Fantasy football advice, Week 14: Who to start/sit for Patriots vs. Texans on Sunday night

The New England Patriots have lost two in a row since starting 10-0. They've fallen out of position for a first-round bye in the AFC and really need a win to get things going in the right direction. The Houston Texans, meanwhile, are 6-6, but are tied for first place in the AFC South and need every win they can get to stay in line for the playoffs. The two teams face off Sunday night.

The Patriots have several questions about their pass-catchers. We know wide receiver Julian Edelman will miss Sunday, and tight end Scott Chandler is expected to play, but there are question marks surrounding wide receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Rob Gronkowski. From here, best guess is Amendola will play and Gronkowski will sit, but check back on reports Sunday.

Start ‘em: Say what you will about his weapons, but Tom Brady has put up numbers no matter what. He's in all lineups. ... Stephen Gostkowski is in the middle of his worst stretch of the season, but he's still an elite kicker. ... The Patriots' defense has also struggled more of late, but feel free to toss the unit out there against a Houston offense without a whole lot of weapons.

Start ‘em?: There hasn't been much to like about LeGarrette Blount in fantasy of late, as James White has seen his stock rise. Both are low-floor flex plays. ... The receiving situation in New England is almost impossible to forecast. Start Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski if they play, start Scott Chandler if Gronkowski sits. But with the teams playing a late game, make sure you have a backup plan for any of the group, in case there's a late scratch.

Sit ‘em: At this point, no matter who of the other pass-catchers plays, you can safely sit Brandon LaFell Sunday.

Start ‘em: The Patriots' main strategy on defense tends to be to shut down the opponent's top weapon, but DeAndre Hopkins is still likely to get his.

Start ‘em?: If the Patriots do succeed in limiting Hopkins, Cecil Shorts III stands to benefit. ... Ryan Griffin has seen his usage go way up since getting healthy. He's a TE2, albeit a risky one. ... The Texans' defense came back to earth in Week 13 after a crazy hot stretch; it's very risk/reward against New England.

Sit ‘em: There have been some high highs for Brian Hoyer this season, but some low lows as well. In the fantasy playoffs, you need more reliability from your quarterback. ... Alfred Blue is still the best fantasy option in the Houston backfield, but Chris Polk actually outperformed him last week, and Jonathan Grimes is cutting in on his touches as well. Avoid the whole group. ... Nate Washington has fallen off in a big way since Shorts got healthy. ... Nine games for Nick Novak this season, still no games of 10-plus fantasy points.