Week 14 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Debating Difficult Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions

Week 14 got off to a thrilling start with Thursday’s game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Lions made several gutsy calls, and in doing so, punched their ticket to the postseason.

Fantasy managers will be hoping to follow suit this week, and they may not have the easiest decisions ahead of them. Six teams—the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders—will be on bye.

This may lead managers to lineup decisions they’d prefer to avoid otherwise.

Here, we’ll examine some of the toughest matchups remaining on the Week 14 slate and make a few start/sit decisions based on past production, projected role and point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Fantasy managers may be getting wary of Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones. The 30-year-old veteran has fumbled four times in his last three games, tallied only 28 scrimmage yards in Week 13 and is set to face a capable Atlanta Falcons defense.

However, it should be worth sticking by Jones in a week with players like Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon and Jonathan Taylor on bye. Jones is regularly involved in Minnesota’s passing game, which gives him a strong PPR floor.

Jones should also see a heavy workload against a Falcons defense that has allowed 100 rushing yards in 10 of 12 games.

Though Jones certainly underwhelmed against the Arizona Cardinals last week, he salvaged his afternoon with three receptions and a touchdown. He may not top 100 scrimmage yards, as he did two weeks ago, but Jones should deliver double-digit fantasy points.

We’re less confident about Carolina Panthers running back coming through for managers in Week 14. While Hubbard has been a reliable high-volume back for most of the season, rookie Jonathon Brooks poses a fantasy threat.

Against a suspect Tampa Bay Buccaneers run defense last week, Hubbard produced just 43 scrimmage yards with a fumble. While he did see 12 carries to Brooks” six, he didn’t catch a pass, while the rookie snagged three.

This week, the Panthers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles, who have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. Hubbard’s matchup isn’t markedly worse than Jones’, but his situation is.

Hubbard now finds himself in a split backfield, and unless he reemerges as the top receiving option he’ll be hard to trust. Brooks isn’t worth a start this week either, but he could be a valuable playoff stash if available on the waiver wire.

The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t done a whole lot well this season, but they’ve been surprisingly capable against opposing receivers. The Raiders have allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.

We are inclined, however, to trust Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans in this matchup. He’s back in the lineup after missing time with a hamstring injury and is right back to being Baker Mayfield’s go-to target. He caught five of six targets for 68 yards in his first game back and eight of 12 targets for 118 yards and a touchdown last week.

While Evans missed practice time this week, he insists that he’s returning to top playing shape.

“I’m feeling good,” Evans said, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I played close to 70 plays last game, and I felt in really good shape. You know, I’m getting very close.”

It’ll be a tough matchup for Evans, but he should overcome with a heavy target share.

Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle has been a more viable fantasy option since Tua Tagovailoa returned to the lineup. He’s been particularly solid over the past two weeks, topping 10 fantasy points in each contest.

However, this would be a good week to sit Waddle if other options are available. While he’s been better with Tagovailoa behind center, he’s still been inconsistent—failing to reach 50 scrimmage yards in three of six games.

Waddle also faces a difficult rivalry matchup with the New York Jets. Like Las Vegas, New York has struggled but has held its own against opposing wideouts. No team has surrendered fewer fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.

This season, Waddle simply hasn’t been a high-volume receiver, so his PPR floor isn’t ideal. He’s also unlikely to be a top red-zone option, as Miami should look to attack on the ground in scoring range. The Jets have surrendered 17 rushing touchdowns this season and only nine touchdowns through the air.

*Fantasy scoring information via FantasyPros.