Fantasy football advice, Week 14: Who to start/sit for New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The playoffs continue on Sunday for many fantasy leagues, and those owners don’t have any more room for error. Luckily, fantasy owners will have more than a few options to choose from in a showdown between two teams who are clawing for position in the NFC playoffs. Let’s take a look:

Drew Brees will have to deal with a Buccaneers pass rush that is coming into its own, but not to the point where any fantasy owners should consider benching fantasy football’s No. 2 overall quarterback. Brees may be a bit shorthanded with Michael Thomas having missed most of the practice week, and Brandin Cooks can be expected to gain a boost in usage if Thomas’ foot injury limits him. Cooks can be considered a volatile WR2, but one with a higher floor than he usually commands.

The backfield tandem of Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower is in play once again against Tampa Bay’s 25th-ranked run defense. The scales continue to tip towards Ingram since his benching, as the former Heisman winner out-snapped and out-touched Hightower in Week 13’s loss to the Detroit Lions. Ingram is an RB2 while Hightower makes for a worthy flex option in a good matchup.

Fantasy owners have put up with Thomas and Willie Snead’s down weeks due to the upside they present at any given moment. But with Thomas at less than 100 percent and Snead failing to eclipse 56 yards since Week 7, neither make for enticing options. Fantasy owners can’t be faulted for starting receivers in an explosive offense, but this duo will be riskier than most weeks. Coby Fleener is back in play as a TE1 with Josh Hill sidelined, but his boom-or-bust nature is present just like most tight end options across the fantasy spectrum.

Brandon Coleman, Travaris Cadet and John Kuhn remain afterthoughts in fantasy leagues of all formats.

Mike Evans’ owners will be more than happy to see him face a cornerback other than Casey Heyward after being shut down in Week 13. Against a Saints defense that took a step back on Sunday versus the Lions, Evans is back in play as a wideout with No. 1 upside. The Saints have still allowed the second most passing yards per game, which elevates Cameron Brate and Jameis Winston’s fantasy status. Both make for fine under-the-radar starting options at their respective positions in a game that could easily become a high-scoring one.

Doug Martin hasn’t been effective since returning from a hamstring injury, and it’s caused murmurs from beat reporters suggesting that Jacquizz Rodgers could cut into his workload. While Martin is still the clear lead back, an inefficient running back losing carries never bodes well for his fantasy outlook. Martin is still worth a look as an RB2/flex, but carries a degree of risk in any lineup.

Rodgers won’t be deserving of a second look coming off of a multi-week injury, and fantasy owners shouldn’t need to bother with any of the Buccaneers’ complementary receivers without Adam Humphries in the picture.