Play FantasyDraft on Thanksgiving!
FantasyDraft has embraced the Thanksgiving football matchups with some extremely witty contest names you can join today. I’ve submitted two entries into the $3,000 GRAVY SUPPER BOWL contest for only $1 each. In a pool of 3,448 players, the 1st place payout is $300!
Multiple contests are Thanksgiving Thursday ONLY so go to CST’s partner: fantasydraft.com today http://bit.ly/CST4FD and experience #PlayersFirst! Today you could land in the Payout Zone in your cash games, and end up feeling extremely thankful.
It’s All Gravy!
Everyone loves gravy. It is the bacon of the Thanksgiving feast because we are going to top it off on EVERYTHING. Here are my top players of the day who I’m hoping will make you say, “It’s all gravy baby!”
Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins, $12,900 – Lately, Captain Kirk has been hotter than your oven is going to be today. In his last two contests he has put up over 320+ yards and 3 total touchdowns. On Turkey Day, he gets an apple pie matchup with the New York Giants who are horrid against QB’s (ranked 30th). In a division rivalry and at home, I am confident Kirk keeps his hot streak alive.
Case Keenum, $11,400 – Keenum has been a pleasant surprise this season, like your cousin going solo as your partner in Euchre and taking all the tricks. Two weeks ago, he went off for 304 passing yards and 4 touchdowns against the Redskins, and last week he was solid for 280 yards and one touchdown in tough matchup with the Rams secondary. Case draws the start today inside of ford Field which is sure to be a fun game against their rival, the Detroit Lions. I’m a big fan of his for fantasy today.
Running Backs
Alfred Morris, $10,200 – Without a star left tackle, Morris has stepped up in the absence of Zeke to average over 5 yards per carry! Last week he took 17 totes for 91 yards rushing (playing from behind in that game!) He’s my only “gravy” running back on Thanksgiving and I predict he puts up better numbers than last game versus the Chargers (30th ranked vs the RB position) today.
Receivers
Jamison Crowder, $9,600 – J-Crow is possibly my favorite receiver of the day. I’m thankful for the double digit targets Kirk has been giving him. I’m thankful for his breakaway speed. I’m thankful that he is one of the few receiving options on the team today and that he will draw a lot of usage again! The Giants are ranked 20th versus the receiver position.
Keenan Allen, $13,800 – Allen went full Deshaun Watson on us his last matchup with the Bills. We thought he had reached his fantasy plateau and knew what he was – and that he certainly wouldn’t put up big numbers against a tough defense. Then . . . it happened . . . he showed us all that he indeed is the “graviest” of receivers. Perhaps he doesn’t have another 12-for-159 and two touchdowns type of game but he certainly showed he can belong in the elite category and is a must-start.
Adam Thielen, $13,200 – I believe the Vikings roll with Case Keenum and the passing game today. The way Thielen’s been playing, if you had the lineup of all the offensive weapons of today’s games in your pick-up Turkey Bowl this afternoon, Thielen may have to be your number one pick right?
Cranberry Jelly
Let’s be honest, nobody thinks about adding cranberry jelly slices to their plate but once a year. It’s not something you buy or look up the recipe for often. And every year, you think: “Hmm. Did I like that stuff last time? . . . I’ll give it one more try.” These guys are kind of like that. They are probably not going to be the best thing on your fantasy plate today, but they might sweeten it up a bit.
Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott, $12,000 – Dak has been struggling without a star left tackle as well as Zeke in the backfield. He also hasn’t quite been able to link up with star receiver, Dez Bryant. He draws a tough matchup with the Chargers who are 8th ranked versus the QB. But the Cowboys at home are historically a high scoring team on Thanksgiving today and Dak is good enough to surprise you.
