Fantasy football advice, Week 14: Who to start/sit for Eagles vs. Bills
Philadelphia could suddenly find itself charging toward the playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills are 6-6, and four games out of first place in their division. The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-7, and tied for first. The NFC East is really bad, y'all. Anyway, the Eagles host the Bills Sunday, and they can actually start to look like a team that should be a contender with a win.
The Bills will be without running back Karlos Williams for a second straight week, but should have wide receiver Chris Hogan and tight end Charles Clay despite both appearing on the injury report. As for the Eagles, the team has a whole host of fantasy contributors on the injury report (quarterback Sam Bradford, running backs Ryan Mathews and Kenjon Barner and tight end Zach Ertz), but they are all expected to be active.
The Eagles host the Bills Sunday, with game time scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Let’s take a look at the fantasy names to consider:
BILLS
Start ‘em: After a lull for a few weeks ago, Tyrod Taylor has gotten back to the good side in recent weeks. He's back to being a low-end QB1. ... LeSean McCoy has double-digit fantasy points in five straight games and at least eight points in every game he's played this year. ... Sammy Watkins is getting lots of play. You can't pretend he's without risk, but at this point, you just have to use him and hope.
Start ‘em?: The Bills’ defense was supposed to be much better than it has been. But the Philadelphia offense is always a candidate to implode, so Buffalo has a shot.
Sit ‘em: Week 13 was a good week for Charles Clay, with 12 fantasy points, but he had averaged 2.4 points a game for the seven games before that. You can't count on that. ... Dan Carpenter has six games of eight-plus fantasy points this year, but six of five or fewer. Too risky.
EAGLES
Start ‘em?: The only Philadelphia wide receiver worth a look is Jordan Matthews, and he's always a risk for a bad, bad game. Tread lightly.
Sit ‘em: Remember when everyone was all excited about Sam Bradford in Phialdelphia? Yeah, he's topped 17 fantasy points once all season and is averaging 12.2 a game. ... If you're starting a Philadelphia running back, it's Ryan Mathews, who could at least get the work that DeMarco Murray hasn't been getting. But even Mathews is more of a theoretical play, and it would be better to wait and see how that all shakes out. Either way, let Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner sit. ... Josh Huff, Nelson Aghlor and Riley Cooper haven't had a player-game of more than one fantasy point in two weeks. ... Zach Ertz is less than 100 percent, and he and Brent Celek will split looks anyway. Let's just avoid that. ... Caleb Sturgis has averaged four fantasy points a game in his last four, taking the shine off his hot start with Philadelphia. ... The Eagles' defense had the flukiest 24-point day every in Week 13; I believe more in the awful two weeks before that.
SUMMARY
Start in every league: Tyrod Taylor, LeSean McCoy, Sammy Watkins
Start if you're desperate: Buffalo defense, Jordan Matthews
Bench: Charles Clay, Dan Carpenter, Sam Bradford, Ryan Mathews, DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner, Josh Huff, Nelson Agholor, Riley Cooper, Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, Caleb Sturgis, Philadelphia defense
