We are here to cover the opening game on Thanksgiving of the 2022 season and the DraftKings showdown slate- Buffalo @Detroit. Buffalo are playing in Detroit for the second week running, but this time it was always planned. This has the highest O/U on the slate, with Buffalo a heavy favorite.
DraftKings Thanksgiving Showdown 2022 -Buffalo @Detroit Captain Picks
Josh Allen ($17,700 Capt/ $11,800 Flex)
Allen struggled last week, but I’m happy to chalk that up to all the disruption from the game being moved and all of the logistics around it. He now faces a Detroit defense that has struggled this season, and is now missing key players. The price-tag I hope puts the field off of Allen, as he feels like the obvious selection for CPT on the slate.
Stefon Diggs ($16,800 Capt/ $11,200 Flex)
If you are set on not putting Allen in your CPT spot, Diggs is a decent pivot. He has slate-breaking ability, but at the price he could also absolutely sink your team. The Buffalo offense has started involving their TE Dawson Knox through the air and we could see the team absolutely ease off if they get out to a strong lead.
Amon-Ra St.Brown ($15,600 Capt/ $10,400 Flex)
St.Brown feels to me like the safest option outside of Allen for the CPT spot. Detroit are going to need to pass the ball often, and St.Brown is the clear #1 target in the offense. Their hasn’t been the ceiling there you would typically like from a CPT selection, as he has struggled to score TDs, but the floor is solid.
DraftKings Thanksgiving Showdown 2022 – Buffalo @Detroit Flex Picks
Jared Goff ($9,200 Flex)
Goff might be a player that you consider for a second before moving on, but hear me out. This game is expected to be a high-scoring affair, which is going to require the Lions to do something on offense. The Buffalo secondary isn’t the same unit it has been, and you can pass on them. This could well be one of the games where the team just let him sling it about.
Gabriel Davis ($8,400 Flex)
Davis is the quintessential showdown play. He can put up huge numbers, or flame out. The $3k price difference between Davis and Diggs feels too much, and as a result I’m more than happy to pivot to Davis in this slate. Detroit don’t have the defenders to deal with Diggs and Davies, and I think they will look to limit Diggs instead.
Devin Singletary ($7,600 Flex)
Singletary’s price is decent enough, but it feels like everyone is flocking to him to manage the clock for the Bills. I mean I can see why, he has managed to score 3 TDs in the last 2 weeks, and has been getting the majority of touches from the backfield. But, the emergence of James Cook last week gives me pause. I’d rather spend down for Cook to create some savings on this slate.
Jamaal Williams/ D’Andre Swift ($7,400/ $6,400 Flex)
The world feels a little upside down with Williams the leading TD scorer in the league (excluding QBs). The Lions have been more than happy to give Williams the ball near the goal line and let him finish with minimal touches, but plenty of scores. With D’Andre Swift struggling with injury, it’s working for the team. With a similar price to Singletary, I’d prefer the upside of Williams.
I didn’t want to do a full write-up of Swift, because for me he is out of contention outside of a real niche GPP lineup. He is struggling with injury, and hasn’t been seeing the golden carries in the redzone. With Justin Jackson out snapping him last week, I’ll be limited in my shares of him.
Dawson Knox ($7,000 Flex)
Knox struggled to start the season, but seems to be building himself back up. In this offense, he has typically been a TD-dependent fantasy option. To me, his price-tag feels a little high. I mean, I’ll probably have some shares here in what should be a high-scoring game, but I’m not going crazy here.
Kalif Raymond/ DJ Chark ($5,400/ $3,600 Flex)
I’ve said it previously, but I’ll say it again. The Lions are going to be forced to throw the ball in this one. With the injuries that the team has, Raymond comes into this one as the clear second option behind St.Brown. The price point feels too low here. Fantasy production hasn’t been reliable, but his target share has been. Chark feels like a bit more of a gamble here, as he has a chance of aggravating his injury. Probably a higher chance of a high points total than Raymond, but could also struggle to make an impact at all if he pulls up.
James Cook ($5,000 Flex)
I like Cook on the slate. Had his season-best game last time out, with 86 yards on 11 carries. Singletary has been the lead back to this point of the season, and he could well continue that this week. But we could be seeing the team shifting towards their rookie here.
DraftKings Thanksgiving Showdown 2022 – Buffalo @Detroit Kickers and DSTs
The Bills DST ($5,200) are in play for me here, as Detroit (and Goff) have a history of turning the ball over. I’m not going to have too many shares, as the game is expected to be high-scoring, but I can’t help myself when I see Goff in a primetime game thinking he is going to implode. There is little to no chance I’m rostering Lions DST ($2,800) but you knew that already.
The kickers (Tyler Bass $4,200 & Michael Badgley $4,000) are both in play for me. Kickers are the break in the slate, below that you are needing to take risks. In a high-scoring game in a dome, both of these guys are likely to see opportunities to convert.
So, there are our DraftKings selections for the 2022 Showdown of Buffalo @Detroit! Remember any DFS questions, you can check out our articles here. Or you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Image Credit: Rich Barnes – USA TODAY Sports
