Game Info
Kickoff: Thursday, November 28, 2024, 4:30 ET
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Network: FOX
New York Giants
Quarterback
Tommy DeVito – Sit*
*DeVito is now questionable with an injury to his throwing forearm. If Drew Lock starts, he should not be started for fantasy purposes, and it does not change my outlook for the Giants’ other players.
Tommy DeVito only managed 10.8 fantasy points against a struggling Tampa Bay defense last week, and he could be in for a rough game against Micah Parsons and this Cowboys’ pass rush. Though the Cowboys’ defense as a whole has not been good this season, they are getting healthier and turned in a strong outing against the Commanders this past week. This unit managed to stifle the Commanders for most of the game, picking off Jayden Daniels twice and sacking him four times. Tommy Cutlets is playing behind one of the worst offensive lines and is far less mobile than Daniels, so I would look elsewhere, even in two-quarterback and Superflex formats.
Running Back
Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Start, RB2
Devin Singletary – Sit
Eric Gray – Sit
Tyrone Tracy Jr. is the Giants’ most explosive runner, and he gets a plus matchup against a Cowboys defense that has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards and the most rushing touchdowns on the season. Tracy found himself in the dog house last week after losing a fumble for the second consecutive game, and he had to watch Devin Singletary vulture a short touchdown. Despite the ball security issues, I would expect Tracy to dominate the running back touches once again. He is currently averaging 5.1 yards per carry (ranked seventh among qualifying players). In addition to his explosiveness on the ground, Tracy is one of the better pass catchers at the position as he is a converted wide receiver, only switching to running back full-time in his final collegiate season. He should be in line to see some quick passes and checkdowns against an aggressive pass rush. I would expect him to get back on track against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving and roll him out as an RB2 in all formats. Singletary and Eric Gray should not be in fantasy lineups.
Wide Receiver
Malik Nabers – Start, WR2
Wan’Dale Robinson – FLEX Option, WR4
Darius Slayton – Sit
Malik Nabers voiced his frustrations after not seeing a target in the first half of last week’s loss to the Buccaneers, though he still managed to lead the team in targets, receptions, and yards. This has been an ongoing theme with the Giants, with Nabers only having six first-quarter receptions on the season. He is easily the Giants’ best player on offense, so it is perplexing that he isn’t more heavily utilized to begin games. Head coach Brian Daboll said that he spoke with Nabers following his postgame comments. Daboll commended Nabers’ competitiveness and said that he needs to do a better job of getting Malik touches early in the game. I think this will be a “squeaky wheel” game for Nabers, and I expect him to be fed targets early and often. I rank him as a WR2 with upside this week, even with Tommy DeVito at quarterback. When these teams met back in Week 4, Nabers posted 12 catches for 115 yards on 15 targets.
Wan’Dale Robinson only has two touchdowns on the season and averages just five yards per target, but he has value in PPR formats with 61 receptions on the season. Robinson should continue to be a PPR scam and see his typical underneath targets this week. He offers a relatively safe floor, but he does not have much of a ceiling with his low aDOT.
Darius Slayton cannot be trusted in fantasy lineups, and he posted a goose egg this past week.
Tight End
Theo Johnson – Streaming option, low-end TE2
Theo Johnson was a standout at the NFL combine, and he has been seeing more usage in this offense as of late. He has posted at least three catches and 30 yards in six of his last seven games. With the state of the tight end position and many of the higher-end streaming options being rostered, that puts Johnson in the streaming conversation. The Penn State product has the size and athleticism to be a threat, but his upside is capped in this offense. He may be asked to chip or block more facing this Cowboys’ pass rush, and teammate Malik Nabers should garner a large share of the targets.
Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback
Cooper Rush – Sit
The Cowboys have let Cooper Rush air it out more in recent weeks, with 55 pass attempts in Week 11 and 32 pass attempts in Week 12. Rush actually posted a low-end QB1 finish last week against the Commanders, but I still wouldn’t trust him in single-QB leagues. If you play in a two-quarterback or Superflex league, Rush will warrant some consideration in those formats for managers needy at the position. The Giants tend to see opposing offenses run the ball more against them, as they have seen the fewest pass attempts against them in the league. The Giants rank top-five in sacks, but they are also bottom-five in completion percentage allowed and yards allowed per attempt. So, for anyone who has to use Rush in a pinch, he at least has a decent matchup.
Running Back
Rico Dowdle – Start, RB2
Ezekiel Elliott – Sit
Rico Dowdle is seeing the majority of the work in this backfield, posting 19 carries for 86 yards and three catches for 12 yards against the Commanders this past week. Volume is king at the running back position in fantasy football, and Dowdle should see it in this game. The Giants have struggled against the run, surrendering the fifth most yards on the ground this season and a league-worst 5.2 yards per carry. It is a plus matchup, Dowdle has easily looked like the Cowboys’ best running back, and he contributes in the receiving game as well. This makes him worthy of slotting in as an RB2 or FLEX this week. Ezekiel Elliot has not looked good on the few touches he receives and should not be in fantasy lineups. If I had one concern for Dowdle, it would be that the Cowboys let Zeke vulture a touchdown for Thanksgiving so that he can hop in the Salvation Army kettle.
Wide Receiver
CeeDee Lamb – Start, Low-end WR1
Jalen Tolbert – Sit
KaVontae Turpin – Sit
Brandin Cooks – Sit
It’s clear that the Cowboys’ passing game has taken a hit without starting quarterback Dak Prescott, but they have been pretty pass-heavy the past two weeks. The ceiling is lower for all of the Dallas pass catchers, and CeeDee Lamb is the only receiver worth starting on this team. While it has been a disappointing season for Lamb (especially with how high he was drafted in fantasy), the target volume has been there for him, and he has a relatively safe floor as a result. Lamb has seen 12 targets and one rush attempt in each of the last two games with Cooper Rush under center, and he has posted back-to-back WR2 finishes in PPR formats. The last time these teams met, Lamb posted a 7-98-1 receiving line, though Dak was the quarterback. I’d expect him to be heavily targeted by Rush again this week, and that volume, along with his talent, makes Lamb a weekly starter in fantasy. Hopefully, he can score his first touchdown since Week 8 and give his fantasy managers a stat line to be thankful for.
Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin have each seen a receiving touchdown in one of the previous two games; Turpin also returned a kickoff for a touchdown last week. Neither should be started this week nor should Brandin Cooks if he returns from IR. I will add the caveat that Turpin warrants consideration in leagues that reward points for return yardage.
Tight End
Luke Schoonmaker – Streaming option, TE2*
*Jake Ferguson is still in concussion protocol and is considered a long shot to play Thursday.
With Ferguson out with a concussion, Luke Schoonmaker has posted nine catches on 14 targets for 111 yards and one touchdown over the last two weeks. He’s not the most explosive playmaker, but Cooper Rush is targeting the big tight end. That projectable volume makes Schoonmaker a solid streaming candidate for the position after posting two top-10 finishes in a row in PPR formats.