2025 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchup Report for Thanksgiving Day: George Pickens, Rashee Rice
Welcome to the 2025 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchup Report for the Thanksgiving Day slate! This holiday lineup is loaded with fantasy-relevant wide receivers, making these games critical for managers looking to gain an edge before the weekend. With stars taking the field in high-profile matchups, understanding which WRs have favorable coverage and which CBs could pose problems is key to maximizing your points. In this special edition, we’ll break down the WR vs. CB battles for all three Thanksgiving games, highlight recent performance trends, and share how these matchups impact my Week 13 WR rankings. Let’s dig in and make sure your holiday lineup delivers a feast of fantasy points. Â
| Â | Â | Â |
| Left WR vs Right CB | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Rashod Bateman | BAL | 5.5 / 4.6 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| DJ Turner | CIN | Risky |
| Rashod Bateman has been a participant in practice to start the week and appears to be trending toward making his return from an ankle injury that’s caused him to miss the last two games. While it’s encouraging to see Bateman getting healthy, he has just a 12.2% target share on the season and should be left out of your fantasy lineups until the usage improves. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | 20.7 / 16.6 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Chidobe Awuzie | BAL | Moderate |
| Ja'Marr Chase is a must-start every week regardless, but things are lining up for Chase to have a big game on Thursday. QB Joe Burrow is trending toward returning from a turf toe injury that’s held him out since Week 2, and teammate Tee Higgins has already been ruled out for Week 13 due to a concussion. The Ravens defense has started to play better against the run now that they’re getting healthy but have still been giving up plenty of fantasy points to opposing WRs. I’ve got Chase as my WR1 overall for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| George Pickens | DAL | 21.1 / 18.1 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Trent McDuffie | KC | Risky |
| George Pickens has been on an absolute tear the last two weeks, with 9+ receptions, 140+ receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown in each game. The matchup against Kansas City obviously isn’t ideal, but whenever you have someone as talented as Pickens seeing 9+ targets for four straight weeks, you’re starting him regardless of the matchup. I’ve got Pickens as a top 10 WR for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Jameson Williams | DET | 11.3 / 9.9 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Carrington Valentine | GB | Risky |
| After three straight big games, Jameson Williams came crashing back down in Week 12 failing to record a catch on three targets. Due to the injury to TE Sam LaPorta, Williams should continue to be a top three option at worst in this passing offense that also offers the most field stretching ability. It’s a difficult matchup, but I’ve got Jameson Williams just inside my top 24 WRs for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Romeo Doubs | GB | 10.8 / 9 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Terrion Arnold | DET | Safe |
| While the Packers spread the ball around more than most teams, Romeo Doubs had been the go-to WR for most of this season, leading the team with a 19.8% target share. However, Doubs has had 2 receptions or less in 2 out of the last 3 games and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 4. Doubs has a bounce back opportunity in front of him due to the plus matchup, but he’s no longer the Packers WR that I’m ranking the highest in my weekly rankings. I’ve got Doubs just inside my top 40 WRs for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Marquise Brown | KC | 9.7 / 7.9 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Trikweze Bridges | DAL | Safe |
| Marquise Brown finished with just 1 reception for 10 yards on 1 target in Week 12 and has not played more than 45% of snaps since Week 6. Hollywood is the 5th option at best in this offense and should be avoided despite the plus matchup. | ||
| Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | Â |
| Right WR vs Left CB | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Zay Flowers | BAL | 13.3 / 10.6 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Daxton Hill | CIN | Moderate |
| Zay Flowers finished Week 12 with 5 receptions for 58 yards on 6 targets in an ugly game against the New York Jets. Flowers has had 5+ targets in all but one game this season and comfortably leads all Ravens pass catchers with a 26.7% target share on the season. The upside hasn’t been there recently with QB Lamar Jackson being held under 200 passing yards in three straight games, but he’s still the most consistently involved pass catcher in the Baltimore offense and the only WR you can feel confident putting in your fantasy lineup. I’ve got Flowers as a borderline top 20 WR for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Mitch Tinsley | CIN | 2.3 / 4.5 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Nate Wiggins | BAL | Moderate |
| Mitch Tinsley saw an expanded role in Week 12 thanks to the suspension to teammate Ja'Marr Chase, playing a career high 74% of snaps and finishing with 2 receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown on 6 targets. Tinsley should see a similar number of snaps once again this week due to Tee Higgins already being ruled out with a concussion, however, I have Tinsley outside of my top 60 WRs for Week 13. Other than Chase, Andrei Iosivas and TE Mike Gesicki are the only other Bengals pass catchers I would consider starting. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 16.1 / 15.2 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Jaylen Watson | KC | Risky |
