This Thursday marks Thanksgiving in the United States.

That means several things. Food, family and lots and lots of football, with the traditional three games on the schedule for the holiday.

With the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings all playing, there will be plenty of fantasy relevant players in action, meaning there's no time to waste in terms of getting a winning line-up set.

Thanksgiving is, as the name makes obvious, a time to say what you're grateful for, and Stats Perform hopes you will be appreciative of the fantasy help we're here to provide with our picks of four offensive players and a defense for Week 12.
 

Quarterback: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers @ Arizona Cardinals

The Chargers may not be feeling too grateful after having their heart broken again by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

But they must be appreciative of getting to face the Cardinals' defense in Week 12, especially with Herbert's top receiver, Keenan Allen, back in the fold.

The Cardinals have allowed 118 pass plays of 10 yards or more, the fourth-most in the NFL. Coming off a game in which he averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, Herbert is well-positioned to get the Chargers' playoff push back on track against opposition that should facilitate one of his best performances of the season.

Running Back: Jeff Wilson Jr, Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans

When Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel sits down to eat his turkey on Thursday, he may express thanks for the trade with his former employers, the San Francisco 49ers, that landed Wilson's services for Miami.

Wilson has quickly established himself as the top runner in a Dolphins backfield that was not firing on all cylinders prior to his arrival.

He averaged seven yards per carry against the Cleveland Browns' dreadful run defense last time out and now gets to face a Houston defense that has allowed 57 runs of at least 10 yards, which is 12 more than anyone else in the league.

Wide Receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills

Detroit's leading receiver may not be happy to go against the Buffalo defense in Week 12, but Jameson Williams' debut is likely to bring a smile to his face.

Williams, Detroit's second first-round pick in 2022, is practising after recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in his final college game, and will give the Lions a tremendous deep threat who can stretch the field and open underneath areas for St. Brown to exploit.

In a game where the chances of the Lions falling behind and being forced to throw the ball consistently are high, that is a recipe for St. Brown racking up completions and yardage in the Thanksgiving opener.

Tight End: T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings vs. New England Patriots

There is likely to be gratitude in Vikings circles that they get the chance to quickly wash the stink off from their blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

Having been shellacked by the Cowboy defense, the Minnesota offense will face a different challenge in the form of the Patriots, who consistently drop eight players into coverage.

New England will almost certainly look to take Justin Jefferson away with double teams, meaning quarterback Kirk Cousins will likely have to frequently look to Hockenson over the middle of the field.

Targeted 28 times in three games since his arrival in a trade with Detroit, Hockenson appears primed for massive fantasy performance in the Thanksgiving nightcap, especially in points per reception leagues.

Defense/Special Teams: San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints' coaching staff may have a stressful Thanksgiving game planning for the 49ers, who appear to be rounding into form on both sides of the ball.

San Francisco's defense has not allowed a second-half point in any of the Niners' last three games and is giving up just 4.67 yards per play this season, the second-fewest in the NFL.

Facing a Saints offense that has committed the most giveaways (19) in the NFL, the San Francisco defense should dominate once more and deliver a crucial contribution for its fantasy owners.

Rodrygo is confident he can deliver for Brazil at the World Cup as he looks to bring an end to 20 years of "suffering".

The South American giants open their campaign on Thursday against Serbia and are among the favourites in Qatar as they seek to end two decades of dominance from European nations.

Having triumphed in 2002, Brazil have since been knocked out at the quarter-finals in three of the last four tournaments, while being hammered 7-1 by Germany at the semi-final stage on home soil in 2014.

At 21, Rodrygo is too young to remember the last triumph by the five-time winners but has experienced his fair share of pain as a supporter and set his sights on involvement in Qatar following Brazil's defeat to Belgium four years ago.

"Man, we've been suffering for 20 years. I was crying when we lost in 2006," he wrote for the Player's Tribune.

"In 2010, I was in Osasco seeing people paint the streets green and yellow. Nobody was working. School? Forget it. It's not that I skipped school. There was no school. Even the teachers had fled.

"In 2014, I watched it with my dad in Minas Gerais. I prefer not to talk about it. I'm not even going to say the result.

Brazil must take advantage of having Neymar in his "best mode" at the World Cup, according to captain Thiago Silva.

Neymar heads to Qatar in supreme form. He has directly contributed to 26 goals for Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 15 and setting up a further 11 this season.

