The Bengals will likely be without Tee Higgins (quad, doubtful) again this week, which would be the fourth missed game for the team's talented WR2. Other Cincinnati pass-catchers from the NFL DFS player pool have had more productive games with Higgins out and it hasn't been the same player each week. Tight end Mike Gesicki had five receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns last week with Higgins out, while Andrei Iosivas has at least one touchdown in two of the three games he's played without Higgins active.
How should Gesicki and Iosivas factor into your Thursday Night Football NFL DFS strategy for Bengals vs. Ravens in a pivotal AFC North matchup at 8:15 p.m. ET? The Ravens defeated the Bengals, 41-38, earlier this season, so does that mean top Bengals like Joe Burrow or Ja'Marr Chase should be included in NFL DFS lineups? Before locking in any NFL DFS picks on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel for Thursday Night Football, be sure to check out the NFL DFS advice, strategy, and stacks from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a legendary professional DFS player with more than $2 million in career winnings. He uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every snap of NFL action, taking factors such as matchups, statistical trends, and injuries into account. This allows him to find the best DFS values that he shares only with members at SportsLine. His methodology has led to enormous cashes on FanDuel and DraftKings. Last year, he won the DraftKings Millionaire Maker twice and the FanDuel Million once. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, McClure has turned his attention to Bengals vs. Ravens on Thursday Night Football and just locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Top NFL DFS picks for Ravens vs. Bengals
One of McClure's top NFL DFS picks for Thursday Night Football is Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Using a kicker in NFL DFS picks is often thought of as a budget-friendly, high-floor option without much upside. But Tucker is the exception to that rule. He's arguably the greatest kicker in NFL history with the best field-goal percentage of all-time (89.7%) and he's led the NFL in made field goals three times over his career.
Tucker was crucial in the Ravens' 41-38 victory over the Bengals in Week 5. Before making the winning 24-yard chip shot field goal in overtime, he drilled a 56-yard kick with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Tucker has made multiple field goals in four of his last five games, making 10 of 11 kicks (90.9%) over that span. The 34-year-old is the rare high-floor and high-ceiling kicker for NFL DFS lineups.
Part of McClure's optimal NFL DFS strategy also includes rostering Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The reigning NFL MVP has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his last three games against the Bengals, including 348 yards and four touchdowns in their first matchup this year. Jackson added 55 rushing yards as he has more than 50 rushing yards in each of those last three matchups as well. Even though he doesn't run as much as he used to, Jackson has been aggressive on the ground throughout his career against Cincinnati and McClure expects more of that on Thursday.
The Ravens traded for wide receiver Diontae Johnson last week. The 28-year-old only played 30% of snaps last week but now that he's been in Baltimore for more than a full week, he could be significantly more involved in the offense. Giving Jackson another threat is the last thing opposing defensive coordinators hoped for and McClure expects that to give Jackson a boost for TNF NFL DFS lineups. See who else McClure likes right here.
How to set NFL DFS lineups for Bengals vs. Ravens
McClure is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers on Thursday Night Football. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of McClure's NFL DFS picks, at SportsLine.
So who is Mike McClure including in his optimal NFL DFS lineups for Thursday Night Football, and which under-the-radar player offers huge value? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL DFS picks, NFL DFS rankings, NFL DFS advice and NFL DFS stacks, all from a daily Fantasy expert with more than $2 million in winnings, and find out.
