Check out these starts and sits for Week 14 in fantasy football.
After watching a surprisingly decent Thursday night game between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, the focus shifts toward a weekend full of vital decisions for fantasy football lineups.
The majority of bye weeks have passed as only the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders are the only two teams to get the week off. With most leagues finalizing the regular season in Week 14, the start/sit decisions have never been more crucial.
Hopefully, we can help get you into the dance for those trying to make it or help you spoil it for someone else.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
The lack of touches for Atlanta’s top-tier offensive talent is a noticeable bump on an already rocky season under head coach Arthur Smith.
There had been a lot of growing optimism in Atlanta over the past few years with the hiring of offensive whiz Arthur Smith as the Falcons’ new head coach. The excitement quickly escalated when Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot made high first round investments in three of the most explosive playmakers we have seen in recent years. Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson all look like they were bred specifically to play in the NFL, and yet, they have been less than productive during the tenor of Smith.
It’s been a buzz around the league seemingly all year that Smith and the Falcons’ are not scheming up these next level talents, and instead game planning for touches for veterans like tight end Jonnu Smith and wide receiver Mack Hollins. When you hire an offensive mastermind to be your next head coach and hand him these kinds of weapons it is fair to expect that they be used on a fairly consistent basis and schemed in a way to create mismatches across the board. Kyle Pitts in particular is one of the best athletes we have seen every come out of the draft, and somehow in his three year stint under Smith he only has four total touchdowns.
It extends to this years rookie running back as well. Every time we see Bijan Robinson touch the football he looks like the most explosive and competent back on the field, yet he has ceded more than a handful of carries to the two other backs in this running back rotation. It is baffling to many that Robinson only has 24 touches through the ground and air in the last two weeks. That isn’t to say Tyler Allgeier is a subpar talent by any means, but he has out touched Robinson in multiple games this year, and there is a noticeable skill gap between the two.
Arthur Smith unexpectedly finds himself on the hot seat and his glaring lack of use of these high value assets is a large reason why. It is in Atlanta’s best interest to bring in an offensive coach that can help fix the quarterback position and put these many weapons to good use in the future. Wasting the talent of these superstars is the biggest case of pro football malpractice we’ve seen all year.
We look at receivers from across the league and tell fantasy managers which ones to start and which ones to leave on the bench for Week 9.
Starts and sits is here to help fantasy managers make those all important last minute lineup decisions .While we won’t tell you about obvious starts such as Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill, we will find players you may be waffling about and help you make a decision.
The Vikings opened up as 1.5-point favorites before the injury suffered by Kirk Cousins and are now 3.5-point underdogs per Bet MGM. They were at one point 4.5-point underdogs so the line has moved in a positive direction.
That is likely due to wide receiver Drake London being out for the game for the Falcons due to a groin injury.
Heading into week nine, the Vikings made multiple roster moves, including two trades that highlighted the week.
The Vikings path to victory got a little bit easier on Sunday
The Minnesota Vikings will have an easier time on Sunday when the face the Atlanta Falcons. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, wide receiver Drake London will not play on Sunday due to a groin injury.
The Falcons selected the 6’4″ 213 lb wide receiver at eighth overall in the 2022 NFL draft. During his career, London has made an impact in his short time with 109 receptions for 1,304 yards and six touchdowns.
His massive frame and ability to box out defender paired with excellent body control makes him a unique weapon on the outside.
In his place, Mack Hollins and Van Jefferson will need to step up on the outside and Kyle Pitts at tight end.
The Minnesota Vikings have released their injury report for Thursday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. All seven players on the report saw no changes in designation from Wednesday.
DE Dean Lowry (groin): Did not practice
ILB Brian Asamoah II (ankle): Limited
CB Akayleb Evans (neck): Limited
WR K.J. Osborn (chest): Limited
WR Brandon Powell (foot): Full
WR Jalen Nailor (hamstring): Full
Lowry being the only DNP right now is a concern for Sunday. Even if he is a limited participant in practice on Friday, the expectation is likely that he won’t play.
The Falcons saw quarterback Desmond Ridder removed from the injury report after having been evaluated for a concussion against the Tennesse Titans. He will backup Taylor Heinicke on Sunday. Wide receiver Drake London once again didn’t practice with a groin injury.
Friday’s injury report will tell us a lot more about if these players will play on Sunday afternoon.
Taylor Heinicke takes the reigns in Atlanta. The Vikings can use these four keys on defense to spoil his debut.
