Intro
I love writing these storyline pieces. I will go through the games and discuss one dynasty-relevant storyline per team that I’m excited to see. Usually, I’ll split the games into two sets, covering the early games in one story and the later games in another. Also, I’ll do a special spotlight on the Thursday night game from time to time, as that’s a midweek contest. I like to go into more detail for that game, just for a change of pace.
This piece will give you something specific to look for in each contest, which I hope helps you enjoy the games even more. We all play fantasy football to enhance our enjoyment of football, and I’m trying to add to that sense of happiness here. Fun is the most essential part of this hobby for all of us, including me. I’ve listed the home team first for each game to keep things organized.
Usually, I would jump right into the games, but I want to take a bit of time to address the Ravens-Steelers game. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the NFL rescheduled that contest from Thursday night to Sunday at 1:15 PM. I know that we’re all disappointed not to have a full Thanksgiving slate, especially considering that the other two games are a bit underwhelming.
The Ravens and Steelers will play on Sunday, so there are no fantasy concerns outside of the specific players on the COVID-19 list. I won’t go into that here. As a whole, I believe the NFL made the right decision given the size of the Ravens’ outbreak, and they did the best thing for player safety. Now, let’s look at the two games we have left. Even though they’re not the best games, there’s still a lot to watch from a dynasty lens.
Lions vs. Texans
Lions
The Lions come into this game with a decimated offensive group. Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola have been ruled out, while D’Andre Swift is questionable with his concussion. Matthew Stafford will play in this game, but he has a severe thumb injury that will limit his effectiveness. I believe that Stafford is a good quarterback, and I won’t downgrade him in dynasty leagues due to his injury. Overall, the Lions will struggle based on all of these injuries.
Marvin Jones should have an opportunity to succeed without Golladay and Amendola in the lineup. I wrote Jones off a few weeks ago, but he’s played better the last couple of weeks. Jones is a free agent after 2020, and he’ll only turn 31 years old in the offseason. Therefore, Jones could receive a decent contract if he continues to play well. I’ll watch his play closely, along with many NFL general managers.
Outside of Jones, I only care about T.J. Hockenson in the Lions’ passing game. Hockenson is a promising second-year tight end, and I think he could be on a path to stardom. He has 40 receptions on 60 targets for 441 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games this season. I believe this game represents a showcase for Hockenson, and if he balls out, his dynasty value will spike significantly.
I hope Swift can clear the concussion protocol in time for the game, but I doubt he will. Typically, players come out of the protocol the day before the game, and Swift remains in the protocol right now on Wednesday afternoon. This game begins at 12:30 ET, so Swift likely won’t play.
If he somehow does play, I’m incredibly excited to watch him dominate a horrific Texans’ run defense. Swift broke out in Week 10, becoming the Lions’ workhorse, and I know he would have another massive game here. If Swift can’t go, I have zero interest in watching Adrian Peterson or Kerryon Johnson soak up touches. Peterson isn’t a dynasty asset, and Johnson isn’t a talented player. I’ll be disappointed when they touch the ball, thinking about what Swift could have done in their place.
Texans
The Texans have some significant offensive injuries for this game, including David Johnson, Randall Cobb, and Kenny Stills, all of whom will miss this contest. Honestly, I don’t find the Texans to be an exciting team to watch right now. We know that Deshaun Watson is a talented quarterback, and I like watching him play. He has a connection with both Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller, but we know what value those guys have.
However, I do think there are two exciting storylines to watch for the Texans this week. First, this game is Duke Johnson’s final chance to play as the Texans’ lead back, as David Johnson can return for Week 13. Although Duke has failed to play well the last two weeks, the Lions are a horrible run defense. If Duke can’t get it done here, it’s time to throw him in the dynasty dumpster bin.
Second, I want to watch Keke Coutee. Without Cobb and Stills, Coutee will become the Texans’ WR3 and starting slot receiver. Coutee ended up in Bill O’Brien’s doghouse, but Romeo Crennel seems interested in getting Coutee some playing time. Crennel gave Coutee 57% of snaps in Week 11, where he caught two of four targets for 10 yards and a touchdown. If Coutee plays well in front of a national audience, he’ll be a popular waiver-wire add in dynasty leagues.
Cowboys vs. Washington
Cowboys
The Cowboys come into this contest relatively healthy, of course, excluding Dak Prescott, who’s out for the season. Ezekiel Elliott continues to log limited practices with a hamstring issue, but he’s not on the game’s final injury report. Elliott looked better last week, as he took 21 carries for 103 yards for his first 100-yard game this season. Hopefully, Elliott continues his upward trend this week, although he’s a hard sell for me in dynasty leagues no matter what.
The Cowboys’ passing game continues to be a bit of an enigma for fantasy owners, although it’s a bit more clear under Andy Dalton. With Dalton, you can trust Amari Cooper as a WR2, CeeDee Lamb as a volatile WR3, Dalton Schultz as a mid-TE2, and you can’t use Michael Gallup whatsoever. Dalton is a serviceable quarterback, but he’s not doing anything to earn a starting job next season. I predict that Dalton will re-sign with Dallas as Prescott’s backup for 2021, so value him in Superflex leagues accordingly.
As for the receiving weapons, I think we can see that Cooper and Lamb will return to insane value next season with Prescott, and we hope Gallup finds a trade to another team. Gallup cannot succeed in this offense, and his contract expires after 2021. The Cowboys will not re-sign him after that, so they might as well gain value by trading him.
I believe that Gallup is around the 30th-most talented receiver in the league, making him a strong WR2 option for most NFL teams or a weak WR1 for a few squads. Dynasty owners should hang onto Gallup, as he cannot lose value from a trade. Gallup only turns 25 years old in March, so he has time to rebound in value. I just like watching him every week, seeing if he shows any signs of life with Dalton.
Washington
Washington has a relatively clean injury report for this game, with only Terry McLaurin questionable. However, McLaurin will play in this game, as he only has a mild ankle injury. As usual, McLaurin will dominate my attention for the Cowboys because he’s the only relevant receiving option on the roster. I have McLaurin as a solid second-round dynasty startup pick, and he’s on the border of the first round.
Outside of McLaurin, everyone knows that I have a soft spot for Alex Smith. I’m happy that Smith made it back on the field more than anything else, and I’m excited to watch him on Thanksgiving. Hopefully, he has a strong game, even if Smith isn’t really a dynasty asset.
Finally, the Washington backfield is always a source of intrigue. I love Antonio Gibson and his long-term prospects, but Washington also loves to use J.D. McKissic. Hopefully, Washington decides to get Gibson more involved this week, and maybe they can use McKissic as a pure receiver. McKissic offers nothing on the ground, so I believe that plan improve their offense.
Thanks for reading this article. You can find me on Twitter at @DFF_Karp. I love to interact with anyone in the community, so reach out at any time! I take fantasy questions and help with all formats, so keep sending those questions my way.
Previous Storyline Articles: Week 6 Early Games, Week 6 Late Games, Week 7 Thursday Night, Week 7 Early Games, Week 7 Late Games, Week 8 Thursday Night, Week 8 Early Games, Week 8 Late Games, Week 9 Thursday Night, Week 9 Early Games, Week 9 Late Games, Week 10 Thursday Night, Week 10 Early Games, Week 10 Late Games, Week 11 Thursday Night, Week 11 Early Games, Week 11 Late Games
