‘Tis the season to dominate primetime Sunday Night Football NFL DFS Showdown slates and we get a matchup from the NFC to close out Week 15 as the Minnesota Vikings travel to North Texas for a tilt with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Vikings enter this matchup at 5-8 and while they aren’t mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, a loss Sunday night would likely do so. It’s been a tumultuous season for Minnesota with a revolving door of quarterbacks after the team had immense success in 2024 with Sam Darnold. Sunday night’s game largely boils down to what the team gets from J.J. McCarthy.

With the Philadelphia Eagles riding a three-game losing streak, the Dallas Cowboys still have a chance to win the division and sneak into the playoffs. The Cowboys have had their up’s and down’s this season. The defense has quietly been better since the team’s Bye week, which coincided with the NFL Trade Deadline. A win Sunday night would certainly help their playoff chances so let’s take a look at the latest Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS picks for Week 15!

 

 

 

Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS Picks & Preview: Sunday Night Football, 12/14

This matchup for our SNF DFS picks truly could go either way. It feels like it mostly boils down to what version of J.J. McCarthy (aka ‘9’) shows up. The Vikings are surprisingly only 5.5-point underdogs as of Saturday morning. But they could easily lose this matchup in excruciating fashion if McCarthy has another dud performance. The quarterback play for Minnesota has limited the skill position players at times for Minnesota, but luckily opposing quarterbacks have fared very well against Dallas this season.

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a loss in Week 14 to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. The offense showed up, as they have for most of the season. Unfortunately, the Lions put up 44 points and Dallas couldn’t keep pace with that. A win obviously would have them within a half-game of the division lead. But the Eagles are allowing Dallas to stay within a reasonable distance so this is another must-win game for Dallas.

The defensive front has been better with the addition of Quinnen Williams. And George Pickens has been a phenomenal addition to the offense and he’s on track to earn a significant contract, whether he stays with Dallas long-term or takes an offer from the highest bidder. But his effort in Week 14 was rightly called into question. With Dallas in a spot to win and keep pace in the NFC East, it’s all hands on deck for the Cowboys Sunday night. Let’s take a look at the betting lines, matchups, top plays, and lineup building strategies for our Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS picks!

 

 

 

Vikings vs. Cowboys SNF Odds at DraftKings & FanDuel

DraftKings Sportsbook

  • Spread:
    • Vikings +5.5 (-108)
    • Cowboys -5.5 (-112)
  • Money Line:
    • Vikings (+220)
    • Cowboys (-270)
  • Game Total:
    • Over 48.5 (-110)
    • Under 48.5 (-110)

FanDuel Sportsbook

  • Spread:
    • Vikings +6.5 (-120)
    • Cowboys -6.5 (-102)
  • Money Line:
    • Vikings (+235)
    • Cowboys (-290)
  • Game Total:
    • Over 47.5 (-114)
    • Under 47.5 (-106)

 

 

 

NFL Weather: Vikings vs. Cowboys SNF, December 14th

This game will be played indoors in a controlled environment so there are no weather concerns for this week’s SNF DFS picks.

 

Vikings vs. Cowboys Injuries: Sunday Night Football Week 15

The Minnesota Vikings had a very active injury report this week with 15 players landing on the injury report. It’s worth noting that six players were listed as needing rest on different days. Nobody has yet been ruled out. However, offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw is listed as questionable and so is Ty Chandler.

As of Friday evening, the Cowboys had only listed offensive tackle, Tyler Guyton as inactive after he didn’t practice all week due to an ankle injury. Jadeveon Clowney is listed as questionable, but he did practice in full on Friday. Defensive back Trevon Diggs is questionable after being a limited participant in practice all week. And lastly, Jake Ferguson is questionable with a calf injury.

 

 

 

NFL Sunday Night Football DFS Picks: MVP/Captain

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys - DraftKings: $11,200 | FanDuel: $13,000

The matchup is actually pretty tough for Lamb and Pickens and I outline why in Dak Prescott’s section. The overall lack of production from opposing quarterbacks against this Vikings defense obviously knocks the pass catchers down a few pegs. However, I don’t want to shy away from these two because we know what the ceiling is.

In Week 14, Lamb caught six-of-eight targets against the Detroit Lions for 121 receiving yards. And he did all of that in the first half as he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. But he’s since cleared concussion protocol and is due to suit up in this matchup.

It’s going to be tough, and at times it’ll feel like pulling teeth because Minnesota has given up just 14 total passing touchdowns on the season with the fourth-fewest passing yards. I wouldn’t play Lamb or Pickens together and this is one of the rare instances where it’s not necessary to pair your Captain wide receiver with his quarterback. But Lamb will see volume and can post a big score for our Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS picks.

