FanDuel Fantasy Picks for Thanksgiving Day Games in Week 12

Each and every year, millions of football fans across the United States celebrate Thanksgiving with a day jam-packed of NFL action. The Week 12 Thanksgiving Day slate features three enticing matchups and offers football fans a chance to kick back and watch football all day long, especially while avoiding those awkward conversations with distant relatives.

This also means Thanksgiving is a perfect day to get in some fantasy DFS action. Fortunately, The Duel has you covered. If you need help with your FanDuel lineups, here are three players to target and three to avoid for each game on the Thanksgiving schedule.

The schedule features the Buffalo Bills squaring off against the Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. ET. That game is followed by an NFC East clash between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET. Finally, the New England Patriots battle the Minnesota Vikings at 8:20 p.m. ET.

FanDuel Fantasy Picks Thanksgiving Day

Stefon Diggs Fantasy

Target Stefon Diggs ($9,300), WR, Buffalo Bills: This is the most clear-cut selection for Thanksgiving's day of games. Stefon Diggs is the WR1 in PPR leagues and for good reason. He averages 7.6 receptions per game thanks to 10.4 targets, 103.3 receiving yards and 8 total TDs. Diggs accounts for nearly 30% of the Bills' target share for an offense that's scored the second-most points in football. The Lions are also a defense that allows the sixth-most PPR points to opposing wideouts and rank 23rd in pass-defense DVOA. For reference, Diggs scored 30.8 PPR points against the Chiefs (who rank 20th in DVOA) and 26.2 PPR points against the LA Rams (who rank 26th in DVOA). This is a no-brainer.

D'Andre Swift Fantasy

Avoid D'Andre Swift ($6,200), RB, Detroit Lions: D'Andre Swfit missed Weeks 4-7 because of an injury and he hasn't re-found his footing in the Lions' backfield. It hasn't helped that backup Jamaal Williams operated as RB16 in that span. This has become a split backfield with Swift accounting for 10 or fewer touches in every game since his return. Factor in a Bills defense that ranks fourth in Football Outsiders' rush-defense DVOA and that means we want no part of Swift on Thanksgiving Day.

Darius Slayton Fantasy

Target Darius Slayton ($6,400), WR, New York Giants: New York Giants wideout Darius Slayton was featured on our waiver wire picks in Week 12 and he's a legitimate option against the Cowboys. This is more of a volume play considering the Cowboys rank second in pass-defense DVOA, but Slayton is the new WR1 on this roster. He leads the team with 38 targets despite just 5 starts. Considering the Cowboys are hefty 9.5-point favorites, Slayton is poised to be playing from behind (which means a heavy dose of Daniel Jones airing it out).

Ezekiel Elliot Fantasy

Avoid Ezekiel Elliott ($7,000), RB, Dallas Cowboys: Similarly to the Lions situation above, running back Ezekiel Elliott lost his stronghold over the Cowboys' backfield. This is now a split backfield. Elliott commands 41% of the rushing touches but Tony Pollard accounts for 39.8%. Pollard has also out-targeted Zeke 31-9. Pollard is on one hell of a run. He's posted at least 80 rushing yards and five of his last six games. Meanwhile, Elliott has only eclipsed 16 or more rushes once in that span.

Jakobi Meyers Fantasy

Target Jakobi Meyers ($6,700), WR, New England Patriots: The Minnesota Vikings allow the sixth-most PPR points to opposing wide receivers this year, meaning getting WR1 Jakobi Meyers at just $6,700 is a steal. He's nearly doubled the next wide receiver on New England's roster in terms of targets while averaging 8.3 targets and 6 receptions per game in the last three weeks. Best against a bad defense and Meyers' volume to get the job done.

Kirk Cousins Fantasy

Avoid Kirk Cousins ($7,400), QB, Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins and his Vikings may be one of the better teams in football at 8-2, but that doesn't mean he's been performing at an elite level in fantasy. Cousins is just QB14 thus far and isn't even the third-best fantasy QB during Thanksgiving's games. Josh Allen leads the gunslingers with his QB2 rating while Daniel Jones ranks second at QB10. Meanwhile, the Patriots rank first in pass-defense DVOA and allow the 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs. Considering Daniel Jones will cost DFS players just $100 more ($7,500) and can do damage with his legs, he's a better play on Thanksgiving day.

Bills vs Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS

Target: WR Stefon Diggs ($9,300)
Avoid: RB D'Andre Swift ($6,200)

Giants vs Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX

Target: WR Darius Slayton ($6,400)
Avoid: RB Ezekiel Elliott ($7,000)

Patriots vs Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC

Target: WR Jakobi Meyers ($6,700)
Avoid: QB Kirk Cousins ($7,400)

New users earn an instant FREE entry when you sign up for FanDuel DFS! Sign Up Now!

Adam Taylor McKillop is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Adam Taylor also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username atmckillop. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.