Happy Thanksgiving! Welcome back to Week 12 of Keeping it Real With Fantasy!  We have finally reached football’s favorite holiday. There are three great matchups on Thanksgiving highlighted by the two of the most toxic fanbases with the Raiders and Cowboys facing off against each other. Beyond the holidays, we have the division rival Giants and Eagles playing on football Sunday.  One of the better games this week is highlighted by the Rams and the Packers. On the contrary, if you’re looking for a game to sleep through, the Jets and Texans play each other. There are plenty of great games this Thanksgiving season, and The Lance hopes to give you some insight as you enjoy the start of this holiday season with your families. 

News/Injuries:

Michael Carter (RB)– This past week, Jets running back Michael Carter suffered a lower ankle sprain that will sideline him for at least two weeks. This is terrible news considering the rookie was taking over the lead role for the Jets with his usage increasing every week. Fantasy managers should look to our waiver pickups this week for a short-term replacement for Carter.

Ceedee Lamb (WR) – The Cowboys young stud wearing number 88 was banged up during his team’s loss against the Chiefs. As the league begins to tighten up on concussion protocols, Lamb was sidelined for the next few days. He claims to be fine, despite the short week the Cowboys have. It would be smart for him to take his time to return. We hope he returns in good health. 

Chris Carson (RB) – The Seahawks running back injured his neck and is slated to miss the rest of the season. Many careers have been cut short due to devastating neck injuries, and we are crossing our fingers that Carson isn’t one of them. He will hopefully be returning to the team in the late spring where he will look to prepare for next season.

Starts:

Tony Pollard (RB)– Ezekiel Elliot momentarily left the game in Dallas’s week 11 matchup against Kansas City with a knee injury. Somehow, Elliot was able to return for the remainder of the game. Don’t let this persuade you away from starting Pollard, though. The Cowboys only ran the ball 16 times in their match against the Chiefs, and Pollard was able to produce 50 rushing yards and two receptions for 20 yards. With both Amari Cooper (COVID-19) and CeeDee Lamb (concussion) being questionable for this week’s exhibition, Dallas will have to rely heavily on the run game to bolster their offense. Pollard has been able to rack up RB1 numbers the past two weeks and should be viewed as a mid RB2 this week, especially going against the Raiders’ 26-ranked defense. 

Darnell Mooney (WR) – Mooney is starting to have his breakout season, and all of his fantasy owners, including us, are here for it. Mooney was targeted 16 times last week and hauled in five receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. With Allen Robinson being sidelined with an injury, Mooney nearly saw half of the targets at 46%. For the past couple of weeks Mooney has been WR5 and WR6. No matter who is under center, whether it’s Justin Fields or Andy Dalton, he is a must start in all fantasy leagues.  

Sits: 

Zack Moss (RB)– Moss has been as inconsistent as they come. There was a streak during the season where Moss found the endzone four times in three games, but he has yet to score a touchdown since week 10. Moss only ran the ball three times last week in the Bills blowout loss against the Colts. Since week 5, Moss has not been a high end running back and has yet to finish RB2, splitting carries with Devin Singletary. The Bills should be able to bounce back, going against the Saints, who allow the second fewest fantasy points to RBs at 18 points. Moss seems to be unreliable at this time, so it is best if he is sitting until further notice. 

Odell Beckham Jr. (WR)–  In the past, Odell was one of the top receivers in the league. This year, though, he’s struggled to play at his full potential. There were chemistry issues causing his limited production on the Browns early this season. However, Odell was traded to the high-powered Rams two weeks ago. On top of that, the second leading receiver in Los Angeles, Robert Woods, tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season leaving Beckham with a larger role in the offense. Beckham may see his production go up for these reasons, yet he still only saw three targets on his new team in a blowout loss. With his usage still yet to be seen on the Rams, we are benching Odell Beckham Jr. this week. 

Waiver Wires – 

Dontrell Hilliard (RB)– The Titans might be finally trusting one lead running back. Since Derrick Henry was injured, the Titans have experimented with a number of different backs. TheTitans have released veteran Adrian Peterson just weeks after signing him. Jeremy McNichols seems to be taking a backseat in this Titans offense as he has received limited snaps as of late.. This has left Dontrell Hillard as the top back. Last game, Hilliard played for the first time this season and got 15 total touches including 10 targets out of the backfield. Even without a touchdown, he put together a great performance with 15.2 fantasy points. He did this all while having a 63% snap share for Tennessee. If his role continues, he could be a top fantasy back on an explosive offense. 

Ty Johnson (RB) –  The running back position in fantasy is very scarce. Because of this, getting any lead back is very important. Jets’ running back, Michael Carter, suffered a leg injury which will likely sideline him for 2 or more weeks. The next man up on the depth chart is Ty Johnson. While Tevin Coleman is also on the roster and likely to have some  carries, Johnson is the guy to get. Johnson is younger and quicker than Coleman. He’s also way more utilized in the passing game which is crucial to gaining fantasy points. The Jets will usually be down, so the Jets are always going to need to pass to get back into games. Ty Johnson will be the biggest benefactor from this. 

Guest Take – Jonah Kim 

Trade Target:

I would trade for Tyler Lockett. Lockett is one of the top receivers in the league and plays for a good offense under a great quarterback. Setting the Seahawks’ struggles aside, Lockett’s volume will always be there. Fantasy managers might be worried about every player in Seattle right now, so I would try to buy low on Tyler Lockett. He is one of the best deep ball threats and could win you your matchup on any given week.