Family, food, and football are three common staples of Thanksgiving in the Tate household. So, allow me to be among the first to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
While you are participating in your Thanksgiving Day festivities, I have some quality DFS plays for the three games on Thursday to help you win some money while enjoying your holiday! Let’s take a closer look at Thursday’s fantasy football action.
Week 12 DFS Locks
Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders ($6,200)
The Washington Commanders have been a confusing team through the first half of the year. On one hand, the Sam Howell project under center is going far better than expected through the first 11 games. His 3,038 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air make him one of the most productive passers of the 2023 season.
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The biggest concern for Howell’s fantasy outlook is facing the talented Dallas Cowboys pass rush, who have registered 33 sacks on the season. For some perspective, Howell has been sacked 51 times this year.
Even though the Cowboys’ defense may get to Howell a couple of times in this contest, the Commanders are still among the league leaders in dropbacks and passing attempts this season, which should present Howell with plenty of opportunities to produce a solid fantasy outing despite the tough matchup.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Seattle Seahawks ($8,700)
You likely don’t need a lengthy sales pitch from me on why San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey should be in your fantasy lineup. With just five other teams in action on Thanksgiving, the odds of McCaffrey being one of the two highest-scoring fantasy RBs on the day is pretty high.
He has caught a minimum of five passes in three straight games and has scored 14 touchdowns in just 10 games this season. Expect the 49ers to lean heavily on McCaffrey in this showdown atop the standings in the NFC West.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys ($8,700)
Despite dealing with a bit of ankle injury heading into Thanksgiving, his full participation in practice on Tuesday certainly suggests Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is going to play against Washington. If Lamb is playing against the Commanders, he needs to be in your DFS lineup.
Over the last five games, Lamb has averaged nine receptions for 131 yards while finding the end zone on four occasions during that span. Washington is allowing an average of 34.1 fantasy points per game to opposing WRs, which makes Lamb a great option for this three-game slate on Thursday.
Logan Thomas, TE, Washington Commanders ($3,500)
Ideally, you always want to stack your quarterback with a pass-catching option to help double-dip on those fantasy points. One could certainly make an argument for rolling with Terry McLaurin or Jahan Dotson in their lineup, but TE Logan Thomas has been a consistent cog in this Commanders’ passing game throughout the season.
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He has produced 20 receptions on 26 targets over the last four games, which has given him a healthy fantasy floor in the PPR format on DraftKings. The yardage totals haven’t been outstanding, but when targeting top-shelf options like McCaffrey and Lamb at other positions, Thomas is a great pay-down option at TE.
Detroit Lions D/ST ($3,200)
When you revisit the Detroit Lions’ 34-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers back in Week 4, you quickly remember how much QB Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense struggled. The Lions’ defense compiled five sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Green Bay’s offense has shown some signs of life over the last couple of games, but may once again be without starting RB Aaron Jones after he sustained a knee injury in Week 11. If the Packers are forced to lean on Love’s arm to produce points, expect a couple of mistakes to make the Detroit defense a quality defense option for this DFS build.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!