What You Need to Know From Week 14

Photo: USA Today Sports

PIT @ MIN

• Ben Roethlisberger got to play sand lot ball in the second half down 29-0 and the pass offense came alive again after a first half that made observers feel sorry for the soon-to-retire quarterback. He could have value against the Titans in Week 15.
• Chase Claypool produced well but had a few gaffes. His ceiling and floor continue to get farther apart, but he’s worth a WR3/Flex start against the Titans.
• Dalvin Cook came back earlier than expected and looked full speed and then some against a Steelers run defense that was uncharacteristically gashed over and over again. D’Onta Foreman should be revved up to run at the Steelers in Week 15.
• The passing game was mostly kept on ice because of the huge halftime lead, but K.J. Osborn caught a long score that was the margin of victory. Justin Jefferson had a chance at a much bigger game, but his connection with Kirk Cousins was just off in the end zone multiple times.

NO @ NYJ

• Taysom Hill scored a garbage time touchdown to put him into elite fantasy quarterback territory for the second straight week. He’s risky against the Bucs, but the game script should allow for late meaningless touchdowns again.
• Alvin Kamara was fully back and looks ready to carry fantasy teams in the playoffs.
• Zach Wilson was miserable and the Jets offense looks incapable of supporting any fantasy option except maybe Michael Carter when he’s activated from injured reserve

ATL @ CAR

• Cordarrelle Patterson was strong again, but sat for a lot of the second half because he wasn’t needed in the lopsided win. Mike Davis had a solid day in PPR leagues for the second straight week and looks like valuable depth in the currently unstable NFL.
• Russell Gage got off to a hot start, but the Falcons didn’t need to pass a lot in the second half. Kyle Pitts was able to do enough to justify starting him before the game got out of hand, so there’s some confidence in Matt Ryan and the passing game to be competent against the 49ers in Week 15.
• Cam Newton was bad enough to get benched twice and can’t be trusted even in 2QB/Superflex.
• PJ Walker came in two times and didn’t look any better than Newton, but he did throw a garbage time score to Robby Anderson.
• Anderson could be viable this week if D.J. Moore’s hamstring issue keeps him out of Week 15 at Buffalo. Moore also got bonked on the head by the injury tent to add insult to muscle strain.
• Chuba Hubbard was able to score once to salvage something, but he’s a mere what the heck flex against Buffalo, Tampa, and New Orleans the next three weeks

SEA @ HOU

• Rashaad Penny set career highs across the board, but it also could have just been the Texans defense. Start him against the Rams this week as an RB2/Flex while we wait for more data.
• Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett resumed their magical connection against the outgunned Texans defense and Lockett should be trusted going forward. We’re still waiting for the DK Metcalf resurgence.
• Gerald Everett scored an ugly touchdown which probably wasn’t enough to consider trusting him in deep leagues.
• Davis Mills started 14 for 14, which is a good sign that we should start passing game pieces against the Seahawks (Rams, Bears, Lions next three weeks)
• Mills play makes Brandin Cooks a strong WR3/Flex and rookies Brevin Jordan and Nico Collins worth rostering in deep leagues, and maybe even starting against Jacksonville.
• Rex Burkhead left with a groin injury. Royce Freeman racked up catches in his stead, but David Johnson should return this week to split the backfield production and render both useless for fantasy.

LV @ KC

• Hunter Renfrow is the only good thing about the Raiders offense right now. Josh Jacobs is racking up enough catches to remain a viable RB2, but otherwise this is an offense stuck in a ditch on the side of the road. Give some credit to the hot Kansas City defense too.
• The Raiders gave up four scores to running backs, including two to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, so Nick Chubb should be a good play on Saturday, although the Browns are missing a lot of players, including offensive linemen.
• Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill have been slumping for fantasy, but a bigger game could be there against the Chargers this week, don’t lose the faith.

BAL @ CLE

• Lamar Jackson got hurt and Tyler Huntley again led a furious comeback effort, this time coming up just short. Huntley will be a viable fantasy play against the Packers if Jackson can’t go. Huntley can also support the value of Mark Andrews and at least one of Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman, who was back ahead of Sammy Watkins for snaps and targets.
• Baker Mayfield looked great, then got hit hard, then looked less great and now he’s on the covid list for Week 15. So is Jarvis Landry and Austin Hooper, who each caught touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt left with an injury. It should be Nick Chubb, D’Ernest Johnson, and Donovan Peoples-Jones as the main cogs in the offense, with David Njoku maybe coming back off of the covid list to be the primary tight end. Case Keenum shouldn’t represent that much of a dropoff in the passing game.

