Week 14! I can’t begin to describe how much I love fantasy and NFL football. Congratulations to Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions on their first victory. Gardner Minshew was the feel-good story of Week 13. If you haven’t already, please go watch him celebrate the victory with his dad. A couple of division games came down to the wire, a missed two-point conversion by Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens ruined their comeback. A fourth-down stop in the red zone helped Seattle beat the 49ers in a loss that could come back to haunt them. Just when you thought the division games couldn’t get any weirder, the Mac Jones-led Patriots won a game on the road with only three pass attempts. Did I mention I LOVE football?!!
OK, let’s get started, but first! Before we move forward, I’d like to remind the readers what exactly this article is intended for.
Every week I select players inside the FantasyPros Consensus Top 12 that I think will finish outside the top 12 and players outside the top 12 that I like more.
This is NOT a ‘start/sit’ article per se. This is more or less how I feel about a player, why I feel that way, suggesting what I would do, what to expect, and who I like more.
I know when offering advice and analysis, accuracy and accountability are important. Not just to you guys but to me as well. Every week I like to keep track and share my previous week’s picks that I got right and wrong.
Accountability Report
QB Matthew Stafford (LAR)
Week 13 Ranking 9th
Prediction- Bust
Week 13 Finish 5th
I know this was a bold call but Jacksonville had been better against quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford had been struggling, and I thought OBJ would sit out. This should remind us all that when you have Sean McVay in your corner, good things happen more often than not.
RB Najee Harris (PIT)
Week 13 Ranking 6th
Prediction- Bust
Week 13 Finish 18th
Talk about a weird and wacky game. Najee didn’t score a touchdown, yet he still scored more than fifteen fantasy points. If you have Najee on your roster, you’ve got to be feeling pretty good.
WR Stefon Diggs (BUF)
Week 13 Ranking 4th
Prediction- Bust
Week 13 Finish 38th
Football purists more than likely really enjoyed the matchup between the Bills and New England. While snow games can be fun to watch, they’re not much fun for fantasy.
TE T.J. Hockenson (DET)
Week 13 Ranking 5th
Prediction- Bust
Week 13 Finish 4th
On a week where we saw Kittle, Goedert, and Gronk all score multiple touchdowns, Hockenson finishing as the TE4 for the week just feels wrong! To be fair, getting fifteen points from your tight end is nothing to complain about.
Alright, nothing else to see here let’s move right along to Week 14s “Trust, or BUST” picks. Huh, run the numbers? Oh, that…you don’t care about that. Remember my perfect Week 13? Remember? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Fine! Let’s run the numbers.
Week 13 Results- 2 for 4 50%
Correct
28
Wrong
24
Week 14 Inside/ Outside Picks
QB Lamar Jackson (BAL)
@CLE
Current Ranking 7th
AVG Points per Game 22.9
Week 14 ranking 4th
Since Week 7 the Cleveland Browns have given up just one QB1 finish. The Browns are fresh off a bye week and competing for a playoff spot. Adding Lamar’s recent struggles, while also playing on the road is not a recipe for success.
Who I like More
QB Baker Mayfield (CLE)
v BAL
Week 14 ranking 23rd
I understand that Baker has been bad, bad really doesn’t describe it. However, look at the Ravens defense, rather what’s left of it. I see a bounce-back game for Baker and the Browns. Allowing seventeen points per game to quarterbacks during their current four-game stretch, the Ravens are in trouble this week.
RB James Conner (ARI)
v LAR
Current Ranking 10th
AVG Points per Game 15.7
Week 14 ranking 12th
Yes, I know Conner is tied for second in touchdowns among running backs. Yes, I’m aware that he’s scored a touchdown in six straight games. Guess what the Rams DON’T do…give up touchdowns. By the way, Chase Edmonds is expected to return this week too.
Who I like More
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC)
v LV
Week 14 ranking 20th
Since he was drafted in 2020 CEH has failed to meet fantasy managers’ expectations. He’s also on one of the best teams in the NFL. While both things are true another thing we should consider is this week’s matchup with a bottom three run defense in the Raiders. Let’s not forget that CEH has scored double-digit points in multiple games since his return from the IR.
WR Mike Evans (TB)
v BUF
Current Ranking 12th
AVG Points per Game 16.5
Week 14 ranking 11th
Something I’ve said a lot this season “fantasy is weird”, how weird is it? Mike Evans is the WR12 this season, but he’s only had two WR1 finishes, he’s scored over twenty points just four times, and he’s nineteenth in targets. Those do not sound like the numbers of a WR1.
Who I like More
WR Amari Cooper (DAL)
@WAS
Week 14 ranking 21st
The Football Team has been better as of late as they take a four-game win streak into Week 14. With as good as they’ve been the last four weeks, their pass defense is still bottom three in every category.
TE Tyler Conklin (MIN)
v PIT
Current Ranking 15th
AVG Points per Game 9.3
Week 14 ranking 11th
Inconsistent is a fair term to use when talking about the Steelers season. One of the few things the Steelers have been good at is keeping tight ends out of the end zone, seeing as how they’ve only allowed two touchdowns all year.
Who I like More
TE Evan Engram (NYG)
@LAC
Week 14 ranking 17th
With all the injuries the Giants have dealt with all season, somehow Evan Engram of all people has had his healthiest season to date. Not only has Engram been healthy, but he’s also been productive as well, scoring double-digit points in four of his last seven games. Although the Chargers are the better team, overall. Tight ends have found the end zone nine times this season.
That’s gonna do it for this week’s piece. I hope you found the info useful and actionable.
Thank you for reading. Just a reminder, my fantasy podcast: The ATB Fantasy Show records a new episode every Thursday. You can find the podcast on most major platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. Here’s a link to the most recent episode.
If you use the hashtag #AskATB or send us a DM, we’ll be sure to answer any and all of your fantasy questions.
If you’re a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, I host a Dallas Cowboys themed podcast and you can find that on most major streaming platforms as well. Here is a link to the most recent episode
There you have it! Any questions, or want some more specific help for your league on who to drop, just reach out. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. And checkout out rankings for each Week.
Image Credit: Kim Klement – USA TODAY Sports
