Welcome to Week 14 of the 2023 season, and our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em series. This is where all the hard work is done as we prepare for another week of hard-hitting action and paper championships.
As always, if you are struggling with a decision you can checkout our rankings for each Week. Or, if you want a more personal touch, reach out on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. All stats refer to 1/2 PPR, 6 point per passing touchdown leagues. The number in brackets next to an opponent is that teams rank against the position. Rank 1 is the best possible matchup, Rank 32 is the worst. Follow me on Twitter @FFMadScientist
Start’Em
Dak Prescott, Cowboys v PHI (1)
Prescott has been an absolute stud this season. He currently ranks as QB3 on the year and has been QB3 or higher in five or the last six weeks. This week he goes up against the Philadelphia Eagles who are the easiest matchup for quarterbacks. The Eagles are allowing 22.6 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and will be yet another elite scenario for fantasy production.
Justin Fields, Bears v DET (4)
Fields has battled injury for much of the season and as a result currently sits as QB22 on the year. He has finished as QB8 or higher in three of his last five starts and should make for another solid start this week against the Detroit Lions who rank as the 4th easiest matchup for quarterbacks. The Lions are allowing 18.8 fantasy points per game and have been known to hemorrhage fantasy points, particularly to rushing quarterbacks.
Russell Wilson, Broncos v LAC (3)
Wilson is not the player he used to be but has become about as consistent as they come. You can pencil him into your superflex lineup every week as a high-end QB2, nothing more and nothing less. In week 14 he goes up against the Los Angeles Chargers whoa re terrible at stopping the pass and rank as the 3rd best matchup for quarterbacks. Los Angeles is allowing 19.3 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and will allow Wilson to once again be a borderline QB1/2.
Sit ‘Em
Matthew Stafford, Rams v BAL (32)
Stafford is another quarterback who has been consistent in his mediocrity. He is a weekly QB2 albeit with slightly lower finishes than Wilson, more of a mid-range QB2. This week he faces the Baltimore Ravens who are the most difficult matchup for quarterbacks. Baltimore is allowing 11.8 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and will make it tough for Stafford to finish inside the top-15 at the position.
Jameis Winston/Derek Carr, Saints v CAR (31)
Winston is likely to get the start this week over the injured Carr but for fantasy production purposes they are both risky starts regardless of who starts this week. Carr is a model of QB2 production while Winston starting offers a much higher ceiling, but far lower floor. Regardless, they will be facing the Carolina Panthers this week who rank as the 2nd toughest matchup for quarterbacks. The Panthers are allowing 13.1 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and play a low scoring grinding style of game that is not conducive to high fantasy performances.
Geno Smith, Seahawks v SF (28)
Smith closes out a trio of QB2 sits this week and is easily the most volatile of the three. He has by far the most upside as we seen last week with a QB1 overall finish, but he has the most downside as well as he has finished lower than QB25 on four separate occasions. In Week 14 he faces off with the San Francisco 49ers who rank as the 4th worst matchup for quarterbacks and are a must-avoid. The 49ers are allowing 14.0 fantasy points per game to the position and are not a spot I’m willing to trust Geno.
Start ‘Em
Austin Ekeler, Chargers v DEN (1)
Ekeler has been perhaps the biggest bust of the fantasy season as he currently ranks as RB22 after being a first round fantasy pick. He has finished as RB32 or lower in three straight weeks and aside from a three game stretch in the middle of the season that saw him finish as RB6 or higher in each, he has been outside RB24 in each week of the season. In Week 14 however, he gets a matchup with the Denver Broncos who are the medicine that heals struggling offensive players. Denver is allowing a whopping 26.4 fantasy points per game to the position and will once again make Ekeler a top-5 running back.
Joe Mixon, Bengals v IND (4)
Mixon has been lauded as inefficient and washed up this season. The problem with that narrative is that he is currently RB6 on the season. In Week 13 he finished as the RB1 overall and will follow that up with another boom game against the Indianapolis Colts who currently rank as the 4th easiest matchup for running backs. The Colts are allowing 23.2 fantasy points per game to the position and will allow Mixon to continue being the RB1, which he has been over the last four weeks of the season.
Alexander Mattison, Vikings v LV (9)
Mattison has been a massive disappointment based on his middling draft capital. He has been a top-10 running back in only two games this season and has struggled to stay on the field. However, in Week 14 he faces the Las Vegas Raiders who are the 9th best matchup for running backs and should allow him to find his way back into a solid production level. The Raiders are allowing 20.8 fantasy points per game and will do their best to give Mattison the boost he needs to be relevant for fantasy once again.
Sit ‘Em
D’Andre Swift, Eagles v DAL (26)
Swift has been a pleasant surprise based on pre-season expectations but has cooled off significantly since his early season scorching start. This has been largely due to Devonta Smith once again emerging as a deadly weapon in the Eagles offence. This week Swift goes up against the Dallas Cowboys who are the 6th hardest matchup for opposing running backs. The Cowboys are allowing only 15.3 fantasy points per game to the position and are
Khalil Herbert, Bears v DET (25)
Herbert has been hampered by a lingering ankle injury that has kept him out of the lineup for half of the season. When he has been healthy he has had to battled with D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson for consistent work. This week he faces the Detroit Lions who are the 7th worst matchup for opposing running backs as they are allowing only 15.6 fantasy points per game. The Lions are a pass-funnel that is so bad through the air that the Bears may simply choose to not run the ball at all against their stifling run defense.
