Best DFS lineup strategy for Cowboys-Saints on Thursday night

The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints face off on Thursday Night Football to open Week 13. We take a look at the best plays for the DK Showdown

By Chet Gresham@ChetGresham Dec 2, 2021, 4:00am PST

Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Caesars Superdome on November 25, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Cowboys and Saints have both hit a rough patch of late, but Dallas has more talent offensively to get over the hump than the Saints do at the moment. The Cowboys still have a commanding lead in the NFC East with their 7-4 record, while the Saints sit in third place in the NFC South at 5-6.

Injuries

Amari Cooper, WR, Cowboys

Cooper missed the last two games due to COVID-19, but was cleared on Wednesday to play on Thursday. That doesn’t give him much time to prepare, but he should see work. How much is an open question, as usual.

Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints

Kamara has practiced this week, but his availability is still up in the air.

Mark Ingram, RB, Saints

Ingram is back to practice and will play Thursday night. If Kamara can’t go, Ingram would be the lead back again.

Captain’s Chair

Taysom Hill, QB, Saints — $14,400

Hill appears ready to take over the starting job for the Saints this week, but isn’t a lock just yet. As long as he is the starting quarterback, I like him in the Captain’s slot. His rushing ability around the goal line is what boosts him the most, but just the fact that he takes away touches from other players and gives them to himself makes his percent of touches great.

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys — $15,000

My hope here is that Amari Cooper plays enough to draw Marshon Lattimore’s attention while Lamb gets work from the slot, setting him up for a good chance at production.

Value Plays

Mark Ingram, RB, Saints — $5,000

It looks to be about 50/50 for Kamara to play and if he doesn’t, Ingram’s cost to roster is just too low in comparison to his likely workload.

Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys — $6,800

I don’t trust Cooper to be 100 percent for this game, which leads me to Gallup to go along with Lamb this week. It’s going to be tough to run against the Saints, and I expect they’ll air it out enough to give both of them good fantasy upside.