Quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick, MIA (at New York Jets) - It’s not crazy to rely on Fitzpatrick in your playoff game. He has accounted for three scores in each of the last two games, DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki are hot, and the Jets are likely going to be without Jamal Adams. Fitzpatrick has three rushing scores in the last seven games and strung together five straight touchdown drives (minus one halftime kneeldown) last week vs. the Eagles.
Jared Goff, LAR (vs Seattle) - Very simply, Goff has sliced and diced bad defenses and struggled against good ones this year. The Seahawks don’t appear to be a good defense right now minus a few standout front seven performers, and Goff threw for almost 400 against them in the 30-29 shootout the first time these two teams met. The Seahawks still haven’t held the Goff-McVay Rams under 29 points in the last three meetings and the Rams line is getting healthier.
Eli Manning, NYG (at Philadelphia) - Do it! Okay, well in two quarterback/superflex leagues where you don’t have a clear QB2. Or in a fun DFS lineup or two. It is looking like the first week that Sa quon Barkley, Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Evan Engram will be on the field together, and the Eagles defense is limping in after the Dolphins leaped over them time after time last week. Manning actually competed very well against the 2017 Eagles and lit them up through the air in both matchups.
Devlin Hodges, PIT (at Arizona) - You’re digging deep if you’re down to Duck, but it could work. The last five quarterbacks to face Arizona have all gone over 300 yards (two over 400) and four of them threw for multiple scores. This defense also gave up four scores to Kyle Allen. Hodges won’t have James Conner or Juju Smith-Schuster, but he looked calm and willing to attack with downfield passes last week and should have time and room to operate on Sunday.
Running Back
Patrick Laird, MIA (at New York Jets) - Kalen Ballage is on injured reserve and all signs point to Laird leading the backfield in touches against the Jets. The UDFA from Cal scored last week and ground and he has proven to be a competent pass catcher with a hard-nosed run after catch mentality. He’s a decent bet for 10-15 PPR points.
LeSean McCoy, Darwin Thompson, Spencer Ware, KC (at New England) - Perhaps when you have three backs, you have none. The Chiefs offense is coming out of its slumber and it accounted for three scores last week, one by each active back. The Patriots allowed over 100 total yards and a score to Texans backs last week, over 150 total yards to Dallas backs, and 178 total yards and a score to Ravens backs, so there is likely to be a useful play or two here. McCoy can be penciled in for 12-15 touches including possible first crack at goal line looks. Thompson has the freshest legs and looked up to the task as an inside runner last week after getting mixed in on some passing downs before Darrel Williams went out. Ware is the biggest crapshoot. He might not even play a snap, or alternatively get almost all of the passing set and some goal line looks for a low volume but high value tough game.
Alexander Mattison, MIN (vs Detroit) - Dalvin Cook looks like he’s going to play Sunday but don’t let that discourage you from considering Mattison as a flex. He was effective on his limited touches after Mattison went out and Detroit gave up 122 total yards and a score to the lackluster Bears backs last week.
Devonta Freeman, ATL (vs Carolina) - Freeman was running hard last week, and while he might not have found much room to run against the Saints, he should have a better time of it this week against a Carolina run defense that got repeatedly gouged by the Washington running game last week. He also averaged over five receptions a game over the last five games before he got hurt against the Saints in Week 10.
Sony Michel, NE (vs Kansas City) - Michel hasn’t done much for fantasy teams lately, but that could change in Week 14. A sober appraisal of the offenses in this game should encourage the Patriots to run the ball in the name of stringing together long drives, keeping the Chiefs offense of the field, and keeping the Chiefs defense on the field. Michel has averaged over four yards per carry over the last two weeks and the Chiefs have already allowed seven backs to go over 99 yards this year and two to notch multiple scores.
Carlos Hyde, HOU (vs Denver) - Hyde’s outlook is low ceiling but his floor is high as the primary early down back for the Texans in a game that they should control from start to finish against Drew Lock, assuming they don’t have a letdown coming off of a big win over New England. The Broncos run defense has been worn down with 29 running back rush attempts last week and 36 the previous week with each team’s backfield accounting at least 175 total yards.
Wide Receiver
Will Fuller, HOU (at Denver) - Fuller should never be considered a sleeper, but he’s in here just in case you are pausing when setting your lineup. His 7-140 game came before fantasy teams were ready to trust him after his hamstring injury and his 1-8 might have kept teams from getting a win last week that would have bought a bye and avoided having to play this week. The matchup against Denver is too good to pass up as Chris Harris should be occupied with DeAndre Hopkins. Mike Williams had 5-117 last week and Cole Beasley had 6-67 and a score the previous week. Fuller has week-winning upside against the lesser Denver corners.
