Fantasy Football Week 14 Rankings: Latest Position-by-Position Rundown

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For many fantasy owners, Week 14 represents the last chance to make the right calls and inch into the playoffs.

After a long season of waiver-wire pickups, trades and analyzing matchups, there's no reason to stop now. You're almost there. Just keep trudging forward.

Only the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears were in action on Thursday night. Top options like DeMarco Murray, Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and Dez Bryant were in action, but there are plenty of stars left to play on Sunday. Which ones should you start?

A full listing of fantasy rankings for every position is here for you to take advantage of the matchups and play the guys who will net you the most points for your fantasy squad.

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady and Philip Rivers are two of the most successful December quarterbacks in the NFL, as NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano tweeted:

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The two square off from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on Sunday night, and they are easily two of the most influential quarterbacks of the week. Their success in the year's final month implies that both will have strong games on Sunday.

Rivers should have a tough time putting up numbers, however. Eddie Royal and Keenan Allen will face a mix of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, two corners who have been stifling against opposing wideouts. He'll have to find Antonio Gates to put points on the board. Luckily, the New England Patriots have allowed 786 yards and five touchdowns to tight ends this year, per ESPN.

Rivers, therefore, is somewhat of a risky play. That's bad for owners, as he was drafted by many with high expectations.

Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson join Brady in the top tier of quarterbacks this week.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, a surprise in the top 10, is coming off a huge performance against the Tennessee Titans. He posted 358 yards and six touchdowns. NFL.com's Michael Fabiano was just as shocked as you were:

The Jacksonville Jaguars are an equally inept defense, so Fitzpatrick is in good position to post multiple touchdowns and over 300 yards yet again.

Running Backs

Difficult matchups await a handful of the top fantasy running backs.

Jamaal Charles won't find gaining yards easy against Arizona's No. 6 rush defense. C.J. Anderson faces the next-best run defense in Buffalo. Lamar Miller has the Baltimore Ravens' No. 4 unit to deal with.

A few interesting options to consider in Week 14 are Mark Ingram and Frank Gore.

Ingram ranks seventh among tailbacks this week after posting 122 yards on 23 carries against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was his fourth 100-yard game of the season, and the New Orleans Saints' official Twitter account let its followers know that such a mark puts him in notable company:

Carolina allows runners to average 4.4 yards per carry, plus it has surrendered 13 touchdowns on the year. Roll with Ingram.

Gore has largely disappointed this year. He ranks behind the likes of Shane Vereen, Matt Asiata and Steven Jackson in terms of 2014 fantasy production, but owners shouldn't be discouraged from giving him a go against the Oakland Raiders.

Oakland has also allowed 13 touchdowns on the ground, so Gore is in for some chances. He was out-touched by Carlos Hyde last week (11 to 13), but he'll get back to respectability this week.

Other options to consider are Isaiah Crowell and Jonathan Stewart, who will see a bulk of the carries this week with DeAngelo Williams sidelined, reports Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer.

Wide Receivers

Wide receivers can be volatile if they aren't named Jordy Nelson, Demaryius Thomas or Antonio Brown. Start those guys through thick and thin.

You likely have a few receivers on your roster who perform like the tides. Sometimes, they perform like they should be in, but sometimes, they perform like they should be out. Some of those wideouts have favorable matchups in Week 14 and are worth a starting nod.

Kenny Stills was largely unproductive before the Saints' bye week in Week 5, but he has really turned the corner since. Week 13 was his best showing, racking up 162 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. You can never bank on that many receiving yards, but he could come close against a Panthers defense that has issued the seventh-most points to wideouts this season.

Fabiano says you should start him this week:

Stills has been an absolute monster in the stat sheets in recent weeks, including a 162-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 13. He's been even better in PPR leagues, recording a combined 58.0 fantasy points in his last three games. The Panthers have struggled against home wideouts, so Stills is a terrific sleeper selection.

The last time Stills faced the Panthers, he racked up a modest 72 yards on five catches.

Mike Wallace has a respectable seven touchdowns this season, but he has yet to top 81 yards in a game—a number he posted in Week 1. That has frustrated many of his owners. The Ravens offer him the best chance at topping the century mark, as they rank 32nd in fantasy against wide receivers this season.

It's a bit of a risk to entrust Wallace with those expectations, yet it's still a risk worth taking.

Tight Ends

Tight end is such a brutally thin position that it's hard to find consistent options outside of Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. Heck, even Graham hasn't been the most reliable. He didn't record a catch in Week 13.

One guy to rely on this week is Antonio Gates due to the reasons mentioned above. With Rivers' top wideouts covered by suffocating corners, he'll turn to his veteran tight end for help. Gates has been a consistent target for a long time, and he told Tom Curran of CSNNE.com about how he has stayed on the field, via Darin Gantt of NBC Sports:

I'm a firm believer in being physical. But then there are unnecessary hits you don't have to take. Some people think you can't be physical and not have aggression. We talk about having aggression, but still staying fundamentally sound. What that means is you go out, play hard, and be physical, but still play smart at the same time.

After a seven-catch, 83-yard performance against the Ravens in Week 13, Gates is on tap to give owners more big numbers this week.

If you're looking for a good bet to score a touchdown, then look no farther than Kyle Rudolph. The Minnesota Vikings tight end doesn't post big yardage (he hasn't had over 53 yards in five games this season), but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is comfortable throwing to him. Plus, the New York Jets have allowed 10.2 points per game to tight ends, per ESPN.

It can be difficult decision to commit to any Vikings player because of the team's lackluster weapons, but Rudolph is worth consideration.

Kickers

Defense/Special Teams

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn