Week 14 Fantasy WR Rankings And Analysis: The Best Bets For Your Playoff Run

Week 14 WR Player Rankings

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Rankings for QBs, RBs, and TEs

1. Greg Jennings (@ Det) – There’s simply no denying the Rodgers-to-Jennings combo anymore.  Over the last seven games, Jennings has put up either 80-plus yards or caught a TD in each game and has averaged 6.1 receptions for 109 yards a game while catching eight TD passes.  Pretty sick stats to be sure, and now he has the bottom-feeding Lions to chomp on this week.

2. Brandon Lloyd (@ Ari) – Lloyd was held without a TD reception last week against the Chiefs for the first time in the last five games.  He continued to be Orton’s favorite receiver getting 11 targets in the game though, and against one of the worst defenses in the league in Arizona, you can expect the numbers to all return to normal this weekend.

3. Reggie Wayne (@ Ten) – Wayne broke out of his mini-slump in a big way to put up his best numbers on the season against the Cowboys last weekend (14 catches, 200 yards, one TD).  Strangely enough, Wayne has been more of an every-other-week player so far this year, but my guess is that trend goes by the wayside against a very beatable Titans pass D this Thursday night.  Manning will also be looking to avenge his terrible play of late, so his main man Reggie could be in for another big day.

4. Calvin Johnson (vs GB) – For as talented as Charles Woodson and the Packers D are, Megatron has managed to snag a TD pass in five of his six games against them (the only one he didn’t was in his rookie season; 2007) while hauling down two TDs in three of those games.  Tough trend to contend with, so go ahead and feel confident using him as a WR1 on your fantasy team this week.

5. Andre Johnson (vs Bal) – The season-ending tear has begun for ‘Dre, thank you very much Mr. Finnegan.  With just four games left in the season, look for Johnson to make a push for both 100 receptions (needs 29 more) and 10 TDs (needs five more).  In the end, Matt Schaub knows who butters his bread and will likely give Andre every chance to reach those goals, starting this weekend.

6. Roddy White (@ Car) – Roddy has been held under 100 yards and without a touchdown for three straight weeks now, a streak NO fantasy owner was expecting after the start we all saw him put up.  If the Falcons want to get him back on track and more involved in their offense heading into the playoffs, they’ll do it this week against the lowly Panthers… and believe me, that’s what they want (and need).

7. Marques Colston (vs StL) – Ahhh Mr. Colston.  After your blasé start to the season, you’ve been quite the steady hand over the past six games, a trend we expect to continue through at least this weekend against the Rams.  Playing at home has been nice for you this year, especially against middle-of-the-pack teams like the Browns (112 yards, one TD) and Seahawks (113 yards, two TDs).  Do it again for us, will ya Marques?

8. Jeremy Maclin (@ Dal) – So it’s become rather obvious that Vick enjoys throwing the ball just as much to Maclin as he does to DeSean Jackson, maybe even more-so, but that’s not to say that they can’t BOTH be fantasy-relevant players this Sunday night.  Dallas’ defense is giving up a disgusting amount of points right now as opposing teams have averaged 28.0 points on the year against them and 32.1 in just the last seven games.  They also by far allow the most fantasy points in the league to wide receivers, so don’t hesitate to get Maclin in your lineup this weekend.

9. Anquan Boldin (@ Hou) – Boldin came up with a great game in a losing cause last week to Pittsburgh, but the loss was not without its merits.  Flacco entrusted a team-high nine targets to his WR1, so assuming the trend continues (which it should), Boldin should be able to amass some real nice fantasy numbers this weekend against the worst pass defense in the league.

10. Mike Wallace (vs Cin) – The Big Ben-Wallace combo may have fallen off a bit the last couple of weeks, but they hooked up nicely in their last match against the Bengals in Week 9 to the tune of 110 yards and a touchdown.  Those numbers look about right for the second game as well.

11. Mike Williams – TB (@ Was) – Williams scored another TD last week against inner-division rival Atlanta and should probably do so again with a weak Redskins D next up on the schedule.  In fact, I’d be shocked if he didn’t score against this woeful Washington team.

