Deshaun Watson and Matthew Stafford bring potential for the first game on Thursday to be filled with points. That’s an appealing concept for NFL DFS players looking to put together Thanksgiving DraftKings Showdown lineups for Lions-Texans because the more fantasy points the merrier (as long as they’re in our lineup).
We’ve gone with a Houston-heavy construction here for a couple reasons. First, the Lions are just very banged-up right now. Even if guys play, it might not be at 100 percent, and that includes Matthew Stafford. Second, the matchups are very favorable for the Texans in this game, starting with our captain, Duke Johnson.
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DraftKings Showdown Picks: Lions vs. Texans
Captain (1.5x price, 1.5x points): RB Duke Johnson, Texans ($11,700)
The Lions have allowed more DK points per game to RBs than any other team in the NFL. Johnson is the unquestioned lead back in Houston with David Johnson (concussion) still out. Add in Duke’s pass-catching that works nicely in DK’s PPR scoring, and you have a solid captain play at a more than fair price.
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FLEX: QB Deshaun Watson, Texans ($13,200)
Watson has scored 23 or more DK points in all but one game since Week 4, so yeah, getting rid of Bill O’Brien appears to have worked wonders for Watson’s fantasy output. That shouldn’t change on Thanksgiving against a Detroit defense that isn’t equipped to stop such a talented quarterback.
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FLEX: WR Will Fuller V, Texans ($11,200)
Fuller has filled in admirably after DeAndre Hopkins was traded away, and health has been surprisingly good for Fuller, too. While there’s some appeal to Brandin Cooks at a discount, there’s nothing of value to be gained further down by taking the price drop here. So, we’ll ride with Houston’s No. 1 wideout to pair with Watson.
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FLEX: WR Marvin Jones Jr., Lions ($7,400)
Jones is about the only Detroit receiver we know is healthy. Depending on the injury report Thursday, you could do some shifting around to play someone like Kenny Golladay (hip), but if setting your lineup ahead of time, Jones is the easy play as at worst the No. 2 and at best No. 1 WR for Matthew Stafford against a weak Houston defense.
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FLEX: WR Keke Coutee, Texans ($3,400)
Randall Cobb (toe) is out on Thanksgiving, which means Coutee takes over slot duties. He’s missed most of the season, but he caught a touchdown in Week 11 and has been a solid slot option in the past. He’s a safe play at this price with some targets expected.
FLEX: WR Danny Amendola, Lions ($2,200)
Amendola (hip) is questionable, so you’ll have to monitor his status. If he plays, he’s a decent source of receptions at a low price. If not, it’s probably best to pivot to Quintez Cephus, who takes on some of Amendola’s role when he’s out.
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