D’Andre Swift

Even on a winless team, Swift has still managed to be the RB7 on the year so far in half PPR leagues. He is one of only two real options on this offense and he is the majority of it. Swift can do it all and is a real threat to also catch passes out of the backfield. Not much thought needed for this.

T.J. Hockenson

Though Hockenson gave us zero two weeks back, it is safe to throw out that game. He rebounded nicely with 6 catches for 51 yards the following week against the Browns. He has not scored since week two and if Jared Goff suits up at QB, he has a very good chance of breaking that cold streak. He has a good floor but limited upside if Tim Boyle starts again at QB.

David Montgomery

After a four-game absence, David Mongomery has returned to his normal lead back duties and has sent Khalil Herbert back to many waiver wires. He put up a very respectable 13 carries for 63 yards against a very tough Pittsburg defense in his first game back and a decent 14 catches for 58 yards against the Ravens last week. His last 100-yard game came when he got hurt against… the Detroit Lions. Montgomery is a smash play this week.

Darnell Mooney

Mooney had his best game of the season last week. He took a screen pass 60 yards to the house. He also had a ridiculous 16 targets, though he only snagged five of them. Teammate Allen Robinson has not participated in practice the last two weeks due to a hamstring injury and is still unclear on his status. If Robinson is out, Mooney is in for another massive target share against a lesser opponent than before. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown

There is not much to be excited about regarding the Lions wide receivers. St. Brown has been a decent receiver so far. For fantasy purposes, he is way too inconsistent and really does not have any upside. At best you would hope for his first score of the season.

Kalif Raymond

He has had the best receiving stats of the receivers so far this year. The downside is Raymond has also been the most volatile for fantasy by having three no catch games this year. He is most likely to get you 100 yards out of the Lions receivers, though.

Marquise Goodwin

Goodwin caught the deep shot 4th down touchdown that almost won Chicago the game last week. If Allen Robinson does not suit up, Goodwin is a strong candidate to receive extra targets because Darnell Mooney can’t get every single target.

Dak Prescott

Dak has struggled mightily in 2 of his last three games. This has bounced back written all over it just like with the Falcons. The Raiders are falling apart before our eyes and seem to be feeling the effects of losing both head coach Jon Gruden, wideout Henry Ruggs and cornerback Damon Arnette over the course of 10 days or so. Dak is a top-tier QB in this league and will be looking to make a statement on Thanksgiving Thursday football with a signature MVP-level performance.

CeeDee Lamb

This is all dependent if he clears the concussion protocol before it’s too late. If he suits up, he is an auto-start like any other week.

UPDATE: Ceedee Lamb is OUT. If Michael Gallup isn’t available, Cedric Wilson will also be a big part of the offense today.

Ezekiel Elliott

Elliott was removed from the final injury report leading up to Thursday’s game. He is a full go for this game and a locked-in starter as usual.

Dalton Schultz

With no Amari Cooper, Schultz becomes more valuable to Dak Prescott. Schultz is the TE9 on the season and has done so quietly. Since the tight end group is so shallow, there are very few options that would be going in over him. This takes us to…

Darren Waller

Waller is one of the best tight ends in the game. Outside of his bye week, he is always locked in.

Hunter Renfrow

Renfrow is that classic Wes Welker type of guy. He runs smooth, crisp routes and finds ways to get open and be a safety blanket for Derek Carr. He has found the end zone four times this year and is highly likely to do so again in this game. Renfrow is now the best receiver on the team outside of Darren Waller. Carr is always looking for him so he has a safe floor, with limited upside. Always locked in for around six catches for 50 yards and maybe a score.

Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs has been kind of a let down in my eyes. He is always hyped up to be the guy in that backfield, but then the team never gives him enough touches. He has not had 20 touches once this season. Three of the last four have been less than nine carries each time! The upside, in this case, is he does get around four consistent targets per week. This kind of work still keeps him in the flex conversation, but out of the RB1/2 territory. 

Tony Pollard

Pollard is explosive. He does make Zeke look slow, but that doesn’t make Zeke bad. They are simply two different players with complementary skill sets. Every backfield has different types of runners. Pollard always gets around 8-12 touches per game and is the bigger threat to turn the corner and take any touch to the house. In Dallas’s most recent rebound game, Pollard had seven catches (along with 11 carries) and almost totaled 100 scrimmage yards. 

Update: No CeeDee Lamb today. Locked-in starter.

The last game on our Thanksgiving Thursday football slate is the Bills visiting the Saints. Both teams have been struggling, especially the Bills. Both of these teams just got wrecked by their respective opponents last week and there is going to be no shortage of intensity and urgency heading into this game. 

Notable injuries: Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram are both OUT for this Thanksgiving Thursday football showdown.

Josh Allen

Allen is always a locked in starter regardless of his struggles. He is still an elite runner with the ball in his hands. You have to roll with the slumps so you can enjoy his spectacular performances. He is still QB3 on the year despite the struggles the whole team has had.

Stefon Diggs

Diggs has had the benefit of scoring two touchdowns to save his low-yardage day last week. Don’t let his low yardage get in your head. He is still Stefon Diggs. A wise man once told me “stick to your studs.”

Dawson Knox

Knox was a reliable target for QB Josh Allen before his hand injury. He had a dud performance against the Jets and rebounded the following week against the Colts. With his return to the lineup, he could provide a very nice boost to this struggling Bills offense. After all, their tough times have been highlighted the last few weeks while Knox has been out.

Emmanuel Sanders

Sanders is the clear number two receiver behind Diggs. He may not possess the high ceiling he once did, but he has put up some good fantasy days this season. The four scores came in two games, but he still can get around 60 yards and have a nice floor. His early season surge came to a halt when tight end Dawson Knox got hurt, and now he is back. Having Knox back in the fold just might help the whole team. 

Cole Beasley

Beasley is valuable only in PPR formats. He is a good safety net and never really has a target beyond the sticks.

Tony Jones Jr. 

Jones has quite the opportunity against the Bills. There is no Mark Ingram or Alvin Kamara for this game and Jones is set to lead the backfield. The Bills just got shredded by Jonathan Taylor last week and are likely to tighten up this week, and Jones is no JT. Sean Payton will find creative ways to get Jones the ball because he already is one of the top two or three players on the offense.

Deonte Harris

Harris isn’t exactly the best option here. I just like his production a little more than teammate Marquez Callaway. You gotta be in a tough spot to consider a Saints receiver.

Marquez Callaway

All we can hope for is a long bomb touchdown. 

Matt Brieda

Brieda has been the best back on the Bills over the last couple of weeks. The only hope here is he breaks a long touchdown run. He certainly can run circles around both Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. Brieda will probably have a couple more nice games then get injured like he usually does.