DAL @ WAS

• Dak Prescott was uneven, but the defense did the heavy lifting in a game that the Cowboys almost let get away. Prescott has a great matchup with the Giants this week and will lose our trust for the rest of the fantasy playoffs if he comes up small.
• Ezekiel Elliott still doesn’t look right and Corey Clement replaced him when it appeared the game was in hand. His fantasy value hinges on touchdown opportunities.
• Dalton Schultz is the odd man out when all of the Cowboys top three receivers are healthy.
• Terry McLaurin left with a concussion and may not play in Week 15.
• Taylor Heinicke left with a knee injury but is expected to face the Eagles in Week 15. Kyle was just placed on the covid list, so practice squad quarterback Kyle Shurmur would be the backup if Heinicke gets hurt.
• Antonio Gibson had a costly fumble and it appears Washington’s faith in him is wavering as Jonathan Williams scored the short touchdown in the futile comeback attempt.

JAX @ TEN

• The Jaguars appear to be in quit mode and no one in this lineup is worth a start.
• D’Onta Foreman, Jeremy McNichols, and Dontrell Hilliard are splitting the snaps nearly equally, but Foreman got the rushing touchdown, both of the running back receptions, and almost as many carries as McNichols and Hilliard combined.
• No one in the Titans passing game stood out, including Julio Jones. There’s no plays here except in the deepest of leagues.

DET @ DEN

• Jermar Jefferson was nowhere to be seen as UDFA Craig Reynolds had the best afternoon in the Lions backfield, and Godwin Igwebuike had trouble holding onto the ball. Reynolds should have a chance to do even more this week against the Cardinals.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown is becoming a consistent short range target and should be considered a WR3/Flex in PPR leagues this week.
• The Broncos are content to run the offense through the backfield when the game script allows. It might not this week against the Bengals, but Javonte Williams is a start in any event, and there is no safe or strong play among the pass catchers.

NYG @ LAC

• Saquon Barkley came through with a garbage time score and that’s about all there was to redeem the Giants offense for fantasy.
• Josh Palmer or Jalen Guyton? The answer was both as Justin Herbert was excellent against a Giants defense that is folding up shop. Keenan Allen should return this week on Thursday to close the waiver window on this duo.
• Austin Ekeler got banged up and will be a game time decision on Thursday. Justin Jackson would be the next man up.

SF @ CIN

• George Kittle is playing at the highest level of his career to date and has the look of a league winner
• Joe Mixon was bottled up by the 49ers. He’s still a start against the Broncos, but expectations are lowering.
• The Bengals finally started picking on the depleted 49ers secondary in the second half. JaMarr Chase caught a long score to break his slump, eliminating any questions about whether to start him going forward.

BUF @ TB

• Josh Allen and the Bills had a rough first half but had a chance to win at the end of regulation and in overtime after being down 24-3. Allen has turf toe but will play through it.
• Emmanuel Sanders went down with a knee injury, making Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis good plays until he returns.
• Leonard Fournette was outstanding again but missed the first practice of the week, so monitor his situation.

CHI @ GB

• Justin Fields has made strides as a passer, but that means he spread the ball around and no one was a viable fantasy play in a potentially poor development for Darnell Mooney.
• The Bears led at the end of the first half but still didn’t get David Montgomery a big workload in another troubling twist. Keep Montgomery in vs. Minnesota and hope for the best.
• Allen Lazard looks like the #2 for Aaron Rodgers and should be in lineups against the depleted Ravens secondary.
• A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones split the snaps close to even, with Dillon actually getting the edge, and Dillon had 15 touches to Jones’ 8, but Jones scored both running back touchdowns. Dillon got plenty of opportunities in the red zone, so keep both in lineups.

LAR @ ARI

• Matthew Stafford hooked up with Odell Beckham and Van Jefferson for scores, and Jefferson could have easily had another. Stafford is warm heading into a matchup with the Seahawks pass defense that made Davis Mills look like Andrew Luck last week.
• Sony Michel is giving the team the stubborn downhill running they want, so even when Darrell Henderson returns, he probably isn’t a safe play.
• DeAndre Hopkins got a ton of targets but only modest production. After the game it was revealed that he has a knee injury that will end his regular season. A.J. Green and Christian Kirk get big value bumps. Watch to see who get more additional opportunity out of Antoine Wesley and Rondale Moore