NFL DFS WR Picks, Thanksgiving Day: Week 12 WR Coach
Welcome to the FREE preview of the NFL Week 12 DFS Playbook for Thanksgiving Day 2023!
Welcome to the WR Coach, where each week I share the top wide receiver picks, stacks, value plays and fades for daily fantasy football contests on DraftKings and FanDuel. After reading, you should have a clear picture not just of who the top NFL DFS WR picks are for the week, but also WHY they’re good plays. This should help you become a better fantasy player on top of being set up to win each week.
When you’re done here, be sure to check out our QB picks, RB picks, TE picks, and D/ST picks in those respective “Coach” articles here at Fantasy Alarm.
NFL DFS WR Picks: Best WR Plays For Thanksgiving
You couldn’t ask for a more loaded wide receiver pool on a three-game slate. On Thanksgiving, NFL DFS contests will be won and lost based on your picks at the WR position. There’s slate-busting potential here, plus some sleepers and value plays that could separate your lineups from the rest of the pack.
Top Thanksgiving DFS WR Picks
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb is going to be a very popular pick. I think he might be the highest-owned receiver on the slate, and I also could see a lot of people trying to pair Lamb with Amon-Ra St. Brown to roster the two best fantasy WRs on the slate.
Lamb was “quiet” against Carolina last week, but still caught six passes and found the end zone for the third time in his last four games. The matchup is far easier this week, as Washington has been one of the most generous defenses to wide receivers in DFS this season. Dallas could put up 40 points in this game, and this is a prime spot for Lamb to have another 10+ reception and 100+ yard game. For what it’s worth, Lamb scored in both games against Washington last season too. Lamb will be a very popular WR play for a reason.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Despite Jared Goff playing his worst game of the season, St. Brown still found his way into 20+ fantasy points in a PPR setup. St. Brown has an elite floor and ceiling, which is a beautiful blend for DFS purposes. He has at least 100 yards receiving or a touchdown in every game this season. That’s insane consistency and puts him in play as an elite WR pick every week.
Over the last five weeks, St. Brown is averaging 9.4 receptions and 113.4 yards per game. I think this continues, which means on a DFS NFL site that uses PPR like DraftKings, he should have a 20-point floor and could pop off for even more in this matchup. St. Brown had 56 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay earlier this year, and while he hasn’t decimated the Green Bay defense through his career, it’s hard to fade his floor and ceiling in any given week. He is a top WR pick once again this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving DFS WR Mid-Tier Plays
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel shined in the playoff game last year against Seattle, and he actually led San Francisco in targets in that game. I know, apples to oranges, it’s a different year (let alone a different DFS slate), but Samuel has a productive history against the Seahawks. I expect the 49ers to be creative with Samuel in order to exploit a Seattle defense that has been better against the pass in recent weeks.
Samuel is a touchdown threat every time the football hits his hands, and he should be able to get double-digit fantasy points on his usual 6-8 opportunities per game in this matchup. We want those precious targets and touches in all of our DFS WR picks!
George Kittle had a long touchdown the other week, Brandon Aiyuk had it last week, so naturally, it’s Deebo’s turn! Consider him a solid WR play on Thanksgiving.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
I was holding out to see what Geno Smith's availability would like, and reports are that he's expected to play. However, being expected to play and being fully healthy are two totally different things. Rather than pay up for the likes of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, why not look to Smith-Njigba, who is cheaper and has at least five targets in four of his last five games. The San Francisco corners are beatable, and Deommodore Lenoir has been playing in the slot more of late. Over the last two weeks, Lenoir has allowed all six of his targets in sot coverage to be caught, good for 67 yards and a 113.2 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus.
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
A Cowboys stack figures to be quite popular on this slate, so if funds are running a bit tight, you can bring it back with Jahan Dotson. Washington throws it a ton, and will be playing from behind in this game. In fact, Sam Howell has 40+ pass attempts in five straight games, and in seven of his last eight! That’s the type of volume we want exposure to in our NFL DFS contests.
Dotson has received at least four targets in all but one of his last five games, and he’s a cost-effective option to pair on the other side of your Dallas stack.
Also, I’ll be completely honest, but I have a gut feeling on Dyami Brown this week, so I’ll give him a head nod here. Consider Dotson a viable WR pick, while Brown is my WR sleeper.