His tally of goal involvements is the joint-most in the top-five European leagues, along with Erling Haaland (23 goals, three assists) and club-mate Lionel Messi (12 goals, 14 assists).

With 75 international goals to his name, Neymar needs just three more to overtake Pele and become Brazil's all-time leading scorer.

Neymar's injury in the quarter-finals of Brazil's home world cup in 2014 is often cited as a major factor in the 7-1 thrashing to Germany that followed in the last four, while he struggled to carry the team in Russia four years later, with the Selecao losing to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

But with Vinicius Junior, Richarlison, Gabriel Jesus, Rodrygo and Raphinha supporting Neymar in attack, Silva believes Brazil have to make their attacking quality count.

"Neymar has a good level for this competition," Silva said in a press conference ahead of Brazil's clash with Serbia on Thursday.

"Now, without injury or worry, we see a better Neymar. Best of all, he is humble.

"Our group has welcomed all of our colleagues and in my opinion they will make Neymar even more at ease.

"We will share our responsibilities as players and that will help us move forward. I think we need to take advantage of this best Neymar mode."

It has been 20 years since Brazil won their fifth World Cup, and Silva – who was captain in 2014 but not in Russia – believes that only serves as extra inspiration.

"The 2002 win is a great inspiration for all of us," he explained. "We have images of all the World Cups we have won and that’s a source of inspiration and motivation so we can continue making history.

"We know it’s up to us. I know those who could lift the World Cup in the past have had beautiful stories. It makes me even more motivated to honour our jersey."

Silva believes the blend of youth and experience in Tite's squad is ideal, as the 38-year-old claimed his experience of captaining Brazil in their disappointing campaign on home soil has only benefitted his own development.

He said: "Nowadays I am better prepared. Sometimes we need to learn the hard way.

"Our coaches can tell us but in the end we are the ones who need to learn from our experiences. I am calm, I am at ease, having the trust of all my colleagues.

"I'm now enjoying the best version of Thiago Silva. I think I'm living the best moments of my career."

Red Bull have announced the return of Daniel Ricciardo, who will be their third driver for the 2023 season.

The Australian left the grid following his exit from McLaren, where he completed his final race in Abu Dhabi last Sunday, and it was widely expected that he would be returning to Red Bull, who he left in 2018.

Ricciardo had a stint with Renault before moving to McLaren, with spells at both teams being disappointing ones, and it was announced earlier this year he would be leaving the latter – Oscar Piastri being his replacement on the grid.

The 33-year-old did not turn his back on Formula One, however, and could return to the grid with a full-time seat in the future, though previously stated he felt the best approach could be as a reserve driver.

That move has now come with Red Bull, where he will be an understudy to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in 2023 – filling in should either of the pair be unable to race, as well as competing in practice sessions.

"The smile says it all, I'm truly excited to be coming back home to Oracle Red Bull Racing as their Third Driver in 2023," Ricciardo said.

"I already have so many fond memories of my time here, but the welcome from Christian [Horner], Dr [Helmut] Marko and the entire team is something I'm sincerely appreciative of.

"For me personally, the ability to contribute to and be surrounded by the best team in F1 is hugely appealing, whilst also giving me some time to recharge and refocus.

"I can't wait to be with the team and support with simulator work, testing sessions and commercial activities. Let’s go!"

The 2023 Formula One season will begin on March 5 in Bahrain, the start of a record-breaking 24 races across the course of the campaign.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for two matches by the Football Association (FA) and fined £50,000 for smashing an Everton supporter's phone last season.

The Portugal international, who had his contract mutually terminated by Manchester United on Tuesday, has also been warned by the FA over his future conduct.

Ronaldo was charged by the FA in September for breaching Rule E3 after footage of the incident emerged following United's loss at Goodison Park in April.

He was also questioned by Merseyside Police in relation to an alleged assault and criminal damage and received a caution in August.

Erik ten Hag suggested last month Ronaldo would fight the FA ruling, but the governing body announced on Wednesday he has now accepted the charge

"Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for two matches, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for a breach of FA Rule E3," the FA's statement read.

"The forward admitted that his conduct after the final whistle of the Premier League game between Manchester United and Everton on Saturday 9 April 2022 was improper.

"An independent Regulatory Commission found that his conduct was both improper and violent during a subsequent hearing, and imposed these sanctions."

Ronaldo's ban will reportedly carry across to any new club he joins, even if it is outside of England.

Ronaldo issued an apology on Instagram at the time, stating: "It's never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.

"Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.

"I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair play and sportsmanship."

