Welcome back to our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em series for 2020, we are about to enter Week 14! For some it might be the first week of the playoffs. For others, it will be your last week to get that playoff place locked up! So let’s get that win!
If you have a particular start/ sit question then you can always check out our weekly rankings page, or reach out to us on any of our social media channels. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I answered all of you that reached out last week, I will always try to get to every single one of you.
Slam dunk starts (the likes of Patrick Mahomes) and sits (pretty much anyone in New York) aren’t going to be included. You should always be starting or avoiding those guys. These are players that I have seen on social media being considered with some mixed answers.
Start ‘Em
Tom Brady v MIN
Brady has been a streaming option this year, due to the way the offense has found success game to game. However, against weaker secondaries Brady has been good this season. Coming off the back of a bye I fancy him to add to his run of multiple TD games (currently his last three games).
Deshaun Watson @CHI
Chicago have a good defense, but they have struggled in recent weeks. That has lead them to jump from the bottom of the league, in terms of points given up to the position, to the bottom quarter- which is still good. However, Watson is a talented enough player that he could cause the defense some trouble with his legs and arm.
Justin Herbert v ATL
Herbert struggled last week against the Patriots, but I think that was a blip rather than the new norm. Herbert has had a fantastic rookie season and now comes in to face the worst defense in the league. Don’t second guess it- Herbert is a fantastic play.
Philip Rivers @LV
This run first offense is looking quite pass friendly. At least recently it has. In his past three games he has thrown for an average of 289 yards and just over 2 TDs. Next up for the Colts is Rivers’ old divisional rivals the Raiders, a team that just made Sam Darnold look good. Rivers is a borderline QB1 for me this week.
David Montgomery v HOU
Montgomery continues his run of great matchups against Houston who are the second-worst in the league against the position. Last week Montgomery was able to have a decent fantasy performance, and there is no reason to doubt a repeat.
Melvin Gordon @CAR
We have seen in previous weeks that the way to beat Carolina is on the ground, and Gordon is the lead back out of this backfield. They aren’t the must-target that they were at the start of the season, but they are still a plus-matchup.
D’Andre Swift v GB
I’m writing in Swift, but really I’m happy with the Detroit backfield. I just want it to be Swift because that’s easier to have confidence in. The reason I’m happy is that the Packers defense just cannot defend the position. Just monitor the situation. If Swift isn’t able to go, then I’m fine with Adrian Peterson.
Jonathan Taylor @LV
Taylor finally had a game! Taylor seems to get the first chance at running the ball. I can’t see how he struggles against this Raiders run defense. I like Taylor to have strong back-to-back games.
Jamison Crowder @SEA
Crowder returned to be the receiver that I hoped he would be in the offseason. He had a great target share, but more importantly, he was productive with those targets. This week he matches up against Seattle. A team that has been better in recent weeks, but is still the worst in the league at defending the position. That being said, I wouldn’t mind starting Denzel Mims or Breshard Perriman either in this matchup.
Corey Davis @JAX
Davis is having a decent season on the other side of the field from A.J. Brown. Last week he smashed the Cleveland Browns secondary for 182 yards and a TD. A matchup against Jacksonville should give him another opportunity to have a good fantasy performance.
CeeDee Lamb @CIN
Lamb had a hot start to his rookie season, but then struggled in the middle of it. However, it looks like he is starting to recapture that early form now. I quite like the Dallas Cowboys, led by Andy Dalton, to have a good performance against the Bengals. Their secondary isn’t the greatest, and I don’t think they will have enough to limit Cooper and Lamb.
Michael Pittman Jr @LV
Hilton had a great game last week, but that was against Houston, a team that he crushes every time he plays them. As I mentioned with QB, this matchup is a good one to target. I’m going back to the well for Pittman in my lineups.
Hunter Henry v ATL
Henry, like the Chargers offense, struggled against New England last week. However, this week the team have a great way to bounce back against a Falcons defense that struggles to stop the ball through the air. Fantasy isn’t always difficult. Easy start!
Dalton Schultz @CIN
Schultz has had an impressive season, after stepping in for Blake Jarwin. His involvement is mainly in the redzone, but that’s fine considering the TE landscape. The Bengals have given up an average of 10.5 points to the position.
Rob Gronkowski v MIN
This season has been quite the return for Gronkowski. At one point of the season, I got to the point where I just said you need to sit him until further notice. Now he has appeared a few times as a start. This week I’m happy to put him in against Minnesota. Tampa has been looking to get him the ball, especially in the redzone.