12. DeSean Jackson (@ Dal) – Like I said with Maclin, there should be plenty of fantasy points to go around for everybody in this Eagles offense come Sunday night as the Cowboys have given up 28 points/game on the season and over 32 points/game over the last seven games.

13. Steve Johnson (vs Cle) – After his embarrassing drop in the endzone to win the game in OT against Pittsburgh two weeks ago, I was sure Stevie J would come back strong last week versus the Vikings.  Ugh, I couldn’t have been more wrong as he actually put up the worst performance of his year thus far (two catches, 36 yards).  Being at home will help this week, as will playing against a Browns defense that although improved, still gives up receiving TDs with the worst of them.

14. Terrell Owens (@ Pit) – If there’s one way the Steelers can be beat, it’s through the air.  TO and the Bengals will have to do just that playing at Heinz Field this weekend, so look for Palmer to air it out to the only man good enough to keep him in the league at this point, Terrell Me-O Owens.

15. Wes Welker (@ Chi) – My goodness Mr. Welker, I just don’t understand how you can continue to surprise both me and the rest of the NFL-watching world the way you do.  Just when everybody has you counted out because of your past injuries, you put up a three-week stretch that includes 20 catches, 228 yards and four TDs.  In fact, at this rate, we could see you eclipse the 100-catch mark again this season.  Anybody think Tom Brady doesn’t know what that means in NFL history?  Ride this miracle-kid out.

16. Miles Austin (vs Phi) – With Dez Bryant going down for the year, Austin becomes the sole WR1 on this team and will demand a ton of targets because of it.  Asante Samuel guarding him or not, Miles will get a good 12-15 targets in this game which has to amass to some pretty good fantasy stats in the end.

17. Dwayne Bowe (@ SD) – I wonder if last week was the beginning of Bowe’s return to his lazy ways of the past or if he was simply frustrated to hell by Champ Bailey and the Broncos’ D sliding a safety his way on every down.  I’m hoping he was just a bit frustrated, but either way, San Diego isn’t the best place to make a return to greatness in as the Chargers D is one of the stingiest in the league.  It’s tough not to start him, but don’t expect the same numbers he was putting up for a stretch there, especially if Matt Cassel ends up sitting this one out.

18. Santonio Holmes (vs Mia) – The Good:  Holmes has obviously become Sanchize’s favorite receiver and is getting a massive amount of targets from him every game, a trend that will continue in this contest against the Dolphins.  The Bad:  Sanchez looks extremely uncomfortable passing the ball in the cold weather, so with this game being at home instead of down in sunny Miami, those targets could be flying five feet over Santonio’s head.

19. Donald Driver (@ Det) – The 35-year old Driver looks like he still has more strength in his body than most 25-year old receivers.  I mean, four catches for 73 yards and a TD isn’t an all-fantasy-world performance by any means, but he DID receive the most targets on the team last week (8), so it looks like Rodgers still has a ton of faith in him.  Against the Lions, you could definitely do worse, so have a little faith yourself.

20. Michael Crabtree (vs Sea) – I wasn’t expecting much out of Crabtree last week with Charles Woodson on him all game long, and his three catches for 45 yards was actually a little more than I anticipated.  This week he has a terrible Seahawks pass D facing him and Alex Smith back under center.  With the change at the QB position, you have to expect a nice showing from the youngster as he and Smith were just starting to get into a real groove before Alex went down back in Week 7.

21. Sidney Rice (vs NYG) – Rice can clearly still make the big-time plays, and I’ll betcha Favre took notice of it from the sidelines last week.  Last year Brett made a living out of tossing it up to Sidney when there was nothing left to do, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him return to those habits and make Rice a fantasy force yet again for the fantasy stretch run… and against the Giants, he might just have to unless he actually wants to die on the field.

22. Larry Fitzgerald (vs Den) – The Cardinals turning to rookie John Skelton could go one of two ways for Fitz:  1) Fitzgerald could end up with about as much fantasy value as Steve Smith has on the Panthers right now, or 2) Fitz will step up his game, catch every pass thrown his way, and continue to be a viable fantasy threat through the end of the season.  I’m betting on Fitz and his superior talent to shine through in a couple of games, but maybe not so much in this one with Champ Bailey likely shadowing him all day long.