Thanksgiving DFS WR Value Plays
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
On a small three-game slate, you have to be creative with some of your WR picks, and Williams is a home-run threat. If you stack Detroit against Green Bay, take a chance on Jared Goff hitting Williams for a 30+ yard touchdown and easily giving you the ROI you need. Williams is a boom-or-bust guy, and while he only received three targets last week, his 65% snap share was his highest in a game this season. The Detroit running backs should have their way against a poor Green Bay run defense, but when Goff does drop back to throw it, Williams should have at least one chance to get behind the secondary for a big gain. The epitome of a high-upside DFS WR value play.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
This Packers offense NEEDS Jayden Reed, and it may even prove to be more true without Aaron Jones. Reed’s 69% snap share last week was his second-highest mark of the entire season, and he turned seven touches (4 receptions, 3 carries) into 92 yards and a touchdown.
In DFS, we love to pick WRs who are likely to get lots of targets and touches, and Green Bay should continue to be creative to get the ball into his hands. Targeting slot receivers against Detroit has been a profitable DFS strategy this season, too. In a game where Green Bay will need to score, Reed is my preferred WR pick.
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
If you are looking to stack Dallas pass catchers, or you need to take a flier on a cheap receiver to save some salary, look to Tolbert. Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup may attract more attention, but be contrarian and look to Tolbert as a sneaky sleeper pick.
The young wideout has five targets in three straight games, and he has played in at least 41% of the offensive snaps in each of his last four games. Meanwhile, Michael Gallup has seen his snap share decrease in not one, not two, not three, not four, but five straight weeks!
You have to be a little different on small slates like this one, and Tolbert could be the precise pathway we need. As mentioned above with my CeeDee Lamb pick, Washington has been putrid against receivers and make for a juicy to target to pick on with our daily fantasy wideouts.
Player News
Broncos ruled out LB Dre Greenlaw (quad) for Week 1 against the Titans.
Greenlaw suffered two quad injuries this summer and the second one is apparently still an issue. He was sidelined through all three Week 1 practices. The complete lack of participation is concerning, even for his Week 2 availability. Broncos backup DT Malcolm Roach (calf) is also out.
Broncos WR Marvin Mims Jr. (thigh) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 1 against the Titans.
Mims is expected to make his debut, operating as the Broncos’ No. 2 wide receiver behind Courtland Sutton. If he can maintain anything close to the elite efficiency and explosiveness he produced in a part-time role last year, he could fit into fantasy lineups as a WR3. The Titans’ secondary is a beatable unit. Consider him an upside FLEX play for Week 1.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) said he is feeling “great,” and that his absence at Friday’s practice has been “blown out of proportion” due to his injury history.
This is somewhat encouraging. When asked about the injury, McCaffrey assured media members that it’s “nothing serious.” If that’s the case, there’s a chance he handles something close to a normal workload against the division rival Seahawks on Sunday. Regardless, fantasy managers should prepare their backup plans in case McCaffrey needs more time to heal.
49ers RB Jordan James (finger) is doubtful to play in Week 1 against the Seahawks.
James and WR Jordan Watkins (ankle) were seemingly headed in the right direction, but head coach Kyle Shanahan is often reticent to trust rookies, so maybe the team is just playing it safe with two players who are unlikely to take the field anyway. With Christian McCaffrey (calf) questionable, it’s possible the team chooses to keep James active if McCaffrey is unable to go. James could be stashed on deep-league benches, if need be.
49ers WR Jauan Jennings (calf) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 1 against the Seahawks.
Jennings will likely operate as the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 2 pass catcher behind George Kittle when the 49ers take on the Seahawks this weekend. With Christian McCaffrey questionable to play due to his calf injury, the 49ers could shift toward a more balanced offensive approach, which would benefit 49ers pass catchers in the stat sheet. Jennings is a WR4 with upside for the occasion.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) is questionable to play in Week 1 against the Seahawks.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero implicitly confirms the concern that McCaffrey did indeed suffer a new injury, saying the 49ers’ “opener against Seattle is on Sunday, just three days after the injury” occurred, removing the possibility that this was a precautionary measure due to some sort of muscle irritation. Pelissero previously reported that “alarm bells” are not going off within the 49ers’ facility, but the new injury-related phrasing is hardly comforting. For now, fantasy managers must prepare to be without McCaffrey, while hoping for the best. No. 2 RB Brian Robinson will be a top-18 option if McCaffrey is sidelined for Week 1. No. 3 RB Isaac Guerendo is worth adding in 12-team leagues, where available.