I’m not going to mention Koo or Blankenship. They are both players that you should be starting.
Daniel Carlson v IND
Carlson has been a fine kicker. It’s just the Raiders offense hasn’t allowed him to attempt too many FGs. This weekend he is kicking in a dome against a tough defense. That should mean more FG attempts, especially if the team are without Josh Jacobs again.
Jason Sanders v KC
Sanders has been a fine kicker this season, as Miami has taken a step forward on offense. Next up for the Dolphins are Kansas City, a team that has managed to bend but not break at times this season. Perfect for a kicker.
New Orleans Saints v PHI
The Eagles are not an offense to be worried about. They give up sacks for fun, and mix in turnovers too. The Saints are a great unit on defense so I would happily put them into my lineups this week.
Carolina Panthers v DEN
The Carolina defense needed improvement from last year, and they went out in the draft and did it. Even if they weren’t the best unit in the league they don’t need to be for fantasy relevance this week. Denver’s offense hasn’t been one of the best in the league. Infact, their QB has been so inaccurate that when he tried to throw the ball out downfield to end a game he connected on a deep pass. That was good for fantasy but highlights the struggles the offense has.
Sit ‘Em
Kirk Cousins @TB
The Buccaneers defense is great at stopping RB production, forcing teams to beat them through the air. However, the issue is that the Vikings are built to run the ball first. I can see Cousins being put under constant pressure, struggling to give you the fantasy production you need this week.
Derek Carr v IND
Imagine a world where you have to score points because your defense is being lit-up by the New York Jets. Now imagine you are now facing up against the Colts who give up an average of just 15.2 points to the position this season. That’s not a good spot for a QB.
Miles Sanders v NO
This Eagles offense is stalling all over the place. So much so they’ve decided that they are going to bring in a replacement for Carson Wentz. The Saints defense is the best unit in the league at defending the RB position, only 3 TDs on the ground this season.
Todd Gurley @LAC
Ok, I’ll say it. I’m worried about Gurley being able to run. I saw him come on for one snap for the Falcons last week, and then hobble off the next play having not touched the ball. That’s something that I’m genuinely worried about for the rest of the season. I’d stay away.
Philadelphia Eagles Receivers v NO
I think I’m out on the Eagles offense now. This team can’t protect their QB, and have decided to make the move to bringing rookie Jalen Hurts into the starting role. There are good times to make the move at QB, but this isn’t really it. The Saints defense is a decent unit. In this important week, I don’t want to take the gamble on production against this defense.
Marvin Jones v GB
Jones burnt me as a sit last week. I just didn’t expect Chicago to struggle to contain him. But I’m going to double down this week. Jones is going to face the Packers, a team that limited him in Week 2 to 23 yards and a TD. TDs as we all know are sticky, so I’m not going to slot Jones into my lineups.
Logan Thomas @SF
Thomas continued his inconsistent season against the Steelers. Unfortunately for me, as I had him as a sit, he performed well. Despite that performance, I’m still not confident in putting him in against the 49ers who give up just 4.7 points on average to the position.
Jordan Akins @CHI
The Houston offense has changed, with a change of coaching but also personnel. Despite that, Akins hasn’t taken the step forward that I thought he would. He just isn’t getting the targets that he needs to the successful. Put it this way- he has had five targets in his past two games. That isn’t going to get it done.
Michael Badgley v ATL
I think this game will be a shootout, so why would I say to avoid the kicker? Simply, he has been inconsistent this season. He has struggled at times for opportunity, and then accuracy too. We on’t have any byes, there are better options.
Wil Lutz @PHI
Lutz being selected is due to the fact that the Saints are likely to be able to do what they want to in this game. Therefore, there won’t be a lot of kicking opportunity outside of PATs, which isn’t what you want from your kicker.
Atlanta Falcons @LAC
The Chargers struggled last time out against New England, and the Falcons defense has been (marginally) better. But don’t see something that isn’t there. This Falcons defense is still awful. Don’t do it
Miami Dolphins v KC
You probably don’t need me to do this, because you know to avoid Kansas City, but I’m just going to take this moment. Miami has been a great DST this season, and may well have taken you to the fantasy playoffs, but sit them this week.
So that’s it for our 2020 Week 14 edition of Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em. Remember, you can always reach out to us for help in setting your lineup. Check out our weekly rankings page, or reach out to us on any of our social media channels. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And, as always, if you want something more specific to your league- reach out!
Image Credit: Robert Hanashiro – USA TODAY Sports
