Week 14 is here. The fantasy playoffs are just a week away, and lineup decisions have become more important than ever. Week 14 started out with what looked to be a blowout but somehow became competitive as the Vikings defense and Kirk Cousins collapsed. Dalvin Cook went bonkers, Justin Jefferson got fed 15 targets, and Najee Harris barely missed the 100 yard rushing mark. On the IDP side of things, Eric Kendricks made a triumphant return while Harrison Smith continued to put up DB1 numbers. There was not much IDP goodness to go around on Thursday night, but for those in CB leagues, Bashaud Breeland also had himself a night. Let’s take a look at some other players who can help fantasy teams this week and a few others who may do more harm than good.
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup & Trade advice 
Start em
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB – CLE)
JOK was excellent in Week 12, tallying six solos, six assists, 0.5 sacks, and one tackle for loss in Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens. Fresh off the Browns bye week, JOK will get Lamar Jackson and the Ravens again, giving him matchup-based LB2 upside. We have already seen how the Browns utilize him and his sideline-to-sideline speed against Lamar Jackson, so there seems to be a high floor here. And it does not hurt at all that the Ravens have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the linebacker position-lock JOK in as an LB2 option with LB1 upside for Week 14.
Patrick Queen (LB – BAL)
Patrick Queen has got his season back on track over the last four weeks and has been the LB12 since Week 10. The solo count has not always been at the level we hoped to see but has been an improvement for him. He was back to starter’s snaps in Week 13, playing 92 percent, a signal that he locked back in due to his recent strong play. He may never be the plus coverage backer many thought the Ravens were getting, but he can produce for fantasy managers when he is getting snaps and is feeling it. Start him as an LB2 option against a Cleveland Browns team that he recorded eight solos, two tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery on back in Week 12.
Tremaine Edmunds (LB – BUF)
Tremaine continues to frustrate fantasy managers but should be given an LB2 look for those in a bye week pinch. The Bills square off against the Buccaneers in Week 14 and are expected to see a heavy dose of the run from a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that will be looking to keep Josh Allen on the sidelines as much as possible. We should see an uptick of rushing attempts vis a vis what they may have planned for after the world saw the formula from the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. Edmunds has a skill set that should allow him to be in the mix for multiple stops in the run game and should be close to the ball on most tackles. Fire Edmunds up as an LB2 for Week 14 despite the tough on-paper matchup.
Jonathan Greenard (DE – HOU)
Greenard put up a dud in Week 13 but should still be viewed as a borderline DL1 option for Week 14. He has been held off the sack sheet in two of his last three games, but he still has at least one sack in six of his nine games and is the DL3 in fantasy points per game. Greenard has a tasty Week 14 matchup against a Seattle Seahawks team surrendering the seventh-most fantasy points to the defensive end position, and should have a strong enough performance to put him back in the DL1 mix for the fantasy playoffs. Start Greenard with confidence despite the recent duds.
Ronnie Harrison (S – CLE)
Ronnie Harrison was an absolute monster against the Ravens in Week 12, and with another matchup against them this weekend is suddenly a matchup-based DB1 option. Harrison was all over the place against Lamar Jackson and co. last time out, recording 12 solos, two assists, one interception, and one pass defended. He should see another strong outing this weekend and is an elite fill-in for those in a bye-week pinch. Most may feel more comfortable with him as a DB2 for good reason, but don’t be afraid to go for broke in Week 14 as you jockey for playoff positioning. Baltimore has relinquished the most fantasy points per game to the safety position.
Sit em
Charles Harris (DE/LB – DET)
Charles Harris went off in Week 13, tallying two solos, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. However, Harris should remain on fantasy benches for Week 14 even if you just added him during this week’s waiver period. He can be an impact piece if he proves that he is putting something together in terms of consistency, but Week 13’s sacks were the first he recorded since all the way back in Week 5, making Harris too risky a bet to start in your final push for playoff positioning. Keep him benched for a tough Week 14 matchup against a Denver Broncos team surrendering the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the defensive end position.
Carlos Dunlap (DE – SEA)
Dunlap had an excellent fantasy performance in Week 13 despite appearing in this column as a suggested sit. Dunlap was a busy man, racking up one solo, one sack, one tackle for loss, one pass defended, and one safety. It was an excellent outing for the struggling edge rusher. However, it was his first game with a full sack all season and his first game with a solo since Week 10. He could become an option if he logs another sack this weekend but should remain on benches or waiver wires for Week 14 despite the plus matchup against a Houston Texans team allowing the 11th most fantasy points to the position.
Daniel Sorensen (S – KC)
Sorensen had a 75-yard pick-six in Week 13 that put him among the fantasy leaders at his position but is still not starter worthy in IDP leagues. He has seen a slight uptick in snaps since being supplanted as the starter in favor of Juan Thornhill but is not seeing enough to be a consistent contributor. Some may be tempted to plug him after his strong performance and with an excellent Week 14 matchup on tap, but the suggestion here is to keep him glued to benches or to send him back to the wire altogether.
Keanu Neal (LB/S – DAL)
Neal was excellent in Week 13, tallying four solos, two assists, one sack, and one tackle for loss, but played just 33 percent of the snaps. The snap count was a drastic reduction from the previous two weeks, in which he averaged 97 percent of the snaps. Keanu has gone back to being too unpredictable in terms of snaps to trust as a fantasy option, period, so keep him benched for Week 14 in the hopes that he reverts back to a full-time role in time for the fantasy playoffs.
Uchenna Nwosu (DE/LB – LAC)
Who? Nwosu has been heating up lately and recorded two solos, two sacks, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in Week 13. He has three sacks in his last three games. However, he is hard to trust week-to-week due to positional labeling and due to the fact that he is wholly sack dependent. He plays enough snaps to continue to make an impact, especially against the Giants but should be left on benches for Week 14. Keep him stashed in the hopes that this recent hot streak is more trend than aberration but keep him out of lineups this weekend, even if Jake Fromm gets the tap for New York.
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup & Trade advice
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Beyond our fantasy football content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – that optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football draft season.
Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
