Week 12 of the NFL season brings us to Thanksgiving, which means we have a three-game extravaganza to select potential player prop bets from. Football and Thanksgiving are historically intertwined, with the NFL having played games on or around the day as early as 1920. The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game since 1934, with the Dallas Cowboys joining the party in 1966. 2020 will also be the 15th consecutive season featuring a triple-header and the ninth straight featuring a divisional clash as the final part of said triple-header.
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In 2020, the Thanksgiving games kick off with the Detroit Lions hosting the Houston Texans before the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Football team clash in a battle for the NFC East. The day rounds out with a powerhouse contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, the second time these two teams have faced off on Thanksgiving in the last 10 years. Let’s dive into some of our favorite NFL prop bets for Thanksgiving.
Houston Texans at Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Player Props
Look for Deshaun Watson to stay hot
After a rough start to the season, Deshaun Watson is rolling. The Texans franchise QB has thrown two or more touchdown passes in seven of his last eight games, with the only exception being a bad weather game in Cleveland. Additionally, Watson has thrown 56 touchdown passes in 27 games played under a roof, good for an average of 2.1 per game. If you can find Watson at either 1.5 or two touchdown passes, then take the over, but a gamble play on over 2.5 touchdowns at odds around +150 is a spicy way to open up your NFL player props on Thanksgiving.
Will Fuller loves playing on Thursdays
In his still relatively young career, Will Fuller has had a lot of success on Thursday night, averaging 101.8 receiving yards per game across four contests. That success could be set to continue in Week 12, as he faces a Lions team allowing the eighth-highest net yards per passing attempt. Will Fuller averaging 15 yards per reception and an impressive 10.4 yards per target, he does not need many opportunities to have success. With his receiving yard line set at 70.5, the over for Fuller should be a serious consideration as one of your Thanksgiving NFL player props.
Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Player Props
Can Ezekiel Elliott continue his Thanksgiving success?
Ezekiel Elliott broke 100 yards rushing for the first time last week and now heads into a day where his success is becoming as intertwined as the turkey on your plate. Elliott has averaged 133.3 combined yards on Thanksgiving but has even just had success in the running game. He averages 96.3 yards rushing on Thanksgiving and has 218 rushing yards combined in his two Thanksgiving performances against the Washington Football Team.
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The Cowboys were humiliated the last time these two teams met, and they will not want that to happen again. To relieve the pressure on Andy Dalton and the passing game, they need to get Ezekiel Elliott rolling the way they did last week. Elliott has averaged 19.6 carries per game over the previous three weeks. If he continues to pick up yards at 4.54 per carry, he should make the over on 70.5 rushing yards another viable addition to your NFL player props for Thanksgiving.
Terry McLaurin likes facing the Cowboys
In his career, McLaurin has faced the Cowboys twice. In those two games, he has 20 targets, 12 receptions, 152 yards, and two touchdowns. The Cowboys are coming off a game in which they allowed both Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson to have big games. McLaurin comes into the game hobbled, but he has also gone over 70 receiving yards in his last six games and eight overall this season. Those numbers make his receiving yards line of 66.5 seem far too low and is another play for consideration in the Thanksgiving player props pool.
Could the winner of this game go on and win the division?
If you are looking for a futures play as a side to your turkey and stuffing, then playing the odds on one of the Dallas Cowboys or Washington Football Team to win the NFC East could be a good option. The Cowboys can currently be found between +250 and +300, while Washington is in the +400 to +450 region. Both have these teams have multiple winnable games down the stretch and could get to the seven wins that may be required to take the “crown.” Take them both now and sit back happy with the knowledge you win no matter the result.
Thanksgiving Teaser
Aside from picking player props, one of the best parts of Thanksgiving is putting together a parlay or teaser involving multiple NFL games on the day. This week two candidates immediately spring to mind, with a third option if you are willing to take a little more risk.
The Washington Football Team dominated the Dallas Cowboys last time out, and entering Thanksgiving, they sit as three-point underdogs. Given how close the NFC East is in terms of talent and the Cowboys’ struggles on both sides of the ball, it is hard to imagine Washington losing by more than a touchdown.
In the primetime game, the Baltimore Ravens can be found as 4.5-point underdogs in some places. They played the Steelers close in their last matchup, and they have a good chance to keep this game close in Week 12. Take the Ravens up to +10.5 and move the line through key numbers at both seven and 10.
If you want to include all three games, then taking Washington to 13, Baltimore to 14.5, and Houston to +7 are extremely tempting lines.