We had another great week of games in Week 13, including an overtime thriller between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans and a Thursday night shootout between the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. We had a few big injuries this week, with rookie sensation Tank Dell breaking his leg and both Rhamondre Stevenson and Kenny Pickett suffering ankle injuries. Pickett is already having ankle surgery and is out two to four weeks. Now that Week 13 is in the books, we can turn the page to Week 14 and look at who to start and sit this week.
Just a friendly reminder that we have two teams on bye this week. The teams on bye this week are the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders.
The season can be a grind at times, from doing waiver claims to looking at rankings and then finally deciding who to start. It can seem difficult, but that is where the staff at DrRoto.com comes in to help you. We have everything you need to make the tough decisions here in one place. I will be writing this start/sit article each week to help you make the tough lineup decisions. You can also join our members-only Discord channel and ask us personalized questions anytime you want on there.
Keep in mind before I get into my starts and sits this week that certain players should always be in your starting lineup. Please don’t try to get cute and sit the likes of Justin Jefferson, Christian McCaffrey or Patrick Mahomes. They are in your lineup regardless of matchups. The decisions I am here to help you with are for the players drafted in the middle to late rounds of your draft or added from waivers who you aren’t sure whether to trust.
Week 14 Quarterback Starts
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Jordan Love has an excellent matchup this week against a struggling New York Giants secondary. Love has been on fire lately. It seems like he is on the same page with his receivers now, and his receivers are getting healthy (although Christian Watson is injured again). Love currently ranks as the QB10 and the Giants’ defense allows the 13th most passing yards per game, so I believe this will be another big week for Love and the Packers’ offense.
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos at L.A. Chargers
Russell Wilson struggled last week against the Houston Texans, but that was his first poor game in a few weeks, and I believe he will bounce back this week in a good matchup against the Chargers’ defense. Wilson is currently QB14 this season, and he should be able to put up excellent numbers this week as the Chargers’ defense allows the second-most passing yards per game. I believe Wilson will throw for 300+ yards and two touchdowns this week.
Week 14 Quarterback Sits
Matthew Stafford, L.A. Rams at Baltimore Ravens
Matthew Stafford is coming off an excellent game last week against a tough Cleveland Browns defense where he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns, but this week he faces a tough Baltimore Ravens defense that ranks in the top five in just about every defensive category so far this season. Stafford currently ranks as QB18 this season and the Ravens defense comes into the week ranked second in passing yards and total yards allowed this season. I expect Stafford and the Rams offense to struggle this week.
Trevor Lawrence (If he plays this week), Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns
Trevor Lawrence struggled at the beginning of this season, but he has been playing well for the last three weeks, coinciding with Zay Jones returning from injury. This week though, he gets a tough matchup against the league’s top-ranked defense in the Cleveland Browns. The Browns’ defense comes in ranked first in total yards allowed and first in passing yards allowed so far this season. Even if he is able to play, which is questionable, his mobility will likely also be reduced and I would sit Lawrence this week.
Week 14 Running Back Starts
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals
Zack Moss is an extremely enticing start this week with Jonathan Taylor missing another week of action. Moss will get the majority of the carries for the Indianapolis Colts, and I always look for the running backs who will get the most volume each week. Moss did struggle a little bit last week against a good Tennessee Titans run defense, but this week he has a favorable matchup against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals defense. The Bengals’ defense allows the most yards per game in the league, so I am expecting a nice game from Moss this week.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
White had a nice game last week against the Carolina Panthers. He rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown against a good Panthers run defense. He will again see the majority of the carries against a bad Falcons defense this week, as well as plenty of receiving work out of the backfield, and should remain in your lineups.
Week 14 Running Back Sits
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans at New York Jets
I have Devin Singletary as a sit this week because it looks like the Houston Texans are going to have a timeshare in their backfield moving forward with Dameon Pierce back from injury. Singletary had a great three-week stretch with Pierce out, but his value will take a hit for now with Pierce back. He is also facing a tough New York Jets defense this week. The Jets’ defense allows the ninth-fewest yards per game, although they do allow the fourth-most rushing yards. Still, I expect Singletary and the Texans’ offense to struggle this week, so just be prepared for less than 100 yards and hope for a touchdown.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
Khalil Herbert is a talented running back who needs more opportunities moving forward. He is now sharing carries with two other running backs in D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson, which will make for a messy backfield situation for the rest of the season. Foreman may still be out with injury, but Johnson saw more touches than Herbert when they last played in Week 12. Herbert is currently the RB52 in PPR scoring and faces a tough Detroit Lions run defense in Week 14. The Lions’ defense is ranked fifth in rushing yards allowed so far this season, so expect Herbert to struggle this week.
