Fantasy Football Week 14: Takeaways from Sunday's Action

It was a unique Sunday in the NFL. And by unique, we mean ugly, as messy weather, untimely injuries and underwhelming quarterback play across the league led to a frustrating slate of fantasy football in Week 14.   

On a positive note—unless you faced him in the playoffs—the Pittsburgh Steelers' Le'Veon Bell produced an absolutely historic box score in Buffalo. In fact, Bell outgained the Bills with 298 yards from scrimmage in Orchard Park and delivered three touchdowns in a classic performance.

Years from now, the week in fantasy football will be remembered for the "Le'Veon Game." As ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft shares, Bell's 47 fantasy points in ESPN leagues are the most by any player since Jamaal Charles had 51 in Week 15 of 2013.

We detail Bell's opus as well as notable injuries and revealing performances in this fantasy-centric breakdown of Sunday's NFL action. As always, please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section.

Cincinnati's Jeremy Hill Is a True RB1

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Last week, Cincinnati's Jeremy Hill played on 57.8 percent of the Bengals' offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, and enjoyed a season-high 23 carries. This week, Hill played on 57.7 percent of the team's offensive snaps and set a new season high with 25 carries.

With 53 total touches over the past two games in the wake of Giovani Bernard's injury, Hill has emerged as a viable RB1 asset. With so many splintered backfields with committee workloads and subpar rushing situations around the league, the cost certainty of Hill's heavy workload is invaluable. 

The Bengals aim to play spoilers for their rival Steelers next week at home, and Hill will play a pivotal role in this agenda, as Pittsburgh has ceded the sixth-most fantasy points to tailbacks entering Week 14.

Le'Veon Bell Goes Ballistic in Buffalo

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The slate in fantasy football can be summed up succinctly—those who own Le'Veon Bell had it easy and those who didn't likely grinded the week out.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' superstar tailback became the first player this season to outgain his opponent by himself, as he produced 298 yards from scrimmage to the Buffalo Bills' 275, per Elias via ESPN Stats & Info.

Bell's 47 fantasy points in ESPN leagues is an entirely dominant outing, as ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft reveals:

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Only 24 skill-position players since 1950 have scored more in a single game than Bell, who was started in 99.7 percent of ESPN leagues, did on Sunday. Of those 24, only 17 were running backs, and three of those 17 did so in AFL games in the 1960s. Only 10 running backs have had a greater score than Bell in the past half-century.

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ESPN Stats & Info informs us Bell has netted at least 100 yards from scrimmage 30 times in his career, tied for third most in league history through 45 games.

Meanwhile, Elias via ESPN Stats & Info notes Bell's 1,616 yards from scrimmage this season are the second most in league history through the first 10 games of a player's season, behind only Jim Brown's 1963 opus.

On a Sunday with many starting signal-callers and receivers disappointing fantasy investors, Bell was undeniably the shining star of the slate.

DeSean Jackson Remains a Rare Big-Play Threat

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With a big-play fueled performance in Week 14, the Washington Redskins' DeSean Jackson has scored touchdowns in three of his past four games and has hauled in a catch of at least 50 yards in three straight.

A pivotal 80-yard touchdown in the team's important victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14 earned Jackson a place in NFL history, as the Washington Post's Mike Jones reports the Cal product moved into second place all-time behind Jerry Rice with 22 receptions of at least 60 yards.   

The play also marked Jackson's 21st career receiving touchdown of at least 50 yards, good for seven more than any other player since he joined the NFL in the 2008 campaign, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed five of seven attempts thrown at least 15 yards downfield in the win over Philly and now has 12 such touchdowns this year, second in the NFL. All of this adds up to Jackson earning a top-five fantasy showing among receivers in ESPN leagues this week.

Facing a generous Carolina Panthers' secondary in Week 15 that entered Week 14 allowing the fifth-most yards per game (180.5) to opposing receivers, Jackson is a valuable big-play threat for both season-long and daily fantasy competition.

Tyler Eifert Emerging as Top Fantasy Tight End Down the Stretch

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There were just six touchdowns scored by tight ends this week. Without any teams on bye, this is a glaring reality that speaks to the shallow nature of the position.

