Fantasy Football Thanksgiving Rankings 2025: Turkey Day draft cheat sheet with Top 50 players

Fantasy Football Thanksgiving Rankings 2025: Turkey Day draft cheat sheet with Top 50 players originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NFL has loaded up your plate with three exciting games, each packed with plenty of fantasy implications.

On Thanksgiving Day, you and your family will enjoy two divisional games: the Detroit Lions playing the Green Bay Packers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Cincinnati Bengals in primetime at 8:20 p.m. ET.

The game sandwiched in between the other two may be the highlight of the day. The Kansas City Chiefs will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. Both these teams are fighting for a playoff spot, and there are significant fantasy options.

If you're looking to play a mini-fantasy game with your relatives, we have an easy cheat sheet below.

Let's base this on default point-per-reception (PPR) scoring. More on that below.

With all that being said, let's dig into The Sporting News' top 50 fantasy football players on Thanksgiving Day.

➕ UPGRADE YOUR TOOLS: Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Plus

Fantasy Thanksgiving Player Rankings 2025

For these fantasy rankings, assume scoring for leagues that award half a point for every reception, plus 1 point for every 10 receiving yards, and 6 points for every touchdown.

Rk

Player Name

TM

POS

OPP

1

Rashee Rice

KC

WR1

@DAL

2

Ja'Marr Chase

CIN

WR2

@BAL

3

Jahmyr Gibbs

DET

RB1

GB

4

CeeDee Lamb

DAL

WR3

KC

5

Derrick Henry

BAL

RB2

CIN

6

George Pickens

DAL

WR4

KC

7

Amon-Ra St. Brown

DET

WR5

GB

8

Javonte Williams

DAL

RB3

KC

9

Chase Brown

CIN

RB4

@BAL

10

Josh Jacobs

GB

RB5

@DET

11

Tee Higgins (Q)

CIN

WR6

@BAL

12

Lamar Jackson

BAL

QB1

CIN

13

David Montgomery

DET

RB6

GB

14

Jake Ferguson

DAL

TE1

KC

15

Jameson Williams

DET

WR7

GB

16

Patrick Mahomes

KC

QB2

@DAL

17

Dak Prescott

DAL

QB3

KC

18

Zay Flowers

BAL

WR8

CIN

19

Joe Burrow

CIN

QB4

@BAL

20

Travis Kelce

KC

TE2

@DAL

21

Emanuel Wilson

GB

RB7

@DET

22

Xavier Worthy

KC

WR9

@DAL

23

Jayden Reed*

GB

WR10

@DET

24

Jordan Love

GB

QB5

@DET

25

Jared Goff

DET

QB6

GB

26

Mark Andrews

BAL

TE3

CIN

27

Isiah Pacheco

KC

RB8

@DAL

28

Kareem Hunt

KC

RB9

@DAL

29

JuJu Smith-Schuster

KC

WR11

@DAL

30

Brandon Aubrey

DAL

K1

KC

31

Christian Watson

GB

WR12

@DET

32

Hollywood Brown

KC

WR13

@DAL

33

Romeo Doubs

GB

WR14

@DET

34

Harrison Butker

KC

K2

@DAL

35

Luke Musgrave

GB

TE4

@DET

36

Jake Bates

DET

K3

GB

37

Green Bay Packers

GB

D/ST1

@DET

38

Rashod Bateman

BAL

WR15

CIN

39

Brock Wright

DET

TE5

GB

40

Evan McPherson

CIN

K4

@BAL

41

Detroit Lions

DET

D/ST2

GB

42

Kansas City Chiefs

KC

D/ST3

@DAL

43

Brandon McManus

GB

K5

@DET

44

Tyler Loop

BAL

K6

CIN

45

Baltimore Ravens

BAL

D/ST4

CIN

46

Justice Hill

BAL

RB10

CIN

47

Matthew Golden

GB

WR16

@DET

48

Noah Fant

CIN

TE6

@BAL

49

Dallas Cowboys

DAL

D/ST5

KC

50

Cincinnati Bengals

CIN

D/ST6

@BAL

↕️ Week 13 Fantasy Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | Flex

Fantasy Thanksgiving QB Predictions

Lamar Jackson has struggled significantly over the past two weeks from a fantasy perspective. However, it's a perfect opportunity to bounce back against a divisional opponent on primetime. The Bengals' defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

After a red-hot start to the season, Patrick Mahomes has come back down to earth in fantasy football. However, Mahomes managers will be thankful that he faces the Dallas Cowboys on Turkey Day. Dallas allows the most FPPG to QBs.

The Bengals QB situation is one to monitor. Joe Burrow may make his return after being out since Week 2. If not, Joe Flacco will once again lead the Cincinnati offense.

📈 LINEUP TIPS: Thanksgiving Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Fantasy Thanksgiving RB Predictions

It's hard not to place Jahmyr Gibbs as the RB1 after his Week 12 performance. The first time the Packers faced the Lions, Detroit's offense was held in check. However, the Packers' defense has not looked nearly as terrifying as it did at the beginning of the season.

Derrick Henry is going to feast against this Cincinnati run defense. The Bengals have allowed the most FPPG to opposing RBs (32.2). This should be a prime Henry performance.

🐐 MORE: Greatest fantasy games ever: Where does Jahmyr Gibbs rank?

Fantasy Thanksgiving WR Predictions

Rashee Rice is not just going to be the top player on Thanksgiving, but possibly the top overall player of the week. Rice is coming off his best game of the season, and now gets to face the Dallas secondary, which allows 39.1 FPPG to WRs.

The Bengals roster is the most murky heading into Thursday. Tee Higgins may miss this game with a concussion, which would make other Bengals WRs prominent options. We'll keep this updated with all the news surrounding Cincinnati.

Also, the Packers may activate Jayden Reed (shoulder) from injured reserve, which would make him a highly sought-after pick in the middle rounds of Thanksgiving fantasy drafts.

➕ TOP PICKUPS: Week 13 fantasy waiver wire

Fantasy Thanksgiving TE Predictions

Mark Andrews could find himself as the TE1 by the end of Thanksgiving. The Bengals allow the most FPPG to the TE position.

Outside of Andrews getting a favorable matchup, there's nothing else too noteworthy surrounding the TE position. If you have Travis Kelce and Jake Ferguson, play them like you would anyway.

📱MORE CHIEFS: Sign up to bet in Missouri

Fantasy Thanksgiving D/ST Predictions

There is not one defense anyone should be itching to start on Turkey Day.

The Ravens could handle the Bengals, but Ja'Marr Chase can ruin a defense's day in one play. There are too many dynamic offenses to start one of these defensive units comfortably.

🧰 FANTASY TOOLS: NFL Player Stats | NFL Transactions | NFL Depth Charts | Fantasy Injury Reports