

David Montgomery (RB, DET)

Montgomery is still getting 10-12 touches per game, even with Gibbs beginning to take over, but he has become more of a goal-line and short-yardage specialist. That still puts him in a position to score touchdowns for Detroit, but he has only two since Week 5. He is more of a Flex play now than a sure-fire second running back.

Isaac TeSlaa (WR, DET)

St. Brown was injured very early in the Thanksgiving game, so we saw a full contest of Detroit’s backup plan. TeSlaa played 92% of snaps and caught another touchdown. If the Sun God misses time (especially in this game against Dallas), TeSlaa becomes an immediate add through waivers or free agency. This season, TeSlaa has six receptions, and half of them have been for touchdowns.

Isaac TeSlaa a Top Streaming Option in Week 14 https://t.co/PzNYBcJvLr

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) December 2, 2025

Consider Sitting for Fantasy Football Lineups

Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin (WRs, DAL)

In the past three games, 60 targets have gone to CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. In that same timespan, Ryan Flournoy and Kavontae Turpin have combined for 11 targets. Turpin might be used on a couple of gadget plays to give the running game a different look, but trying to predict whether one of these players will get a touchdown is a fool's errand.

Malik Davis (RB, DAL)

Even though Malik Davis has carved out a role in this Dallas backfield, his snaps have decreased from 19% three weeks ago to just 13% last game. He broke a long touchdown run against the Chiefs, but had just seven carries and 44 yards combined in his two games before Thanksgiving.

Kalif Raymond (WR, DET)

Kalif Raymond did not play on Thanksgiving, so we don't exactly know what role he would have if St. Brown were to be out. He only crossed 60% of snaps two times this season, and it looks like the team prefers to utilize TeSlaa in the red zone anyway.

Brock Wright (TE, DET)

Even if Brock Wright is healthy enough to play, he is not worthy of a streaming start. He is not a one-for-one replacement for Sam LaPorta, and Wright has just six combined receptions in his last three games.

Kirksey’s Thursday Night Football Picks

Current Spread: DET -3
Over/Under: 54.5

We just saw last week what Jordan Love did to the Lions' secondary with a group of wide receivers that aren't in the same universe as Lamb and Pickens. I think both players have huge games as long as Dak Prescott gets protection against the talented Lions' defensive line.

I'm normally very hesitant to take the Over on any number as high as 54.5, but this game screams shootout considering the weapons on both sides. In a game that makes every fantasy football manager happy, give me the over, and for Dallas to keep it close all day.

I'll take the Lions by a score of 33-31.

The Pick: DAL +3, OVER 54.5

2025 Overall Record (including Thanksgiving):
Spread (7-8), Over/Under (9-6)

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