NFL

Stefon Diggs, Tony Pollard, Justin Jefferson, and More

Published

1 year ago

November 24, 2022

darragh

While traditional fantasy football formats have dominated the landscape, managers can find numerous ways to play the game they love. Underdog Pick’em contests allow managers to put their player-projection skills to the test by predicting player stat lines.

Here are the top Underdog Pick’em plays for Thanksgiving Day as the Buffalo Bills face the Detroit Lions, the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants, and the New England Patriots take on the Minnesota Vikings.

Top Underdog Pick’ems for NFL Thanksgiving Day Games

Underdog Pick’ems allow fantasy managers to predict stat lines and fantasy-point totals for almost all fantasy-relevant players. Here, the more selections you add to your entry, the higher the payout.

The levels are two players for 3x, three for 6x, four for 10x, and finally, five for 20x, progressing with each additional pick’em you add to your entry.

With Underdog Fantasy, it’s a brand new season every week, no matter how your other leagues are going at the moment. Sign up today and get a 100% deposit bonus of up to $100. As for my recommendations, below are my top Underdog Pick’ems for Thanksgiving.

Dak Prescott Higher Than 249.5 Passing Yards

Underdog is giving us a free handout. Dak Prescott is the booster for Thanksgiving, and if you use him in your Underdog Pick’em, two-player picks move from 3x to 5x, 6x moves to 10x, 10x goes to 15x, and the big one of them all, 20x moves to 100x if you nail all players in your Pick’em.

However, there’s only a $1 max allowed, so you can’t break the bank, and you can only use him once to get the boost. After that, Prescott is treated like a typical player.

MORE: Week 12 Non-PPR Fantasy Football Rankings

Prescott has been exceptional on Thanksgiving, and he’s looking to make it his third-straight game with 350 passing yards. He’s averaged 278.6 passing yards and has nine career touchdowns on Thanksgiving.

Prescott is coming off a 20.1 PPR outing against the Vikings last week. I will have the higher on his passing yardage as one of my Underdog Pick’ems.

Jared Goff Lower Than 16.15 Fantasy Points

Jared Goff has actually been one of the better stories this year. He started off the year on fire but hasn’t touched the top 12 since Week 4. It really hasn’t even been close, either.

Goff has only one game inside the top 16 over the last six games and hasn’t scored above 15 fantasy points in any game since Week 4. Now, he gets to play the Bills, who still have one of the best pass defenses in the league despite giving up some production over the last few games.

I just don’t see Goff hitting 16 fantasy points unless for massive garbage-time production and multiple passing touchdowns. I’ll take the lower on him in a brutal matchup.

Justin Jefferson Higher Than 88.5 Receiving Yards

My waistline could not survive Thanksgiving every week, but it’s so refreshing to enjoy a multi-game Thursday night lineup, especially when one of those options is Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson enters Week 12 with 4,109 receiving yards and can pass Randy Moss (4,163) and Odell Beckham Jr. (4,122) for the most by a player in the first three seasons. Since 2020, Jefferson is second in the NFL with 20 games of 100 or more receiving yards, which is the most by a player in the first three seasons.

Jefferson is back to being the vertical target he was over his first two years. With T.J. Hockenson on the field and taking the complementary role that used to go to Adam Thielen, Jefferson’s aDOT has risen from 8.9 to 15.2, and the deep rate has climbed 10% up to 23.3%.

Unless Jefferson is hurt or they don’t have a quarterback, I don’t think you’ll ever see me doing anything but taking the higher on his receiving projections.

T.J. Hockenson Higher Than 9.35 Fantasy Points

We must remember Underdog uses half-point PPR scoring, but that should be no problem for T.J. Hockenson.

Since his surprising move at the trade deadline, Hockenson has a 24% target share, which is second most on the team. He’s finished as a T5, TE7, and TE11, respectively, with at least nine targets in each game.

I don’t even mind his projections of 4.5 receptions and 45.5 receiving yards, either. What I think helps Hockenson, in this case, is finding the end zone. New England is tied for the most touchdowns allowed to the position, the 17th-most yards, and is 23rd in points per game.

Stefon Diggs Higher Than 7.0 Receptions

This feels like one of those squeaky wheel games, not that Stefon Diggs needs it. Diggs recorded his eighth touchdown of the season in Week 11 and, in the process, recorded his fifth straight 1,000-yard season. While Diggs might’ve been a little upset about his target share, that hasn’t been a problem.

MORE: James Cook Waiver Wire Week 12

Diggs is the WR1 in fantasy and has the sixth-highest target share (29.4%) with a 35.6% air-yard share (14th). He’s also top three in most major statistical categories. Watch for Allen to force-feed Diggs on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions and clear his 7.0 reception projection for Underdog.

