Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Picks for the Week 13 Thanksgiving Slate

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan) Last Updated 2025-11-26 00:09:38 Premium Content Part of the product NFL DFS

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS main slate on DraftKings for Week 13 Thanksgiving Slate. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan’s deep dive into the best way to play each game is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Thanksgiving slates are some of the best of the year — short turnaround, injury uncertainty, and the best contest sizing we’ll see for a while. On a small three-game slate with teams coming off short rest, things can get weird, so don’t be afraid to embrace variance. You can play multiple players against a defense, get uncomfortable with roster construction, and most importantly, build lineups that tell a clear story.

Eating ownership is perfectly fine on a slate like this; the chalk is popular for a reason. What you’re really hunting for is the one player who separates your lineup from the field and is the player that you must have to have a chance.

Thanksgiving will have our NFL DFS projections updating constantly, especially with all the injury news expected to roll in late. There’s definitely some news that we won’t get until lock with Josh Jacobs or offensive lineman Trey Smith or some other pieces that could require adjustments.

NFL DFS DraftKings Thanksgiving Slate Breakdown

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions

Packers Offense

Since Tucker Kraft went down, the Packers have become the league’s No. 1 team in 11-personnel usage. That matters against Detroit — the Lions play man coverage on 47% of snaps versus 11 personnel (per SIS). Jordan Love has been strong in these situations overall, with 7.8 YPA and a 10–1 TD/INT ratio, but a lot of that efficiency came with Kraft on the field. Without him, Love’s YPA dips from 8.3 to 6.7, though his aDOT actually jumps from 7.5 to 9.2, which points to where the value lies.

That leads to my favorite Packers plays: Christian Watson is their best weapon against man coverage and Love’s primary target in these looks. He’s set up for a big game. Romeo Doubs would be the next option, but he simply hasn’t been effective against man this season. He’s not in the top 5 of targets on the year, but he’s been the best player since returning from injury. On the chart, a notable name to look at is Dontayvion Wicks. Wicks has been great against man coverage, but he doesn’t get a lot of opportunity to perform.

We’ll keep an eye on Josh Jacobs’ status, but I have no interest in the Packers’ run game against this Detroit front. The Lions have been elite against the run all season, largely because they’re comfortable staying in 3-linebacker personnel instead of adding a 5th DB. That strength pushes me toward Christian Watson deep shots rather than any Green Bay RB exposure.

I’m easily playing Watson over Emanuel Wilson at a cheaper salary, and if Jacobs returns, fading the Packers’ backfield becomes even simpler. I don’t expect to build many 3-RB lineups on this slate anyway, which makes it even easier to avoid chasing their rushing production.

Lions Offense

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