Fantasy football Sleepers, sits, starts, ahead of Week 14.
It’s crunch time in fantasy football.
A little scouting and you can avoid a crucial late-season loss or do just enough to cross the finish line with a win this week. We’ve got you covered with a quick scouting report to help you out.
Here are five sleepers to start and five starters you’ve got to sit in fantasy football Week 14:
Starts
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
QB Tom Brady
Things aren’t going well for the Patriots. Correction: Things aren’t going well for the Patriots offense. Their defense had led them to their 10-2 record. But this could be a good game to have faith in Tom Brady. The Chiefs have an offense that could put up some points even against a stout defense such as New England’s, plus Brady played well against the Kansas City defense twice last season. He had 340 yards and two scores in that game, which was also a home game for him.
Sam Darnold, Benny Snell Jr. and LeSean McCoy highlight the Week 13 list of fantasy sleepers.
In most fantasy football leagues, Week 13 is the final week of the regular season. You might be desperate for a win and need one sleeper to put you over the top.
Or you might already be well set for the playoffs. Even if you are, you should be looking to add as much depth as possible for the postseason.
Either way, Touchdown Wire presents nine fantasy football sleepers for Week 13.
9. Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Gage could be a good player to start in the Thanksgiving night game with the Saints. He gradually has taken on a bigger role in the offense because so much defensive attention goes to Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Gage had eight catches for 76 yards in Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay. He should play a bigger role going forward.
A middling quarterback has emerged as a fantasy football star.
Don’t quit the waiver wire now.
The fantasy football season is almost over, but the waiver wire is producing a few gems for your final push into the playoffs. There are top-tier quarterbacks and defenses on the waiver wire in most leagues. And a few younger players are benefitting from fatigue and attrition. It’s not time to stop paying attention to the waiver wire, even it’s easy to feel set with the players you have (especially if you’ve been winning).
Make sure you find the piece that gets you into the playoffs or, even better, gets you into the championship game. Here are six waiver wire targets to consider after Week 12 of NFL and fantasy football action.
6. New York Jets defense
ESPN: 27%. Yahoo! 23%.
The Jets see the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 and the Miami Dolphins in Week 14. It’s a nice schedule as folks close out their regular season, and perhaps begin their playoff run. The issue is that the Jets get the Ravens in Week 15, which is when you’d want to get a different streamer. But the Jets defense shouldn’t really be a streamer. They’ve been a top scorer in standard with the fourth-most point.
5. Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks
ESPN: 29%. Yahoo! 19%.
You can’t expect him to replicate his Week 12 stat line with regularity. He had 14 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown. Chris Carson is, of course, the top back. But perhaps Penny can compete for more touches if Carson continues to have fumbling issues. Penny is worth owning, though I’m not sure he’s been consistent enough to feel good about starting.
4. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN: 15%. Yahoo! 26%.
He’s the rare case of a bad real-life quarterback being a good fantasy quarterback. (Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is another obvious example.) Tannehill has averaged almost 24 points per game over the last for weeks. That has made him QB4 during that span. He had his best performance in Week 12 with 259 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns.
3. Benny Snell, RB, Steelers
ESPN: 3%. Yahoo! 5%.
Snell has been an opportunist in 2019, with a few games as a starter and, in turn, a few fantasy-relevant performances. He had 21 carries for 98 yards and a reception for 10 yards. Without a touchdown, Snell didn’t turn many heads from a point total. But he was solid in relief of James Conner, whose shoulder injury seems to be a significant issue after he made things worse by playing a few weeks ago. Snell might take a big role in the next few games.
2. A.J. Brown, WR, Titans
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN: 16%. Yahoo! 16%.
He finished with four catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. With a merely competent quarterback, Brown can clearly be a star. Marcus Mariota wasn’t putting together enough passing production for Brown to thrive. But Tannehill — and I can’t believe I’m writing this — has been crucial in making Brown a playable option in fantasy football. He’s still a risk, but it’s clear he’s a big play threat that the Titans want to feed.
1. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Lions
ESPN: 45%. Yahoo! 43%.
After tinkering with running backs Ty Johnson and J.D. McKissic over the last few weeks, the Lions signed Scarbrough, a move which has not disappointed. In fact, Detroit seems to have found its new lead back, with Kerryon Johnson on IR. Scarbrough finished with 18 carries for 98 yards. He didn’t manage to get into the end zone, but in a way, that might be a blessing in disguise. That’ll make him easier to get off waivers. He’s a rare workhorse, who seems to be running well. He’s must-own, and a likely flex-play.
Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas shares 11 last-minute fantasy football thoughts of Week 12.
As you get ready to finalize your lineups for Week 12 of the NFL season, here are 11 random and last-minute fantasy football thoughts:
11. Eddy Pineiro will bounce back
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago kicker is under a lot of heat after missing five kicks in his last four games. Things hit a low point last week against the Rams. Pineiro missed two field-goal attempts and the Bears elected to pass on him trying another one and went for it on fourth down. But the Bears have been uncommonly patient and supportive of their kicker. He’ll reward them with a big day against the Giants.
The Steelers might get one injured rusher back this week against the Bengals.
RB Benny Snell Jr. is expected to return to the field this week after a knee injury last month. Tomlin says he'll have to overcome health and time missed constraints.
The run game for the Pittsburgh Steelers might get a boost this week. As the team prepares to take on the Cincinnati Bengals the team welcomes the return of running back Benny Snell Jr. to practice. Snell has missed the last three games with a knee injury.
Head coach Mike Tomlin offered nothing definitive about Snell’s return for the game this week but it is promising just to get Snell back on the field. Pittsburgh is almost certainly going to be without James Conner yet again and unfortunately, Jaylen Samuels hasn’t much as the team’s primary back.
One thing the Steelers have missed with Conner ailing has been a physical element to the run game. If Snell is healthy he would provide that sort of presence. However, at this point I don’t go into the week with any level of confidence the run game will be ready to go. He not only has to show he’s healthy but Snell has a month of rust to knock off in terms of readiness.