23. Mario Manningham (@ Min) – It was recently opined how frustrating of a receiver Manningham is for Eli to throw to due to his decision-making during option routes.  That doesn’t surprise me in the least, seeing how he comes from the same school as Braylon Edwards, but he’s still the most talented guy he has for the time being.  Eli will need him come Sunday.

24. Malcom Floyd (vs KC) – After barely getting any action the week before, Floyd came out last week to receive the most targets on the team (11) while hauling in five catches for 72 yards.  He’s inconsistent, yes, but Philip Rivers and the Chargers may need to toss the ball around a bunch to win this one against the Chiefs, so Floyd could end up having a nice game here.

25. Pierre Garcon (@ Ten) – Manning has been passing the ball a ton lately, and Garcon’s numbers have been looking up because of it.  After going three straight weeks with five catches a game, he upped his numbers to eight catches with a TD to boot last weekend.  Expect those numbers to stay around the same while Manning goes ballistic the rest of the year.

26. Earl Bennett (vs NE) – Bennett has always had a close bond with Cutler, and now it seems to be showing itself in games.  In the past two weeks, Earl has put up 160 yards on 11 catches (13 targets) with two TDs after having just one TD the entire season beforehand.  With the Bears offense playing well, Bennett could be a fantasy factor for the next few weeks.

27. Chad Ochocinco (@ Pit) – Schizocinco continued his up-and-down season last week hauling in five catches (on 10 targets) for a team-high 96 yards against the Saints.  It’s tough to predict what he’ll do next, both on and off the field, but one thing we know for sure is that the Bengals will be passing the ball in this game.

28. Hines Ward (vs Cin) – Ward’s seven-catch, 107-yard ice cream sundae two weeks ago turned into a one-catch, 13-yard dirt sandwich last Sunday night against the Ravens.  He’s tough to get a gauge on at this point in his career, but you’d have to think that if this is the end of the line for Hines, he’ll want to go out with a bang, so anything’s possible.

29. Ben Obomanu (@ SF) – It’s unsure as to whether or not Obomanu will play this week due to the laceration in his hand, but if he does, he’ll be in line for a nice game with Mike Williams likely out and the 49ers secondary being mediocre at best.

30. Robert Meachem (vs StL) – Meachem is finally starting to string some fantasy-love together for his owners, but the inconsistency in his game is still maddening!  He’s just as likely to go off for 100-plus yards and a TD or two as he is to go without a catch the entire game.  However, Brees is rolling at this point, so it’ll be tough not to get these Saints receivers into your lineup somehow.

31. Johnny Knox (vs NE) – Knox is still the biggest threat in the Bears’ offense, even if Bennett is now a bit of a safer play.  Still, against a defense that gives up the second most yards per game in the league, it’s tough not to take a chance on him, especially when you consider that the Bears will likely be down to the Pats at some point and need to pass to catch up.

32. Percy Harvin (vs NYG) – Despite his migraine issues, Harvin doesn’t miss many games because of it.  He did last week though, and I’ll bet the farm he’s pissed as hell and ready to show his teammates he can be counted on because of it.  With the Giants having a strong front seven, you can bet the Vikings will need to pass the ball a little bit in this one and at least get Harvin working on a couple of reverses as well.

33. Braylon Edwards (vs Mia) – The old Braylon showed up last Monday night by showing everybody that he still has the ability to drop everything in sight.  He seems to hate playing in the cold, so being at home this weekend won’t do him any favors.  However, the Dolphins have been known to give up the big play, which happens to be one thing Edwards is good at.

34. Jacoby Ford (@ Jax) – He’s not a consistent play yet, but WOW is this kid exciting.  Normally I’d have to put him a little farther down my list, but against a relatively poor Jacksonville defense, I think he might just be worth taking a chance on this week.  If you’re strapped and looking to catch lightning in a bottle, Ford’s your guy.

35. Nate Washington (vs Ind) – The Titans WILL have to throw the ball a bit just to keep the Colts on their toes, and there’s no other receiver more likely to be the target of those throws than Washington.  He could end up with a surprise TD and some decent yardage in this one if the Colts lose focus in trying to stop CJ2K.

