With the fantasy football playoffs beginning in many leagues, here is a look at the biggest start-sit decisions facing your fantasy team(s) in Week 14.
Fantasy football, Week 14: Who to start and sit across the NFL
A look at the biggest decisions facing your fantasy team with the fantasy playoffs now here.
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START
For much of this season, Derek Carr has been an iffy fantasy starter. This week, Carr faces a struggling Chiefs defense that will be without star corner Marcus Peters due to suspension. It’s already allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, and that’s with Peters in the lineup. Carr could have both Amari Cooper (injury) and Michael Crabtree back from suspension this week as well. Get Carr into your starting lineup this week.
With so many injured defenders between the Bengals and Bears, this is shaping up to be a game where Andy Dalton has to air it out for his team to win. Expect Dalton to get a bigger workload through the air with Joe Mixon possibly out with a concussion. The good news is Chicago is vulnerable through the air, allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last three weeks. Start Dalton in Week 14.
Chicago Bears RB Jordan Howard vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals and Bears have fallen on hard times, but Jordan Howard has a chance for a monster game. The Bengals are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs over the last five weeks. Making matters worse for the Bengals is they may be without starting defenders Vontaze Burfict, Shawn Williams and Nick Vigil. Be sure to get Howard into your starting lineup this Sunday.
Stefon Diggs has struggled in recent weeks, including 11 catches over his last three games. However, those were against Falcons, Lions, and Rams defenses ranked in the top 10 in fewest fantasy points allowed to receivers over the last five weeks.
The Panthers? They’re allowing the most fantasy points to receivers during that span. It’s a risky play, but get Diggs into your starting lineup this week.
It took awhile, but Mike Wallace has become fantasy relevant as the playoffs begin. He’s scored the 19th-most fantasy points among receivers over the last three weeks. The Steelers’ stout pass defense has been struggling as of late. With defensive back Joe Haden and Mike Mitchell missing time due to injury, Pittsburgh has allowed the second-most fantasy points to receivers over the last five weeks. Start Wallace this week.
SIT
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Rams are primed for a postseason berth on the arm of Jared Goff. The second-year passer ranks 10th in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks as the fantasy playoffs begin. However, Goff will face one of his toughest tests of the season in an Eagles defense, which is allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last five weeks. Put Goff on the bench this week.
Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton vs. Minnesota Vikings
Cam Newton may be back to playing like the MVP-level quarterback he is, but he has his work cut out for him when the surging Vikings come to town. The Vikings enter Week 14 allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, and they’re allowing the fewest over the last three weeks. Sit Cam in Week 14.
Amid what’s been a debacle of a season in Denver, C.J. Anderson has been one of the few bright spots. He’s coming off a 110-total-yard effort in a blowout loss in Miami, giving fantasy owners hope he can remain relevant in the fantasy playoffs. Don’t expect that to happen against the Jets, who are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs over the last five weeks. Make sure to bench Anderson this Sunday.
Doug Baldwin is the next receiver to step up and face the black hole that is Jacksonville’s secondary. Now in Week 14, the Jaguars have allowed just four receivers to score double-digit fantasy points, and four of them didn’t reach 12 points. As good as Baldwin is, it’s an easy call to bench him in Week 14.
Los Angeles Rams WR Sammy Watkins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
In addition to benching Goff, you should do the same with his top receiver. Sammy Watkins has caught fire in recent weeks, as he’s scoring the 16th-most fantasy points among receivers over the last five weeks. However, Watkins will face an Eagles defense allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to receivers over that same span. Keep Watkins on the bench this week.
