Lions Wire fantasy football weekly: 2021 Week 14 preview

Our Derek Okrie breaks down the fantasy football matchups for the Lions and the rest of the Week 14 NFL schedule

Have you ever had that final player in your lineup that was going to determine if you win or lose your matchup? Maybe they only need a few points or instead, maybe they need a monster game to make your team victorious in the end. These moments can be very intense in fantasy football.

Some owners needed Tyreek Hill (WR Chiefs) to only score a few points last week to win their fantasy matchup, but in the end, he only had a couple of catches and let most of his fantasy owners down who were counting on him. These are the ups and downs that are experienced on a weekly basis in fantasy football, but that is also what makes winning at the buzzer so enthralling.

Lions at Broncos fantasy focus

Winning can cure everything. You hear that a lot, but in the NFL it can certainly be true when winning is so hard to do. The Detroit Lions won on the final play last week against the Minnesota Vikings for their first win of the season.

This week they head to Denver and you would expect the weather to be rough in mid-December, but it should actually be very nice weather for this game. Can Jared Goff build off his best game of the year, and can Amon-Ra St. Brown follow up his 10-catch performance from a fantasy perspective?

The Broncos have a quality roster, but often they don’t play top-quality football when they hit the field. They have some good fantasy players at the skill positions. Noah Fant (TE), Courtland Sutton (WR), Jerry Jeudy (WR), and Javonta Williams (RB) are the top names the Lions need to be concerned about.

This game would seem to come down to the Lions offense against the Broncos defense. If the Lions can have another offensive game like they did last week against the Vikings they have a chance, but it would appear on paper that Denver might be hard to beat at the buzzer in this matchup.

Start

  • Russell Wilson at Texans
  • Tony Pollard at Washington
  • Terry McLaurin at Cowboys
  • Noah Fant vs Lions

Sit

  • Ryan Tannehill vs Jaguars
  • Mike Davis at Panthers
  • Marquise Brown at Browns
  • Tyler Higbee at Cardinals

Top 3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks

  • Josh Allen at Buccaneers
  • Taysom Hill at Jets
  • Lamar Jackson at Browns

Running Backs

  • Joe Mixon vs 49ers
  • Alexander Mattison vs Steelers
  • Austin Ekeler vs Giants

Wide Receivers

  • Cooper Kupp at Cardinals
  • Justin Jefferson vs Steelers
  • Tyreek Hill vs Raiders

Tight Ends

  • Travis Kelce vs Raiders
  • Mark Andrews at Browns
  • George Kittle at Bengals

Team Defenses

  • Saints at Jets
  • Seahawks at Texans
  • Packers vs Bears

Kickers

  • Greg Joseph vs Steelers
  • Mason Crosby vs Bears
  • Harrison Butker vs Raiders

Waiver wire options

  • Gardner Minshew (QB Eagles)
  • Teddy Bridgewater (QB Broncos)
  • Tevin Coleman (RB Jets)
  • Javonte Williams (RB Broncos)
  • Laviska Shenault (WR Jaguars)
  • Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR Lions)
  • Ryan Griffin (TE Jets)
  • Anthony Firkser (TE Titans)

Intriguing games and players in Week 14

(Week 14 Bye Weeks: Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles) 

Pittsburgh at Minnesota, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST

  • PIT: Pat Friermuth (TE), Najee Harris (RB)
  • MIN: Kirk Cousins (QB), Alexander Mattison (RB)

Baltimore at Cleveland, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • BAL: Lamar Jackson (QB), Mark Andrews (TE)
  • CLE: Baker Mayfield (QB), Nick Chubb (RB)

Las Vegas at Kansas City, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • LVR: Derek Carr (QB), Josh Jacobs (RB)
  • KC: Patrick Mahomes (QB), Tyreek Hill (WR)

Dallas at Washington, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • DAL: Dak Prescott (QB), CeeDee Lamb (WR)
  • WFT: Terry McLaurin (WR), Antonio Gibson (RB)

Detroit at Denver, Sunday 4:05 PM, EST

  • DET: Jared Goff (QB), D’Andre Swift (RB)
  • DEN: Javonte Williams (RB), Jerry Jeudy (WR)

Buffalo at Tampa Bay, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST

  • BUF: Josh Allen (QB), Stefon Diggs (WR)
  • TB: Tom Brady (QB), Chris Godwin (WR)

Chicago at Green Bay, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

  • CHI: David Montgomery (RB), Darnell Moody (WR)
  • GB: Aaron Rodgers (QB), A.J. Dillon (RB)

LA Rams at Arizona, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

  • LAR: Matthew Stafford (QB), Van Jefferson (WR)
  • AZ: Kyler Murray (QB), Deandre Hopkins (WR)

Bottom Line

Some of the most memorable sports wins are those ones that come on the final play. One play determines if you win or lose. These can also be some of the most exciting or deflating in fantasy football as well.

In the midst of a tough fantasy football season, spoiling another team’s playoff hopes can be fun. No one likes losing, but the wins or losses on the final play are always more memorable either way.

Winning cures everything. The Detroit Lions felt that last week while the Minnesota Vikings had to feel the sting of a last-second loss. Who will shock the NFL this week and who will make that final play for your fantasy team for the win? Another huge week with gigantic implications for many teams across all platforms in fantasy football.