Week 14 Fantasy Football Projections: Stat Predictions for Top 100 Players

Thanksgiving dinner and bye weeks are a thing of the past. Jaw-dropping fantasy football showdowns with playoffs on the line? 

Say hello to Week 14.

Carolina and New Orleans figure to put on a shootout. Seattle and Philadelphia are good for some fireworks. Ditto for New England and San Diego. The dessert after the main course? Monday Night Football between Atlanta and Green Bay.

Buckle the chinstrap, fantasy owners. The top 100 players are about to explode, as are a few notable sleepers.

Week 14 NFL Schedule

THU, DEC 4	TIME (ET)
SUN, DEC 7	TIME (ET)
MON, DEC 8	TIME (ET)
Dallas at Chicago	8:25 PM
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati	1:00 PM
St. Louis at Washington	1:00 PM
NY Giants at Tennessee	1:00 PM
Carolina at New Orleans	1:00 PM
NY Jets at Minnesota	1:00 PM
Baltimore at Miami	1:00 PM
Indianapolis at Cleveland	1:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Detroit	1:00 PM
Houston at Jacksonville	1:00 PM
Buffalo at Denver	4:05 PM
Kansas City at Arizona	4:05 PM
Seattle at Philadelphia	4:25 PM
San Francisco at Oakland	4:25 PM
New England at San Diego	8:30 PM
Atlanta at Green Bay	8:30 PM

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Projections
1	Peyton Manning, DEN	345 PAS, 2 TD, 1 INT
2	Aaron Rodgers, GB	315 PAS, 4 TD
3	Andrew Luck, IND	245 PAS, 3 TD, 1 INT
4	Drew Brees, NO	350 PAS, 4 TD, 1 INT
5	Tony Romo, DAL	255 PAS, 1 TD
6	Tom Brady, NE	360 PAS, 2 TD, 1 INT
7	Matthew Stafford. DET	300 PAS, 3 TD
8	Joe Flacco, BAL	225 PAS, 2 TD, 2 INT
9	Philip Rivers, SD	305 PAS, 2 TD, 2 INT
10	Cam Newton, CAR	215 PAS, 75 RUS, 2 TD, 1 INT
11	Russell Wilson, SEA	240 PAS, 65 RUS, 1 TD
12	Ryan Tannehill, MIA	255 PAS, 2 TD
13	Mark Sanchez, PHI	245 PAS, 1 TD
14	Ben Roethlisberger, PIT	290 PAS, 3 TD, 1 INT
15	Eli Manning, NYG	275 PAS, 2 TD
16	Colin Kaepernick, SF	180 PAS, 1 TD, 2 INT
17	Colt McCoy, WAS	205 PAS, 1 TD, 1 INT
18	Jay Cutler, CHI	255 PAS, 1 TD, 2 INT
19	Zach Mettenberger, TEN	265 PAS, 2 TD, 1 INT
20	Matt Ryan, ATL	240 PAS, 2 TD, 2 INT

Sleeper: Zach Mettenberger, TEN (vs. NYG)

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Look, rookies are a volatile commodity this time of year with so much on the line in each fantasy matchup. 

A rookie on a two-win team? Downright scary.

But it should not be. With nothing to lose, the coaching staff turns such a player loose to have at it. Said rookie is not as hesitant to make mistakes and can sometimes put up gaudy fantasy totals.

This is where Tennessee Titans rookie Zach Mettenberger comes into play. Mettenberger looks the part of a franchise quarterback, something Ken Whisenhunt and his staff are going to want to see a whole lot more of in the coming weeks.

Mettenberger has scored a minimum of 15 points in three of his last five outings and was well on his way to a fourth last weekend before an injury knocked him out of the game. That injury is of no concern moving forward, per Whisenhunt, via Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean:

The rookie next gets to make his case as the quarterback of the future against the New York Giants, a team that ranks among those that surrender the 10 highest point totals to quarterbacks on average this season.

At home, Mettenberger is set to do more damage and make owners who roll the dice proud.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Projections
1	DeMarco Murray, DAL	175 RUS, 1 TD
2	Arian Foster, HOU	110 RUS, 2 TD
3	Le'Veon Bell, PIT	100 RUS, 85 REC, 1 TD
4	Jamaal Charles, KC	75 RUS, 30 REC, 2 TD
5	Matt Forte, CHI	55 RUS, 45 REC
6	LeSean McCoy, PHI	115 RUS, 1 TD
7	Justin Forsett, BAL	95 RUS, 25 REC, 2 TD
8	C.J. Anderson, DEN	100 RUS, 1 TD
9	Denard Robinson, JAC	65 RUS, 1 TD
10	Marshawn Lynch, SEA	105 RUS, 1 TD
11	Eddie Lacy, GB	65 RUS, 1 TD
12	Tre Mason, STL	120 RUS, 1 TD
13	Rashad Jennings, NYG	45 RUS, 35 REC
14	Andre Ellington, ARI	85 RUS, 45 REC, 1 TD
15	Jeremy Hill, CIN	90 RUS, 1 TD
16	Ryan Mathews, SD	70 RUS
17	Mark Ingram, NO	55 RUS, 35 REC
18	Isaiah Crowell, CLE	75 RUS
19	Alfred Morris, WAS	75 RUS, 30 REC
20	Steven Jackson, ATL	75 RUS, 1 TD
21	Lamar Miller, MIA	55 RUS
22	Joique Bell, DET	60 RUS, 40 REC, 1 TD
23	Jerick McKinnon, MIN	75 RUS, 25 REC
24	Daniel Herron, IND	50 RUS, 30 REC
25	Terrance West, CLE	45 RUS
26	Giovani Bernard, CIN	45 RUS, 20 REC, 1 TD
27	Doug Martin, TB	45 RUS, 1 TD
28	Shane Vereen, NE	15 RUS, 55 REC
29	LeGarrette Blount, NE	75 RUS, 1 TD
30	Frank Gore, SF	50 RUS

