Tag: Week 14 fantasy football

Fantasy Football Market Report: Week 14

The top risers and fallers heading into Week 14.

The NFL clearly doesn’t care that most fantasy leagues have the final week of their regular season in Week 14. In yet another example of the inequity of the bye-week system (and how easily solvable the issue is), we will see six teams on bye in Week 14 (Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and Washington Commanders).

With the exception of the Patriots, the other five teams not only have multiple regular fantasy starters, the list includes a lot of fantasy MVPs for the teams that will be missing them this week. C’mon, NFL. You’re better than this.

Fantasy Football Market Report: Week 14

The top risers and fallers heading into Week 14.

Week 13 had the chance to be a separation week for a lot of playoff contenders, but instead has created a logjam that will likely have an inordinate number of teams still in contention as the season winds down.

In the AFC, only three teams (New York Jets, Tennessee and New England) aren’t either in a playoff spot or within two games of a berth. Four teams are 7-5, three are 6-6, and two are 5-7. In the NFC, only three teams aren’t within two games of a playoff spot (Washington, Arizona and Carolina) with five teams at 6-6, two at 5-7, and two at 4-8.

The good news for those looking to nail down a fantasy championship, a lot more teams than usual will have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs and will continue putting their best foot forward until they’re mathematically eliminated.

The best fantasy football gamble of Week 14

Can the Motor City Kitties keep their momentum going vs. the incoming Norsemen?

Every week, at least one player becomes my fascination of whether he’s worthy of a fantasy football start as a streamer. The decision can be a mental wrestling match, but for the purpose of brevity, only one player can be chosen as the fantasy football gamble of the week.

The best fantasy football gamble for Week 14

Tracking my predictions: 3-9-1
Win: Player produces ≥ 75% of projected fantasy points
Loss: Player produces >75% of projected fantasy points
Tie: Player is ejected, leaves with an injury, or lands on COVID-19 list after publishing

2021 record: 8-9-1
2020 record: 5-10-1

When it rains, it pours … apparently even inside of a dome.

Last week, New York Jets wideout Elijah Moore was featured in this spot, and much of the reason was due to the matchup itself, but the much-needed targets instead went to Corey Davis as he posted his strongest day since Week 4. Moore, on the other hand, and quarterback Mike White weren’t in sync, and the young wideout returned to obscurity.

That’s another scenario where I was on the right track but it didn’t pan out as expected. I’m inching closer to renaming this column “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades” by the day.

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff vs. Minnesota Vikings

We’re picking on the Vikings again in Week 14 by siding with a divisional foe against a shaky pass defense. Detroit’s offense has been on the upswing of late, and one thing Minnesota does fairly well is stop running backs, so anticipating Goff being asked to sling it more than usual is a reasonable train of thought. Only six defenses have given up fewer rushing yards per to the position on the year, and Detroit may find less room than usual to get the ground game going.

Minnesota has allowed quarterbacks to average 24 fantasy points per game in 2022 as the fourth-weakest defense of the position. Even the likes of Mike White and Mac Jones exceeded that mark vs. the Vikings in the last two games. In the past five games, the Vikings haven’t improved, and just Tennessee has allowed more yards per game through the air. Some of that is due to the Vikings being able to put opponents into holes on the scoreboard, emphasizing a need to heave the ball to keep pace with this prolific offense.

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A good portion of it is due to the Vikings being weak in the defensive backfield. Detroit has the receiving outlets to do the requisite damage to keep Goff fantasy-relevant one more week, featuring Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift, and DJ Chark Jr. Rookie first-rounder Jameson Williams quietly made his debut in Week 13, and no one should discount peripheral outlets in Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond if Goff is forced to throw in 40-plus times.

The former Ram has tossed multiple TDs in three of the last five games and has at least 20 fantasy points in consecutive outings. Back in the Week 3 meeting vs. the Vikes, Goff threw for 277 yards, one TD and a pick. This go-around, look for a similar game scrip to develop.

Six teams on bye make Goff a much more palatable play, but gamers willing to take the plunge will be rewarded with a strong QB1 finish.

My projection: 28-of-44, 311 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 3 rushing yards (22.85 fantasy points)

The best fantasy football gamble of Week 14

It may take scratching and clawing, but this Panther will pounce on the opportunity.