The Cincinnati Bengals' Tyler Eifert scored two of these six touchdowns in a decisive win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. 

The Bengals' go-to red-zone weapon has scored in three straight games and has four scores over this successful sample. We know a real scoring rapport exists, as Eifert led the position last season and was just one shy of the league lead with 13 touchdowns.  

With quarterback Andy Dalton leaning on his hulking tight end with top target A.J. Green sidelined with a serious hamstring ailment, Eifert is arguably the top fantasy weapon at the position going forward.

Melvin Gordon Carted off in Carolina with Hip Injury

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Without wideout Keenan Allen and dynamic tailback Danny Woodhead, the San Diego Chargers' offense has been ravaged by injuries this season. It was alarming then to see star tailback Melvin Gordon carted off in the first quarter of the team's Week 14 loss to the Carolina Panthers with a hip ailment. 

Fourth in the NFL in total touchdowns among skill players, Gordon's absence proved crushing for his fantasy managers. Gordon was limited to just five yards on three carries before bowing out with the injury. 

It's encouraging to consider, however, that beat scribe Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports there is a sense of relief from the team that the injury isn't considered too serious.

If your fantasy team survived this injury scenario, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Gordon is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his hip on Monday. We wait for further information, but early indications are Gordon could still play this season.

Ryan Tannehill Reportedly Done for Season with ACL Injury

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ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Miami Dolphins fear their starting signal-caller Ryan Tannehill tore his ACL in the team's close win over the Arizona Cardinals. Such an injury would clearly end Tannehill's season. 

Tannehill produced three touchdowns in the outing, his third such performance this season. Even with this solid 17-point fantasy showing in ESPN standard scoring, Tannehill ranks just 24th in fantasy points per game in this format with 13.85 per start.

The relevant fantasy consideration going forward will be how wideouts Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker are utilized with veteran backup Matt Moore at the helm. We can expect the team to rely heavily on their ground game featuring Jay Ajayi in the weeks ahead, while looming road trips against the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills could prove troubling given cold climates.

The injury could spell lower target shares for the aforementioned wideouts, especially with low implied point totals expected for these upcoming division battles.

Despite Injury, Matthew Stafford Delivers Another Comeback

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The Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford orchestrated his eighth fourth-quarter comeback on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears, the most in a single season since at least 1950, per NFL Research. 

Making this clutch performance even more impressive, Stafford suffered a dislocated finger and torn ligaments in his throwing hand, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. 

Stafford apparently suffered the injury after banging his hand on the helmet of Chicago's Leonard Floyd at the conclusion of the first quarter. Stafford wore a glove on his throwing hand for the remainder of the game and threw two picks in the fourth quarter. 

Birkett reveals some telling information, "Stafford said he last played with a glove during the 2011 season, when he fractured the index finger on his right (throwing) hand. He threw four interceptions in his first game with a glove that year, against the Bears, and five more over the next two weeks."

With a road game in Week 15 against a solid New York Giants' defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks in ESPN leagues entering Week 14, we might want to seek stronger streaming options behind center during a pivotal fantasy playoff matchup.

Despite Slow Start, David Johnson Extends Scrimmage Streak

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The Arizona Cardinals' offense struggled for much of their game in Miami on Sunday, as tailback David Johnson seemed at risk of not producing 100 yards from scrimmage in the process.

Johnson and his offense rallied to tie the game late, only to lose on a late field goal, as the superstar tailback mustered 121 total yards. The performance marks Johnson's 13th game of the season with at least 100 total yards, tying him with Edgerrin James' 2005 season with the Indianapolis Colts for the most in NFL history to start a season, per ESPN Stats & Info.  

If you advanced in the fantasy playoffs with Johnson's respectable outing, the superstar tailback will challenge the Pittsburgh Steelers' Le'Veon Bell as the top fantasy tailback in Week 15 thanks to a choice home matchup against the New Orleans Saints that could see him set the record for 100-yard scrimmage games to start a season.