Week 14 Wide Receiver Starts
Nico Collins, Houston Texans at New York Jets
Nico Collins will receive even more targets now with rookie sensation Tank Dell breaking his leg last week and being placed on injured Reserve. Collins had a huge game last week against a surging Denver Broncos defense. He had nine receptions on 12 targets for 191 yards and a touchdown. Even in a tough matchup with the Jets’ secondary, the current PPR WR12 belongs in your lineups. I expect Collins to see a lot of targets this week, and it is possible that he could go over 100 receiving yards with a touchdown in Week 14.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Brandin Cooks is becoming one of Dak Prescott’s favorite targets this year, and I expect him to have a big game this week. I can easily see Cooks getting 10+ targets this week against a struggling Philadelphia Eagles secondary. The Eagles’ defense allows the fourth-most passing yards per game, so I believe Cooks could have seven receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown this week.
Week 14 Wide Receiver Sits
Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints
Adam Thielen started the season off red hot and is still ranked as the WR14 in PPR scoring, but he has struggled the last two weeks, and the Carolina Panthers face a tough matchup this week against the New Orleans Saints. It does not help that quarterback Bryce Young has struggled during his rookie season and the Panthers fired Head Coach Frank Reich last week. The Saints’ defense allows the seventh-fewest passing yards per game, so I expect the Panthers’ offense, and Thielen, to continue to struggle this week.
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets vs. Houston Texans
Garrett Wilson gets a decent matchup this week against the Houston Texans. But the New York Jets are struggling this season and have had four different starting quarterbacks so far this year. This is affecting Wilson, as he has had 50 or fewer yards in each of the last three games. Regardless of who the Jets are starting on Sunday, I would put Wilson on my bench this week if you have another option.
Week 14 Tight End Starts
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Jake Ferguson has been a solid fantasy tight end all season, and he gets a great matchup against a struggling Philadelphia Eagles secondary this week. The Eagles’ defense that he will match up with this week is ranked fourth in passing yards and 11th in total yards allowed per game on the season. I expect Ferguson to get six receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown this week.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
Cole Kmet and the Chicago Bears had their bye week last week, but he had a nice game in Week 12 with quarterback Justin Fields returning from injury. Kmet had seven receptions on seven targets for 43 yards, and Fields will continue to look his way moving forward as Kmet is probably the Bears’ number-two receiver right now, behind only D.J. Moore. I am expecting Kmet to have seven receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown this week.
Week 14 Tight End Sits
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I cannot quit Kyle Pitts. Pitts is a player that I will have on my fantasy teams year after year, hoping for that breakout unicorn season everyone talked about his coming into his rookie season. But the Falcons’ coaching staff is not helping Pitts’ situation this season, and I do not think that is changing anytime soon. This week, he gets a great matchup against a poor Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, but even in a great matchup, I cannot trust him enough to start him this week. I would sit Pitts this week and most weeks if you can find another option.
Tyler Higbee, L.A. Rams at Baltimore Ravens
Tyler Higbee struggled last week against a very tough Cleveland Browns defense. He ended the game with two receptions on four targets for only 35 yards. Higbee is currently ranked as the TE19, and he gets a tough matchup against a Baltimore Ravens defense that is ranked second-lowest in both total yards and passing yards allowed this season. I would sit Higbee this week if you can find another option.
Week 14 Defense Starts
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a top-10 fantasy defense this season. This week they get to face backup quarterback Bailey Zappe and the banged-up New England Patriots’ offense, and I love this matchup for the Steelers’ defense. I am expecting the Steelers’ defense to get at least five sacks and two turnovers in this game. They will put pressure on Zappe all night long. I would start the Steelers’ defense in every league I can this week.
Miami Dolphins Defense, Miami Dolphins vs. Tennessee Titans
The Miami Dolphins’ defense has been getting better as we move toward the end of the season, and this will be a great matchup for them against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans’ offense can move the football, but they give up a ton of sacks and a couple of turnovers every game. I believe Will Levis will get sacked four times and have two turnovers for the Dolphins’ defense. I would pick them up this week and start them if they are available in your league.
Week 14 Defense Sits
Tennessee Titans Defense, Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins
The Tennessee Titans get the tough task of trying to stop the vaunted Maimi Dolphins offense this week. The Titans struggled to stop Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts offense last week, so I believe this game will get out of hand early as the Miami Dolphins first-ranked offense can score at any time. Find another defense to start this week if possible.
Philadelphia Eagles Defense, Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
The Eagles have been a good fantasy defense at times this season, but this week they get a tough matchup against Dak Prescott and the top-five-ranked Cowboys offense. This game is going to be a shootout on Sunday Night Football, and I would sit the Eagles’ defense and possibly the Cowboys’ defense, too, if you have another option this week.
Good luck in Week 14, everyone!