Mecole Hardman, KC (at New England) - It will require some rational coaching by Andy Reid, but if he is willing to feature Hardman, the rookie could be the piece of the Chiefs offense that the Patriots can’t account with Tyreek Hill double teamed and Stephen Gilmore on Sammy Watkins or Travis Kelce. The Patriots haven’t slowed down Deshaun Watson or Lamar Jackson and their defense could be overrated against good quarterbacks. It will only take a few targets for Hardman to matter if they are deep or find him when he is in the open field.
Zach Pascal, Parris Campbell, IND (at Tampa Bay) - Pascal is a shallow sleeper, Campbell deeper, and they have a few possible points of failure, but plenty of upside. Pascal has put up multiple ceiling games this year but hasn’t put together two good games in a row. He just posted 7-109 last week so if you’re superstitious that’s a problem. The Tampa pass defense has been a great matchup this year, although they haven’t given up a ceiling game in the last two against the Jags and Falcons. Previous to that, games over 150 yards, sometimes even with multiple scores, were a regular occurrence against them. Campbell should be back this week and the team has shown a willingness to call his number a lot before he got hurt. With TY Hilton and Eric Ebron out, he could be a surprise against a young Bucs secondary.
Deebo Samuel, SF (at New Orleans) - Samuel should draw Eli Apple more often than Emmanuel Sanders and he has had two long touchdowns the last two weeks and two games with at least eight catches and 100 receiving yards in the two previous games. He is much hotter going into this game than the fantasy community’s perception of him right now.
James Washington, Diontae Johnson, PIT (at Arizona) - This duo has a quarterback who is willing to take shots downfield frequently, even when it might not be wise. Washington is on fire right now and tracking Devlin Hodges’ deep ball like it hypnotizes him, although he might see more of Patrick Peterson than the rookie Johnson, who is coming off of a terrible game, but facing a secondary that has allowed over 200 receiving yards to opposing wide receiver corps over each of the last three games is a good recipe for a sleeper.
Anthony Miller, CHI (vs Dallas) **Thursday** - Miller might not be considered much of a sleeper coming in off of a three consecutive game with at least six receptions and 54 receiving yards stretch, culminating in a 9-140 game on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys just allowed Cole Beasley to get free for over 100 yards and a score from the slot last week and they couldn’t contain Julian Edelman in poor conditions the week before. It feels off to trust a second Trubisky receiver, but Miller has earned it.
A.J. Brown, TEN (at Oakland) - Brown might not get enough targets to matter on Sunday, that’s the risk. As long as he can get five targets against the weak Raiders secondary, he should be good for at least 12 PPR points, as he has posted in each of his last three games that he met that threshold. The Raiders have given up six 100-yard games to opposing receivers already this year.
Tight End
Tyler Higbee, LAR (vs Seattle) - Gerald Everett is shaping up as a scratch again this week, which should allow Higbee to harvest almost all of the tight end value in the Rams passing game in another choice matchup. Last time out against the Seahawks, Higbee had 3-47, respectable, but Everett had 7-136. Last week Higbee showed he can be a dangerous and effective receiver at the second level even though the Rams haven’t been using him in that fashion despite signing him to an extension earlier this year.
Mike Gesicki, MIA (at New York Jets) - Gesicki is coming on at just the right time in just the right matchup. Gesicki had 6-95 in the first game against the Jets, and the defense is likely to be missing Jamal Adams this time around. Gesicki has scored in two straight games coming into Week 14.
Vance McDonald, PIT (at Arizona) - McDonald gets the most excellent matchup of any team/position combination this week. Only Andy Dalton and Tyler Eifert failed to convert against the Cardinals, and Devlin Hodges does add some volatility here, but if you don’t have an obvious tight end option, McDonald could be your man. Last week the counts went up to 13 receiving touchdowns and four 100-yard games by tight ends against Arizona this year.
Ian Thomas, CAR (at Atlanta) - Thomas will share snaps with Chris Manhertz and Alex Armah, but they will be relied on more as blockers. He took over as the primary receiving tight end when Greg Olsen went out last year and finished with three strong fantasy lines in the last four games of the season. Olsen had 5-57 in the first matchup between Carolina and the Falcons.