Every week, at least one player becomes my fascination of whether he’s worthy of a fantasy football start or bench. The decision can be a mental wrestling match, but for the purpose of brevity, only one player can be chosen as the fantasy football gamble of the week.

The best fantasy football gamble for Week 14

Tracking my predictions: 6-7-0
Win: Player produces ≥ 75% of projected fantasy points
Loss: Player produces >75% of projected fantasy points
Tie: Player is ejected or leaves with an injury

Last week’s inclusion was Washington Football Team tight end Logan Thomas. For the second time in three weeks, the tight end I correctly picked left injured and is expected to miss the rest of the year. Maybe there is something to that “Bonini black cloud” idea after all….

RB Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons

My first thought was to go with Minnesota Vikings wideout K.J. Osborn, but something came up that prevented me from getting this article out as early as I had hoped to give readers enough runway to factor him into their lineups ahead of the Thursday Night Football meeting with Pittsburgh.

Therefore, I pivoted to Hubbard, even though he may not seem like a huge gamble to many, there are several factors working against him.

  • Carolina comes off its bye week with a new offensive coordinator after news broke of Joe Brady being fired during last Sunday’s slate of games. What can we expect on such a short turnaround?
  • Then there’s the Cam Newton stealing TDs factor that always is a huge risk. I’d be remiss if the possibility of Cam getting benched again wasn’t mentioned as a slight fear.
  • I’m not convinced running back Ameer Abdullah won’t see enough action from Hubbard to make him so one-dimensional that he is forced to find the end zone to live up to even being a fantasy flex play. That’s one fall-back option we have with versatile backs … no TD doesn’t automatically mean no bueno in a lineup.

The last time we saw Hubbard starting in place of Christian McCaffrey was Week 8 at this very opponent. The Falcons allowed the rookie to score 16.1 PPR points, which turned out to be the second-highest number of his young career. He ran 24 times for 82 yards and a TD, adding one catch on two targets for a nine-yard gain.

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In the five weeks since, Atlanta has given up three performances of at least 20 PPR points, and all of those backs caught at least three passes, which I feel is a key metric to enable Hubbard to have a career day. That said, he still can be effective in fantasy without breaking personal records.

Of those five games, three other running backs managed to get into double figures, including a Mark Ingram, Tony Pollard and James Robinson — all doing so on as few as 14 touches.

Over the course of 2021, running backs have averaged 26.7 points per game in PPR, and that’s just 0.3 of a point away from making this the third-worst defense at stopping the position. We’ll have to settle with it being the sixth-biggest cupcake. Darn.

It hasn’t exactly been easy, though, as the position has averaged only 4.0 yards per carry and 93 yards a game on the ground. In the aerial game, running backs have balled out, going for 78 catches, 590 yards and a trio of scores to create a TD-per-game average on the season. Only five teams have permitted more receptions, on average, than the 6.5 allowed by Atlanta.

That’s the primary concern here is Abdullah catching five passes or so and effectively kneecapping the upside of Hubbard to whatever he can muster rushing. The veteran was targeted five times in to Hubbard’s two in Week 8, catching three for 35 yards.

It’s a risk I’m willing to take to see this Carolina Cat eat some Dirty Birds for lunch, and the top reason why —  beyond all of the metrics — is head coach Matt Rhule wanting to improve upon the team’s lack of rushing the ball. A dozen teams have run at a higher ratio of plays in relation to pass attempts, and I’m willing to buy into that coach-speak thanks to this matchup. Also, it doesn’t hurt Carolina is coming off a bye week, nor can it be a harmful playing at home.

With all of that established, Hubbard will be the first back to break the century mark against Atlanta in 2021, and he’ll find himself celebrating in the end zone along the way.

My projection: 103 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 21 yards (21.4 PPR points)

Fantasy football start/bench list: Week 14

Check out where your roster options fit into our Week 14 start/bench tiers.

Player analysis and projections can be found in our Start/Bench Tool customized to your myHuddle league scoring and rosters. All player listings by groups are in no particular order.

Key: Upgrade / Downgrade

QUARTERBACKS WIDE RECEIVERS
BEST BETS Opp BEST BETS Opp
Patrick Mahomes LVR Tyreek Hill LVR
GREAT STARTS Opp Diontae Johnson @MIN
Josh Allen @TB J. Jefferson PIT
Tom Brady BUF GREAT STARTS Opp
B. Roethlisberger @MIN Davante Adams CHI
SOLID STARTERS Opp Hunter Renfrow @KC
Kyler Murray LAR Stefon Diggs @TB
Aaron Rodgers CHI Cooper Kupp @ARI
M. Stafford @ARI DK Metcalf @HOU
Lamar Jackson @CLE SOLID STARTERS Opp
Joe Burrow SF Mike Evans BUF
Russell Wilson @HOU Chris Godwin BUF
Dak Prescott @WAS Jalen Guyton NYG
Kirk Cousins PIT Chase Claypool @MIN
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp Cole Beasley @TB
Cam Newton ATL Tyler Lockett @HOU
Taysom Hill @NYJ Jarvis Landry BAL
Derek Carr @KC CeeDee Lamb @WAS
Matt Ryan @CAR Darnell Mooney @GB
T. Bridgewater DET K.J. Osborn PIT
Justin Herbert NYG R. Gage Jr. @CAR
Ryan Tannehill JAC Elijah Moore NO
Jimmy Garoppolo @CIN Brandon Aiyuk @CIN
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Tee Higgins SF
Taylor Heinicke DAL Ja’Marr Chase SF
Andy Dalton @GB D.J. Moore ATL
Davis Mills SEA O. Beckham Jr. @ARI
Baker Mayfield BAL Jerry Jeudy DET
Jared Goff @DEN DeAndre Hopkins LAR
Jake Fromm @LAC FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
Trevor Lawrence @TEN Tyler Boyd SF
Justin Fields @GB C. Sutton DET
Zach Wilson NO Gabriel Davis @TB
RUNNING BACKS Christian Kirk LAR
BEST BETS Opp M. Valdes-Scantling CHI
Austin Ekeler NYG Josh Reynolds @DEN
L. Fournette BUF Tim Patrick DET
GREAT STARTS Opp Rashod Bateman @CLE
Javonte Williams DET Jamison Crowder NO
C. Patterson @CAR L. Treadwell @TEN
Joe Mixon SF Tre’Quan Smith @NYJ
Chuba Hubbard ATL Terry McLaurin DAL
SOLID STARTERS Opp L. Shenault Jr. @TEN
Antonio Gibson DAL A. St. Brown @DEN
Alvin Kamara @NYJ Julio Jones JAC
A. Mattison PIT A.J. Green LAR
Devonta Freeman @CLE A. Robinson II @GB
AJ Dillon CHI D. Peoples-Jones BAL
Ezekiel Elliott @WAS Brandin Cooks SEA
D’Onta Foreman JAC Amari Cooper @WAS
M. Gordon III DET DeAndre Carter DAL
James Conner LAR N. Westbrook-Ikhine JAC
C. Edwards-Helaire LVR Van Jefferson @ARI
Nick Chubb BAL Michael Gallup @WAS
Najee Harris @MIN SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
D. Montgomery @GB Mike Williams NYG
Aaron Jones CHI Keenan Allen NYG
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp S. Shepard @LAC
Kareem Hunt BAL Deebo Samuel @CIN
Sony Michel @ARI Kadarius Toney @LAC
Jeff Wilson Jr. @CIN Bryan Edwards @KC
Adrian Peterson @HOU M. Callaway @NYJ
Darrel Williams LVR Robby Anderson ATL
JaMycal Hasty @CIN Byron Pringle LVR
Ameer Abdullah ATL L. Humphrey @NYJ
Tony Pollard @WAS Dez Fitzpatrick JAC
James Robinson @TEN Rondale Moore LAR
Jamaal Williams @DEN Sammy Watkins @CLE
D. Hilliard JAC Kalif Raymond @DEN
Mike Davis @CAR Darius Slayton @LAC
Chase Edmonds LAR Chris Conley SEA
Saquon Barkley @LAC Adam Humphries DAL
Josh Jacobs @KC Randall Cobb CHI
D. Henderson @ARI Kenny Golladay @LAC
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Marvin Jones @TEN
Tevin Coleman NO Tajae Sharpe @CAR
Rashaad Penny @HOU Allen Lazard CHI
Ronald Jones BUF Freddie Swain @HOU
Rex Burkhead SEA DEFENSIVE TEAMS
Latavius Murray @CLE BEST BETS Opp
D. Singletary @TB Chargers NYG
Peyton Barber @KC GREAT STARTS Opp
Matt Breida @TB Saints @NYJ
J.D. McKissic DAL SOLID STARTERS Opp
Dalvin Cook PIT Buccaneers BUF
D’Andre Swift @DEN Broncos DET
Elijah Mitchell @CIN Titans JAC
Mark Ingram @NYJ Packers CHI
TIGHT ENDS Seahawks @HOU
BEST BETS Opp FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
Travis Kelce LVR Panthers ATL
George Kittle @CIN Cowboys @WAS
GREAT STARTS Opp Chiefs LVR
Mark Andrews @CLE 49ers @CIN
SOLID STARTERS Opp Vikings PIT
Rob Gronkowski BUF Bengals SF
Pat Freiermuth @MIN Ravens @CLE
Dawson Knox @TB Cardinals LAR
T.J. Hockenson @DEN Browns BAL
Evan Engram @LAC Jets NO
Tyler Conklin PIT Rams @ARI
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp Steelers @MIN
R. Seals-Jones DAL Bills @TB
Dalton Schultz @WAS Football Team DAL
Austin Hooper BAL SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
Zach Ertz LAR Jaguars @TEN
Gerald Everett @HOU Falcons @CAR
Cole Kmet @GB Lions @DEN
Noah Fant DET Raiders @KC
Kyle Pitts @CAR Giants @LAC
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Bears @GB
C.J. Uzomah SF Texans SEA
Foster Moreau @KC
Darren Waller @KC
David Njoku BAL
Jared Cook NYG
J. O’Shaughnessy @TEN
Tyler Higbee @ARI
Brevin Jordan SEA