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys - DraftKings: $9,800 | FanDuel: $12,000

Pickens, like Lamb, faces an uphill battle in this matchup but at the same time he’ll see volume as well. Pickens has seen at least nine targets in six straight games and in seven of his last eight. Week 14 was pretty disappointing from the perspective that he finished with just five receptions on nine targets for 37 yards. And he had the entire second half where he could’ve operated as the WR1 with Lamb out.

But a bounce back is in order as the Cowboys make their playoff push and if the Cowboys are going to throw it’s likely going to these two. The same rules apply for Pickens. You don’t need to play both receivers in the same lineup and it’s not a requirement to correlate him with Prescott in every lineup.

Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys – DraftKings: $9,400 | FanDuel: $9,800

As much as I like Lamb and Pickens on this slate, we can’t just assume that they’ll have great games like they’ve done all season. So if building multiple lineups, we should get exposure to the ground game at Captain. The Cowboys have an implied team total of 27 points in this matchup. But Minnesota isn’t giving up many scores through the air. So there’s a game script where the touchdowns feed to the running backs which is why we should keep Williams in mind in case the passing game struggles against the Vikings.

Williams has touched the ball 20+ times in all four games since the team’s Bye week. Even if the efficiency has taken a hit, he’s scored in back-to-back games and that’s what we’re looking for in this matchup. We may need multiple scores for him to be optimal at Captain but I’m banking on the volume and subtle involvement in the passing game.

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $8,800 | FanDuel: $11,400

Justin Jefferson is no longer matchup proof so long as J.J. McCarthy is the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson’s production and volume have taken a hit in three straight games. In that span he has just 16 total targets and 14.3 total fantasy points.

That production is unbecoming of a Captain recommendation, I am well aware. But this is about as good of a matchup as he can get and name recognition still carries a little weight on a slate void of many great plays.

But I’m predicting a little positive regression to the mean in one of the best matchups available for pass catchers. Jefferson’s talent is certainly still there and maybe ‘9’ carries a little more swagger and confidence into this matchup. The Cowboys have given up 240+ passing yards in three straight games so this is a nice bounce back spot for one of the best receivers in the game and you’ll rarely see Jefferson this affordable for a Showdown slate.

 

 

 

NFL Sunday Night Football DFS Picks: Core Plays

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys – DraftKings: $10,400 | FanDuel: $12,400

Prescott has had a very strong season, there’s no denying that. Even with a bad defense for most of the year, Prescott is a big reason why the Cowboys are even in a position for a shot at the playoffs. He’s top five in total fantasy points, fantasy points per game, and total QBR. But this is a tricky matchup for Prescott in Week 15.

The Minnesota Vikings have not been an easy matchup for opposing quarterbacks. As Tristan H. Cockroft of ESPN pointed out earlier in the week, the Vikings have held the last five quarterbacks they’ve faced to roughly 40 fantasy points combined. Let’s look at the production:

This defense has not surrendered a passing touchdown to an opposing quarterback since Week 10. And a lot of that may have been game script and such. But there’s no denying that quarterbacks have struggled to put up points on this defense. Tread carefully with Prescott in this matchup because he may even be a fringe core play at best.

Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $7,200 | FanDuel: $7,000

Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $6,200 | FanDuel: $8,800

If you asked me to pick one for this game, I’m leaning towards Jones. He has far more involvement in the passing game and that’ll be beneficial if this matchup provides a game script where the Vikings abandon the run in the second half.

Mason has been a very efficiency runner (4.7 yards per carry on the year) and he’s scored six rushing touchdowns. But he averages right around 10 attempts per game and he’s lucky if he catches a pass. The Cowboys run defense has been sneaky good since acquiring Quinnen Williams. On the season, the Cowboys are giving up explosive plays on the ground at an 8.6% clip. Since acquiring Williams that has dropped to 5.6% and they’re giving up just about 80 rushing yards per game in that span.

Jones might be the better play on DraftKings while Mason is better for FanDuel. And this is due to pricing as you can see above. Jones is $1,000 cheaper on DraftKings where receptions are a full point. Mason is $1,800 cheaper on FanDuel where receptions are half as valuable.

Jones could see anywhere from 6-to-14 rush attempts depending on game flow, but he’ll likely carry more involvement in the passing game and he’s very affordable for our Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS picks. I’m fine playing both but just make note of the pricing disparity between both DFS providers.

 

 

 

NFL Sunday Night Football DFS Picks: Mid-Tier Plays

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $9,000 | FanDuel: $10,600

The matchup is about as good as it could ever be for McCarthy. And he’s coming off a game where he completed just under 70% of his pass attempts while tossing three touchdowns as well. However, he’s only eclipsed 200 passing yards in just one start this season and he hasn’t thrown for 250+ yet. We also can’t forget the fact that he’s only had seven starts this season, but he’s thrown 10 interceptions with five fumbles (one lost).

McCarthy ranks bottom three among qualified quarterbacks across so many metrics: EPA/Play (-0.26), success rate (37.9%), completion percentage over expected (-7.5%), and turn-over worthy play rate (5.1%).