Philly's Zach Ertz Shines, Darren Sproles Hurt in Loss to Redskins

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The Philadelphia Eagles can't claim a ton of bright spots on offense over the past several games. The team ranks 24th in points per drive and has the fourth-highest rate of turnovers per drive since Week 5, but it's helpful to note tight end Zach Ertz is finally flashing as a meaningful fantasy asset in recent weeks. 

Ertz caught 10 of 13 targets for 112 yards in the team's loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 14. The Stanford product netted 21.7 percent of the team's target on Sunday afternoon and has a whopping 28 targets over the past two games.

Ertz' 19 receptions and 25 targets lead all NFL tight ends over the past two weeks, evidence he's a strong starting and streaming option in the weeks ahead.

The Eagles' Darren Sproles rushed five times for 27 yards in the Eagles' Week 14 loss to the Redskins but was removed from the game with a possible concussion, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Sproles is merely a flex option in points-per-reception leagues, and given the upcoming matchup against a stingy Baltimore Ravens rush defense, we're fading him for Week 15.

Denver's Rushing Game Is Officially a Mess

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Justin Forsett's first carry with the Denver Broncos resulted in a fumble. In the team's loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Forsett tallied just 17 yards on six carries in his debut with Denver—and yet actually led the team in rushing. 

Rookie Devontae Booker touched the ball just five times and netted only one rushing yard on three attempts. It's safe to declare the Denver running game a disaster in both real and fantasy football regards.

It's entirely unclear which tailback will earn more meaningful work in the weeks ahead, although it's obvious we should avoid the Broncos' backfield in the pivotal fantasy postseason given such uncertainty and unproductive trends.

Russell Wilson Implodes with Turnover-Filled Game in Lambeau

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If you started the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson in the fantasy playoffs in Week 14, we want to congratulate you on a good run. It's highly likely Wilson's five-interception outing in Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers tanked your title hopes. 

Wilson had five picks and Aaron Rodgers had just five incompletions in the disparate performances.

Wilson is now ranked 23rd in fantasy points per game in ESPN standard scoring among quarterbacks in what has been a wholly disappointing season. The Seahawks have played seven road games this season and have scored 13 points or fewer in five of them.

Wilson is merely a streaming option in deeper leagues for Week 15, while it's likely best to avoid this inconsistent Seattle offense where possible in win-or-go-home fantasy matchups.  

Carlos Hyde and Bilal Powell Dominate the Day in San Francisco

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The New York Jets completed a dramatic comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers with an overtime touchdown from tailback Bilal Powell.

Powell became just the third back in team history with at least 145 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the past 30 seasons, per Stats Muse. Feature back Matt Forte left the game early with a knee injury, per the team's Twitter feed, affording Powell a career-high 34 touches. The awesome workload and multi-score outing led to Powell netting the second-most fantasy points among backs on the week in ESPN leagues.

This once again proves we want to start any and all relevant tailbacks against the 49ers. Powell is a worthy starting fantasy option next week against the Miami Dolphins if Forte's injury proves enduring, as this report from ESPN's Rich Cimini suggests is possible.

As for the San Francisco 49ers' ground game, Carlos Hyde erupted for 193 yards and netted a receiving touchdown in the process for exactly 200 total yards in the loss. Hyde nets a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Atlanta Falcons next week and merits trust as a high-end RB2.

Dallas' Dez Bryant Disappoints in the Fantasy Playoffs

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The Dallas Cowboys are still perched safely atop the NFC standings, but it was revealing to see their otherwise potent offense limited to just seven points in a loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night. The loss marked their second of the season to the Giants. 

Dez Bryant's fantasy investors, however, might not be sitting atop the standings any longer, as the mercurial superstar was held to just one reception and a lost fumble, resulting in a negative fantasy total for his disappointed (devastated?) managers.

Bryant fumbled his lone catch in the loss and next week faces a Tampa Bay secondary that has improved over recent weeks, as the Bucs have allowed the fewest points per drive in the NFL over the past month.

With his proven touchdown pattern, there is still interest in starting Bryant on fantasy teams that survived his weak Week 14, but it's clear he's now in the boom-or-bust tier at the position given Sunday's sorry statistical showing.

Data such as target rate, downfield passing production, defensive drive allowance and fantasy production sourced from an ESPN database.