Happy Turkey Day, everyone! Today, the NFL treats its fans to a great slate of football games, filled with entertaining football from start to finish. The day begins with a classic Thanksgiving matchup between the Lions and Packers, a game that will carry significant NFC playoff implications. The midday game is Chiefs and Cowboys, both teams fighting to stay in the playoff hunt. Finally, the late-night game is Ravens vs Bengals, as Joe Burrow makes his highly anticipated return.
We all know the stars, the quarterbacks, and the big names that will be playing on today’s national holiday. But several key players could be hitting free agency this offseason, or are flying under the radar this year, and you may want to keep an eye on them today. Today, I took a look at each team playing in today’s games and picked one guy who you may not be familiar with, but could make a big impact this Thanksgiving.
Packers – Dontayvion Wicks
Wicks was one of my favorite draft picks in the 2023 draft, and when the Packers landed him, I knew he would have a significant role. The Packers are dealing with a lot of injuries at reciever, with Matthew Golden questionable, Savion Williams out, Jayden Reed on IR, and Christian Watson having only played in five games. Wicks will step into the slot reciever role for the Packers, and with Tucker Kraft also out, Green Bay will rely on Wicks to help control the middle of the field in the pass game.
Lions – Al-Quadin Muhammad
Superstar defensive end Aiden Hutchinson headlines the Lions’ defense, but because of all the attention he gets, Muhammad has gone somewhat unnoticed. Al-Quadin Muhammad is in his second year and has already tied his career high in sacks with six, which also puts him at second on the team. The Packers will give a lot of attention to Hutchinson, which could leave Muhammad on an island against Rasheed Walker or Zach Tom. This could open things up for him to have a big impact on today’s first game of the day.
Chiefs – Jaylen Watson
Kansas City has become a factory of cornerback talent, and Watson will be the latest in a long line of Chiefs corners who hit free agency, commanding significant contracts. Watson was a former 7th-round pick (who I had a Day 2 grade on) out of Washington State, who has well exceeded expectations thus far in his career. Watson has looked like a pro bowler on the boundary for the Chiefs this season, and today, he will likely match up with George Pickens for most of the game for the Chiefs.
Cowboys – Shavon Revel Jr.
Revel was a first-round lock in the 2025 NFL draft before he tore his ACL midseason. At ECU, Revel was known for his incredible athletic skillset, but after his season-ending injury, his draft stock took a major hit, and he fell to the Cowboys at pick 76 in the third round. The Cowboys have also found a knack for developing talent at the corner position, and with injuries to a lot of the Dallas secondary, Revel could be forced to step up in today’s game.
Ravens – Keaton Mitchell
Keaton Mitchell, who ironically was teammates with Shavon Revel at ECU, was at the very top of the “my guys” list in the 2023 NFL draft. I may have been the biggest fan of Keaton Mitchell on the internet back in 2023, grading him as a third-round prospect and a top-five back in the class. Mitchell fell out of the draft and became a UDFA pickup for the Ravens, who made an immediate impact as a rookie. With Justice Hill out for today’s game, Mitchell will likely get some touches, and I expect him to make at least one big play for the Ravens tonight.
Bengals – Andrei Iosivas
Iosivas may very well be the best athlete in the entire NFL, having been a very successful competitor in the heptathlon and decathlon. Back in 2023, the Bengals selected Iosivas in the sixth round out of Princeton, hoping to develop his skills to make those athletic skills translate to the NFL. So far, that has worked out well, and Iosivas is third on the Bengals in receiving yards. With Tee Higgins out, Ja’Marr Chase will get a lot of attention from the Ravens defense, and the Bengals will need Iosivas to step up.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!!!!
