Which under-the-radar players might be able to give your fantasy team a lift? Which chalky players might not be as safe as they seem? Our featured analysts name some potential sleepers and underachievers, along with start/sit advice for Week 14.
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Fantasy Football Week 14 Start/Sit Advice
Q. Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?
Dontayvion Wicks (WR – GB)
“For fantasy managers in a pinch, you could do worse than Dontayvion Wicks as a sleeper in Week 14. While he has not shined as brightly as fellow rookie Jayden Reed, Wicks has experienced steady opportunity despite working behind Christian Watson. However, Watson ended Week 13 with yet another hamstring injury. So, with a juicy matchup against a Giants’ defense that is in the bottom five in wide receiver fantasy points allowed, I am thinking one thing. Fire up Wicks in Week 14!”
– Chew Russell (Going For 2)
“Dontayvion Wicks has been showing flashes this season. The rookie out of Virginia has at least three receptions in every game since Week 9 (except Week 12 when he was out with injury). Jordan Love is on FIRE, and the Packers are playing the lowly New York Giants. This game could get out of hand quickly, and Wicks, who has at least four targets every week since Week 8, could be a sneaky start to continue his growth and possibly sneak in his second NFL Touchdown!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
“Dontayvion Wicks could be in line for an increased role if Christian Watson doesn’t play this week. Green Bay is likely without Christian Watson, Aaron Jones, and Luke Musgrave this week. Rookies Tucker Kraft and Dontayvion Wicks could both benefit. Wicks has already seen an increase in production, with a minimum of three catches over the past four games. Wicks has had receiving yard totals of 49, 51, 91, and 43 during that time as well while never playing more than 44% of snaps. If you need a deep play, see if Wicks is available.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
“Dontayvion Wicks is shaping up to be an interesting sleeper this week. Christian Watson is going to be ruled out, which moves Wicks up the depth chart in a matchup with Wink Martindale’s Giants. There are few Packers capable of beating man coverage, but Wicks looks to be one of those players, and his strong running after the catch means he has big-play potential against this aggressive Giants defense as well. ”
– Zach Brunner (FlurrySports)
Jameson Williams (WR – DET)
“Jameson Williams has been the WR29 over the past three weeks, averaging nine half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He scored 9.5 or more fantasy points twice, including last week. More importantly, the second-year wide receiver had 11.4 fantasy points in the Week 11 matchup against the Chicago Bears, scoring a 32-yard touchdown. Furthermore, the Bears have surrendered the sixth-highest catch rate (73%) and 11th-most receiving yards per game (248.3) this season. Expect Williams to have his second consecutive double-digit performance against the division rivals.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“The player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings who is a good sleeper start this week is Jameson Williams. I think he has upside this week, as the Lions are finding unique ways of getting Jameson Williams the ball. He scored on a 19-yard run last week and showed off his burst of speed. He is a high-risk play due to his lack of touches and targets. I just hope this is the week that the Lions attempt to get him more targets this week. Why not get him in this offense and throw the deep ball to him? ”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
“My pick for a sleeper this week is Jameson Williams, who is at 101st overall in the rankings. He’s ranked as the 49th wide receiver, which makes sense since he’s only finished better than WR49 in PPR scoring three times this season. However, his rushing touchdown last week makes me think the team is trying to use him more often, and they could need him this week against the Bears, who are coming off of a bye. I think he can finish as a top-30 WR, well ahead of where he’s currently being ranked.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Jalin Hyatt (WR – NYG)
“The last time we saw Jalin Hyatt he was setting career highs across the board. Before the bye week, he caught 5 of his 6 targets for 109 yards on his way to a WR21 finish. All of those are career bests for the rookie WR. We often see rookie wide receivers come on strong later in their rookie season, so that’s what we could be seeing here with Hyatt. Hyatt has the most upside of any pass catcher on the New York Giants as well. This week, the Giants are 6.5-point home underdogs, so they should be throwing early and often. Hyatt has some good sleeper appeal this week and the rest of the season.”
