You can catch the Thursday Night Football matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT on Amazon Prime Video.
In Week 4, Thursday Night Football shifts from the AFC East to the NFC East, featuring fierce rivals Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in primetime. The Cowboys have been dominant within the NFC East largely during the Dak Prescott era, while the Giants have struggled to keep pace. However, both teams present intriguing fantasy narratives — let’s delve into them.
CeeDee Lamb has been a focal point for fantasy managers, being in contention for the top draft pick this summer. In hindsight, he may have been a prudent choice, especially with Christian McCaffrey sidelined due to a significant Achilles injury and Tyreek Hill facing challenges with his starting quarterback. Meanwhile, Malik Nabers was drafted in the middle rounds with skepticism about his potential, given Daniel Jones’ struggles.
However, three weeks into the season, Nabers has emerged as the top wide receiver in fantasy football, while Lamb currently ranks as WR19.
Malik Nabers Q NYG – WR CeeDee Lamb DAL – WR 2024 – 2025 season 386 Yds 316 96.5 Y/G 79 52 Tgt 32 35 Rec 20 3 TD 2
Scott Pianowski predicted early on that the Giants would focus on targeting Nabers, and that has proven accurate as he leads the league in wide receiver targets. This lack of targets appears to be what has hindered Lamb’s output this season, as he has only managed 24 total targets and 13 receptions in the first three weeks. Given the Cowboys’ limited options in the passing game, the lack of production from Lamb is evident, especially with injuries affecting Jake Ferguson.
After their loss to the Ravens, the Cowboys are likely motivated to perform better. While the Giants may aim to leverage Nabers’ targets, perhaps the Cowboys should do the same with their star receiver, Lamb, as I anticipate he will have a breakout performance in this game.
Additionally, the Cowboys are facing criticism for not properly addressing the running back situation over the offseason, particularly with options like Derrick Henry and Braelon Allen available. Instead, they opted to go with Rico Dowdle and an aging Ezekiel Elliott. As a result, the team has struggled offensively, averaging the third-fewest rushing yards per game.
Rico Dowdle DAL – RB Ezekiel Elliott DAL – RB 2024 – 2025 season 134 Yds 81 33.5 RusY/G 20.3 3.9 Y/A 3.4 0 TD 1 10 Long 9
While it is doubtful that Dowdle will single-handedly turn the season around, he has shown signs of improvement. If he continues to earn more carries, especially after outpacing Elliott in their previous game, Dowdle may become a valuable player in the Cowboys’ backfield, potentially elevating his status from a fringe player to an RB2.
On the Giants’ side, Devin Singletary may not be the most glamorous flex option, but his consistent performance cannot be ignored.
Devin Singletary RB – NYG – #26 2024 – 2025 season 221 Yds 55.3 Y/G 3.9 YPC 2 TD 43 Long
Singletary has scored in back-to-back games and maintains a solid average of 4.7 yards per carry. Given the Cowboys’ shaky run defense, which has faltered over the last three weeks, it would benefit the Giants to utilize Singletary effectively to control the clock and limit the Cowboys’ offensive opportunities. With the developing chemistry between Jones and Nabers, Singletary stands a good chance of scoring again, making him a player to consider starting.