Gus Edwards, Ravens, v LAR (24)
Edwards has been far better than anyone could have expected this season but finds himself in the mix of a troubling three-man committee in Baltimore. He had his third lowest snap share of the season last week and will pair that up with a Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams who are the 8th toughest matchup for opposing running backs, The Rams are holding the position to 15.9 fantasy points per game and will make for a tough matchup to overcome.
Start ’em
Courtland Sutton, Broncos v LAC (3)
Sutton has been inconsistent in an inconsistent Denver offence that has seen him emerge as the WR1 for Russell Wilson. He currently ranks as WR21 but gets a Week 14 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers that are the 3rd easiest matchup for opposing wide receivers and are a fantasy gold mine. The Chargers are allowing 32.9 fantasy points per game to the position and will allow Sutton his highest fantasy finish of the season.
Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers v SEA (6)
Aiyuk has been excellent for most of the season despite the multiple mouths to feed in the 49ers offence. He currently ranks as WR15 on the season and will face the Seattle Seahawks this week who are the 6th best matchup for wide receivers. Seattle is allowing 30.5 fantasy points per game to the position and will be another ample opportunity for Aiyuk to blow up.
DJ Moore, Bears v DET (8)
Moore has been excellent this season and finds himself as WR10 on the season despite terrible quarterback play for significant portions of the season. This week he faces the Detroit Lions who are terrible against the pass and are currently the 8th easiest matchup for wide receivers. The Lions are allowing an insane 29.9 fantasy points per game to the position and are a prime spot for DJ Moore this week.
Sit ’em
Adam Thielen, Panthers v NO (29)
Thielen’s production has fallen off a cliff since the Panthers Week 6 bye. He hasn’t finished higher than WR23 since then and has gone from WR4 to WR14 as a result. This week he faces the New Orleans Saints who are the 3rd hardest matchup for wide receivers. New Orleans is limiting opposing receivers to only 23.4 fantasy points per game and will once again cause Thielen to finish outside the top-24 receivers.
Rashee Rice, Chiefs v BUF (28)
Rice has come on as of late as he has seen his snap share increase substantially. Despite that, he has remained inconsistent and is a mix of WR2 and WR4 production. In Week 14 he faces the Buffalo Bills who are the 4th most difficult matchup for receivers. The Bills are allowing only 23.5 fantasy points per game to the position, making Rice a tough player to trust this week.
Calvin Ridley, Jaguars v CLE (30)
Ridley has been a case of extremes. He either finishes as a top-10 receiver, or outside the top-40, with nothing in between. In Week 14 he faces the Cleveland Browns who are the 8th best matchup for opposing receivers. Cleveland is allowing only 22.7 fantasy points per game tot he position and will make Ridley a dud once again this week.
Start ‘Em
Gerald Everett, Chargers v DEN (1)
Everett is the definition of a touchdown-dependent tight end. If he scores he is TE10, if he doesn’t he finishes as TE 30. This week Everett gets the Denver Broncos who are the easiest matchup for opposing tight ends. The Broncos are allowing 13.1 fantasy points per game to the position and will allow Everett to once again get in the endzone and be fantasy relevant.
Isaiah Likely, Ravens v LAR (2)
Likely has not been what fantasy managers expected him to be when Mark Andrews was lost for the season. His best finish has been TE20. Over the last two weeks he has seen his highest snap share and production is on its way. In Week 14 he faces the Los Angeles Rams who are the 2nd best matchup for opposing tight ends. The Rams are allowing 11.6 fantasy points per game to the position and will allow Likely to finally produce.
Cole Kmet, Bears v DET (6)
Kmet has been inconsistent with brushes of brilliance this season. He currently sits as TE7 on the season and has proven to be trustworthy. In Week 14 he faces the Detroit Lions who are the 6th easiest matchup for tight ends. Detroit is allowing 11.2 fantasy points per game to the position. Kmet is in a prime spot this week and will look to improve on his disappointing performance against the Lions two weeks ago.
Sit ’em
Evan Engram, Jaguars v CLE (32)
Engram currently sits as TE5 and was great in Week 13 after cooling off significantly through the middle part of the season. In Week 14 he faces a Cleveland Browns defense that has been the worst matchup for opposing tight ends. The absence of Christian Kirk could make for opportunities for Engram, but for now he is too risky to trust full. The Browns are allowing only 4.8 fantasy points per game to the position, so if you can’t sit him you should lower your expectations.
Tucker Kraft, Packers v NYG (30)
Kraft has been a top-20 tight end over the past two weeks since taking over for the injured Luke Musgrave. He currently sits as TE55 as he has only been involved as of late. This week he squares off with the New York Giants who are the 3rd worst matchup for opposing tight ends. New York is allowing only 6.1 fantasy points per game to the position and will prove a tall task for the rookie to overcome.
Tyler Higbee, Rams v BAL (27)
Higbee was TE1 in Week 12 in a two touchdown outbreak, but came back down to earth in Week 13 when he touchdown luck regressed. In Week 14 he faces the Baltimore Ravens who rank as the 5th worst matchup for tight ends. The Ravens are allowing only 6.9 fantasy points per game to the position and will ensure the touchdown-dependent Higbee is a bust again this week.
Well, that’s it for our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em for Week 14 of the 2023 season. Remember, you can check out rankings for each Week. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. Follow me on Twitter @FFMadScientist
Image Credit: Ed Mulholland – USA TODAY Sports
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2022 Week 14
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2022 Week 14