Saquon Barkley Higher Than 0.5 Rushing and Receiving Touchdowns

Simply put, if New York wants to keep this game close, Saquon Barkley has to be special. He also has to find the end zone. New York lost Wan’Dale Robinson to a torn ACL last week, and I’m pretty sure they wish they had a rapid wide receiver with first-round value on the roster, but so much for that.

Barkley is averaging nearly 125 total yards with three rushing touchdowns in his four road games this year and scored the last time these teams met in Week 3. Unless this game is a blowout, I have a hard time seeing how New York stays in this game without Barkley hitting the higher on his projection.

Tony Pollard Higher Than 67.5 Rushing Yards

I wish Underdog gave us a combined yardage here, but Tony Pollard is playing too well for that to happen. Last week, he exploded for 189 total yards and two scores on 21 touches, becoming the fourth player since 1990 with 75+ rushing yards (80), 100+ receiving yards (100), and two receiving touchdowns in a single game.

In Week 3, when these teams met in Dallas, Pollard rushed for 105 yards off of 13 carries. He’s looking to make it his fourth game in a row with a touchdown and his fifth game with 100+ scrimmage yards.

Despite everything Jerry Jones says, Pollard is the better running back. He’s first in yards after contact per attempt and seems like a lightning rod on the field.

I’m sure Ezekiel Elliott will have some volume — as is tradition on Thanksgiving — but if Pollard hits 15+ touches, it’s game over. The Giants are 28th in rush DVOA, 25th in EPA, and 16th in success rate. Feed Me Pollard on Thanksgiving.

Dalton Schultz Higher Than 35.5 Receiving Yards

It wouldn’t be a full plate without a serving of tight ends, and I’m going straight to Dalton Schultz on Thanksgiving to go higher than his surprisingly low projection of 35.5 receiving yards.

Since Week 7, Schultz is fifth in both targets and receiving yards and is matching up against a Giants defense that is 30th in DVOA and sits inside the bottom seven in catch rate, receiving yards, and yards per reception.

I’m okay with Schultz’s 4.0 reception projection too, but I would have liked it more if it was at 3.5. Either way, Schultz is one of my favorite Underdog Pick’ems for Thanksgiving.

Graham Gano Higher Than 1.5 Field Goals

It might not be the first instinct to look at kickers, but Graham Gano deserves a little bit more attention. He had a pretty lousy performance last week, but it’s explainable.

Gano missed practice on Friday due to an illness but tried playing through it. His first extra point was missed because it was partially blocked and pushed off due to wind. His second hit the right upright.

Coming into the game, Gano was a perfect 17 of 17 on extra points and had made two or more field goals in six of his nine previous games. It’s expected to be a close game, and with the lack of talent at receiver, if the Giants have to settle for field goals, Gano going higher than 1.5 field goals made is a good formula.

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NFL

Who Is Dak Prescott’s Girlfriend? Everything To Know About Sarah Jane Ramos

Published

56 mins ago

November 30, 2023

darragh

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is in the midst of a career season. The 30-year-old signal-caller currently ranks sixth in passing yardage (2,935 yards) and second in passing touchdowns (23). His play has been particularly strong during the past month or so — the two-time Pro Bowler has thrown for 1,602 yards and 17 touchdowns in his past five games.

Not coincidentally, Prescott’s Cowboys have been rolling this season. Dallas boasts an 8-3 record and currently sits in pole position for the NFC’s top Wild Card spot. Dallas is producing points at prolific rates. The team has eclipsed the 40-point mark four times this season and is averaging a hair over 31 per game for the year.

Prescott is currently tied with Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson with the fourth-best odds to win the NFL’s MVP race, as per The Athletic. If he can keep up his current, torrid pace during a tough closing stretch (the Cowboys play five winning teams in their next five games), he may well win the award.

Most Cowboys fans would likely tell you that Prescott’s earned legitimate consideration for the award this year. But few among them would likely argue it more passionately than Prescott’s girlfriend — and soon-to-be mother of his firstborn — Sarah Jane Ramos.

Who Is Dak Prescott’s Girlfriend, Sarah Jane Ramos?

According to her X (formerly known as Twitter) page, Ramos is a native of Tampa Bay, Florida. This helps explain her decision to pursue higher education at Florida State University (as per her LinkedIn). The proud Seminole alumna (and fan) earned a bachelor’s in criminalistics and criminal science.

But it doesn’t seem like Ramos has worked in any form of law enforcement since obtaining her degree.