| Although CeeDee Lamb has been more of a 1B than 1A in the Cowboys passing offense the last couple of weeks, he was still targeted 11 times last week and has double digit targets in 3 of the last 4 games. Like Pickens, Lamb possesses the combination of talent and involvement in the offense to be a must-start regardless of the difficult matchup against the Chiefs secondary. I’ve got Lamb one spot ahead of teammate George Pickens in my Week 13 rankings, both inside the top 10. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Isaac TeSlaa | DET | 2 / 2.6 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Keisean Nixon | GB | Moderate |
| Isaac TeSlaa slightly out snapped Kalif Raymond as the Lions WR3 for Week 12 but finished without a catch on just one target. TeSlaa has yet to finish a game with more than one reception and should be avoided in all formats. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Christian Watson | GB | 11.5 / 9.8 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| D.J. Reed | DET | Moderate |
| Christian Watson continues to be more involved in the Packers passing offense, seeing a season high 7 targets in Week 12 and finishing for 5 receptions for 49 yards. Watson also showed the big game potential whenever he scored two touchdowns two weeks ago and I believe has the most upside of any WR on this Thanksgiving Day slate outside of the must-start guys that I have inside my top 10 for the week. I’ve got Watson just outside of my top 24 WRs for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Xavier Worthy | KC | 8.7 / 7 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| DaRon Bland | DAL | Safe |
| Xavier Worthy saw encouraging usage last week, finishing 2nd among Chiefs pass catchers with 8 targets that led to 4 receptions for 59 yards. The box score numbers won’t blow you away, but if Worthy can see similar target volume this week in a much better matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, he could be in line for a big fantasy day. I’ve got Worthy just inside my top 35 WRs for Week 13. | ||
| Â | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | Â |
| Slot WR vs Slot CB | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| DeAndre Hopkins | BAL | 4.6 / 3.9 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Jalen Davis | CIN | Moderate |
| DeAndre Hopkins was targeted 3 times in Week 12 and finished with 2 receptions for 13 yards. Hopkins has not had more than 20 receiving yards once since Week 5 and should be avoided in all formats. Zay Flowers and TE Mark Andrews are the only two Ravens pass catchers I’m looking to play this week. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Andrei Iosivas | CIN | 5.6 / 5.6 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Marlon Humphrey | BAL | Safe |
| Andrei Iosivas is usually productive when one of Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins has to miss, and last week was no different when Iosivas finished with 4 receptions for 61 yards on 7 targets while Chase was out due to a suspension. Iosivas will have the opportunity to produce yet again this week with Tee Higgins already being ruled out with a concussion and a matchup against a Baltimore secondary that has been beatable recently. I’ve got Iosivas just inside my top 40 WRs for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| KaVontae Turpin | DAL | 5.4 / 4.3 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Chamarri Conner | KC | Moderate |
| KaVontae Turpin finished Week 12 with 1 reception for 48 yards on 2 targets. This was the first time Turpin had more than 30 receiving yards since Week 3 and should be avoided in all formats. TE Jake Ferguson is the only other Cowboys pass catcher I’m considering starting outside of Pickens and Lamb. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | 20.7 / 17.3 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Javon Bullard | GB | Risky |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown took no time at all to bounce back from his down game in Week 11, leading Lions pass catchers with 9 receptions for 149 yards and a TD on 13 targets last week. St. Brown has had double digit targets in 5 out of the last 6 games and remains a must-start despite the tough matchup against the Packers secondary. I’ve got Amon-Ra St. Brown as a top 5 WR for Week 13. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Jayden Reed | GB | 6.8 / 12 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Amik Robertson | DET | Safe |
| Jayden Reed has returned to practice for the time since breaking his collarbone in Week 2, with the possibility to make his return on Thanksgiving Day. Reed was someone that had a fluctuating snap percentage even when he was healthy, so it’s hard to know how much he will play if he ends up being active. It’s a great matchup to potentially come back for, but Matt LaFleur said that we’ll find out on Thursday if Reed will play or not, so we’ll have to monitor his status leading up to the game. I would avoid Reed this week if he ends up active, but he is a great stash for the coming weeks. | ||
| Wide Receiver | Team | DK / FD PPG |
| Rashee Rice | KC | 20.8 / 17.4 |
| Cornerback | Opp | Matchup |
| Reddy Steward | DAL | Safe |
| Rashee Rice continues to be the #1 option for the Chiefs passing offense, finishing with 8 receptions for 141 yards on 12 targets in Week 12. Rice has now had 9+ targets in all but one game that he’s played this season and leads Chiefs pass catchers with a 24.2% target share and 29.2% first read percentage. He’s a must start every single week and is my overall WR3 for Week 13 in the plus matchup against the Cowboys secondary. | ||
| Â | Â | Â |
Player News
{{item.text}}
{{item.ago}}
{{analysis.analysis}}
{{item.datetime}} (ET)