Running Backs
Samaje Perine, $8,600 – The competition for touches in the backfield is gone and Perine remains the last man standing. This bodes well for his usage today, but coming off a game only four days ago with 126 yards and touchdown, his body is going to be exhausted. What’s more is he’s designated as questionable with a finger injury, which doesn’t sound devastating, but I have certainly seen that kind of injury cause fumble issues for the best of backs before (and Perine already has that problem). That doesn’t scare me from playing him today altogether.
Melvin Gordon, $13,200 – The problem with Gordon, who should hands-down be the best back in football today, is that the Chargers are working Ekeler into the pass-catching game out of the backfield more and more. That takes away from what Gordon could be today even with Sean Lee being ruled for the Cowboys. He’s not my favorite, he’s just cranberry sauce for me in this matchup.
Theo Riddick, $8,100 – It’s hard to trust any backs against the stout Vikings front, but the Chronicles of Riddick isn’t your normal back. He fits the Patriots mold, as a quick, pass-catcher out of the backfield. He could surprise in a possible high-scoring affair if he gets the look for a receiving touchdown today.
Latavius Murray, $9,000 – Even though I do not expect the rush game to be major in this game, I trust Murray the most in Minnesota’s backfield because of his goal-line ability. He probably doesn’t get you a ton of rushing yards as he shares work with McKinnon, but his touchdown ability makes him worth it.
Receivers
Josh Doctson, $8,400 – Besides Crowder and Vernon Davis, Doctson is the prime target for Kirk Cousins today. It would be wise for the Redskins to look his way a lot today to test what they truly have in the receiver they used a first-round draft pick on. He’s flashed some promise so far, and I would think you could come back to him one more time today.
Kenny Golladay, $7,000 – I love Kenny G. The receiver, not the singer! I actually used a late round pick on him in my keeper-league, so he could be my possible keeper next season. He’s the perfect cranberry jelly receiver for me today and I’m coming back to him just once more to see what he’s got. Yes, Minnesota has an elite secondary, but they are going to be so busy trying to shut down Golden Tate and Marvin Jones that Kenny G will be the lone ranger able to play the role of Stafford’s favorite target at home today.
No Seconds For Me, Thanks
We all know how it feels when the Thanksgiving feast is so delicious, but we are too full to eat anymore. The food was so good while our stomachs were hankering for amazing meat, potatoes, gravy, yams, deviled eggs and the like, and we may be tempted to cram in just a bit more . . . but we need to know when to stop. These guys are the equivalent of this experience.
Quarterbacks
Matt Stafford, $11,900 – Yes, Stafford has been quietly impressive this season and just posted a nice 299-yard and two-touchdown game on the Chicago Bears. However, I’m not going back to the fantasy kitchen for him today while he draws the Vikings as his matchup today. While you do have to risk it to get the Thanksgiving biscuit at times, you don’t have to today when you can play Keenum or Cousins.
Running Backs
Ameer Abdullah, $7,700 – Lately, Ameer looks like a solid RB2 play but I don’t believe so today. You’ve got to know when to say no more when Abdullah, who s easily arm-tackled all the time, takes on the elite Vikings defense. The Lions are trying to make him their between-the-tackles runner, but he is going to get stuffed today.
Jerrick McKinnon, $10,100 – I traded J-Mac in a re-draft league in Week 9. I know, call me crazy. But I saw this coming, how many time have we seen him flash his athleticism, but it never sustains beyond a few games? Plenty of times for me to predict that Latavius Murray would take over more and more in the backfield. I believe the passing game is the more likely go-to style for the day and with Diggs, Thielen and Rudolph all fired up, I don’t see much room for McKinnon.
Orleans Darkwa, $9,400 – “New Orleans” has been posting upwards of 70 yards the past three games. Decent. And you would think with the debilitated receiving weapons on the Giants, they would go heavy on the run game. Maybe. But the Redskins actually have a better rush defense than his past three opponents: The Rams, 49ers and Chiefs – and he still only put up those numbers. The Giants could get squashed today and I can’t trust their run game playing from behind.
