3 Best NFL FanDuel Picks Plays for Cowboys at Eagles on Thursday Night Football

With a new NFL season comes a new way to play on FanDuel.

FanDuel Picks is FanDuel's new peer-to-peer game type, allowing you to make picks on whether you think players will have more or less in certain stat categories.

Think the stud running back has a good chance to score? You can put that in your lineup.

That rookie receiver whose role has been on the ascent? You can take him for more than his yardage mark.

Our first crack at it comes tonight as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. Which picks stand out for the kickoff to the season?

Let's check it out.

What is FanDuel Picks?

FanDuel Picks is a peer-to-peer fantasy game where you build a lineup of 3-6 athletes and select whether you believe each will reach “more” or “less” than their listed stat projection.

Enter your lineup into contests to compete against other players. Get enough picks correct and you’ll win a share of cash prizes.

FanDuel Picks NFL Plays for Cowboys at Eagles

Jalen Hurts More Than 0.5 Touchdowns (Mild Pick)

Because this is a mild pick, it won't jack up your payout as much as others if your full lineup hits. But I think that's a worthwhile tradeoff.

Since the tush push became a thing, Jalen Hurts has been an animal near the end zone. He scored in 68.4% of all of his games last year and 61.1% the year before, and not many stat categories will give you a hit rate that high on FanDuel Picks.

I've got a new any-time touchdown model I'm using for this year, and it has Hurts at 65.7% to score thanks to the team's plus matchup and a scoring environment I view as very friendly. This is a good anchor with which to start your lineup.

Jake Ferguson Less Than 34.5 Receiving Yards

Now that George Pickens is in town, there's more target competition for Jake Ferguson. I'm going to be skeptical of him early in the year as a result.

Ferguson finished last year with an 18.0% target share in the games he played, which isn't bad for this number. However, a good amount of those targets came while CeeDee Lamb was either playing through injury or out, and Ferguson didn't get downfield looks. That meant he needed volume in order to get by.

That volume could be more sparse this year, and the Eagles' defense is fierce. This is my favorite "less" play of the night.

George Pickens More Than 0.5 Touchdowns (Spicy Pick)

A spicy option here can help counteract the mild impact on the Hurts touchdown. I like Pickens' setup for his Cowboys debut.

If the Eagles have a weakness defensively, it's their second outside corner. That won't aid Pickens on every snap because Lamb plays a bunch in the slot, but we're going to get advantageous matchups for Pickens. We know he can take advantage of that.

Last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens handled 34.8% of the red-zone targets in games he played and also had 49.3% of the downfield targets. Although those will go down as he plays alongside Lamb, the competition beyond Lamb is minimal. I have Pickens at 36.2% to score, high enough for me to take the plunge with the spicy boost.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.