The NFL is once again offering a heaping helping of Thanksgiving Day games for 2025. Week 13 kicks off on Thursday with a tripleheader with plenty of firepower on the field from the early afternoon through the night.
Here's a complete breakdown of the slate to help you know which players have the most and least favorable matchups and assist with those tougher fantasy football lineup decisions.
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Packers at Lions Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Thanksgiving
Packers Week 13 starts and sits
Start 'Em: RB Josh Jacobs (assuming he returns) or RB Emanuel Wilson
Sit 'Em: Jordan Love, Packers D/ST, WR Romeo Doubs
Sleeper: WR Christian Watson
The Lions present a tough matchup for the Packers' running game as Jacobs was held to only 66 rushing yards at 3.5 yards per carry, saving his day with a TD. Jacobs should be good to go with his knee injury after taking Sunday's rout of the Vikings off.
With Jacobs active, Wilson would go back to getting a handful of touches as his backup after getting 28 carries for 107 yards and 2 TDs vs. The Vikings. In that scenario, with no byes, Wilson is a tough FLEX to trust.
Love isn't throwing for big numbers with the lean on the run, and he keeps having more issues with enough healthy receivers beyond Doubs and Watson. You can't play a fantasy defense in Detroit vs. The Lions offense.
Watson has a chance to do damage as their best option in the passing game, but there's no need to overextend with the Packers passing game exposure.
↕️ Week 13 Fantasy Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | Flex
Lions Week 13 starts and sits
Start 'Em: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Jameson Williams, QB Jared Goff
Sit 'Em: RB David Montgomery, Lions D/ST
Sleeper: TE Brock Wright
Gibbs is trying to catch Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor as the unquestioned best non-QB fantasy performer with his recent massive box scores. St. Brown is back on track as the No. 1. Goff is playable in 12-to-14-team leagues because of his home body of work and recent solid numbers.
Williams put up a shocking goose egg (his second in five games) against the Giants, given how many big plays that team gives up. He also got only 3 targets with St. Brown and Gibbs seeing 25 combined in a surprise negative game, which also is odd.
He might be contained by the Packers downfield, but the squeaky wheel should at least roll into the end zone.
As for Montgomery, he's dropped down ro RB26 in average scoring in half-point PRR. The split with Gibbs isn't happening as much as he's more of a relief back, dependent on TDs to pay off. So you can go elsewhere instead of taking the ceiling of 10 points at RB2.
Wright got a key few looks from Goff filling in for Sam LaPorta. The Packers can be giving to the position all the way to the red zone, so you can go there if really hurting at tight end.
➕ TOP PICKUPS: Week 13 fantasy waiver wire
Chiefs vs. Cowboys Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Thanksgiving
Chiefs Week 13 starts and sits
Start 'Em: QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce, WR Rashee Rice, RB Kareem Hunt
Sit 'Em: K Harrison Butker, Chiefs D/ST
Sleeper: WR Xavier Worthy
The Chiefs just missed a monster scoring effort vs. The Colts with some red zone mistakes and some off throws by Mahomes. But going to overtime led to huge days by Rice (8 catches, 141 yards) and Hunt (33 touches, 130 yards, TD). Kelce had a TD called back, and Mahomes had him open streaking a few times. Worthy also did more reasonable No. 2 work.
The Cowboys' cornerbacks can't handle either wideout, and Mahomes should be locked with them and Kelce for a big rebound game after going 352 and 0 with an INT. Butker just ripped off his biggest game of the season but he's still only K15 on the season so you can find 14 guys with whom you rather kick field goals. The Chiefs' defense isn't a good idea against a red-hot Cowboys offense.
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Cowboys Week 13 starts and sits
Start 'Em: WR CeeDee Lamb, WR George Pickens, RB Javonte Williams, TE Jake Ferguson, QB Dak Prescott, K Brandon Aubrey
Sit 'Em: Cowboys D/ST
This is a "start 'em if you've got 'em" deal because the Cowboys' weapons have become streamlined around Dak Prescott to one back, two wide receivers and one tight end. The game being in Dallas changes that from having worry about some of the assets. Don't play that defense, however, vs. Mahomes and his weapons.
Bengals vs. Ravens Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Thanksgiving
Bengals Week 13 starts and sits
Start 'Em: WR Ja'Marr Chase, RB Chase Brown, WR Tee Higgins (if active), QB Joe Burrow
Sit 'Em: WR Andrei Iosivas, K Evan McPherson, Bengals D/ST
The Bengals are now tied for last place. The Ravens are now tied for first place.
But getting Burrow back for this rivalry game against a porous-enough defense battling more injuries says Cincy can be more competitive in Baltimore.
Chase being back from his suspension also is huge for someone to take attention off Brown and Higgins (assuming he clears concussion protocol) and create better matchups for Burrow.
Chase's return and Higgins being up would drop Iosivas and the tight ends down. McPherson is coming off a 63-yarder against the Patriots but has been buried beyond K20 all season.
🐐 MORE: Greatest fantasy games ever: Where does Jahmyr Gibbs rank?
Ravens Week 13 starts and sits
Start: QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry, TE Mark Andrews, WR Zay Flowers, K Tyler Loop
Sit: Ravens D/ST
Jackson had only 153 passing yards and 11 rushing yards without a TD against the Jets. That was his second straight game below double-digits as that also happened vs. The Browns.
That would make it unlikely for him to have a third consecutive flop, especially against the Bengals defense at home. Temper expectations, but a couple of scores, 200 passing and 40 rushing seem reasonable.
Henry is still not running for big yardage, but he remains a red zone hammer in a smash spot.
Andrews fell victim to the Jackson disappearing act in Week 12 but gets the best possible matchup for tight ends this season. Flowers was his usual scoreless low-ceiling WR3 with 5 catches and 68 scrimmage yards, so you can least get that again. Loop also has been solid all season in the top 10.
Thanksgiving NFL DFS Optimal Lineups
FanDuel NFL Thanksgiving lineup picks
- QB: Dak Prescott, Cowboys ($7,900)
- RB: Kareem Hunt, Chiefs ($6,400)
- RB: Derrick Henry, Ravens ($9,800)
- WR: Xavier Worthy, Chiefs ($5,700)
- WR: Christian Watson, Packers, ($6,000)
- WR: Rashee Rice, Chiefs ($8,600)
- TE: Brock Wright, Lions ($4,900)
- FLEX: Chase Brown, Bengals ($7,200)
- D/ST: Kansas City Chiefs ($4,200)
Here's going with a mini-Chiefs onslaught hoping it's a big enough lead for Prescott to put up numbers through volume. Henry needs to be there to run over the Bengals while Brown can checkdowns in comeback mode. Watson and Wright stick with sleepers in the same game.
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DraftKings NFL Thanksgiving lineup picks
- QB: Jordan Love, Packers ($5,500)
- RB: Derrick Henry, Ravens ($7,300)
- RB: Chase Brown, Bengals ($6,500)
- WR: Xavier Worthy, Chiefs ($4,500)
- WR: Rashee Rice, Chiefs ($7,500)
- WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions ($7,800)
- TE: Brock Wright Lions, ($2,800)
- FLEX: Kareem Hunt ($5,300)
- D/ST: Kansas City Chiefs ($2,800)
Here's the simliar concepts to FD only with some room to save on QB with Love as another unstacked QB to match Prescott. Henry, Hunt and Brown still made sense as the running backs, as did going Worthy and Rice vs. The Cowboys' seciondary.