Receivers
Dez Bryant, $12,100 – Dez just went 8-for-63 last week on 14 targets. Dak is looking his way, right? It would appear so, but that is a weak performance on 14 looks! He will draw a tough matchup with the Chargers defensive backs today and I wouldn’t try him out again.
Stefon Diggs, $12,300 – With 78 yards and a touchdown at Washington 2 weeks ago, he dipped to only 32 yards again last week. This is what we have come to expect after battling a groin injury earlier in the season. Diggs is honestly no longer the WR1 on the Vikings anymore and you can only bank on his big play ability. Which I wouldn’t today as he probably draws Darius Slay as his opposite him.
Golden Tate, $12,300 – Like the former two guys, Tate is too hot and cold for me today. And that makes him a lukewarm option, which is never a worthwhile decision when going back for seconds. Stay away from him with the Vikings secondary as his matchup.
Burnt Birds
You can never redeem a burnt Turkey. Or duck. . . or quail. Or whatever it is you are pulling out of the oven today. These are guys who are too far gone to play today in cash games.
Quarterbacks
Eli Manning, $11,200 – Josh Norman is back, and the news is Sterling Shepherd may be out again. Shepherd hasn’t been practicing due to sever migraines, leaving Manning with only Evan Engram and some underwhelming receiving options beyond that. He’s the QB you don’t consider at all for your palate today.
Running Backs
Darren McFadden, $7,400 – We can finally come to the conclusion that Alfred Morris is the bell-cow back in Dallas rest of season, with Rod Smith garnering some pass-catching downs. This leaves McFadden burnt and on the sidelines. He’s a no for me today.
Receivers
Sterling Shepherd, $14,400 – If you follow me, you know that I have been very high on Shepherd the past 2 weeks, and that intuition has paid off. However, in a Percy Harvin-like scenario now, he has been dealing with migraines that have kept him out of any activity whatsoever. Being Out Sunday and the matchup being today at 8:30pm, he’s a fantasy no go even if he suits up.
Jason Witten, $8,700 – You already saw that I’m not entirely high on Dak Prescott today, which usually means I can’t be high on his tight end either. The main problem is Witten draws the second-best fantasy defense who shuts down tight ends in fantasy, in the Chargers today. He’s going to get burnt!
Sweet Pumpkin Pie
You’ve got to have some pie to finish off your Thanksgiving meal, it’s tradition! With a play on Warrant’s hit song Sweet Cherry Pie, I’m yelling “Sweet Pumpkin Pie!” over these great FLEX and Tight End plays today to finish off your lineup.
Austin Ekeler, $9,700 – Much cheaper on FantasyDraft than his counterpart, Melvin Gordon, today I would be willing to jump on the “Electric Ekeler”. With limited reps, he has shown he can get touchdowns from wherever the Chargers are lined up on the field. I wouldn’t put it past LA to keep seeing what he’s got while the Dallas Cowboys have holes in their rush defense.
Cole Beasley, $7,700 – A Dak favorite, Beasley could end up being his go to guy again as his slot receiver while the Chargers DB’s try to lockdown Dez Bryant. He’s like a freezer aisle, store-bought pumpkin pie – cheap but serviceable.
Vernon Davis, $10,400 – With Jordan Reed out, Vernon Davis has proven to still be very fantasy relevant. As I always say, fire up the tight end that gets the Giants as their matchup. It’s a Thanksgiving-Day miracle that Cousins and Davis get them today.
Hunter Henry, $7,500 – I have a huge hunch that Hunter Henry goes off today for one of his 75+ yard games and possibly a touchdown. The Cowboys are only ranked 18th against his position, opening plenty of opportunity for Rivers to go his way after an outing where Henry didn’t see much action on Sunday.
Evan Engram, $12,600 – The reason Engram is such a pumpkin pie play today is: he is really the only receiving target for Eli Manning, especially if Sterling Shepherd remains out. The Redskins are horrid against the Tight End position as they are ranked 29th against them for fantasy purposes. Expect Engram to get all work he can get from Eli today.