– Robert Norton (Last Word On Sports)
Zay Jones (WR – JAC)
“I’m going back to the well with Zay Jones. Last week, he was my sleeper start, and he had six catches on eight targets for 78 yards. Regardless of who is under center, Jones is better than his current ECR of WR56. Jones has been heavily involved when he has been healthy and is second on the team in Red Zone targets despite only playing 5.5 games. On paper, this is a tough matchup; however, Denzel Ward may still be injured, and Matthew Stafford just torched this team for 279 yards and three scores last week. Especially without Christian Kirk, Jones should see enough volume to finish as a top 36 WR this week.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)
Cade Otton (TE – TB)
“After the elite TEs, picking a TE to have a good week is a complete crapshoot. Cade Otton is a good-looking youngster with talented receiving chops. In what figures to be a high-scoring game, give me Otton with a decent matchup vs a struggling Falcons’ defense in the perfect climate-controlled weather conditions of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Perhaps if I (Mark Ringo) told my jokes in the climate-controlled weather conditions of a dome, they would be funnier? Then again, how is that even possible? Haha! ”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)
“Last week, Tucker Kraft ranked second among Packers in routes run (30). He tied for second in targets (5). There’s a higher ceiling on his volume this week, with Christian Watson (hamstring) likely sidelined. Meanwhile, the Giants are allowing nearly 25 points per game.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
Samaje Perine (RB – DEN)
“Samaje Perine (Broncos): Currently ranked Flex107. The Chargers allow the third-most receiving yards to running backs in 2023. Perine has 342 yards receiving out of the backfield for the Broncos this season. He is one of only seven RBs with 300+ receiving yards against the opposition.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)
Darnell Mooney (WR – CHI)
“Look for Darnell Mooney to rebound from three quiet weeks. Back in Week 9, he cracked the top 20 WRs with a 10.7-point finish. The Lions have allowed wide receivers to snag 55 receptions for 765 yards and seven touchdowns, good for 36.8 fantasy points per game, third-most in half PPR leagues. This is a great opportunity for Mooney to produce after a Week 13 bye.”
– Matt De Lima (The Game Day)
IDP: Devin Lloyd (LB – JAC) | Rashan Gary (LB, DE – GB)
“Devin Lloyd has been putting up sneaky volume and good metrics. extra player- Rashan Gary the stats may not show it due to his injury, but a matchup against the Giants is favorable, not to mention they run the football, so expect tackles points as well. Fun Fact: Gary now is quietly having a 10-sack season.”
– Steve Hungarter (Fantasy Six Pack)
Q: Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?
Josh Jacobs (RB – LV)
“Josh Jacobs had 20.5 half-point PPR fantasy points in his last game and averaged more than 4.3 yards per rushing attempt in a game for the first time this season. However, he faces a Minnesota Vikings defense that has held running backs to only 15.6 fantasy points per game, the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they have surrendered 14.1 fantasy points per game to non-Philadelphia Eagles running backs this year. More importantly, Jacobs won’t make up for the lack of rushing success in the passing game. Since Aidan O’Connell took over as the starter, the star running back has a 7.1% target share and 16% target per route run rate (per Fantasy Points Data), averaging 1.8 receptions per contest.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Gus Edwards (RB – BAL)
“Gus Edwards looks like a bust to me this week. Before the bye week, he only produced 4.70 PPR points in a nice matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Edwards only had 8 carries and 1 reception on 1 target. He’s been losing more work to explosive rookie Keaton Mitchell and even some to Justice Hill. That’s not good for a guy who is already TD-dependent. This week, he gets a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, who have allowed the 7th-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. Edwards is looking more TD-dependent than ever and will be a bust this week unless he finds a way to get an easy TD opportunity.”
– Robert Norton (Last Word On Sports)
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL)
“The player inside of the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings that is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week is Tony Pollard. Pollard has the worst matchup of all of the top 40 players in the flex rankings. Back in Week 9, the Eagles held Pollard to only 51 rushing yards and 12 receiving yards. Pollard is a flex play at best this week. ”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
“Aside from the past two games, Tony Pollard has been quite underwhelming this season, and I believe that trend continues this week as Dallas goes up against NFC East division rival Philadelphia. The Dallas running back finished with just over six fantasy points the last time these teams faced in Week 9. Pollard finished with 51 yards on the ground and received five targets in the passing game but didn’t finish the contest with a touchdown. I think the game script calls for more passing, and I believe Pollard’s opportunities take a hit.”
– Mason “Mase” Riney (Fantasy Six Pack)
“Tony Pollard has three straight 15.8+ half PPR games, but back in Week 9, the Eagles limited him to 51 rush yards on 12 carries plus 12 yards on three catches. After a thorough beatdown, Philadelphia should be playing with more urgency, particularly on defense. Pollard might not be benchable this time of year, but he’s finished outside the top 25 RBs five times this season. He may be due for disappointment in this tough divisional matchup.”
