This article is part of our FantasyAces Football series.
In a three-game slate like we have for this Thanksgiving, it's crucial to make the right picks and not fall behind the eight-ball. That makes elite players like Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, DeMarco Murray, Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Randall Cobb and Greg Olsen easy choices. In order to win, you'll probably need at least two of these guys in your lineup to reach max value and to win a GPP. It's unclear which ones you'll need exactly, so I'll do my best to give you some value picks, so that you can get as many of them in your lineup as possible. The first game starts a bit earlier than usual (12:30 ET), so be sure to get in lineups in ample time. Have a great Thanksgiving, and thank you for reading!
Quarterback
Mark Sanchez, $5,800 or Sam Bradford, $5,500 vs. DET
At this time, it's unclear if Bradford will make the start with his concussion and shoulder issues, but I like whoever is behind center for the Eagles on Thursday. Either will be priced as the lowest starting quarterback on Fantasy Aces and that should never be the case for a Philly QB. This is one of the most up-tempo offenses in the NFL and it works efficiently with almost any QB in there. In fact, in the last three games, the Eagles rank No.1 in the NFL by having run nearly 78 plays per game. More plays equals more fantasy production. The icing on the cake is the matchup against the Lions. Detroit currently ranks as the third-worst defense against quarterbacks based on fantasy points. With it being a short week and a dome game, this matchup has a Thanksgiving Day shootout written all over it.
Running Back
Jonathan Stewart, $5,100 vs. DAL
There aren't many reliable backs on this Thanksgiving Day slate, so going with a guy like Stewart can be a godsend. Since his bye week, Stewart quietly has been one of the best running backs in the NFL. In those six weeks, Stewart has 544 rushing yards on 132 carries with five touchdowns. Those are fantastic numbers with all the diluted talent there is at running back across the league right now. He should be in for another big game on Thursday against the Cowboys. Stewart will face a Cowboys defense on short rest, and that seems to always benefit the running back. Not to mention Dallas ranks as the fourth-worst defense in the NFL based on fantasy points allowed to RBs. Stewart also had at least 20 carries in all six of those aforementioned games, so he should produce fantasy-wise, even if he doesn't have his best game.
Ameer Abdullah, $4,200 vs. PHI
Unlike Stewart, Abdullah is extremely risky and not as reliable. What I like is the opportunity and upside he presents. The Lions should lean on Abdullah more over the next few weeks, as they have very little to play for and need to see what the rookie can do. They simply don't trust Joique Bell or Theo Riddick to carry the ball, as they have given Abdullah at least 12 carries in three of his last seven games. While he hasn't shown ability to catch the ball out of the backfield yet, he definitely has that skill in his repertoire and this might be a good time to exploit it. This should be an up-tempo game with a lot of plays run, which also gives Abdullah more opportunities. He's a risky play but could be a game-changer.
Wide Receiver
Davante Adams, $4,450 vs. CHI
In a PPR format like Fantasy Aces, Adams is an undervalued asset. In his last three games, he has played at least 75 snaps, has seen 36 targets, and has 20 catches for more than 200 yards. That's a lot of volume for a player just shy of $4,500, and he appears to be one of Aaron Rodgers go-to receivers. This is also a good matchup against a Bears defense that has been prone to blowups this season. Adams is in the same price range as Cole Beasley, Ted Ginn and Marquess Wilson, and Adams is clearly a better option than any one of those three.
Golden Tate, $4,400 vs. PHI
Most people will be looking at Calvin Johnson against the Eagles, and rightfully so, but let's go against the grain and use Tate instead. The Lion's No. 2 receiver has shown some fantastic ability in the past but hasn't had a great year thus far. The major reason is that he's only scored one touchdown all season. The targets and receptions are still solid, and he should be in line to score a couple more TDs before the season ends. He's still on pace for 83 catches for 800 yards, which isn't too bad in a PPR-format. Tate is coming off one of his best games, in which he caught eight passes for 74 yards on an eye-popping 18 targets. That means that Matthew Stafford is using Tate as a security blanket and hitting him for dump-offs when he can't find anyone else. This is simply a volume play, as Tate should easily catch six passes against a bad pass-defense. In fact, Philadelphia ranks as one of the bottom three pass-defenses in the NFL based on fantasy points allowed per game. I expect Tate to have a nice finish for the final six games of the season and that stretch will start here.
Tight End
Martellus Bennett, $4,300 vs. GB
Bennett has been underwhelming over recent weeks, but he's had some very tough matchups, including the Rams and Broncos, who are two of the best defenses in the NFL right now. Before that, Bennett saw a ton of volume and produced pretty well. In the eight games prior, he was averaging just shy of nine targets a game while recording nearly six receptions per game. He also had three touchdowns in that span and he makes for a nice-red zone target for Jay Cutler. With the Bear's injuries, that should mean even more targets for Bennett, and he should see double-digits if they're trailing like everyone expects. The matchup is a good, as the Packers lead the league in targets allowed to tight ends and rank in the bottom-10 in fantasy points allowed to tight ends. Even though he's priced as the fourth-highest tight end on Thursday, Bennett is a great bet to lead tight ends in fantasy points on this short slate.
Defense
Green Bay, $2,850 vs. CHI
I honestly don't think any of these defenses are good choices, but let's go with a hot Green Bay defense. The Packers are coming off their best defensive performance of the season, as they sacked Teddy Bridgewater five times and drew a forced fumble en route to a 30-13 win. Green Bay will face a turnover-prone Jay Cutler on Thursday, and they should be able to force two or three turnovers in this game. The Bears rank in the bottom-10 against fantasy defenses, and they come into this game with an allotment of injuries that could really hurt their rhythm. My formula for picking a fantasy defense is to always pick a home team who is favored, is playing well, and is facing a weak offense. All of those ingredients are here for Green Bay.