Fantasy Football Rest of Season Rankings: 2021 finale

Forecasting where all of the notable players net out over the remainder of the season.

These fantasy football rankings track a player’s value for the remainder of the season and are intended to be used as a tool, not necessarily a definitive guide to player valuation.

The scoring system is performance PPR. There is no exact science behind season-long rankings, considering all of the variables and situational uncertainties at work.

Rankings key:
UP/DN is trending up or down from week’s ranking.
NR means the player wasn’t ranked last week.
UP/DN numbering shows where the player was ranked the prior week.

Note: This is the final release of the rankings for 2021. It will return in 2022. Best of luck in the fantasy playoffs!

Fantasy football rest of season rankings

Quarterbacks
Rk Never leaves lineup Bye Up/Down Notes
1 Josh Allen, BUF 7
2 Kyler Murray, ARI 12 returned in Wk 13 after missing three games w/ an ankle injury
3 Tom Brady, TB 9
4 Lamar Jackson, BAL 8 DN3 his running is great, but after 13 weeks he has accounted for 17 TDs (no rushing TDs since Wk 2)
Rk Lineup regulars Bye Up/Down Notes
5 Justin Herbert, LAC 7 he’ll have some poor outings, but his ceiling is as high as anyone each week
6 Aaron Rodgers, GB 13
7 Matthew Stafford, LAR 11 UP9
8 Dak Prescott, DAL 7 hasn’t thrown more than two TD passes in a game since Oct. 17
9 Patrick Mahomes, KC 12 DN5 he’s now thrown 0 or 1 TD passes in 5 of his last 6 games; his 5 TD game v LV looks like an outlier
10 Jalen Hurts, PHI 14 DNP in Wk 13 w/ an ankle injury; his status for Wk 15 is TBD
11 Kirk Cousins, MIN 7
12 Joe Burrow, CIN 10 suffered a pinkie injury but played through it; his numbers were hurt by Chase’s dropped TD into an INT
13 Russell Wilson, SEA 9 UP14 it was shaky at times, but Wk 13 still felt like a step in the right direction for SEA’s offense
14 Taysom Hill, NO 6 UP29 made the start in Wk 13; he was inaccurate after a finger injury and mistake prone, but at least he ran
Rk Weekly matchup plays Bye Up/Down Notes
15 Matt Ryan, ATL 6
16 Derek Carr, LV 8 DN13 the deep ball was not back, baby!
17 Mac Jones, NE 14 lol
18 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 7
19 Taylor Heinicke, WAS 9 UP20
20 Carson Wentz, IND 14 if IND can control and win games w/ the running game, they will; that can play havoc on Wentz’s weekly value
21 Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 14
22 Cam Newton, CAR 13 will be interesting to see what the dismissal of OC Joe Brady means for CAR’s offense
23 Justin Fields, CHI 10 DN18 missed last two games w/ a rib injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
24 Ryan Tannehill, TEN 13
Rk Fringe plays/roster depth Bye Up/Down Notes
25 Jimmy Garoppolo, SF 6
26 Daniel Jones, NYG 10 DN23 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a neck injury; he’s unlikely to play in Wk 14 and could be out longer
27 Trevor Lawrence, JAC 7 honestly, is he any better than he was when he suited up for Wk 1?
28 Zach Wilson, NYJ 6 UP31
29 Teddy Bridgewater, DEN 11
30 Baker Mayfield, CLE 13 it seems unlikely given what we’ve seen, but remember that Mayfield was great last December
31 Jared Goff, DET 9
32 Davis Mills, HOU 10 NR w/ Taylor hurt, Mills may start the rest of HOU’s games this season
33 Tyrod Taylor, HOU 10 DN28 suffered a wrist injury in Wk 13 and did not return; he may have taken his last snap as QB1 in HOU
