Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Week 14

Sportz Nation Staff
13 hours ago
6 min read

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen

Start 'Em (Matt Hylen)

Quarterbacks

Jordan Love vs CHI

Love finally came out of his slump last week on Thanksgiving, producing a stellar 234-yard and 4 TD performance. This is the kind of play managers have been hoping for from Jordan Love, who is talented enough to break down any defense. Look for Love to have another great week against a Bears defense that is bottom-10 in football in fantasy points allowed to QBs.

Jared Goff vs DAL

Jared Goff played very well against a great Packers defense, so he should have no issue against the Cowboys. Granted, Dallas' defense has improved while the potential loss of Amon-Ra St. Brown hurts. However, Goff should still put up big numbers with the Dallas secondary still poor.

Bo Nix at LV

Bo Nix is coming off a decent performance against the Commanders last week, passing for 321 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. I like Nix to rebound against a divisional opponent and throw for multiple touchdowns this week against a bad Raiders defense that ranks in the bottom half in fantasy points allowed to QBs.

Running Backs

Photo Credit to Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Kimani Vidal vs PHI

Kimani Vidal has played his way into a borderline must-start each week. Coming off a 25-carry, 126 rushing yard, and 1 TD day, Vidal should have another easy time being efficient with the football. The Eagles currently rank just outside the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to RBs, making Vidal another safe start if Omarion Hampton does not return.

Kenneth Walker III at ATL

I feel like there is one breakout game for Kenneth Walker III waiting to happen this year. He has come close to breaking big-time plays, but has yet to take the top off the defense. Look for this week to be the week for Walker, with his rush-share increasing and his opponent ranking 10th in most points allowed to RBs in fantasy.

David Montgomery vs DAL

David Montgomery has often been a victim of big Jahmyr Gibbs games, which would have been the case once again had he not scored a touchdown. With that said, in every matchup thus far this year where Detroit has played a bottom-tier rush defense, Montgomery has gotten more touches and has done more with those touches. Expect this week to be another instance of Montgomery being more involved, as they face off against the Cowboys, who are prone to allowing big rushing plays.

Wide Receivers

Zay Flowers vs PIT

I am going to have to disagree with Zak on this one! I understand that Zay Flowers is coming off a horrific week, where he caught just two of his 7 targets for 6 yards and lost a fumble. However, Flowers has yet to have two bad weeks in a row, which I believe will continue into this week. The Steelers' 5th-ranked defense in most points allowed to WRs is extremely leaky, thus causing me to believe Flowers could be in for multiple big yardage plays.

Jameson Williams vs DAL

Do I have 3 different Lions players in my list? Yes, but I genuinely think all three will succeed this week. If Amon-Ra St. Brown is unable to play this week, Jameson Williams will immediately take his role and be the most targeted player on the team. Especially against the Cowboys, Williams could be a must-start regardless of St. Brown's status.

Jordan Addison vs WAS

The Vikings' offense has been extremely dysfunctional, to say the least, with Jordan Addison's poor production as a result. With that said, things have to turn around at some point; this team is far too talented on offense to be playing like they have lately. It is definitely a risk, but I have a good feeling Addison can produce against a Commanders defense that allows the 2nd most fantasy points to WRs.

Tight Ends

Photo Credit to Megan Briggs/GettyImages — Photo Credit to **Megan Briggs/GettyImages**

Brenton Strange vs IND

Brenton Strange has been great since his return from injury, providing a much-needed safety blanket for Trevor Lawrence. He has been targeted often in the red zone, so expect Strange to possibly score a TD or two against a Colts defense that allows the 3rd most fantasy points to TEs.

Dalton Kincaid vs CIN

Dalton Kincaid is still a question mark to play this week, but if he does, I expect a big week from the Bills' TE1. He has been consistently targeted against bad defenses against TEs, which should not stop against the Bengals who allow the most fantasy points to TEs.

