🏈 Thursday Night Football Preview

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Thursday Night Football Preview

Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Time: 8:20 PM ET

Where to Watch: NBC/Peacock

Spread: PHI -7.5

Total: 47.5

Injuries:

Cowboys: DT Perrion Winfrey (back) - OUT

Eagles: QB Tanner McKee (thumb) - Questionable

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Week 1 Sleepers and Fades

We're focusing on the borderline players who could make or break your Week 1 lineup. The obvious stars like Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Jalen Hurts, and CeeDee Lamb are automatic starts.

So, let’s look at some fringe players and decide whether they should be in fantasy lineups or not in Week 1.

Start: QB Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott has consistently tormented Philadelphia throughout his career, averaging over 260 yards per game with an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 3:1. In his last five games against the Eagles, he's topped 20 fantasy points four times.

With Dallas likely playing from behind as 7.5-point underdogs, expect a pass-heavy game script that favors Prescott's fantasy upside. The Cowboys may need 35+ pass attempts to keep pace, making him a solid QB1 option despite the tough road environment. WalterPicks ranks him as the week's fifth-best quarterback.

Start: WR George Pickens

The newly acquired George Pickens looked sharp throughout training camp, developing clear chemistry with Prescott. At 6-foot-3 with elite ball skills, he gives Dallas a legitimate outside threat they've been missing.

The game script strongly favors Pickens this week. If Dallas falls behind early, they'll lean heavily on the passing game. Pickens should see significant target share as the Cowboys' primary deep threat. He's a strong WR2 this week and is ranked as the WR23 in PPR formats on the WalterPicks app.

Sit: TE Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia's game plan may not require heavy passing volume against an undermanned Cowboys defense. The Eagles ranked dead last in pass attempts per game last season, preferring to control games through their running attack and defense.

Dallas Goedert managed just two catches for 25 yards when these teams met last year, primarily because Philadelphia dominated without needing to air it out. Hurts threw only 20 passes in that blowout win. With better tight end options available, Goedert feels like an unnecessary risk in Week 1.

Sit: RB Javonte Williams

No one really knows how this Dallas backfield will play out in Week 1. Javonte Williams didn’t play at all in the preseason, and both Miles Sanders and rookie Jaydon Blue figure to be involved in some capacity in this game. As a result, Williams should be sat in most cases this week, especially against an elite run defense.

Philadelphia's defense allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs last season while holding opponents to just 4.1 yards per carry. Against that run defense, Williams feels like a low-ceiling play with significant bust potential. He ranks as the RB35 this week on WalterPicks.

Things to Watch Closely For Fantasy:

• Cowboys’ backfield distribution (Williams in particular)

• Pickens’ involvement (targets, deep ball routes, etc.)

• Is Will Shipley or AJ Dillon the backup to Barkley?

• The Cowboys defense without Parsons

Free TNF Prop Pick

Prop: Dak Prescott OVER 1.5 passing touchdowns (+106 on BetRivers)

Reasoning: Prescott has gone over this line in five straight games against the Eagles. He has thrown 16 passing touchdowns in those five contests, and the Cowboys are going to need him once again in the season opener. With a 9.2% EV Edge at BetRivers, Walter believes this is a bet worth taking on Thursday.

My Final Score Prediction

Winner: Eagles

Spread Winner: Cowboys

OVER/UNDER: Over

Prediction: Eagles win 28-24