34 Gardner Minshew, PHI 14 NR
35 Trey Lance, SF 6
36 Mike Glennon, NYG 10 NR who knows when Jones will suit up again this season; Glennon is dealing w/ a concussion of his own
Running backs
Rk Never leaves lineup Bye Up/Down Notes
1 Jonathan Taylor, IND 14 it’s really Taylor and then everybody else at this point
2 Austin Ekeler, LAC 7 UP3 had a couple of fumbles but scored his 15th TD
3 Nick Chubb, CLE 13
4 Joe Mixon, CIN 10
5 Alvin Kamara, NO 6 DN4 missed his fourth straight game w/ a knee injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
6 Najee Harris, PIT 7
7 Elijah Mitchell, SF 6 how he didn’t get concussed in SEA is beyond me
8 D’Andre Swift, DET 9 DN6 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a shoulder injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
Rk Lineup regulars Bye Up/Down Notes
9 Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL 6 if you can run effectively v TB you can run on anybody
10 Antonio Gibson, WAS 9
11 Leonard Fournette, TB 9 UP13
12 Aaron Jones, GB 13 what will the carry distribution w/ Jones and Dillon look like over the final five games?
13 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC 12
14 Dalvin Cook, MIN 7 UP18 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a shoulder injury; he could return in Wk 15
15 Kareem Hunt, CLE 13
16 David Montgomery, CHI 10 UP20 he’s back to being the centerpiece of CHI’s offense
17 Javonte Williams, DEN 11 UP22 had a huge game on SNF; you wonder if DEN shouldn’t up his share of the RB split going forward
18 Darrell Henderson, LAR 11 was active in Wk 13 but did not play from scrimmage w/ a thigh injury; he should play in Wk 14
19 James Conner, ARI 12 DN14 Edmonds should return in Wk 14, pushing Conner back into a 1a/1b situation
20 AJ Dillon, GB 13
21 James Robinson, JAC 7 DN11 fumbling issues are becoming a concern; he’s also dealing w/ some nagging injuries
22 Josh Jacobs, LV 8 UP26 w/ Drake (ankle) lost for the year, Jacobs should see more work in the passing game
Rk Weekly matchup plays Bye Up/Down Notes
23 Ezekiel Elliott, DAL 7 DN19 there’s no burst w/ Elliott right now; it’s hard to understand the logic behind not trying to get him fully healthy
24 Chase Edmonds, ARI 12 UP28 on IR w/ an ankle injury; he’s expected to return in Wk 14
25 Miles Sanders, PHI 14 suffered an ankle injury in Wk 13 and did not return; his status for Wk 15 is TBD
26 Devonta Freeman, BAL 8 UP30
27 Damien Harris, NE 14 DN23 suffered a hamstring injury in Wk 13; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
28 Melvin Gordon III, DEN 11 DN24 DNP in Wk 13 w/ hip and shoulder injuries; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
29 Chuba Hubbard, CAR 13
30 Saquon Barkley, NYG 10
31 Myles Gaskin, MIA 14
32 Rhamondre Stevenson, NE 14 UP37 could be looking at a lot of work in the weeks ahead if Harris is limited or needs to sit out
33 Tony Pollard, DAL 7
34 Alexander Mattison, MIN 7 DN31 could losing to DET cause the Vikings to accelerate Cook’s return?
35 Boston Scott, PHI 14 was active in Wk 13 but did not play from scrimmage due to illness; he should be good to go in Wk 15
36 D’Onta Foreman, TEN 13
37 J.D. McKissic, WAS 9 DN36 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a concussion; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