Sleeper: Joique Bell, DET (vs. TB)

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Hardly owned in more than 70 percent of leagues, those who threw faith behind Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell last weekend were rewarded with 22 points thanks to 23 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

That makes it five trips to double digits for Bell this season, with a sixth surely inbound thanks to a Week 14 showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Those struggling Buccaneers rank just outside of the 10 worst teams against backs this year and allowed every single backfield it encountered to score in double digits entering last weekend's slate of games.

Fret not about the hobbled Reggie Bush, either, as ESPN's Michael Rothstein writes:

Bell is going to continue to get his looks. The Lions want his sort of consistency at this position just as badly as owners do at this point.

With wide-open running lanes as defenses focus on the passing game and a strangely soft schedule the rest of the way, Bell is a sleeper the rest of the season.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Projections
1	Calvin Johnson, DET	105 REC, 1 TD
2	Demaryius Thomas, DEN	95 REC, 1 TD
3	Antonio Brown, PIT	100 REC
4	Jordy Nelson, GB	100 REC, 2 TD
5	Julio Jones, ATL	65 REC, 1 TD
6	A.J. Green, CIN	110 REC, 1 TD
7	Jeremy Maclin, PHI	95 REC
8	Josh Gordon, CLE	65 REC, 2 TD
9	Dez Bryant, DAL	90 REC, 1 TD
10	T.Y. Hilton, IND	125 REC, 1 TD
11	Brandon Marshall, CHI	75 REC, 1 TD
12	Odell Beckham Jr., NYG	95 REC
13	Emmanuel Sanders, DEN	120 REC, 1 TD
14	Mike Evans, TB	105 REC, 2 TD
15	Alshon Jeffery, CHI	80 REC
16	Brandon LaFell, NE	60 REC
17	Percy Harvin, NYJ	75 REC
18	Kelvin Benjamin, CAR	80 REC, 1 TD
19	Randall Cobb, GB	90 REC, 1 TD
20	Julian Edelman, NE	75 REC
21	Anquan Boldin, SF	65 REC
22	Steve Smith, BAL	60 REC, 1 TD
23	Keenan Allen, SD	95 REC
24	Golden Tate, DET	100 REC
25	Roddy White, ATL	75 REC
26	Sammy Watkins, BUF	80 REC, 1 TD
27	Vincent Jackson, TB	75 REC
28	Martavis Bryant, PIT	80 REC, 1 TD
29	DeAndre Hopkins, HOU	95 REC
30	Mike Wallace, MIA	75 REC, 1 TD
31	Kenny Stills, NO	45 REC
32	Reggie Wayne, IND	50 REC
33	Jordan Matthews, PHI	90 REC, 1 TD
34	Marques Colston, NO	75 REC
35	Mohamed Sanu, CIN	55 REC, 1 TD

Sleeper: Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (at NO)

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Try not to be angry with Carolina Panthers rookie receiver Kelvin Benjamin over a five-point performance in Week 13. 

Instead, try to keep in mind that Benjamin remains Cam Newton's favorite target. He saw a team-high 12 targets in that loss to Minnesota. Benjamin saw 13 the week before that. Seven, 10 and seven in the weeks before that.

Owners get the idea. Wideout is not fully opportunity equals production in the same way running back is, but Benjamin sure makes it seem that way. The rookie has seven double-digit outings this season to date.

To be fair, owners will cringe at this matchup. The New Orleans Saints held Benjamin to one point back in Week 9. But in the weeks after, the Saints have allowed a minimum of 20 points to the position in four consecutive outings and ranks among the 10 worst against wideouts.

Benjamin is reliable more often than not. Week 14 seems a lock to be a strong outing based on recent trends. 

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Projections
1	Rob Gronkowski, NE	110 REC, 1 TD
2	Jimmy Graham, NO	85 REC, 2 TD
3	Julius Thomas, DEN	45 REC, 1 TD
4	Jason Witten, DAL	105 REC, 1 TD
5	Delanie Walker, TEN	60 REC, 1 TD
6	Martellus Bennett, CHI	25 REC
7	Greg Olsen, CAR	80 REC
8	Dwayne Allen, IND	50 REC
9	Jared Cook, STL	65 REC
10	Travis Kelce, KC	75 REC
11	Kyle Rudolph, MIN	45 REC, 1 TD
12	Owen Daniels, BAL	35 REC, 1 TD
13	Antonio Gates, SD	45 REC
14	Charles Clay, MIA	65 REC
15	Mychal Rivera, OAK	50 REC

Sleeper: Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs. NYJ)

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph put in his best line to date last week since his return from injury, catching a pair of passes and a score against Carolina for six fantasy points.

That does not sound like much, but the uptick in effectiveness is a strong sign that he and rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater continue to get on the same page.

As Matt Vensel of The Minneapolis Star Tribune points out, Rudolph is fully back to himself:

The time could not be better for a fantasy explosion from Rudolph. 

He next gets the New York Jets, a team that continues to flirt with surrendering the most points to tight ends on average this season and has far and away given up the most touchdowns to the position (12). 

Rudolph is going to get his. Owners may want to hop on board for the ride.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of 6 p.m. ET on December 1. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.