Ronaldo's exit from United came on the back of a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan last week in which he said the club had "betrayed" him and declared he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also used the interview to attack several former United players who had criticised his conduct this season.  

Free agent Ronaldo is expected to start Portugal's opening Qatar 2022 match against Ghana on Thursday.

Germany's players protested FIFA's decision to ban Manuel Neuer from wearing the OneLove armband by covering their mouths ahead of their World Cup opener, as the team declared: "Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice."

Germany were among several European sides to commit to wearing the armband in order to promote an anti-discriminatory message in Qatar, where same-sex relationships are criminalised.

However, the teams backed down ahead of their opening World Cup fixtures after being threatened with sporting sanctions by FIFA, which German Football Association (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf suggested were more significant than a yellow card for the affected captains.

After taking to the pitch for their Group E meeting with Japan at the Khalifa International Stadium, Germany's players covered their mouths for the traditional pre-match photo to protest FIFA's handling of the row.

The team subsequently released a statement via social media, which read: "We wanted to use our captain's armband to take a stand for values that we hold in the Germany national team: diversity and mutual respect.

"Together with other nations, we wanted our voice to be heard.

"It wasn't about making a political statement – human rights are non-negotiable. That should be taken for granted, but it still isn't the case. That's why this message is so important to us.

"Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position."

Germany captain Neuer was seen to have his armband checked by referee Ivan Barton Cisneros ahead of Wednesday's game.

Die Mannschaft also warmed up for the match wearing training shirts featuring rainbow-coloured trim in another apparent show of support for LGBTQ+ rights.

Harry Kane looks set to be available for England's next World Cup encounter with the United States after Jordan Pickford confirmed the Three Lions captain had trained with the rest of the squad.

The Three Lions' star striker was replaced by Callum Wilson during the 6-2 opening win against Iran on Monday and was subsequently sent for a scan on his ankle.

Kane's importance to Gareth Southgate's set-up has been illustrated over back-to-back tournaments, having won the Golden Boot at Russia 2018 and helped lead England to the Euro 2020 final last year.

Fears that he could miss Friday's Group B encounter with the USA look to have been dispelled by Pickford, however, who confirmed the Tottenham forward had been going through drills with his team-mates.

"I think he's good," the goalkeeper stated. "[He's] probably a bit sore, but he's out on the grass with us today. That's good, he's our captain and he's fine yeah.

"Everyone gave their all when he came off, Callum came on got the assist for Jack's [Grealish] goal and played well. Everyone's training well and working hard. Everyone's here for a reason to play football.

"Harry is an unbelievable player. He's a leader he's the captain, and we all look up for him. But there's also opportunities for other lads as well.

Kane failed to find the back of the net during his side's rampant opening victory, but could yet exceed Wayne Rooney's all-time England goalscorer record over the course of the tournament.

The Three Lions are top of Group B and will effectively qualify for the knockout rounds with a victory over the USA ahead of their final group stage game against Wales on November 29.

The Danish Football Association suggested a blanket withdrawal from FIFA as their German counterparts revealed they were threatened with significant sanctions if they wore the OneLove armband at the World Cup.

Denmark, alongside the likes of Germany and England, were among several European nations to commit to wearing the armband to promote an anti-discriminatory message in Qatar.

The decision to host the World Cup in Qatar has attracted severe criticism due to the country's stance on same-sex relationships, as well as the treatment of migrant workers.

However, the teams backed down from donning the armband ahead of their opening games at the tournament amid suggestions their captains would be booked upon kick-off.

FIFA's apparent unwillingness to permit an anti-discriminatory gesture has been met with stern opposition, and Danish Football Union (DBU) president Jesper Moller is in favour of a strong response.

"There are presidential elections in FIFA," Moller said. "There are 211 countries in FIFA and I understand that the current president [Gianni Infantino] has statements of support from 207 countries. 

"Denmark is not among those countries, and we're not going to be either.

"[Leaving FIFA] is not a decision that has been made now. We have been clear about this for a long time. We have been discussing it in the Nordic region since August. 

"I've thought it again. I imagine that there may be challenges if Denmark leaves on its own, but let us see if we cannot have a dialogue on things.

"I have to think about the question of how to restore confidence in FIFA. We must evaluate what has happened, and then we must create a strategy – also with our Nordic colleagues."

The DBU's threat comes as German Football Association (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf suggested a yellow card was not the full extent of the sanctions FIFA had threatened to apply.

