Thursday Night Football. Week 13. Two teams on the descent. The Cowboys, losers of three of four games since impressive back-to-back road wins against the Patriots and Vikings. The Saints, losers of four straight since somehow toppling the Bucs despite losing Jameis Winston for the season, and despite Kevin White leading the team in receiving yards.
Yes, it's been a strange few weeks.
For Dallas, it appears at the moment that all key offensive weapons are healthy and active. Well, Cedrick Wilson is questionable as of writing this. But the top seven guys appear to be locked in. Despite what we've seen in the past month, the Saints' defense has been quite good on the whole, and their run defense remains the best in the league.
I'm expecting the Cowboys to play it safe with Zeke Elliott. I'd be shocked if either he or Tonny Pollard exceeded 13 fantasy points. They'll like cancel each other out. Who knows what Amari Cooper's conditioning will be after his stint on the reserve/COVID list. Total boom-bust, so start him if you need a boom to have a shot this week. CeeDee Lamb seems safe, as does Dalton Schultz as the unpredictable TE position. And Michael Gallup offers WR3 upside, particularly if Amari struggles or is limited.
As for Dak, I'd start him with confidence. Strangely enough, his three worst games this season have come against the AFC West. In every other game he's averaging about 24-25 fantasy points. I think 17-19 is very realistic, so let's assume a low-end QB1 floor. New Orleans can't realistically stop a full-strength Dallas offense.
For the Saints, a season to forget after so many to remember (and then forget when they'd invariably lose in the playoffs). It's hard to build a team around a running back, or around any one player for that matter. Few teams in recent NFL history have relied so much on one player. Certainly Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson went through this. But Kamara's never had to carry a team. He's never had to be "the guy," just one of 2-3 great players in an otherwise capable offense.
If he starts, you have to start him. If he sits, Mark Ingram obviously needs to be started. If both are playing, keep in mind Ingram has averaged 11 touches per game in his two contests alongside Kamara. We don't know how much work they'd both get. But for the Saints to win, they have to move the ball on the ground. Tre'Quan Smith is not the key to their success. So hope that volume to win the day for your fantasy team if you're relying on New Orleans' backfield.
As for Taysom Hill, if he's out there, you can start him as a QB2, but I can't see QB1 numbers out of him, especially in his first game back. Last year he had three QB1 performances in four starts, but nearly two-thirds of his passing offense was generated through Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. So we shouldn't compare 2021 with 2020. Hill would be inheriting a markedly worse team. He'd have to do more with less to achieve the same production. I don't see it happening.
Final score prediction: 23-16 Cowboys. Take the under (47.5 points) and Dallas -4.5 points, if you're into that. My recommended tournament and 50/50 DFS lineups will appear on PFN's website later this afternoon. And as always, share your final score prediction below. Whoever gets closest will get the best possible written accolades that I can come up with at 1:30am.
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- PFN fantasy site -- www.profootballnetwork.com/fantasy-football/
- PFN fantasy podcast -- podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-mood-for-fantasy-football/id1580114372
- Free fantasy advice newsletter -- www.getrevue.co/profile/pfnfantasy
Yes, it's been a strange few weeks.
For Dallas, it appears at the moment that all key offensive weapons are healthy and active. Well, Cedrick Wilson is questionable as of writing this. But the top seven guys appear to be locked in. Despite what we've seen in the past month, the Saints' defense has been quite good on the whole, and their run defense remains the best in the league.
I'm expecting the Cowboys to play it safe with Zeke Elliott. I'd be shocked if either he or Tonny Pollard exceeded 13 fantasy points. They'll like cancel each other out. Who knows what Amari Cooper's conditioning will be after his stint on the reserve/COVID list. Total boom-bust, so start him if you need a boom to have a shot this week. CeeDee Lamb seems safe, as does Dalton Schultz as the unpredictable TE position. And Michael Gallup offers WR3 upside, particularly if Amari struggles or is limited.
As for Dak, I'd start him with confidence. Strangely enough, his three worst games this season have come against the AFC West. In every other game he's averaging about 24-25 fantasy points. I think 17-19 is very realistic, so let's assume a low-end QB1 floor. New Orleans can't realistically stop a full-strength Dallas offense.
For the Saints, a season to forget after so many to remember (and then forget when they'd invariably lose in the playoffs). It's hard to build a team around a running back, or around any one player for that matter. Few teams in recent NFL history have relied so much on one player. Certainly Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson went through this. But Kamara's never had to carry a team. He's never had to be "the guy," just one of 2-3 great players in an otherwise capable offense.
If he starts, you have to start him. If he sits, Mark Ingram obviously needs to be started. If both are playing, keep in mind Ingram has averaged 11 touches per game in his two contests alongside Kamara. We don't know how much work they'd both get. But for the Saints to win, they have to move the ball on the ground. Tre'Quan Smith is not the key to their success. So hope that volume to win the day for your fantasy team if you're relying on New Orleans' backfield.
As for Taysom Hill, if he's out there, you can start him as a QB2, but I can't see QB1 numbers out of him, especially in his first game back. Last year he had three QB1 performances in four starts, but nearly two-thirds of his passing offense was generated through Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. So we shouldn't compare 2021 with 2020. Hill would be inheriting a markedly worse team. He'd have to do more with less to achieve the same production. I don't see it happening.
Final score prediction: 23-16 Cowboys. Take the under (47.5 points) and Dallas -4.5 points, if you're into that. My recommended tournament and 50/50 DFS lineups will appear on PFN's website later this afternoon. And as always, share your final score prediction below. Whoever gets closest will get the best possible written accolades that I can come up with at 1:30am.
---
- PFN fantasy site -- www.profootballnetwork.com/fantasy-football/
- PFN fantasy podcast -- podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-mood-for-fantasy-football/id1580114372
- Free fantasy advice newsletter -- www.getrevue.co/profile/pfnfantasy