38 Mark Ingram, NO 6 returned in Wk 13 after missing previous game w/ a knee injury
39 Jamaal Williams, DET 9 UP43 doesn’t sound like DET will shut down Swift, but we could see more of Williams down the stretch
40 Devin Singletary, BUF 7
Rk Fringe plays/roster depth Bye Up/Down Notes
41 Derrick Henry, TEN 13 on IR w/ a foot injury; he’s expected to miss 6-10 weeks
42 Alex Collins, SEA 9 DN33 DNP in Wk 13 w/ an abdominal injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
43 Zack Moss, BUF 7
44 Sony Michel, LAR 11 ran very effectively in Henderson’s absence in Wk 13
45 Tevin Coleman, NYJ 6 UP51 got 11 of the 13 RB carries in Wk 13
46 Dontrell Hilliard, TEN 13
47 Darrel Williams, KC 12 UP52
48 Rex Burkhead, HOU 10 operating as RB1 in HOU, but the Texans’ offense is awful, so…
49 Michael Carter, NYJ 6 DN41 on IR w/ an ankle injury; he’s eligible to return in Wk 15
50 Carlos Hyde, JAC 7 UP63 Robinson has opened the door w/ his fumbles (even though Hyde had a fumble of his own)
51 Matt Breida, BUF 7
52 David Johnson, HOU 10 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a thigh injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
53 Latavius Murray, BAL 8 DN48 his role keeps getting smaller
54 Jeff Wilson, SF 6 suffered a knee injury in Wk 13 and did not receive any touches; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
55 Jordan Howard, PHI 14 DN50 missed last two games w/ a knee injury; his status for Wk 15 is TBD
56 Ronald Jones, TB 9 played sparingly in Wk 13 while dealing w/ an illness
57 Nyheim Hines, IND 14
58 Peyton Barber, LV 8 NR enters the rankings following the season-ending injury to Kenyan Drake
59 Phillip Lindsay, MIA 14 DNP in Wk 13 w/ an ankle injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
60 Samaje Perine, CIN 10
61 Ty Johnson, NYJ 6 DN56
62 Rashad Penny, SEA 9 NR you just know SEA would love to get something out of Penny
63 Khalil Herbert, CHI 10
64 Devontae Booker, NYG 10 UP67
65 D’Ernest Johnson, CLE 13
66 Kenneth Gainwell, PHI 14 had a big day in Wk 13 w/ Howard (knee) inactive and Scott sick; will his role return to almost zero in Wk 15?
67 Adrian Peterson, SEA 9 NR ran 11 times and scored in his SEA debut but managed just 16 yards
68 Mike Davis, ATL 6
69 Giovani Bernard, TB 9
70 Justin Jackson, LAC 7 NR he gets the nod as LAC RB2 in the final rankings of 2021
Wide receivers
Rk Never leaves lineup Bye Up/Down Notes
1 Cooper Kupp, LAR 11
2 Davante Adams, GB 13
3 Justin Jefferson, MIN 7 will be interesting to see what he does w/o Thielen
4 Stefon Diggs, BUF 7
5 Tyreek Hill, KC 12 DN4 has had less than 50 yds receiving in three of his last six games
6 Keenan Allen, LAC 7 placed on the COVID list but could be cleared in time to play in Wk 14
7 Mike Evans, TB 9 UP9
8 DeAndre Hopkins, ARI 12 returned in Wk 13 after missing three games w/ a hamstring injury
9 Diontae Johnson, PIT 7 UP12
10 Deebo Samuel, SF 6 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a groin injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
11 CeeDee Lamb, DAL 7 returned in Wk 13 after missing previous game w/ a concussion
12 Chris Godwin, TB 9 UP15 who knows if Antonio Brown plays another snap for TB; even if he does, it won’t be before Wk 16
Rk Lineup regulars Bye Up/Down Notes
13 Ja’Marr Chase, CIN 10 DN10 dropped a TD that turned into an INT; has between 30 and 55 yds in five straight games
14 Michael Pittman Jr., IND 14