"Today, I can say here, we also got an answer from FIFA that goes exactly in this direction. That means the referee would have to react," Neuendorf said.

"FIFA has expressly stated in its letter that it reserves the right to appeal to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the case of such offences, in inverted commas, i.e., the wearing of the armband, which could then impose further penalties, so to speak. 

"This has been expressly confirmed in writing."

Pep Guardiola has no doubt late mentor Johan Cruyff would have backed his decision to remain with Manchester City after penning a new two-year contract.

The Catalan coach has agreed fresh terms with the Premier League champions to take him through to 2025, stretching his tenure in charge to what will be a nine-year stay.

Under his watch, City have entrenched themselves as the dominant force in English football, with four top-flight titles, though their dream of winning the Champions League remains elusive.

Reflecting on his decision, Guardiola suggested both director of football Txiki Begiristain and himself would have received blessing from the late Dutchman, who managed them during their playing days at Barcelona.

"I think he would say extend two more years the contract!" he told City's website. "I am pretty sure Johan Cruyff would say that.

"From above he is happy right now. Always, I have the feeling of how sad about the fact he cannot be here to enjoy it with all of us. We are his sons, Txiki and myself.

"We talk about how nice it would be if he was here, but something he taught us or drove us with always is there."

Guardiola also took time to praise his backroom staff at City, who have helped him achieve nine major honours as manager.

"First of all, the quality that they have as human beings, first and foremost otherwise they would not be here," he said.

"But you have to cultivate, you have to grow, we have to still do what we have to do to continue to be better. Also, for the backroom staff, the message I’ve done is the same.

"It's not that what we have done is enough. They have to improve themselves, show they want to be here, that they want to help us [and] the club improve altogether. They know I'm just a part of that."

The fitness of Son Heung-min has dominated the agenda in South Korea over the past three weeks and his availability for their World Cup opener against Uruguay remains in the balance.

The Tottenham striker suffered a fractured eye socket in the Champions League clash with Marseille on November 1 - an injury that has kept a nation on tenterhooks ever since.

He has worn a mask in training since undergoing surgery and was pictured heading the ball for the first time in training on Monday. Coach Paulo Bento has been happy to keep fans guessing, placing a gagging order on the Koreans discussing Son's injury with the media.

In the unlikely event he doesn't make it, it will create a headache for Bento given the strength of Korea's other attacking options.

Hwang Hee-chan has yet to score in 11 appearances for Premier League strugglers Wolves this season while Hwang Ui-jo has fared similarly at Greek side Olympiacos.

While Korea fret over the status of their experienced striker, Uruguay can count on at least one of theirs.

Although Edinson Cavani may miss out due to an ankle injury, Luis Suarez is fit and raring to go in what will be his final World Cup.

It may be his swansong at this level but former Uruguay forward Diego Forlan does not believe that will give the 35-year-old extra motivation.

Forlan told El Pais: "For Luis, just putting on the Uruguay shirt is motivation enough. He's always going to want to do things right because that's his nature. He won't have extra motivation because it's his last World Cup."

South Korea and Uruguay are joined in Group H by Portugal and Ghana and Forlan is aware of the importance of the opening game.

He added: "I think Uruguay are looking good. We have an even group, although we are always competitive.

"The first game is key, especially as it's an even group and then we play Portugal, who I think are better than they were at the last World Cup."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Uruguay - Luis Suarez

Suarez may no longer be the scourge of European defences following his move to Nacional, but he has continued to find success, helping his boyhood club to the Uruguayan title. MLS seems his next move, and he will be hoping to put himself in the spotlight with some trademark feisty displays in Qatar.

Suarez needs one more goal to equal Oscar Miguez's record of eight by a Uruguayan at the World Cup.

South Korea - Son Heung-min

It seems inconceivable that Son won't start in the mask he has donned in training since arriving in Qatar.

The 30-year-old could become just the second Korean to score at three separate World Cups, after Park Ji-sung, if he can find the target in the 2022 edition.

PREDICTION

Even if Son is passed fit, the odds are weighted in Uruguay's favour.

Stats Perform's AI model gives the South Americans a 56.2 per cent chance of victory at Education City Stadium with South Korea's chances of claiming three vital points are rated at just 18.9 per cent. If Korea can get off to a good start then a draw - which comes in at 24.9 per cent - is a possibility.

History certainly favours Uruguay, who have won all four of their World Cup matches against Asian nations, keeping a clean sheet in three of those.