Instead, she parlayed the skills (like personability, multi-tasking, and knowledge of liquors — which she gained working as a bartender at a Marriott Hotel in Tallahassee from 2015-17) into a role as an on-premise area manager for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, a prominent distributor for numerous retailers in the greater Tampa Bay area.

MORE: Dak Prescott on His Excitement of Being a Girl Dad

Ramos notes financial/business analysis, distribution logistics, pricing strategy, and negotiation among the skills that she’s been able to fine-tune in this particular position. Her LinkedIn page says it’s one she still holds presently, though one imagines that even if that’s accurate, it’s also likely finite.

After all, the mother-to-be will have to be out for maternity leave in a few months, regardless. One imagines Prescott, who boasts a $60 million net worth, will insist on propping up the financial end so that Mom can stay home and attend to the obligations of being a new mother.

A task that Ramos sounds plenty eager to face head-on, with Dallas’ star quarterback at her side, as per her Instagram page.

“A little bit of Heaven sent down to Earth [heart emoji],” read a recent post on Ramos’ Instagram page, featuring the pregnant mother exposing her baby bump. “Our immeasurable blessing. I cannot wait to raise a strong, confident, beautiful baby girl with you @_4dak.”

Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!

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NFL

What Channel Is Thursday Night Football Tonight? Seahawks vs. Cowboys Start Time, Live Stream Options, and More

Published

2 hours ago

November 30, 2023

darragh

Week 12 featured a trio of Thursday NFL games on Thanksgiving and a standalone game on Black Friday. With a regular schedule this week, who plays on Thursday Night Football tonight? The Seattle Seahawks head to AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 13 battle for NFC playoff seeding.

What is the Thursday Night Football channel, and when does the game start tonight? Here’s how to watch the Seahawks and Cowboys matchup tonight, including the start time and channel.

What Channel Airs Thursday Night Football Tonight?

While there were three Thursday games due to the Thanksgiving festivities, Prime Video did not broadcast any Thursday Night Football with NBC taking over the duties. Instead, they aired the first-ever Black Friday game. With the schedule back to normal in Week 13, the Seahawks and Cowboys will kick off on Amazon’s streaming service at 8:15 p.m. ET tonight.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Channel: Prime Video

What seemed like the start to another good season with QB Geno Smith under center has hit a rough patch. The Seahawks started 2023 with an impressive 5-2 record, but they are now barely holding onto the NFC’s sixth seed, going 1-3 the last four weeks.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are enjoying an impressive 5-1 stretch with many points being scored. In that span, Dallas has scored 33 or more in four games while limiting their opponents to 20 or less. Winning on Thursday Night Football tonight pushes their Wild Card lead to three games, keeping them within reach of the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.

MORE: NFL Playoff Picture Week 12

The Seahawks desperately need a turnaround on offense. Since Week 9, Seattle has gone three-and-out on 33.3% of their drives — the second-worst in the NFL. Part of that is due to the disappearance of the rushing attack and RB Kenneth Walker III’s injury. Seattle already has a bottom-10 rushing offense, but they’ve averaged a measly 76 yards per game in the last four weeks.

Dallas’ offense and defense are humming. It will be quite the test if Seattle wants to keep a firm footing in the NFC Wild Card race on Thursday Night Football tonight. The Cowboys’ defense has allowed a third-down conversion rate of just 34.3% this season — the second-best in the NFL. Seahawks HC Pete Carroll will need quite the game plan to take down a surging Cowboys crew.

2023 Week 13 Schedule

Seattle and Dallas start the Week 13 action with a crucial game that will affect playoff seeding down the stretch. This is also the last week with a large bye group, as the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens are all taking the week off. Here’s the rest of the Week 13 schedule.

Sunday, Dec. 3

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FOX Now

Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FOX Now

Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access

Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FOX Now

Denver Broncos at Houston Texans

Start time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Start time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

Start time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FOX Now

Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams

Start time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FOX Now

Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Channel: NBC
Live stream options: Peacock

Monday, Dec. 4

Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars

Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN, ABC
Live stream options: ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

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NFL

Geno Smith or Dak Prescott on Thursday Night Football?

Published

3 hours ago

November 30, 2023

darragh

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are on a three-game winning streak and have beaten the spread as favorites by more than a touchdown in each of those games. In tonight’s Seattle Seahawks vs. Cowboys matchup, Dallas is once again a heavy favorite.

Should you lay the points with Dallas or buy low on a Seahawks team that has lost three of its last four games? Before we dive into the Seahawks vs. Cowboys predictions, let’s check out the betting odds.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys Betting Lines

When the Seahawks vs. Cowboys odds first opened, Dallas was a 6.5-point favorite on the look-ahead line. Then, after the results of the Thanksgiving games, the spread moved up a point before it increased even further, with the Cowboys being favored by as many as 9.5 points at some sportsbooks. For the season, Dallas has been dominant in these spots, as they’re 5-0 SU and ATS as a home favorite and have covered by an average of 18.7 points.

All odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Spread
Cowboys -9
Moneyline
Seahawks +330, Cowboys -420
Total
46.5

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys Predictions

Bearman: Much like the narrative following the Miami Dolphins around, the Cowboys have been beating up on below .500 teams, with all eight wins coming against teams with a losing record.

In the two tougher games, they got blown out by the San Francisco 49ers and lost a close one to their division rival, Philly. I do think the Cowboys, like the Dolphins, are contenders, but they also have to beat some good teams before I lay nine points with them.

MORE: NFL Week 13 Predictions and Picks Against the Spread

Recent wins have been impressive for Prescott and the Cowboys, but they also came against the Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers, and New York Giants. Seattle is coming off back-to-back losses and will need this one a whole lot more than Dallas, and they are better than they played last week, so I will take the nine points.

Pick: Seahawks +9 (-112 at DraftKings)

Blewis: My picks for these standalone games have been becoming really predictable, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Unders this season are 29-9 in prime-time games, and there are other reasons why I’m leaning in this direction tonight as well.

For one, I’m worried about the Seahawks’ offense going against this Cowboys’ defense on the road. The Cowboys are a top-five defense in the NFL, and in the Seahawks’ three games against other elite defenses (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, 49ers), they scored a combined 40 points for an average of 13.33.

To make matters worse, seven of those points were from a defensive touchdown against the 49ers, and they benefited from P.J. Walker’s turnovers against the Browns. Against Dak Prescott, who has the lowest percentage of turnover-worthy plays this season, that will not be the case.

I’m expecting Geno Smith to struggle in this game as well, as he did in his previous three games against elite defenses:

Against the Browns: 254 yards, 6.9 YPA, 2 TD, 2 INT, 53.4 QBR
Against the Ravens: 157 yards, 5.6 YPA, 0 TD, 1 INT, 13.9 QBR
Against the 49ers: 180 yards, 6.7 YPA, 0 TD, 1 INT, 14.9 QBR

Another factor here is that both teams played on Thanksgiving, meaning they’ll each be coming off extended rest. According to Evan Abrams at The Action Network, when both teams have had eight days of rest or more, the under is 104-47-1 since 2018 (28-5 this season), including a 15-game streak.

This also might be a look-ahead game for the Cowboys, who host the Philadelphia Eagles next week. If they have a big lead late in the second half, they’ll be more likely to take their foot off the gas than in recent weeks.

Pick: Under 47.5 (-108 at DraftKings)

Soppe: Prescott is playing at a high level, and that has elevated every member of this passing game, but the flashy names are the players who have seen player prop numbers spike the most.

Left out of that mix (to a degree) is Jake Ferguson, the very stable tight end that moves the chains instead of landing on SportsCenter’s Top 10. Through 12 weeks, the Seahawks own a rare defense that ranks top 10 in pressure rate despite a bottom-10 blitz rate. Due to that success, they own the ninth-lowest opponent aDOT. If short passes are the name of the game tonight…

Ferguson: 5.98 aDOT
CeeDee Lamb: 10.98 aDOT
Brandin Cooks: 12.46 aDOT

MORE: NFL Playoff Odds 2023

That puts Ferguson in a good spot. Another overlooked part of this matchup is the low blitz rate. That not only means the Seahawks can allocate more resources to trying to cover up these game-breaking receivers, but it also means that Ferguson (84.8% route participation on Thanksgiving) won’t be asked to block or chip, thus freeing him up to focus on his route running.

Picks: Ferguson over 3.5 catches (-140 at FanDuel), over 34.5 receiving yards (-115 at DraftKings)

Katz: Last week, we hit on Zach Charbonnet under 76.5 rushing + receiving yards. He played 88% of the snaps, touched the ball 18 times, and totaled 58 yards. As a result, the books have lowered his line this week … but not by enough.

The Cowboys allow 3.8 YPC to running backs, the eighth-fewest in the league. They allow 25 receiving yards per game to backs, the fifth-fewest in the league. The Seahawks are nine-point underdogs. If the game goes as expected, they will have to abandon the run sooner than they’d like.

I like Charbonnet. He’s a talented player. But he’s getting saddled with tough matchup after tough matchup filling in for the injured Kenneth Walker III. Seventy yards is asking a lot. Look for a similar line to last week, keeping him under this number.

Pick: Zach Charbonnet Under 69.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-115 at DraftKings)

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