15 Jaylen Waddle, MIA 14 UP22 quietly having a really strong rookie season
16 Terry McLaurin, WAS 9 DN13
17 Chase Claypool, PIT 7
18 Adam Thielen, MIN 7 DN14 suffered a high-ankle sprain in Wk 13; he’s likely to miss time
19 Marquise Brown, BAL 8 what happened to BAL’s vertical passing game?
20 DK Metcalf, SEA 9 DN17
21 Mike Williams, LAC 7 UP25 as Williams goes, so go the Chargers
22 D.J. Moore, CAR 13
23 Tee Higgins, CIN 10 UP26 he’s been outproducing Chase over the last month-plus
24 Tyler Lockett, SEA 9
25 Amari Cooper, DAL 7 returned in Wk 13 after missing previous two games w/ COVID
Rk Weekly matchup plays Bye Up/Down Notes
26 Hunter Renfrow, LV 8 UP30 he’s the top target in LV as long as Waller’s knee is an issue
27 Brandin Cooks, HOU 10 DN23
28 Darnell Mooney, CHI 10
29 Elijah Moore, NYJ 6 UP39
30 Jerry Jeudy, DEN 11
31 Julio Jones, TEN 13 on IR w/ a hamstring injury; he’s eligible to return in Wk 14
32 Van Jefferson, LAR 11 UP37 feels like he’s WR2 ahead of OBJ
33 A.J. Green, ARI 12
34 Jarvis Landry, CLE 13
35 Brandon Aiyuk, SF 6
36 Odell Beckham Jr., LAR 11 two TDs in the three games w/ LA; he’s dealing with a hip injury, though
37 DeVonta Smith, PHI 14 DN31
38 A.J. Brown, TEN 13 on IR w/ a chest injury; he’s eligible to return in Wk 16
39 Kenny Golladay, NYG 10 suffered a rib injury in Wk 13; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
40 Cole Beasley, BUF 7
41 Tyler Boyd, CIN 10 UP50 he’s gonna be hit or miss every week, but there’s always playable upside
42 Christian Kirk, ARI 12
43 Emmanuel Sanders, BUF 7
44 Rashad Bateman, BAL 8 DN41 just 60 yds receiving combined over his last three games; that speaks to an inconsistent role
45 Curtis Samuel, WAS 9 not doing much since returning, but he has time to make plays down the stretch
46 Calvin Ridley, ATL 6 out indefinitely for mental health reasons
Rk Fringe plays/roster depth Bye Up/Down Notes
47 Jakobi Meyers, NE 14
48 DeVante Parker, MIA 14 UP78 returned in Wk 13 after missing four games w/ shoulder and hamstring injuries
49 Russell Gage Jr., ATL 6 UP57 29 receptions over his last five games
50 Kendrick Bourne, NE 14
51 Laviska Shenault Jr., JAC 7 UP56 getting some work in the backfield in addition to his receiving
52 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB 13
53 Michael Gallup, DAL 7 UP59 he’ll get fewer looks when Cooper is back to full health, but he should remain part of the offense
54 Josh Reynolds, DET 9 UP65
55 Kadarius Toney, NYG 10 DN51 missed last two games w/ a quad injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
56 T.Y. Hilton, IND 14
57 Tre’Quan Smith, NO 6 UP61
58 Courtland Sutton, DEN 11 DN54 DEN’s passing game is really struggling
59 Jamison Crowder, NYJ 6 UP66 should be WR2 for NYJ w/ Davis (groin) done for the year
60 Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET 9 UP76 only Waddle, Chase and Smith have more catches among rookie WRs than St. Brown (49)
61 Tim Patrick, DEN 11
62 Allen Robinson II, CHI 10 missed last three games w/ a hamstring injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
63 Antonio Brown, TB 9 DN34 suspended; eligible to return in Wk 16, but TB could decide to release him
64 K.J. Osborn, MIN 7 UP77 he should hold flex value for as long as Thielen is out
65 Nelson Agholor, NE 14
66 Rondale Moore, ARI 12
67 Zay Jones, LV 8 UP68
68 Mecole Hardman, KC 12 DN58
