Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 14: Last-Minute Fantasy Football Advice for Sunday

It's the holiday season, and everyone—including fantasy owners—is immersed in trips to the local shopping mall, figuring out how to wrap those awkwardly shaped presents, dealing with seemingly never-ending phone calls from distant relatives and baking (and eating) those delicious holiday cookies.

Fantasy football can get lost in the shuffle.

For those owners who wake up Sunday morning in a panic over an unsettled starting lineup, there's still hope to get your players in the appropriate slots before Week 14 resumes. All you need is a one-stop shop for last-minute fantasy advice, and you've found it.

In an effort to help quell your anxiety over late lineup decisions, here's a look at an example of a player to start at each position, followed by a group that will be best relegated to the bench, for Sunday's action.

Start 'Em

Pos.	Player	Opponent
QB	Matthew Stafford, DET	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB	Mark Ingram, NO	Carolina Panthers
WR	Kelvin Benjamin	New Orleans Saints
TE	Travis Kelce, KC	Arizona Cardinals
D/ST	Minnesota Vikings	New York Jets
K	Connor Barth, DEN	Buffalo Bills

Matthew Stafford hasn't been the most consistent quarterback for fantasy owners in 2014. He's only accumulated more than 20 fantasy points in three contests this year, but one of those came in Week 13 against the Chicago Bears.

Much of that success was due to reestablishing rapport with All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who caught 11 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. With Johnson looking like his old self, and factoring in the services of Golden Tate, Theo Riddick, Eric Ebron and others, Stafford has a solid chance to put up some big numbers this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay has actually been decent against opposing signal-callers lately. The team hasn't allowed more than 16 fantasy points to the position over the last six weeks. However, the Buccaneers haven't exactly faced any potent aerial attacks in that span—they were torched by better passers earlier in the season. The resurgent Stafford is most certainly worthy of a start in Week 14.

Mark Ingram has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of his last six games, scoring three touchdowns over that span. He's in great shape to add to those numbers on Sunday against a Carolina Panthers run defense that's allowing an average of 18.8 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.

Carolina is coming off a pair of games after holding opposing ball-carriers to single-digit fantasy points, but many teams have managed the same feat against the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings this season. Before those contests, the Panthers allowed at least 20 fantasy points to running backs in seven of eight games.

For those worried about Ingram losing touches, head coach Sean Payton has some good news, via Mike Triplett of ESPN:

Kelvin Benjamin is poised for a big day against the New Orleans Saints. The rookie has been lighting it up this year on a lackluster offense, posting eight touchdowns through 12 games. Expect more of the same in Week 14 against a Saints defense that allows an average of 24.8 fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, the fourth-most in the league.

Wide receivers have been torching New Orleans for the entire season, putting up at least 20 fantasy points in nine of 12 games. Those struggles will continue, as the Saints attempt to contain the 6'5" Benjamin.

Everyone is waiting for a breakout performance from Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. He has all the physical tools to be a huge factor on a team that desperately needs receiving weapons, and we should see him take full advantage of those attributes against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

Arizona has struggled against opposing tight ends throughout the season, allowing two 100-yard games and six touchdowns—and three over the past four weeks—to the position. The Cardinals were hit hard by the injury bug, and they don't have the personnel capable to keep up with an athletic tight end like Kelce.

The Minnesota Vikings have been solid on the defensive side of the ball this season, but they've only produced decent fantasy numbers against weaker offenses. Well, the hapless New York Jets are coming to town, so this would be a great week to get this defense into your starting lineup.

Connor Barth's first game with the Denver Broncos went quite well. He made all five of his field-goal attempts and notched two extra points for 17 fantasy points. This week, Denver faces a Buffalo Bills defense capable of keeping high-powered offenses out of the end zone. That will lead to plenty more attempts for this kicker.

Sit 'Em

Pos.	Player	Opponent
QB	Mark Sanchez, PHI	Seattle Seahawks
RB	Lamar Miller, MIA	Baltimore Ravens
WR	Keenan Allen, SD	New England Patriots
TE	Coby Fleener, IND	Cleveland Browns
D/ST	Buffalo Bills	Denver Broncos
K	Caleb Sturgis, MIA	Baltimore Ravens

Mark Sanchez has played surprisingly well for the Philadelphia Eagles since assuming the starting role; however, he's been rather inconsistent for fantasy owners. Over his five games this year, he's scored at least 20 fantasy points twice but scored 13 or fewer in the other three. With an unfavorable matchup this week against the Seattle Seahawks, he's more likely to produce the latter.

The Seahawks are the stingiest fantasy defense against opposing quarterbacks, allowing an average of just 11.5 points per game and holding signal-callers to five fantasy points or fewer in their last three games. This matchup is too difficult for this enigmatic quarterback, so he's best left on the bench in Week 14.

Lamar Miller has been efficient for the Miami Dolphins this season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Still, he's about to run into a Baltimore Ravens defense that ranks first against opposing ball-carriers, limiting the position to an average of just 10.3 fantasy points per game.

While the Ravens run defense appears to have taken a hit due to the suspension of Haloti Ngata, ESPN Stats & Info tweeted otherwise:

Adding to this unfavorable matchup, Miller doesn't get enough carries—he's received more than 15 just once this season—to warrant a start against a defense that has only allowed one 100-yard rushing performance and just four rushing touchdowns this year.

Due to his recent surge, it may seem like the wrong move to bench Keenan Allen. However, starting him against the New England Patriots is an even bigger risk. Allen has been fantastic of late, eclipsing 100 yards and scoring at least once over his last two games. But, this week, he faces Darrelle Revis.

With one of the league's premier cornerbacks likely draped all over him throughout the course of the game, it's highly unlikely Allen continues his streak. If you have no other available options and must give the wide receiver a go, just keep in mind the risk involved.

Coby Fleener has put up big performances in two of his last three games. However, fellow tight end Dwayne Allen will be back in action this week, according to Mike Chappell of RTV6:

That will lead to decreased targets for Fleener—especially in the red zone. A matchup against a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed more than 34 yards to the position just once in their last five games doesn't help, either.

Don't fall victim to the rankings and start the Buffalo Bills defense this week. Yes, they may be ranked second in fantasy points, but it's never a good idea to put a defense that has a chance of accumulating negative points in your lineup. That's likely to happen this week against a Denver Broncos team that has opposing defenses averaging negative-0.3 fantasy points this season.

Caleb Sturgis has been on a nice run, accumulating double-digit fantasy points in four of his last six games. However, he'll have a difficult time achieving that feat this week against a Ravens team that has only allowed two such performances this year.

All fantasy statistics and rankings courtesy of ESPN.com and current as of December 6.