The turkey won’t be the only thing getting carved this Thanksgiving — our fantasy football players will be carving up defenses on the three-game Thursday slate. Over the course of the holiday, the Lions and Packers do battle to start the day before the Chiefs and Cowboys duel in the afternoon. The night concludes with the Ravens and Bengals squaring off as well, so clearly, there are plenty of stars in action throughout the schedule.
With that in mind, we’re hunting for three must-start players for fantasy football lineups on Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a DFS value who can pop off or a bona fide stud to anchor your team, these are some of the difference-making players to consider for your contests.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.5M Thanksgiving Millionaire [$1M to 1st] (Thu)
TE Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals ($3,100)
With the small slate, the shortage of quarterback options makes it something of a pick-your-poison week. In lieu of a signal-caller in my must-starts (though I lean toward Dak Prescott), I’m giving the nod to a tight end for the first time in a while. Mike Gesicki isn’t a fantasy star like Jake Ferguson, Travis Kelce, or even a somewhat resurgent Mark Andrews — however, he’s probably one of the best differentiators for lineups this week.
While Ja’Marr Chase returns from a one-game suspension, fellow wideout Tee Higgins (concussion) is out for this contest. When the latter misses time, Gesicki typically benefits. Since joining the Bengals last season, the tight end averages 4.4 targets, 3.2 catches,, and 31.7 yards per game with just two touchdowns in 24 appearances. Across five games without Higgins though, Gesicki averages 7.2 targets, 5.2 catches, and 62.4 yards per contest… and both of those TDs came without the wideout as well. Chase will eat up a large chunk of the target share in Joe Burrow’s return, but there’s room for Gesicki to eat as well against a Ravens defense that falls 21st in EPA/pass. At just $3,100, there’s screaming value here while many DFS players likely roster the top-end options.
RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs ($5,600)
When deciding on a stud halfback to anchor your lineup, a handful of stars take center stage between players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Henry, etc. Again, pick your poison in the top spots, but Kareem Hunt looks like a clear-cut top choice for an RB2 or FLEX who could provide lineup differentiation.
He’s far past his prime but comes off a vintage performance with a season-best 104 rushing yards (albeit on 30 carries). Over the last four games, Hunt averages 16.7 FPPG largely thanks to a goal-line role with a touchdown in each of those appearances. The return of Isiah Pacheco does complicate the backfield’s outlook slightly, but Hunt likely won’t be going away and will keep his grip on short-yardage work. With a projected total of 52.5 for this Chiefs vs. Cowboys matchup on DraftKings Sportsbook, there should be no shortage of points with plenty of chances for Hunt to punch in another score.
WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys ($6,900)
George Pickens has stolen all the shine in this Cowboys receiver room, and honestly, it does make some sense given how he’s one of just two players with 1,000 or more receiving yards on the season. Conversely, the narrative seems to be shifting on CeeDee Lamb, who’s suffering from a case of the drops… and if you believe social media, is no longer WR1 on his own team. With all the noise surrounding him, I think rostership may be a little lower than expected here. That’s something we can capitalize on!
Despite all the talk, Lamb still leads Dallas’ receivers with a 28.5% target share while averaging 90.3 yards per game and 16.0 fantasy points. The star saw double-digit targets in five of his seven games this season and is still putting up numbers, though Pickens has stolen some touchdowns that usually would’ve gone to Lamb. In a high-scoring game against a Chiefs team that passes the ball plenty and ranks in the NFL’s 10 best offenses, watch for a big outing from CeeDee as he silences the doubters.