36. Santana Moss (vs TB) – As he’s done a thousand times in the past, Santana looks like he’s fallen off the face of the fantasy planet.  That said, with the Bucs being without their top cover-corner (Aqib Talib) for the rest of the season, there’s a little reason for hope here with Moss.

37. Lance Moore (vs StL) – Moore is still more consistent than Robert Meachem, but he’s not nearly as sexy of a fantasy player.  He might do something, he might do nothing, but if you’re in your fantasy playoffs and you play in a PPR league, he’s a pretty good bet as either a WR3 or flex player this week, especially with the Saints at home (Home: 29 catches, 349 yards, 4 TDs - Away: 20 catches, 217 yards, 2 TDs).

38. Derrick Mason (@ Hou) – After a nice eight-catch, 87-yard outing with one TD a couple of weeks ago, the Steelers held Derrick to just two catches for 22 yards last Sunday night.  That won’t happen again for the steadiest WR over the past decade as Mason heads down to Houston for a Monday night match-up against the worst defense in the league.  I’m not saying that he should start over your normal studs of the game, but if you’re looking for a WR3 to plug into your lineup with a bunch of upside, Mason is that guy.

39. Blair White (@ Ten) – With Collie out again, Blair should be able to fit in as a WR3 on your fantasy team this week.  Obviously he’s not nearly as dependable as Austin is, but the Colts are passing the ball a ton right now, so The Blair White Project should be able to scare up some decent numbers for you Thursday night.

40. Brandon Gibson (@ NO) – Gibson is truly a crapshoot from week-to-week, as are the rest of the Rams receivers.  However, he IS more consistent than the rookie Danario Alexander or Laurent Robinson, and he’s more explosive than slot receiver Danny Amendola.  The Rams will have to pass the ball in this one if they want to win, so Gibson could put up some decent numbers.

41. Roy E. Williams (vs Phi) – With Dez Bryant going out for the season, Roy now becomes the WR2 in a Dallas offense that will still need to pass the ball a ton to win, so he might actually have some fantasy value yet for those owners who felt the need to hang onto him all these weeks. 

42. Deion Branch (@ Chi) – The Bears don’t give up a lot of yards through the air and hold opposing quarterbacks to the second lowest QB Rating in the league (71.1), but then again, so did the Jets.  Personally, I don’t think Brady gives a rat’s ass about all that hogwash so don’t you worry, Branch will get his this weekend.

43. Danny Amendola (@ NO) – Amendola is still a little too inconsistent to think about playing on your fantasy team, especially during a possible playoff week, but the Rams will need to pass the ball to stay in this game, so he could end up a good play in PPR leagues this weekend.

44. Davone Bess (@ NYJ) – Bess did real well in the Dolphins first match-up with the Jets this year going for 86 yards on six catches, but I just don’t see that happening this time around.  He might end up with some average numbers by the end of the game, but my guess is that the Jets let out a little anger on Miami this Sunday and hold Miami to a low score.

45. Jabar Gaffney (@ Ari) – Arizona can be beat in any which way an offense wants to beat them, so if the Donkeys end up throwing the ball, you can expect some pretty good numbers out of Gaffney this weekend.  If they decide to run Knowshon all day, Gaffney will likely go scoreless.  Only in a bind is he worth a shot.

46. Derek Hagan (@ Min) – Hagan had a pretty nice outing last weekend against the Redskins, mostly due to Eli being frustrated as hell with Manningham’s mental lapses.  I don’t expect more than 4-5 catches for 40 or so yards for Hagan in this one, but stranger things have happened.

47. Mike Thomas (vs Oak) – Mike Sims-Walker may be back this week, which would leave the middle of the field pretty well open for Thomas to do a little business.  Either way, he’s not much more than a flex play in PPR leagues.

48. Danario Alexander (@ NO) – Alexander has some real nice potential for the future with Sam Bradford as his QB, but he’s just too inconsistent right now to be taking chances on him, especially if you’re going into your fantasy playoffs.  However, his size may get him some red-zone looks in this game, so don’t be surprised to see a TD in his stat-line come Monday.

Week 14 rankings for QBs, RBs, and TEs