Fantasy Football Today – "Last-Minute League Winners, Start or Sit for Thursday and Friday Games"

CBS Sports FFT • November 26, 2025 • Host: Adam Aizer; Analysts: Heath Cummings, Jamey Eisenberg

Episode Overview

This Thanksgiving week episode dives deep into must-win territory for fantasy football managers: last-minute potential league winners, start/sit advice for the holiday game slate, and a rapid-fire Q&A on specific players with trade deadlines closing. Adam, Heath, and Jamey lean into the holiday vibes while maintaining sharp, actionable analysis, sorting fantasy facts from wishful thinking as lineups lock for Thanksgiving and Black Friday NFL action.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Fantasy Thanksgiving: Football, Gratitude, and Slate Review

• Thankful for the Rookies:
  • Adam: “I'm thankful for tomorrow's games ... and the Travion Henderson emergence. I'm thankful for all these rookies that said 'be patient' and are now delivering.” (02:24)
• JSN’s Breakout:
  • Heath celebrates Jackson Smith-Njigba’s stunning season: “What JSN is doing is really just remarkable and I can't believe it keeps happening every week.” (03:28)
• Best Thanksgiving Slate Ever?
  • Heath’s research: "Is this the best Thanksgiving slate we've ever had? ... This is the greatest Thanksgiving slate we’ve ever had.” (05:32)
    • Noting every game is playoff-relevant and loaded with star QBs (Mahomes, Lamar, Burrow, Dak, Goff, Love).

2. Last-Minute League Winners & Schedules to Target

• Heath's 3 RBs on the Rise (06:10–08:03):
  • Travion Henderson (upside RB1):
    • “Rest of season, Henderson may be a top-12 guy with his schedule. ... Giants and Buffalo are 31st and 30th against RBs.”
  • RJ Harvey:
    • “Usage was very good ... schedule is tough but hopefully he catches three balls a game.”
  • Ken Walker:
    • “Usage was great, production wasn’t there—but positive signs.”
• Skill-Position Schedules:
  • Colts, Saints, Giants, and Bucs called out for RB-favored schedules.
  • On Saquon Barkley: "Down the stretch, in terms of run defenses, it couldn't be much better for Barkley." (10:41)
• Tough Schedules to Avoid:
  • Chargers, Washington, and certain Vegas skill players have notably tough match-ups ahead.

3. Injury/Narrative Updates (News & Notes)

• QB Situations:
  • Joe Burrow says he’ll play regardless of the Bengals’ record; expectation is for a good lineup for Cincy/Baltimore Thursday.
  • Omariyon Hampton designated to return for Chargers; keep tabs on his usability.
• Key Skill Player Notes:
  • DK Metcalf (ankle), Rashid Rice (hamstring), Josh Jacobs (status iffy), notable WR/TE injuries or returns.

4. Listener Q&A: Facebook Mailbag Highlights

Wide Receivers: Hopes & Frustrations

• Quentin Johnston:
  • Jamie: “Boom/bust WR3 ... you start him if you have to.” (19:50)
  • Adam on Chargers’ offense: “Justin Herbert’s ADOT last two games: 4.7, 3.8 yards – it’s insane.” (20:38)
• Lamar Jackson’s Fantasy ‘Disappearance’:
  • Jamey: "He’s hurt. If you want to bench him based on production, go for it—but I can't see myself doing it with the Bengals up next.” (21:47)
  • Discussion of benching for Brissett or others, risk/reward breakdown.
• Cortland Sutton:
  • “Not droppable yet. Borderline WR2 this week; great matchup. But if he flops, discussion changes.” (24:23)

Trades and Player Values

• Rashee Rice for Rico Dowdle?
  • Adam: "Hell no. ... Rice keeps getting volume; it’s not close." (25:17)

Running Backs Returning from Injury

• Bucky Irving & Omariyon Hampton Rest of Season
  • Jamey: “Treat both as RB2s; upside into RB1 for Bucky. Workload uncertainty first week back, but schedules are juicy.” (28:36–30:41)
  • Adam on Bucky: "Almost certainly a committee, but Bucky's upside is worth the risk." (30:41)

5. Start/Sit: Thursday & Friday Game Previews

Chiefs at Cowboys – QB Clarity in a Tough Matchup

• Dak Prescott:
  • “Start Dak. I’ve got him QB8, ahead of Burrow and Brissett.” (33:25)
• Patrick Mahomes:
  • Jamey: “Must-start, assuming Rice is fine. Everything points to a bounce-back.”
  • Fun stat: Mahomes' RZ pass attempts/TDs have nose-dived last 3 games.
  • He’s also running less since Rice emerged. (34:53)
• RBs:
  • “Javonte’s the best back here, back-end RB2. Pacheco/Hunt are low-end RB2/flex.” (36:11)
• WRs:
  • “Start Lamb, Pickens, and Rice (if healthy). Bench Worthy unless desperate – upside for a DFS dart.” (37:11–40:07)
• TEs:
  • “Kelsey must-start. Ferguson is low end TE1, but usage has dipped; don’t panic-drop him.” (40:36)
• DSTs: Sit both.