Kyle Pitts Sr. vs SEA

Another one Zak and I have differing opinions on, what a treat! In my eyes, Kyle Pitts Sr. has been quietly producing very solid numbers recently. Coming off a strong game last week where he caught 7 of his 8 targets for 82 yards, Pitts Sr. has become a viable aspect of Atlanta's offense. Look for Kirk Cousins to target him heavily again against a Seahawks defense that ranks 5th in most fantasy points allowed to TEs.

Sit 'Em

(Zak Drapeau)

Quarterbacks

Jayden Daniels at MIN

Jayden Daniels is leaning toward a start this weekend after rehabbing his arm injury, but even if he is back, I think fantasy owners and the Commanders in general should sit him for a week. The Vikings’ defense is good no matter how much their quarterback wants to sabotage them, and if Daniels plays at anything besides 100%, it will show in a big way.

Daniel Jones at JAX

Besides the fact that the Colts are falling apart in front of our eyes and Daniel Jones is nursing a reported “fracture in his fibula,” Indy does not do well in Jacksonville. If the Colts started the year off in a Superman-season, EverBank Stadium is their kryptonite; they have not won there in over 11 years. All this is to say I think Jones has an off game in his already wavering season.

Lamar Jackson vs PIT

Okay, so this is a cop-out… I’m not saying to sit Jackson, but you should definitely think about it if you have another option. The Steelers’ defense is very inconsistent, but when they’re good, they’re holding people like Josh Allen to 123 passing yards. Jackson’s performances have been awful the past three weeks, and if he is nursing some injury we don’t know about, he could carry that into this week in a bad way.

Running Backs

Photo by Jenna Watson via Indy Star/ USA Today Network

Jonathan Taylor at JAX

The MVP of the league for the first 10 weeks has REALLY cooled off in Indy’s recent dry spell and, as I stated in the Daniel Jones entry above, should be in for a rough week in Jacksonville. Taylor’s biggest reason for a few sour weeks is the play-calling in Indy, with Shane Steichen determined to throw the ball even early in the game. Hopefully, he will come back to his senses for all Taylor owners out there.

Saquon Barkley at LAC

Barkley is suffering from the exact same thing in Philly these past three weeks as the team is determined to turn into a pass-first offense. Barkley is averaging just 16 carries in that time and hasn’t found the end zone since October. A date in Los Angeles certainly doesn’t seem like the right time to expect him to return to his once MVP-like glory.

Ashton Jeanty vs DEN

Jeanty is on the Raiders. That’s it… that’s why you should sit him.

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson vs WAS

Here’s a crazy stat: Justin Jefferson has failed to score 10 fantasy points in four straight games for the first time in his career. What do you expect when his quarterback is playing the way he has been? Jefferson may be the best wide receiver talent we’ve seen in some years, but even he can’t overcome that.

Drake London vs SEA

London has everything going against him right now. What started as a very promising season for the young stud has turned into an injury-riddled season with an aging backup throwing him the ball. This week against the Seahawks' secondary… Yeah, no.

Zay Flowers vs PIT

This is a weird one for me. Flowers has had some recent struggles but seems ready to get back to his point-scoring ways. However, something is wrong with Lamar Jackson, and against a Steelers defense in a HUGE battle in the AFC North, this game will be too high stakes and seems like another one that Lamar will struggle in.

Tight Ends

Mark Andrews vs PIT

And for the trifecta in Baltimore, Mark Andrews is also on my list. Lamar's struggling lately, the Steelers' defense, and Andrews being completely touchdown-dependent make this a clear choice for me.

Kyle Pitts vs SEA

I'm not saying Kirk Cousins can't win games for Atlanta, but I am saying that his targets can't depend on having big days, especially against a Seahawks defense that may be the best in the league.

Harold Fannin Jr. vs TEN

Fannin Jr. is having a pretty good rookie season, but it seems he is not yet Shedeur Sanders' favorite target. While the young QB is finding his footing, it's a good idea to keep Fannin on the bench, especially when the Titans' defense is 9th in the league against Fantasy TEs.