DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Helper: The Thanksgiving Slate
Studs
Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers ($8,100)
Some owners may be scared off playing Melvin Gordon due to the presence of Austin Ekeler, but his projected volume makes him the premier play in this slate. Ekeler’s late-game fumble appeared to have cost him -- Gordon played every first-half snap for the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11, while Ekeler only came in to finish off a blowout win.
Gordon also quietly ranks second on the team in targets behind only Keenan Allen since the Chargers' Week 9 bye. The matchup is pristine, however, as Dallas Cowboys rank 27th in Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP per play. The Cowboys' well-documented struggles in run defense without Sean Lee makes this a dream spot for Gordon.
In the 3 full games Sean Lee has missed, the Cowboys are allowing 6.26 yards per carry to RBs; they've only allowed 3.83 in games he's started and finished.
— Chris Raybon (@ChrisRaybon) November 20, 2017
Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings ($7,600)
Don’t overthink this one. Adam Thielen is an incredible player, ranking fourth in Reception NEP. Since Stefon Diggs returned in Week 8, Thielen has 10 more targets then the next closest Viking. He also quietly has better splits with Diggs on the field per the Rotoviz Game Splits App.
The wideout also won't see much of top Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay, who moves into the slot only 2% of the time, where Thielen runs 57% of his routes, per Pro Football Focus. In a game projected to see an elevated snap count, Thielen is the slate's best wide receiver option.
Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers ($7,300)
While Adam Thielen ranks fourth in Reception NEP, Keenan Allen is actually ahead of him at third. Dallas has allowed the third-most touchdown catches to wide receivers in the league and ranks 20th in Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play.
As Philip Rivers' favorite option in the passing game (93 targets this season), Allen’s outlook is favorable this Turkey Day.
