2021 Thanksgiving NFL Best Bets and Player Props: Raiders at Cowboys

A Thanksgiving Day betting breakdown of the matchup between Las Vegas and Dallas.

Frankie Taddeo | Nov 23, 2021

As families move on from appetizers on Thanksgiving Day, sports bettors will be treated to the second of three matchups on the gridiron. Football fans will grab a spot on the couch for a break before the main course of Turkey and mashed potatoes.

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Following the action from MoTown, we head to AT&T Stadium for Las Vegas (5-5 Straight-Up (SU); 4-6 Against The Spread (ATs)) taking on Dallas (7-3 SU; 8-2 ATS).

The Cowboys are currently 7-point home favorites, with a total sitting on the game at 50.5 at SI Sportsbook.

Dallas is 31-21-1 on Thanksgiving, but has not found success in recent years with its last win coming in 2018 against Washington. The Raiders and Cowboys have faced off on Thanksgiving twice, with Dallas coming away with victories in 2009 and 2013.

Check the Thanksgiving Day games Lines at SI Sportsbook

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys Betting Trends and Info

Dallas will look to rebound from a 19-9 loss at Kansas City when it faces a Raiders team that faced a plethora of off-the-field issues and has lost three straight.

The Cowboys are a league-best 8-2 ATS, and 4-1 at home both ATS and SU. Dallas will head into Thursday’s matchup without Amari Cooper (COVID-19), and CeeDee Lamb (concussion) could potentially miss the contest.

On the flip side, the Raiders are just 2-5 SU and ATS over their last seven games. Las Vegas’ season is spiraling out of control and bettors are beginning to fade a club that has been outscored by a combined margin of 96-43 in its three-game losing skid.

Dallas Player Prop Info

The Cowboys possess the third-best scoring offense, producing 29.3 points per game. Dallas will likely lean on its powerful, third-ranked rushing attack (133.8 rushing yards per game)—led by Ezekiel Elliott—against the fourth-worst rush defense (132.1 rushing yards allowed per game).

On the outside, Dallas will feature Michael Gallup and potentially Cedrick Wilson if Lamb joins Cooper on the sideline. Gallup led the team with six receptions for 53 yards in Week 11 against Kansas City, and has received 15 targets over the last two games. The volume has led to solid production since his return from a calf injury.

Raiders Player Prop Info

The Raiders will lean on the passing game, led by quarterback Derek Carr. Las Vegas owns the league's third-best passing offense at 289.6 passing yards per game and will look to get its struggling franchise signal caller on track after throwing an equal number of interceptions and touchdowns over the three-game losing streak.

Carr will continue to heavily target star tight end Darren Waller, who leads the club in receiving yards (610).

Josh Jacobs leads Las Vegas' rushing attack, and has scored a touchdown in four of eight games this season. The Raiders have fallen behind in recent weeks, which has led to the Raiders abandoning the run game and Jacobs receiving single-digit carries each of the past two weeks. Las Vegas will need to establish Jacobs both on the ground and in the air if it has any hope of keeping pace with the high-powered Cowboys and covering the spread. Fantasy managers should look to insert both Jacobs and Waller into all lineups as the clear best options from the Las Vegas side.

Frankie's Thanksgiving Plays

The Raiders are simply in disarray and can not be trusted by bettors. The Cowboys, despite likely missing two important pieces in Cooper and Lamb, should still have enough weapons in Elliott, Gallup and tight end Dalton Schultz to send the reeling Raiders to a fourth consecutive SU and ATS defeat. Lay the wood!

BET: Dallas -7 (-110)

PROP BETS:

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas: Anytime Touchdown -138

SI BET REVIEW

2021 SI Betting Monday Night Football: 6-5 ATS / Props 11-11 +3.15 units

2021 SI Betting NFL Football Overall YTD: 30-25 ATS & Props +6.05 Units

2020 SI Betting NFL Football: 72-58-1 ATS (55%)

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Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas

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Published Nov 23, 2021

FRANKIE TADDEO

Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frankie primarily performs as Sports Illustrated's Senior Betting Analyst providing his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene.