Fantasy Football Week 14: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

It's Week 14 of the 2020 NFL season, and that means one thing: It's time to dust off the old Jim Mora impression because it's the fantasy playoffs.

That never gets old.

This is a pressure-packed time of year for fantasy managers. Every week's matchup is a season all on its own, likely taking the form of a difficult showdown against a formidable foe. Get a win and the season moves on. Take a loss and that's all she wrote; the season is over.

Every lineup decision is that much more important. Every point can be the difference between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

And that can drive fantasy managers to distraction.

This column is here to help you steer things back on track. Every week, I go through lineup questions on the Bleacher Report app and offer up answers to assist fantasy managers in securing a win.

This time of year, those wins mean that much more.

A Good Problem to Have

From the Bleacher Report App

This feels more like showing off than asking a question. That is a loaded quartet of pass-catchers.

So I'm small and petty. What of it? Don't judge me.

When looking at a group of comparable options like this, situations and matchups separate the best options from the pack. So we'll look at each of these plays through that lens.

Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is on pace to come up short of 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. But the seventh-year veteran also has 11 touchdown catches in 12 games and faces a Minnesota Vikings team that has surrendered the fourth-most point-per-reception (PPR) points per game to wide receivers.

On the other sideline in that game, Justin Jefferson has had himself a stellar rookie season with 1,039 receiving yards, seven scores and five games over 100 yards (including last week). Also, while the Tampa defense has been formidable against the run, the pass defense hasn't been as strong.

Allen Robinson II of the Chicago Bears in fourth in the NFL in targets with 115 and ranks inside the top 20 in fantasy points among wide receivers. But no one is going to confuse the Bears passing game with the Kansas City Chiefs attack anytime soon.

Then there's Terry McLaurin of the Washington Football Team. He also ranks inside the top 10 in targets for the season and has more fantasy PPR points than Evans this year. But the Washington offense caps his upside, and this week's matchup with the San Francisco 49ers is only average.

Jefferson is the easiest "yes" of this bunch, and the second slot goes to Evans.

That matchup with the Vikings is just too good to pass up.

The Call: Mike Evans (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,600), Justin Jefferson (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,400)

Don't Get the Yips

From the Bleacher Report App

The first part of this question is hard to answer definitively without knowing the other options under center. But given how great Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills looked in torching the San Francisco 49ers last week and the fact that Alex Smith just passed for almost 300 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the list of signal-callers ranked ahead of Allen in Week 14 isn't a long one.

Don't overthink it.

That leaves us with two wideouts and a flex to select. We'll go with the last one first, because logic.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been hot of late with at least 16 touches and over 110 total yards in each of the past two games. The Las Vegas Raiders have been kind to running backs, allowing the fifth-most PPR points to the position. That's a hard combo to pass up, so the rookie runner gets the flex nod.

At wide receiver, Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints has to get one of the spots. His ceiling is too high to pass up, especially given how often Taysom Hill has targeted him since taking over as the Saints quarterback.

Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams has averaged nine targets per game the past three weeks, and Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys has a touchdown in two straight games. But Chris Godwin of the Buccaneers gets the same soft Minnesota Vikings secondary that earned Mike Evans a nod in the last question, so the second starting slot at receiver is his.

The Call: Josh Allen (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,100), Michael Thomas (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,100), Chris Godwin (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300), Jonathan Taylor (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800)

Taylor Time Times 2

From the Bleacher Report App

We're getting some early candidates to be this week's cover dude.

We'll go ahead and flip this one too and knock out the flex question first. Usually speaking, it's wise to defer to running backs in flex spots for one simple reason: touches. Players can't accrue fantasy points without the ball.

The Washington Football Team's Antonio Gibson is out. The rookie is battling turf toe, and his status for Sunday's trip to face the San Francisco 49ers is in doubt. Myles Gaskin of the Miami Dolphins blew up for 141 total yards last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, but this week's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs isn't a great one, especially if his team has to abandon the run and play catch-up.

Jonathan Taylor has been hot and draws a top-five fantasy matchup for running backs, so he gets the call.

The wide receiver dilemma is both interesting and tricky. Brandon Aiyuk of the 49ers is coming off a 5/95/1 line against the Buffalo Bills, but his target share has been erratic, and Washington has given up the third-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers in 2020.

He's a pass.

So is Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans. He blew up last week against the Cleveland Browns to the tune of 11 catches for 182 yards and a score, but he also had just 13 catches in the four preceding games combined.

That leaves Amari Cooper. The loss of Dak Prescott hasn't done his fantasy value any favors, but he has been the clear No. 1 receiver in Dallas since Andy Dalton took over and has at least five catches and double-digit PPR points in each of the last four contests.

The Call: Amari Cooper (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500), Jonathan Taylor (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800),

Noticing a Theme Yet?

From the Bleacher Report App

If I didn't know better, I'd think there was some uneasiness about starting Jonathan Taylor in a must-win week. Call it a hunch.

It's understandable given the fluctuation in touches for the rookie this season, but that workload share appears to have stabilized at the perfect time for fantasy managers. He's a go against a Las Vegas Raiders team allowing 121.1 yards per game on the ground.

Fluctuation in touches is also why JK Dobbins of the Baltimore Ravens is out. He has double-digit carries, at least 70 rushing yards and a score in two straight games, but the rookie from Ohio State also has more games with five or fewer carries than contests with 10 or more.

The easiest yes of this whole bunch of backfield bros is Wayne Gallman of the New York Giants because it's 2020 and nothing makes sense anymore. He just gashed the Seattle Seahawks for 135 yards on 16 carries, and the fourth-year pro has six scores over his last six games.

Saquon who?

That leaves one spot and two backs: Kenyan Drake of the Arizona Cardinals and Myles Gaskin of the Miami Dolphins. 

Drake has found the end zone in three straight contests, but he hasn't hit 100 total yards since Week 10 and faces a Giants defense that has improved markedly in recent weeks. It's close, but Gaskin's big Week 13 and the lack of depth around him at running back in Miami seals the deal.

The Call: Wayne Gallman (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700), Jonathan Taylor (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800), Myles Gaskin (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600)

The Kyler Konundrum

From the Bleacher Report App

This fantasy manager might have trouble believing they are considering benching Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals.

I do not.

For the season, Murray is the highest-scoring quarterback in NFL.com's default fantasy scoring. But the Redbirds have been slumping as a team, in large part because opposing defenses have done well taking the run away from the second-year pro. Over the last four weeks, Murray barely ranks inside the top 10 among fantasy signal-callers.

After blowing up for 389 passing yards and three scores against the Cleveland Browns a week ago, Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans ranks two slots higher over that same span. He also draws a top-five fantasy matchup for quarterbacks this week against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, while Murray gets the fifth-worst matchup for the position against the New York Giants.

With that said, Tannehill's last four stat lines have featured blowups and blah in equal measure. If the Titans get a lead, the second half could quickly become the Derrick Henry show.

Murray is the call, but it's relatively close.

The flex question is an interesting one: a lead running back with a solid matchup in the Seattle Seahawks' Chris Carson versus a high-end wide receiver in Calvin Ridley of the Atlanta Falcons.

Carson draws a New York Jets team this week that has given up the 12th-most PPR points to running backs, but he also hasn't carried the ball 20 times in a game this season and is working his way back from injury. Ridley has posted WR1 numbers in 12-team leagues this season, but he's facing a Los Angeles Chargers team that has given up the fourth-fewest PPR points to receivers.

It's close, but I'm going against my usual inclination to start a running back in the flex spot here. Ridley's ceiling is too good to pass up given that he has just one game with fewer than 14 PPR points since Week 5.

The Call: Kyler Murray (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,200), Calvin Ridley (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,500)

Booker and Ben Ride Again

From the Bleacher Report App

I can empathize with this running back question. But while these aren't great options, they also aren't terrible.

The first back ruled out is Nyheim Hines of the Indianapolis Colts. He's had his moments, but Jonathan Taylor's ascension these past couple of weeks has come at his expense. After just nine touches for 32 yards last week, he's a sit.

James White of the New England Patriots is as well and not just because the Pats have a terrible fantasy matchup for the position with the Los Angeles Rams this week. In last week's blowout win over the Los Angeles Chargers, he had all of three touches for one yard.

That's not going to get it done.

That leaves Devontae Booker of the Las Vegas Raiders. He was admittedly less than impressive in his first go-round as the lead back for the Silver and Black a week ago, but he had 17 touches against the New York Jets, and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden wasn't optimistic earlier in the week that Josh Jacobs would return to the field in Week 14.

That workload wins the day, with Hines a Plan B if Jacobs is able to go.

The quarterback question is a close call. Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints gets a boost from his rushing ability. Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers has over 300 passing yards in three of his last five games.

The kicker here is matchup since the Steelers face a Buffalo Bills team surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.

Big Ben it is.

The Call: Devontae Booker (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300), Ben Roethlisberger (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700)

The Full Monty

From the Bleacher Report App

The first running back call here is easy as can be.

The Chicago Bears are reeling as a team, but David Montgomery is as hot as any back in fantasy. Two weeks ago, he topped 100 rushing yards on just 11 carries. He has three touchdowns over the past two games and leads all running backs in PPR points over that span.

Add in an excellent fantasy matchup with the Houston Texans, and Montgomery is a must-start.

From there, things get interesting.

David Johnson of the Texans is a pass since the Houston ground game has underwhelmed in 2020. So is Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The second-year wideout has been solid for fantasy managers, but there are featured backs available here who will see over 15 touches on a weekly basis.

That brings us to three backs for the final two spots: Miles Sanders of the Philadelphia Eagles, Myles Gaskin of the Miami Dolphins and Chris Carson of the Seattle Seahawks.

At one time, Sanders would have been the call here. But the Philly offense is a hot mess, and the New Orleans Saints are one of the worst fantasy matchups for running backs in 2020.

Gaskin should be a big part of the Miami offense against the Kansas City Chiefs—at least as long as the score doesn't get completely out of hand. Carson is a fair bet to find the end zone Sunday as Seattle looks to rebound against the hapless New York Jets.

Roll that duo out with Monty.

The Call: David Montgomery (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500), Myles Gaskin (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600), Chris Carson (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,900)

Following the Trends

From the Bleacher Report App

This running back question has changed as the season wears on.

Both these ball-carriers play in crowded backfields, and that crowd lends uncertainty to trusting either.

When the situation is right, Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns has RB1 upside. But he is the clear second fiddle to Nick Chubb, and the Browns also face a Baltimore Ravens team allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs in 2020.

Cam Akers of the Los Angeles Rams, on the other hand, is trending in the other direction. The rookie has touchdowns in each of the past two weeks, and last week against the Arizona Cardinals, he tallied a season-high 21 carries.

Akers is nursing a shoulder injury, but it's not expected to impact his status for Thursday's game.

At tight end, the insertion of Jalen Hurts at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles adds risk to trusting Zach Ertz or Dallas Goedert in Week 14. Jordan Akins of the Houston Texans has a top-five fantasy matchup for tight ends with the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but he's also all kinds of feast or famine with fewer than 20 receiving yards in four of the past five games.

With Ertz still working his way back from a long layoff, roll with Goedert and hope Hurts checks down underneath quite a bit against the New Orleans Saints.

The Call: Cam Akers (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100), Dallas Goedert (DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000)

DraftKings DFS Question of the Week

From the Bleacher Report App

Each of these wide receivers has some appeal in Week 14.

For Antonio Brown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the appeal lies mainly in his matchup with a Minnesota Vikings team that has surrendered the fourth-most PPR points to wide receivers in 2020. However, he also hasn't had even 70 receiving yards in a game since joining the Buccaneers, and last time out against the Kansas City Chiefs, he managed just two grabs for 11 yards.

Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans had a slightly better stat line last week against the Cleveland Browns with 11 catches for 182 yards and a score. It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season, but the 25-year-old also has three games with fewer than 40 yards.

Then there's Jamison Crowder of the New York Jets. He came out of the gate red-hot, topping 100 yards in his first three games. But the veteran slot receiver has just 168 yards in the last five games combined and hasn't hit the century mark since Week 5.

However, while Crowder had just five grabs for 47 yards last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, two of those catches went for scores. And this week, his Jets face a Seattle Seahawks team that has allowed the most PPR points to receivers this season by a sizable margin.

That matchup (and the lowest asking price of the three this week at DraftKings) settles it.

The Call: Jamison Crowder (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400)

Rapid Fire

Tony Ding/Associated Press

We'll wrap this Week 14 edition of fantasy start/sit the same way as always: It's time to climb into the cockpit, fire up the afterburners and fly into the danger zone of banging out some answers rapid-fire style.

Have more Week 14 lineup questions? Leave them in the comments. I try to spend at least a few hours there every Friday and Saturday to assist readers in setting their lineups.

ksmith needs a receiver and a flex option: "PPR league. Tee Higgins, Robert Woods, or Cam Akers?"

Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700) is an easy call at wide receiver. He's a top-10 wide receiver for the season in PPR formats. At the flex spot, the call is closer, but I'm going to double up on Rams players with Cam Akers (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100), who topped 20 carries last week and doesn't play in the offensive disaster area that is currently the Cincinnati Bengals.

Littrell has a running back quandary: "Gus Edwards, Jamaal Williams and Raheem Mostert. Pick two."

Only one of these players is the lead runner for their team, so Raheem Mostert (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200) of the San Francisco 49ers is the first "yep" of the lot. Gus Edwards of the Baltimore Ravens and Jamaal Williams (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000) of the Green Bay Packers are both complementary backfield options, but the tiebreak here is less about the back than the matchup. Williams and the Packers face the Detroit Lions' nonexistent run defense.

Back to Littrell for a choice between less-than-stellar quarterbacks: "[Andy] Dalton or [Mitchell] Trubisky?"

Is "neither" on the table? I kid because I care. These two quarterbacks have similarly middling matchups with the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans, so the tiebreaker here is the offensive weapons around them. That gives the edge to Andy Dalton (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500) of the Dallas Cowboys by a fair margin.

davemccarty is brutally honest about his flex options: "[D'Andre] Swift, [Chase] Edmonds, or [Darius] Slayton. PPR flex. The last two stink, but that's all I have. 14-team league."

There's no telling how many carries Chase Edmonds of the Arizona Cardinals will get, so he's out. It's hard to trust receivers for the New York Giants with Colt McCoy at quarterback, so Darius Slayton is out, too. Provided Lions running back D'Andre Swift (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500) is back in action (and he's been practicing), he's the easy call here even in a sketchy matchup with the Chicago Bears.

Back to quarterbacks with Shamser_Singh: "Philip Rivers or Matt Ryan?"

At first glance, this would clearly appear to favor Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. But over the past month, Philip Rivers (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900) of the Indianapolis Colts has been a low-end fantasy QB1 in terms of points per game, while Ryan barely ranks inside the top 30 at the position. Throw in a top-10 matchup for signal-callers and Rivers is the way to go here.

paulsarcona has a question at running back: "Miles Sanders or [J.D.] McKissic?"

This is where we're at with Miles Sanders of the Philadelphia Eagles given the sad state of his team's offense. No team in the NFL is allowing fewer PPR points per game to running backs than the New Orleans Saints squad that visits Philadelphia in Week 14. J.D. McKissic (DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900) isn't the Washington Football Team's lead back, but he's getting a lot of targets in the passing game with 31 over the last four games. He's actually the better upside play here.

Finally, DeRozan needs flex help: "Kareem Hunt or [Chase] Claypool? .5 PPR."

Chase Claypool (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500) of the Pittsburgh Steelers has cooled off of late. The rookie wideout has just eight catches for 90 yards over his last two games. But given the uncertainty of Kareem Hunt's workload with the Cleveland Browns, the wise play is to gamble on Claypool's upside and hope the young speedster gets open for a long one.

DFS player salaries courtesy of DraftKings. Fantasy scoring data courtesy of FFToday. Fantasy points per game against data courtesy of My Fantasy League.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year.

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