69 DeSean Jackson, LV 8 looking forward to reading his biography, “Consistently Inconsistent: The D-Jax Story”
70 Robby Anderson, CAR 13
71 Randall Cobb, GB 13 suffered a groin injury in Wk 12; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
72 Marquez Callaway, NO 6
73 Sammy Watkins, BAL 8
74 Marvin Jones, JAC 7 DN53 *flings papers into the air*
75 Bryan Edwards, LV 8
76 Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE 13
77 Laquon Treadwell, JAC 7 NR he’s led the Jags in receiving each of the last two games
78 Sterling Shepard, NYG 10 missed last four games w/ a quad injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
79 Nico Collins, HOU 10 DN71
80 Jalen Reagor, PHI 14
Tight ends
Rk Never leaves lineup Bye Up/Down Notes
1 Travis Kelce, KC 12
2 Mark Andrews, BAL 8 UP3
3 Darren Waller, LV 8 DNP in Wk 13 w/ a knee injury; his status for Wk 14 is TBD
4 George Kittle, SF 6
5 Rob Gronkowski, TB 9 Gronk and Kittle move into Tier 1 but don’t change ranking positions
Rk Lineup regulars Bye Up/Down Notes
6 T.J. Hockenson, DET 9 UP9
7 Kyle Pitts, ATL 6 how does a 6-foot-6, 246-pound TE have ONE TD this season!??!?
8 Pat Freiermuth, PIT 7
9 Dallas Goedert, PHI 14 UP12 maybe Hurts will pick up some lessons from Minshew on how to utilize Goedert
10 Mike Gesicki, MIA 14
11 Dalton Schultz, DAL 7
12 Tyler Conklin, MIN 7 UP19 his role could really grow if Thielen misses meaningful time
13 Hunter Henry, NE 14 DN10
Rk Weekly matchup plays Bye Up/Down Notes
14 Cole Kmet, CHI 10 UP18 getting a lot of targets lately
15 Dawson Knox, BUF 7
16 Tyler Higbee, LAR 11
17 Zach Ertz, ARI 12
18 Noah Fant, DEN 11 DN14 averaged fewer than 8.5 YPC in 8 of his last 10 games; no TDs since Wk 6
Rk Fringe plays/roster depth Bye Up/Down Notes
19 Jack Doyle, IND 14 had one target as a follow up to a big Wk 12
20 Evan Engram, NYG 10 UP23
21 Gerald Everett, SEA 9 his performance in Wk 13 was one of the worst I’ve ever seen; but he was targeted six times, so…
22 C.J. Uzomah, CIN 10
23 Jonnu Smith, NE 14 he led NE in receiving in Wk 13! 0_0
24 David Njoku, CLE 13
25 Josiah Deguara, GB 13 keep an eye on Deguara to see if he gets some of that Tonyan red-zone work over the final month
26 Jared Cook, LAC 7
27 James O’Shaughnessy, JAC 7
28 Logan Thomas, WAS 9 DN16 suffered a knee injury in Wk 13; he’s expected to miss multiple games
29 Adam Trautman, NO 6 on IR w/ a knee injury; he’s expected to miss 4-6 weeks
30 Dan Arnold, JAC 7 on IR w/ a knee injury; he’s expected to miss 4-6 weeks
Defensive teams
Rk Never leaves lineup Bye Up/Down Notes
1 Patriots, NE 14
2 Bills, BUF 7 DN1 as has been mentioned before, BUF struggles against physical running teams
3 Cardinals, ARI 12 UP5
4 Buccaneers, TB 9
Rk Lineup regulars Bye Up/Down Notes
5 Packers, GB 13 GB could add Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander over the final five weeks
6 Rams, LAR 11 DN3 they have a tough remaining schedule
7 49ers, SF 6
8 Dolphins, MIA 14 UP9 their closing schedule is very enticing
9 Colts, IND 14
10 Chiefs, KC 12 UP14
11 Titans, TEN 13
12 Broncos, DEN 11 UP18
Rk Weekly matchup plays Bye Up/Down Notes
13 Cowboys, DAL 7 DN10 DAL finally got the turnovers flowing again, intercepting four passes in Wk 13
14 Bengals, CIN 10
15 Eagles, PHI 14 UP19
16 Browns, CLE 13
17 Steelers, PIT 7 still very playable in the right matchup when that T.J. Watt guy is in uniform
18 Panthers, CAR 13
19 Saints, NO 6 DN12
20 Bears, CHI 10 NR