The Minnesota Vikings take on the Atlanta Falcons in Mercedez-Benz Stadium at 12 p.m. CST on Sunday.
The Falcons just solidified that the Desmond Ridder era is over (for now) and have given the reigns over to former Viking, Taylor Heinicke.
Heinicke signed as an undrafted free agent for Minnesota after the 2015 NFL draft and backed up Teddy Bridgewater and former NFL Europe passing leader Shaun Hill. he never saw the field and was released prior to the start of the 2017 season.
Now, he comes back and is looking to prove that he can keep Atlanta’s playoff hopes alive.
Minnesota has their own playoff hopes that they are worried about, and the road to that playoff starts with stopping Heinicke and this Atlanta offense.
If they want to do that, they will need to follow these four keys to success.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Sam Howell
397-11
4
Josh Allen
324-41
3
Dak Prescott
304-19
4
Jalen Hurts
319-6
3
Joe Burrow
283-43
3
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Christian McCaffrey
12-54
6-64
2
Gus Edwards
19-80
2-14
3
Alvin Kamara
17-59
4-51
2
Travis Etienne
24-79
3-70
1
Austin Ekeler
15-29
7-94
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
CeeDee Lamb
12-158
2
DeAndre Hopkins
4-128
3
A.J. Brown
8-130
2
Tyreek Hill
8-112
1
Ja’Marr Chase
10-100
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Trey McBride
10-95
1
George Kittle
9-149
0
Taysom Hill
9-63
1-14
2
T.J. Hockenson
6-88
1
Evan Engram
10-88
0
Placekickers
XP
FG
Brandon McManus
0
4
Brandon Aubrey
5
2
Younghoe Koo
2
3
Cameron Dicker
3
3
Jake Elliott
5
1
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Broncos
3-5
0
Cowboys
2-1
1
Jaguars
3-2
0
Vikings
4-1
0
Steelers
3-3
0
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Matt Stafford -Thumb
QB Kirk Cousins – Achilles
QB Tyrod Taylor – Ribs
QB Kenny Pickett – Ribs
QB Desmond Ridder – Benched
QB Patrick Mahomes – Flu
RB Damien Williams – Foot
RB Travis Etienne – Ankle
WR DeVante Parker – Head
WR Kendrick Bourne – Knee
WR Drake London – Groin
WR Curtis Samuel – Toe
TE Darren Waller – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
QB Matt Stafford – He was already playing through a hip injury and left the Cowboys matchup when his thumb hit a helmet. He remained sidelined with a taped thumb after they examined it in the locker room but the Rams would not make a statement about it and Stafford did not talk to the press. Brett Rypien is the only other quarterback currently on their roster. Stetson Bennett is on the reserve/non-football illness list but the Rams have not disclosed exactly why. If Stafford misses any time, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will likely suffer a decline.
QB Kirk Cousins – He suffered what is feared to be a season-ending Achilles injury. For a team already missing Justin Jefferson, this is catastrophic. The only healthy quarterback on the team is the rookie Jaren Hall. Sean Mannion is on the practice squad and Nick Mullens is on injured reserve. At 3-4, do they give up and make do with what they have or do they try to acquire or trade for someone? The worst part is that Cousins likely takes the Minnesota passing game with him, impacting Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Jefferson when he returns.
QB Tyrod Taylor – The Giants quarterback suffered a rib injury and was brought to a local hospital. He was already replacing Daniel Jones who is out with a neck injury. The Giants are down to Tommy DeVito who entered the game and completed 2-of-7 passes for a net loss of one yard. The expectation is that the Giants will bring in free-agent quarterbacks though the shelves are rather bare. The Giants cannot afford to have yet another step downward in their passing offense.
QB Kenny Pickett – The Steelers quarterback left with a rib injury and the immediate concern is how quickly he will heal since the Steelers host the Titans on Thursday. Mitchell Trubisky will take the start if Pickett cannot play. More should be known on Monday.
QB Desmond Ridder – Was evaluated for a concussion and did not return to the loss to the Titans. HC Arthur Smith said that Ridder was held out for health reasons and not as a benching. Taylor Heinicke took over and completed 12-of-21 for 175 yards and a touchdown. Barring new information, Ridder remains the starter and will play if healthy. Practices will indicate if Ridder or Heinicke are most likely to start against the Vikings this week.
RB Travis Etienne – He left with an ankle injury but later returned and scored a 56-yard touchdown on a catch. He is fine.
