Fantasy Football Week 14 Projections: 6 TD Machines You Must Start

The 2011 National Football League season is entering the home stretch, and Week 14 brings with it not only a full slate of exciting football action but also the beginning of the playoffs in many fantasy football leagues, making it essential that fantasy owners squeeze every possible point out of their starting lineups.

With that in mind, here's a look at six matchup plays who merit consideration from fantasy owners this week, as these players have a better than usual chance of finding the end zone and putting six points on the fantasy scoreboard.

1. Carson Palmer: QB, Oakland Raiders (at GB)

Quarterback Carson Palmer and the rest of the Oakland Raiders apparently forgot there was a game last week, as the Silver and Black fell behind 34-0 to the Miami Dolphins before eventually losing the game 34-14 and falling into a tie for first place with the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.

It's not to going to get any easier for the Raiders this week when they travel to Green Bay to face the Packers, and with Oakland almost certainly forced to the air, Palmer should be able to post solid fantasy numbers against a Packers team allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

2. Brandon Saine: RB, Green Bay Packers (vs. OAK)

Rookie running back Brandon Saine is carving out a larger offensive role with the Green Bay Packers by the week, and the former Ohio State standout saw his most extensive action of the season a week ago, gaining 45 total yards on 10 touches in a victory over the New York Giants.

To be clear, Saine is something of a desperation flex play, but with all the injuries at the running back position and given his favorable fantasy matchup with the Oakland Raiders, fantasy owners feeling the pinch at running back could certainly do worse.

3. Pierre Thomas: RB, New Orleans Saints (at TEN)

Coming off a 110 total yards, one touchdown effort against the New York Giants two weeks ago, running back Pierre Thomas was barely used in the New Orleans Saints victory over the Detroit Lions last Sunday, with the fifth-year pro touching the ball only four times for 21 combined yards.

However, Thomas' role in the Saints offense should grow considerably this week with Mark Ingram sidelined by injury, and with the Tennessee Titans surrendering the 12th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, Thomas is a decent RB2 play for fantasy owners hurting at the position.

4. Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears (at DEN)

Third-year wide receiver Johnny Knox of the Chicago Bears has heated up of late from a statistical standpoint, reeling in 12 catches for 195 yards over his past three games and scoring a touchdown in two of those contests.

Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie has targeted Knox quite a bit since entering the starting lineup in Week 12, and there's no reason to think that won't continue to be the case this week when the Bears travel to face the Denver Broncos, who are the fifth-friendliest fantasy matchup for opposing wideouts this season.

5. Golden Tate: WR, Seattle Seahawks (vs. STL)

With starting wide receiver Sidney Rice sidelined by a concussion, it's been up to Golden Tate of the Seattle Seahawks to pick up the slack, and the second-year pro has done so admirably, scoring a touchdown in each of the past two games for the Seahawks.

Tate should have a better-than-average chance at making it three games in a row with a score when Seattle hosts the St. Louis Rams this week, who sport an injury-ravaged secondary that has given up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

6. Jared Cook: TE, Tennessee Titans (vs. NO)

Tight end Jared Cook of the Tennessee Titans has been hit-or-miss to this point in the season, with last week definitely being a miss, as the third-year veteran failed to record a catch in the Titans victory over the Buffalo Bills.

The table should be set for Cook to bounce back this week against the New Orleans Saints however, as the prolific Saints offense will all but surely force the Titans to throw the ball, and the New Orleans defense has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.