DFS Building Blocks – Thanksgiving

We’ve got a nice three-game slate for Thanksgiving. On these small slates we see higher than normal ownership levels, giving us a great chance to build unique lineups with a lot of leverage over the field. We should be treating this like a single-game slate, but we don’t have to be quite as contrarian in our lineup builds. Don’t get carried away with your bankroll tomorrow but have fun and build a few lineups hoping you get lucky.

I like to make two primary lineups on these slates. 1) Chalk build, with a couple unique pieces or unique roster construction. 2) Totally unique lineup that no one is expecting. That type of lineup is even more valuable on a slate like this, when ownership is so concentrated.

I’ll go position by position and give you a few chalk, pivot, and unexpected plays.

QB

Chalk: Josh Allen. Chalk, but in a tougher matchup.

Pivot: Dak Prescott. A bit overlooked after last week’s dud and still missing Cooper. Just the type of recency bias we want to target.

Unexpected: Derek Carr. Maybe we get the shootout we expected with KC/DAL last week.

Unexpected: Andy Dalton. Montgomery will be popular, but what if it’s the Chicago passing game that does the scoring? Surely there will be scoring, right?

RB

Chalk: Ezekiel Elliott. Nice way to get exposure to the Cowboys. Dak is lower-owned because of the popularity of Zeke. A Dak + Zeke lineup would be a nice unique build.

Chalk: David Montgomery. Playing Detroit. Enough said.

Pivot: D’Andre Swift. Would be great pivot from Montgomery here, especially in an Andy Dalton lineup. Take talent and role over matchup. Or pivot from Zeke and play a Swift + Montgomery ministack.

Pivot: Josh Jacobs. Great pivot from Zeke in a Dak lineup.

Unexpected: Kamara, Ingram, Pollard (good cheap option to add to a Dak lineup for a unique build), Moss, Singletary.

WR

Chalk: Stefon Diggs. Finally had his big game last week, but I’d rather pivot to Sanders.

Chalk: Michael Gallup. Good option this week. Okay as a stand-alone, but I prefer with a unique stack like Zeke + Gallup or even Pollard + Gallup.

Chalk: Hunter Renfrow. Someone has to catch the ball.

Pivot: CeeDee Lamb. He may become chalk closer to the game, so I like this best in a Dak + Lamb + Gallup stack.

Pivot: Cedrick Wilson. Filling in for Cooper has value.

Pivot: Emmanuel Sanders. The boom or bust type of play we like to have. I’m looking for my value at WR this week and then building unique stacks for leverage.

Unexpected: Edwards, Robinson, Smith, Davis.

TE

Chalk: Darren Waller. Should be the clear chalk on the slate.

Chalk: Dalton Schultz. Listed as chalk because he’s attached to the Cowboys offense without Cooper.

Pivot: Dawson Knox. Red-zone machine for the Bills who has been forgotten by the public.

Unexpected: TJ Hockenson. Could be listed as a pivot, but no one is really expecting anything out of the Lions offense.

Unexpected: Cole Kmet. Great pairing with Dalton and/or Robinson in an unique lineup that pivots from Montgomery. A Dalton + Robinson + Hockenson lineup would also be a nice pivot from the chalk.

DEF

Chalk: Bears. Really no reason to go away from this on the small slate.

Pivot: Bills. Solid D playing a New Orleans team that isn’t great.

Pivot: Cowboys.

Unexpected: Saints/Lions.

On these small slates it’s okay to play a Defense even if you have players from the other team playing. If you’re building a unique lineup that fades the chalk, you can also find the DEF that matches that story. Fading Josh Allen? Play Saints DEF. Fading all Cowboys? Play Raiders DEF.

The Lineup Build

I’ll be looking at a few core stacks:

Dak + Lamb + Gallup

Dak + Elliott + Lamb/Gallup

Allen + Sanders + Knox

Those three stacks will give me unique builds or give me leverage by overstacking the chalk.

I’ll be going to Montgomery + Bears in most, except for the potential of a really unique build where I’m targeting Lions or Bears passing games.

My “funny money” stacks:

Dalton + Robinson + Hockenson

Dalton + Montgomery + Robinson

Carr + Elliott + Renfrow + Waller

Boyle + Swift + Montgomery + Hockenson

Boyle + Swift + Montgomery + Robinson

Good luck!