Packers at Lions (Green Bay @ Detroit)

• GB Passing Attack:
  • Adam: “Christian Watson is highest-upside, but WR roulette continues. If Reed's out, Watson/Doubs are WR3/flex plays.” (45:31)
  • Jamey: “Jordan Love still can't be trusted—even with a high Vegas total. Great matchup on paper for DET O and for Jacobs, but expectation is Detroit controls the game.” (46:40, 48:08)
• RBs:
  • Josh Jacobs: “Top 12 if healthy but monitor practice status.” (49:09)
• WRs:
  • “Sit Luke Musgrave; sit Brock Wright. Goff is low-end QB1/2. Both Watson and Doubs are behind Andre Yosivas this week.” (50:00)

Bengals at Ravens (Cincinnati @ Baltimore)

• Burrow’s Return:
  • Jamey: “Low-end starter, hope for upside, but be realistic: Ravens have allowed just 3 TD passes in 6 games.” (54:05)
  • Heath: "Burrow/Nicks/Goff are QB11-13 for me—tiered. Would start Brissett over Burrow, but it's close." (55:56)
• Lamar Jackson:
  • All still start, but monitor the rushing output/injury status.
• Chase Brown:
  • “Lost a little juice with P. Ryan back. Now an RB2, not RB1, but still a good start.” (57:59–59:03)
• WRs:
  • Yosivas: “Upside WR3. Jamie has him 26th, Heath 39th, but if Burrow throws 40+ times, expect volume.” (59:29–60:32)
  • “Chase a must; Zay Flowers a boom/bust WR3.”
• DSTs: Fade Baltimore unless options are limited.

Bears at Eagles (Friday Night)

• Eagles Offense:
  • “Start Hurts, AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Barkley with confidence. Goddard is a sit (ranked outside top 15 TEs)." (64:26–68:21)
  • Adam: “When Hurts does well, so does AJ. But it’s hard to predict.”
• Bears’ Offense:
  • Heath: “Zero must-starts. Only consider D’Ounze or DJ Moore as flexes.” (68:21)
  • Bears RBs: "Easy sits—no clarity, bad matchup."
  • Cole Kmet is a borderline TE1; not excited about usage.
• Rapid-Fire Flexes & Lineup Calls:
  • Jamo vs. Sutton or Neal, Burden vs. Godwin, etc. — mostly favor Bears WRs as desperation.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "I'm thankful for all these rookies ... they're starting to deliver." — Adam (02:24)
• "This is the greatest Thanksgiving slate we’ve ever had." — Heath (05:32)
• On Rashee Rice for Rico Dowdle trade:
  • Adam: “Hell no. ... Rice keeps getting volume; it’s not close.” (25:17)
• On Bucky Irving’s workload:
  • Jamey: “I think you just treat him like a number two running back because of that potential ... his upside is incredible.” (29:41)
• Lamar vs. Burrow debate:
  • Jamey: “Lamar in prime time—the history is there ... even if he’s hurt, the matchup is too good to sit.” (24:00, 57:21)
• Thanksgiving food debates:
  • Jamie: “I would rather just have, like, a can of green beans ... microwaved.” (73:35)
  • Adam lamenting his unpopular stance: “You are building a case as to why you're a moron.” (53:31)
  • Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Debated for comic relief.

Important Timestamps

• 02:24 — What we’re thankful for (rookies, slates, JSN)
• 06:10 — Last-minute league winners, RB targets for waivers/trades
• 14:59 — FFT bracket competition/friendly show banter
• 19:47 — Quentin Johnston, Chargers WRs discussion
• 21:47 — What to do with Lamar Jackson, benching debates
• 24:14 — Cortland Sutton droppable?
• 25:12 — Rashid Rice/Dowdle value debate
• 28:36–30:41 — Bucky Irving, Omariyon Hampton, RB injury returns
• 33:24 — Dak Prescott, Mahomes start/sit
• 36:11 — Running back breakdown: Javonte, Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Harvey
• 40:36 — Tight end ranks/usage: Kelsey, Ferguson
• 45:31 — Packers WR/DET preview, Love’s likely usage
• 54:05 — Burrow, Lamar, and Cincy/Balt matchup analysis
• 59:29 — Yosivas/CIN WR3 discussion
• 64:26 — Eagles passing offense confidence, Bears skill positions
• 66:37 — Chicago run game, why not starting Barkley vs. Bears is dangerous
• 72:43 — Thanksgiving food: sit one carb/dessert
• 75:06 — Show wrap, show banter, preview of next episode

Tone & Style

Lively, lighthearted, loaded with actionable insight. Plenty of holiday energy and inside jokes but never losing sight of what matters for fantasy managers: last-second decisions, injury pivots, and maximizing upside in a crucial fantasy week. As ever, the trio blends “buddies talking fantasy” with sharply researched analysis.

Verdict: Who Should You Start/Sit This Week?

Must-Starts:

• Dak, Mahomes, Hurts, Barkley, Javonte, Jameer Gibbs, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Kelsey, Lamb, Ferguson (with caution), Rice.

Risky/Flex-Worthy:

• Bucky Irving (likely committee, high upside), Omariyon Hampton, Cortland Sutton, Christian Watson/Romeo Doubs, Yosivas.

Bench/Pivots:

• Bears RBs, Quentin Johnston (except as a pure desperation flex), Brock Wright, Luke Musgrave, Goddard (borderline), Worthy (unless Rice sits).

Holiday Nuggets

• Food hot takes: Green bean casserole and stuffing both get slandered; “sweet potato casserole, especially with marshmallows, is a disinvite for Adam.”
• Die Hard as a Christmas movie: Heated repeat of the annual debate.
• Fantasy Football Today’s playoff bracket: Vote to get Adam to streak (jokingly) if they win.

For More

Catch the Thursday night/Thanksgiving special and check fft.cbssports.com for rankings/updates as injury news drops.