– Matt De Lima (The Game Day)
Derrick Henry (RB – TEN)
“Derrick Henry is currently the ECR RB18; however, this is arguably the worst matchup he could have. The Dolphins have been very good against the run lately, allowing the sixth-fewest yards and second-fewest rushing attempts over the last four weeks. Teams often find themselves playing from behind against the Dolphins’ incredible offense, which typically means there will be more Tyjae Spears involvement. Henry is always a great bet to find the endzone, but this could easily be a week where he fails to crack 10 fantasy points.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)
“Derrick Henry, RB, Titans: You’re not benching Henry. But he carries additional risk as a 13.5-point road underdog against the high-scoring Dolphins. Miami also hasn’t allowed a 70-yard rusher since Week 6.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
Kyren Williams (RB – LAR)
“Kyren Williams has had a great year. He’s definitely been a solid sleeper pick for many drafters who took a shot with him last August. Unfortunately, this isn’t the matchup I’d want to start him. Playing one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses on the road, in Baltimore, doesn’t inspire much confidence for Mark Ringo. Some people are allergic to crab cakes, while others, like me, are allergic to bad matchups for my fantasy players. The good news is, at least my readers aren’t allergic to my incredibly bad jokes haha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Javonte Williams (RB – DEN)
“Despite an increase in usage from the first half of the season, I fear Javonte Williams will disappoint fantasy managers in Week 14. Both on the ground and through the air, Williams has been more involved; however, he has not necessarily been effective. On the season, Williams is only generating 3.8 yards per rush and, after 182 touches, has only scored two touchdowns. Williams’ usage provides a reasonable floor, but that will not feed fantasy managers’ need for a win in Week 14.”
– Chew Russell (Going For 2)
“Javonte Williams is ranked 27th overall and 19th at running back. He’s only finished at RB20 or higher in three weeks, and this week, they face a Chargers defense that held the Patriots scoreless last week. The Broncos’ passing game has also looked better than expected, and they’re splitting carries at RB. All of this means that Williams is likely to see fewer than 20 total touches, making him less attractive for me at 27th overall this week.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC)
“Austin Ekeler has gone from fantasy royalty to “Should I start him?”. He has only topped 70 yards rushing one time this season, and his receiving yards and touchdowns are dwindling or close to non-existent. He is still ranked fairly high (RB5 .5 ppr) even though he is on the decline. Throw in that he is playing Denver, who, while not stellar on defense, is starting to show some signs of life. Ekeler is likely to continue to struggle this week in what is always a tough matchup versus the Broncos.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
“Austin Ekeler is currently RB5 in this week’s ECR and 8th in the .5 PPR Flex rankings. Ekeler has not been a top 5 back for three weeks straight. Not only has he not been in the top 5, he has not been a top 31 fantasy running back for three weeks straight. Ekeler has only eclipsed 50 yards receiving once this year and is averaging just over 15 yards over the past 3 three weeks. On the ground, he has turned 34 carries into 114 yards over that same time. These are not the same Broncos that played Miami in Week 3. Ekeler is a borderline start right now.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
Gabe Davis (WR – BUF)
“Gabe Davis is a must-fade in Week 14. Davis blew up last week for 6 receptions, 105 receiving yards, and a touchdown, but he did so on a whopping 12 targets against a porous Eagles pass defense. His boom-and-bust nature has led to him being a volatile asset for most of the season. Davis a deep ball threat and only seems to produce against weak defenses that he can get behind for a long touchdown. The Chiefs are a shutdown defensive unit that ranks as the 5th worst matchup for opposing wide receivers. There will be plenty of games in which Davis can sneak behind the defense for an easy deep ball, but this won’t be one of those games as he will finish outside the top-40 receivers in week 14.”
– Aaron St Denis (The League Winners)
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
“Breece Hall is the top-40 player most likely to disappoint this week. On top of nursing an ankle injury, the Jets are also starting to get others in that backfield more involved. The matchup also isn’t great, as the Houston Texans surrender the third-fewest yards per carry this season (3.6). For whatever it’s worth, their yards per carry allowed shrinks to 3.2 yards on the road as well. ”
– Zach Brunner (FlurrySports)
“Breece Hall (Jets): Currently ranked Flex32. The Texans are stingy to running back yardage. They rank seventh against the run in 2023. The Jets see so many three and outs, that keeping Breece Hall on the field to gain good yardage is tough. The Jets have the fewest first downs of any team in 2023.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)
IDP: Aidan Hutchinson (DE – DET)
“Aidan Hutchinson if you look at his recent history, he grades well at rushing the ball but isn’t closing, so he only has a few tackles, which is why I am fading him.”
– Steve Hungarter (Fantasy Six Pack)
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