Patriots @ Vikings Week 12 Game Preview
The Patriots and Vikings are trending in opposite directions and with the lowest total of the day, you may want to look elsewhere for flex-level plays.
Patriots at Vikings (-2.5) – 42.5 total
The final Thanksgiving game has the Minnesota Vikings (8-2) as 2.5 point favorites hosting the New England Patriots (6-4). With the lowest game total of the day at 42.5 points, it’s safe to say Vegas isn’t expecting fireworks in Minneapolis.
That’s not great news considering the number of fantasy stars on display here. Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, T.J. Hockenson, and Rhamondre Stevenson are all must-start options, but this game environment suggests you want to look elsewhere for your flex-level plays.
If you are playing Turkey Day DFS, there are a number of low cost WRs in this matchup who can provide salary relief, allowing you to pay up in other spots. DeVante Parker (questionable), K.J. Osborn, Kendrick Bourne, and Tyquan Thornton are all priced below $4,000 on DraftKings and should see the field plenty in this game.
From a betting perspective, these are two teams trending in opposite directions, as the Patriots have won three in a row and held their last two opponents to just three points, while the Vikings only scored three points themselves last week. Bill Belichick versus primetime Kirk Cousins doesn’t seem like a recipe for success for Minnesota. To make matters worse, they will be without LT Christian Darrisaw, which could force Kirk to operate under pressure again for much of this game.
It sure seems like everything is setting up in the Patriots’ favor, but that just means the Vikings will probably surprise us all with a great performance. The good news is that we should know by halftime whether it’s safe to succumb to a food coma nap, or if this game can deliver action worth watching.