WR Kendrick Bourne – The Patriots’ No. 1 receiver was injured in the fourth quarter, holding his right knee in obvious pain. He was able to walk to the medical tent and was ruled out of the game. He is due to have an MRI on Monday and the hope is that it is just a sprained MCL. DeVante Parker was hit helmet-to-helmet as well and is expected to be diagnosed with a concussion. That would be serious since he missed games due to a concussion in 2022. JuJu Smith-Schuster has been a disappointment since joining the Pats and had his own health issues. But he received more playing time after Bourne left and caught a three-yard touchdown on his only reception.
WR Drake London – The Falcons star wideout left the game and was looked at by the trainers. After visiting the medical tent, he was ruled out with a groin injury. London claimed that he was fine after the game, but he’ll be evaluated Monday and his status will be clearer later in the week. If he is out for the Vikings matchup this week, Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Mack Hollins, and Van Jefferson would have to take up the slack but London is the difference-maker out of all receivers.
TE Darren Waller – Suffered a hamstring strain and left the game. His status will be updated later this week, but the Giants’ problems at quarterback are an equally troublesome development for Waller’s fantasy value.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
New starting quarterbacks – The worst injury situation appears to be Kirk Cousins and the situation they are in if he cannot play as expected. The Vikings are likely to bring in veteran quarterbacks who will carry some fantasy value, but watch what moves they make in the early week. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, so we’ll know quickly if they acquire any notable replacement.
QB Will Levis (TEN) – The 2.02 pick by the Titans in the NFL draft was the fourth quarterback selected. Levis took his first NFL start and threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns – three on deep passes to DeAndre Hopkins. Ryan Tannehill only totaled two touchdowns after six games. Levis has to be the ongoing starter. He became the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns in their first start.
RB Emari Demercado (ARI) – The Cardinals have turned to Demercado as the full-time back with 20 carries for 78 yards versus the Ravens on Sunday. He also caught one pass for one year. James Conner remains out for at least two more weeks and it could be longer since the Cardinals have not been very forthcoming about Conner’s prognosis.
TE Trey McBride (ARI) – The Cardinals placed Zach Ertz onto injured reserve and that left second-year McBride as the primary tight end. He responded well, leading all fantasy tight ends with ten catches for 95 yards and a score against the Ravens. McBride was drafted last year in the second round and this was the sort of development they were hoping to see.
TE Taysom Hill (NO) – The Swiss Army knife of the Saints already scored last week on five rushes for 18 yards and gained 50 yards as a receiver. Against the Colts, Hill ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns on nine rushes and caught a 14-yard pass. He’s always been inconsistent, but that’s two straight fantasy-relevant performances. He has been shifted to being a quarterback on some depth charts but remains a tight end on many.
RB Miles Sanders (CAR) – He missed Week 6 with a shoulder injury but had a bye to help him heal. He was removed from the injury report and was expected to resume his role as the starter, along with Chuba Hubbard. But Sanders only carried twice for no yards, and Hubbard ran 15 times for 28 yards. Sanders is far too risky to merit a fantasy start until he can prove to be healthy and a part of the game plan.
WR Demario Douglas (NE) – The Patriots rookie hasn’t scored and topped out in Week 7 with four catches for 54 yards. Against the Dolphins, he ended with five receptions for 25 yards but it was notable because his seven targets were three more than any other Patriot receiver. And Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker both were injured last week.
RB Gus Edwards (BAL) – He’s been consistent with around 50 yards in most games and scored only in Week 2. But these last two games, Edwards has his best performances of the year. In Week 7, he ran in a score, rushed for 64 yards and caught an 80-yard pass. For Week 8, he produced a career-best three touchdowns on his 19 rushes for 80 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards. Jackson dialed back his role as a rusher for these last two weeks and Edwards has feasted.
WR Tyreek Hill (MIA) – He currently has 1,014 receiving yards and is the first player to do that in their first eight games in the last 62 years of NFL history. He is on pace to gain 2,154 yards on the season.
Germany Alert! – The NFL returns to Europe this week with their first-ever game in Germany. The notable part is that they are showcasing the NFL by playing the Dolphins and Chiefs. That means there are a lot of fantasy team owners who need to get up well before 9:30 AM EST (6:30 AM EST) and check their lineups or risk missing an inactive.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
CeeDee Lamb (DAL) – The Cowboys No. 1 receiver already gained 117 yards last week, and he upped that mark against the Rams when he caught 12 passes for a career-best 158 yards and two touchdowns. After a three-week lull in production, Lamb is turning in big stats for multiple weeks and just led the NFL in fantasy points.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