However, opposing quarterbacks have obviously fared very well against the Dallas Cowboys and that’s the one reason I’m comfortable including McCarthy in our SNF DFS picks. Jared Goff only threw one touchdown in Week 14 but he threw for over 300 yards. And for as inconsistent as the Chiefs have been in 2025, Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdowns on this defense. But McCarthy is in a horrific tier of his own with how bad he’s been at times so I’m not willing to include him as a core play despite the positive matchup.

Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $6,800 | FanDuel: $7,600

There’s an argument to be made for Addison to be played at Captain. And on a slate that’s rather difficult to read, I wouldn’t throw up much of an argument. He’s certainly been McCarthy’s preferred target the last two games with 18 total targets. In fact, he has at least seven targets in four of his last five games.

The production certainly fluctuates, and the ceiling might be limited if he isn’t finding the end zone. But this price tag is helpful as a flex play because it opens up salary to spend up elsewhere. Addison does possess big play upside, and this Cowboys secondary ranks 28th in passing explosive play rate (16.0%) on the year.

 

 

 

NFL Sunday Night Football DFS Picks: Value Plays

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings – DraftKings: $4,000 | FanDuel: $5,400

The tight ends on this slate are tough to gauge. You probably noticed that I skipped over Jake Ferguson and that’s likely due to the matchup and recent trends. So I’d rather pay down to Hockenson. The tight end position is touchdown dependent, as you’ve heard me say all year long. But Hock is cheap enough where we don’t need a touchdown for him to pay off this price tag.

He likely sees 4-to-6 targets, but he can do enough to hit 8-to-10 fantasy points with that volume. The tricky part is navigating Hockenson and his price compared to the D/ST’s and kickers. This game has a surprisingly high implied total which is shocking given the tough matchups at certain positions. So the special teams options have more appeal if you think this game doesn’t even flirt with the over.

But we lower the bar in terms of expectations for Hockenson. Production for tight ends is brutal but he has multiple receptions in all but one game this season and McCarthy is the kind of young quarterback that can lean on his tight end. Justin Jefferson is more than twice as expensive as Hockenson on this slate and Jetta only has one more target than Hockenson in Minnesota’s last three games.

KaVontae Turpin, WR, Dallas Cowboys – DraftKings: $3,200 | FanDuel: $5,800

A lot of people may want to go with Ryan Flournoy, who is easier to get to on FanDuel as the cheaper option. But I get the sense most of you play on DraftKings where it’s easier to play Turpin. If you can fit Flournoy in then more power to you. But a lot of his production last week came after CeeDee Lamb left with a concussion.

Whenever Dallas is in a primetime Showdown slate, I like to mention Turpin. He’s a nice affordable piece that gets work in the return game so even if you don’t play the Cowboys D/ST, Turpin gives you access to them in case he brings a return back for a touchdown and he’s usually good for a couple targets every week. But again, it’s a tough matchup for all Dallas pass catchers against a defense that is shutting down their opponent’s passing games of late.

 

 

 

SNF DFS Picks: Kickers & D/ST

There’s going to be some appeal to the D/ST’s given the matchups on both sides. We’ve already acknowledged that neither quarterback is necessarily in a good spot on this slate but the D/ST’s are also very affordable and present high ceilings.

In looking at the Vikings, we know they give opposing quarterbacks fits. The Vikings rank 1st in blitz rate by a country mile (47.0%), 1st in pressure rate (37.8%), and 4th in sack rate (8.0%). They have five defensive takeaways in their last two games, and they’ve held their last three opponents to under 300 yards of offense. When you compare who the Vikings are priced around on this slate, they may provide a pretty good floor if they keep this effort up.

The Cowboys are going to be in play but they’re $1,000 more on DraftKings. J.J. McCarthy is a turnover machine, but the Cowboys have given up 30+ points on six occasions this season and they only have three takeaways in their last five games. Sure, the run defense is improved following the acquisition of Quinnen Williams. But the fantasy production is a bit limited. But we raise expectations slightly because of McCarthy’s tendency to commit egregious errors.

If you can afford the kickers on this slate, then congratulations you’re in good shape. Brandon Aubrey will never not be viable in fantasy football. He’s attached to an offense that can move the ball and get in position to put up points. He’s averaging over two field goal attempts per game and if he misses it’s usually from deeper range. Over his last four games since the team’s Bye week, he’s made seven field goals from 40+ yards out and he’s put up double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games.

Will Reichard is a good kicker but not as safe or reliable as Aubrey. Reichard has just four field goal attempts in his last four games and if the Vikings fall behind by too much then he tends to get phased out. He’ll carry less ownership than Aubrey but I don’t particularly find myself looking at kickers for leverage. If Minnesota can’t move the football, then Reichard’s value takes a severe hit.

 

 

 

Vikings vs. Cowboys DFS Player Pool: SNF, 12/14

Player Pool

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