Let’s get after it tonight. I’m expecting big things from tonight’s Thursday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. With an over/under of 54.5, it’s not a secret that the ball will be flying downfield tonight. And that makes for large amounts of excitement and DFS production.
More Week 14 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings | Dynasty Risers and Fallers
The Cowboys are ranked fourth in the league with 29.1 points per game, while the Lions are second at 29.2. Based on those numbers, 54.5 points could be too low a number. On the defensive side of the ball, Detroit is in the middle of the pack, while the Cowboys are terrible. Dallas is ranked 31st in the league with 28.5 points allowed per game.
With the Lions favored by just 3.5 points, the expectation is that it will also be a close game. This could be a situation where the team that has the ball last is victorious. Now, let’s dig into our Thursday Night Football DFS picks so you can set that winning lineup.
Thursday Night Football DFS Notes
Let’s Hope the Ankle is Good
The good news is that Amon-Ra St. Brown has had a full week to rest his sprained ankle. After injuring it last week, St. Brown didn’t return to action, and that trend continued during the shortened practice week. However, at this point, that still doesn’t remove the possibility of him taking the field this week.
We don’t need to belabor the point that it’s a good matchup, because that can be said for essentially every player on teams. But St. Brown is the clear number one receiver for Detroit, and we want him on the field. With 75 catches for 884 yards and nine touchdowns, it’s been another strong season for the Detroit receiver.
Down the Field He Goes
If not Amon-Ra St. Brown, then it’s going to be Jameson Williams. Last week, that was on full display as Williams had his best game of the season. He was targeted 10 times and finished with seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. With six touchdowns on 38 catches, Williams is a clear big-play threat, and he can find his way into the end zone. The good news is that it can happen even with St. Brown being active, as he’s likely not going to be playing at 100%.
The Rookie Steps Up?
The status of St. Brown is in flux, and Khalif Raymond is out. Sam LaPorta is on Injured Reserve, and Brock Wright also is unlikely to play, so there is a void. That means we should see more of Isaac TeSlaa.
With just six catches for 100 yards, TeSlaa has been quiet to this point. However, he does have three touchdown catches, and this could be a situation of next man up.
Don’t Forget the Running Back
While we focus on the points and the receivers, the likely best DFS player on the field will be Jahmyr Gibbs. He’s a legitimate threat in the receiving game; he had 11 catches two weeks ago, and we know all about his ability as a runner. Gibbs is already at 1,019 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the season. You should be getting what you paid for here.
Prescott Knows Where to Go
At least Dak Prescott is going to have to keep up with Jared Goff and the Lions. That means taking to the air, but more importantly, taking advantage of his offensive weapons. With a healthy CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, among others, Prescott is in a good situation.
Neither quarterback is much of a runner, but Prescott has the edge tonight for a few reasons. First, he’s averaging about three more DK points per game than Goff, so that counts for something. Prescott is also likely to be playing from behind, which means more volume. Plus, Detroit’s best player is a running back, while Dallas’ strength lies in Lamb and Pickens. And that means Prescott getting them the ball.
With 3,261 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions, it’s been a strong season for Prescott. Instead of guessing whether he’ll throw to Lamb or Pickens (spoiler alert, it will probably be both), go with their quarterback.
The Quantity Machine
Granted, some of this has come while CeeDee Lamb was out, but it’s been quite the busy season for Jake Ferguson. While he only has 496 receiving yards, Ferguson does have 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns. That’s a pretty strong rate that shouldn’t go overlooked.
The good news is that over the past four weeks, with Lamb back, Ferguson is still averaging about five catches per game.
Maybe Not All Matchups Are Favorable
While they aren’t a perfect defensive team, the Lions are allowing the fewest DraftKings points to opposing running backs. However, part of that can be blamed on gameplay and maybe we shouldn’t bypass Javonte Williams. With 10 touchdowns on the season, he can find the end zone, but he’s not an explosive pass catcher. However, Williams is averaging 80 yards per game, and that does make him a solid option if he fits under the salary cap. This isn’t something I’m forcing, though.
Check out all of our Week 14 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
TNF DFS Picks and Rankings
| Rnk | Pos | Player | Team | DK Salary | FD Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RB | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | $11,000 | $13,000 |
| 2 | QB | Dak Prescott | DAL | $10,400 | $12,200 |
| 3 | WR | Jameson Williams | DET | $8,400 | $9,800 |
| 4 | QB | Jared Goff | DET | $10,000 | $11,200 |
| 5 | K | Brandon Aubrey | DAL | $5,400 | $7,000 |
| 6 | WR | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | $9,600 | $11,800 |
| 7 | WR | George Pickens | DAL | $9,400 | $10,600 |
| 8 | TE | Jake Ferguson | DAL | $7,400 | $8,400 |
| 9 | WR | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | $9,800 | $11,000 |
| 10 | RB | Javonte Williams | DAL | $9,000 | $9,200 |
| 11 | K | Jake Bates | DET | $5,000 | $6,800 |
| 12 | WR | Tom Kennedy | DET | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| 13 | RB | David Montgomery | DET | $7,000 | $7,800 |
| 14 | WR | KaVontae Turpin | DAL | $2,400 | $6,600 |
| 15 | WR | Isaac TeSlaa | DET | $4,400 | $5,600 |
| 16 | WR | Jalen Tolbert | DAL | $1,000 | $4,200 |
| 17 | RB | Malik Davis | DAL | $1,400 | $4,000 |
Make sure to check out all of our Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