Pep Guardiola's new contract with Manchester City will see him remain at the Etihad Stadium until 2025, when he will mark nine years at the club.

The Catalan coach has already remained in the Premier League for longer than he has at his previous roles with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, finding a home within English football and establishing a dominant force with his City side.

Throughout his six and a half years in charge so far, Guardiola has been in charge of numerous superstars and club legends, with an all-time squad that would be of envy for any manager in world football.

But how exactly do you break that down into a full XI? Stats Perform has taken on the task and done exactly that.

Ederson

Guardiola made a bold choice upon his arrival in Manchester, swiftly making it clear England international Joe Hart, a two-time Premier League winner, would not fit into his plans moving forward. After a disappointing season with Claudio Bravo, Ederson arrived in 2017 and has been number one ever since.

All of Ederson's 260 appearances across all competitions have come as a starter, higher than any other player under Guardiola, while he sits fifth in the list for total appearances under the Catalan boss.

Kyle Walker

Signed from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017, Kyle Walker has been a mainstay in the City side that has dominated domestic football over the course of the past five years, ranking fifth for the most starts under Guardiola in all competitions (207).

Walker's versatility has been a key benefit for Guardiola and England, with his attacking play also fitting into City's style of play well. Since arriving at City, Walker has contributed 17 assists across all competitions, behind only Joao Cancelo (20) among defenders.

Aymeric Laporte

Among defenders during Guardiola's spell in charge, only John Stones and Walker have started more games than Laporte (155), with both players having joined the club in the seasons before Laporte's arrival from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018.

A total of 163 appearances across all competitions puts him narrowly ahead of Nicolas Otamendi (161) for most games under Guardiola.

John Stones

Snapped up in 2016 as one of Guardiola's first signings, Stones has had to contend with incredible competition for his spot at the heart of the defence, with the likes of Laporte, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all drafted in.

Despite that, Stones continues to be an important player for City and has made 175 starts under Guardiola and 206 appearances overall, ranking second in both among defenders behind only Walker.

Joao Cancelo

The versatile Portuguese full-back moved to City in 2019 from Juventus and has excelled for City, tallying 149 total appearances and 135 starts in all competitions since joining the club, and provides a huge boost in the attacking third.

A total of 20 assists puts him above any defender during Guardiola's spell in charge, even those who have been at the club far longer.

Kevin de Bruyne

Few players fit the Guardiola philosophy more than De Bruyne, who has hit new heights under the former Barcelona boss to stand among the finest players in world football – with a record in front of goal that many would envy.

De Bruyne has registered 117 assists under Guardiola, way ahead of second-place Raheem Sterling (66), while he has scored 73 goals – only behind Gabriel Jesus, Sterling and Sergio Aguero.

Ilkay Gundogan

With 205 starts under Guardiola, the midfielder has been an integral part of the City side since following the Catalan from Germany to Manchester, ranking only behind Walker, David Silva, Sterling, De Bruyne and Ederson in that regard.

Only six players have scored more goals under Guardiola than Gundogan (51), who ranks ninth for the most assists (33).

Fernandinho

The rock of City's midfield for years, Fernandinho started 200 games under Guardiola and made a total of 244 appearances, the latter seeing him rank behind only Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne and Sterling.

A total of 12 goals and 16 assists in those matches represents a decent return for a player renowned more for his defensive strength.

Bernardo Silva

Slotting into the attack ahead of Phil Foden and David Silva, both of whom have a stellar record under Guardiola, Bernardo Silva narrowly gets the nod due to his own impressive numbers in the final third.

Silva has 104 direct goal contributions (50 goals, 54 assists) in 273 appearances, starting in 208 of those matches. Only Sterling and De Bruyne have more assists under Guardiola, while Silva is one of eight players to hit the half-century mark for goals.

Sergio Aguero

In the future, Aguero's spot in the team is likely to be under significant threat from Erling Haaland following his blistering start to life at City, but the Argentine superstar retains the edge for the time being.

Aguero scored 124 goals under Guardiola, more than any other player, with Sterling the only other to have broken the century mark. Those goals came in just 183 appearances with Guardiola in charge, displaying his deadly ability in front of the net.

Raheem Sterling

An unsung hero of the Guardiola era, Sterling played 292 times under the Catalan boss, more than anyone else, while only Aguero scored more goals than Sterling (120).

Sterling also contributed 66 assists under Guardiola, sitting behind only De Bruyne, and is the only player to have scored over 100 goals and added over 50 assists under the Catalan boss.