The last set of bye weeks coincides with the final week of the fantasy football regular season, forcing fantasy owners to rely on bench players and waiver-wire adds to pick up the slack. Factor in the bevy of injuries across the skill positions, and the player pool is relatively shallow. Our Week 14 fantasy bust list, which includes James Cook, Deshaun Watson, JK Dobbins, and Michael Gallup, is here to help better your start ’em, sit ’em decisions to end the regular season with a “W.”
Even superstars can struggle (ahem, Jaylen Waddle), but you won’t see those types of players among our bust picks unless we legitimately advise benching them. We try to highlight players on the start-or-sit bubble — not “must-starts,” and not players owned in just 15 percent of leagues. You might not have enough depth to bench the players below, or you might just completely disagree with our picks. Either way, it’s your team, so make the decisions that work best for you.
We had some big hits last week, calling underwhelming performances from Jeff Wilson Jr., Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool, Harrison Bryant, and Kansas City’s D/ST. We’ll look to keep the momentum going in the final week of the fantasy regular season.
WEEK 14 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Start ’em, sit ’em
Let’s get into our Week 14 bust picks.
Week 14 Fantasy Busts: Running backs
Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins, Ravens @ Steelers (Nick Musial). Starting either Edwards or Dobbins shouldn’t instill confidence in fantasy owners, as both running backs are TD-dependent options. Edwards played on just 24 percent of snaps in Week 13 with Kenyan Drake taking on a larger role in a negative game script. There’s also a chance Edwards and Dobbins are scripted out on Sunday with Baltimore sitting as three-point underdogs. Without a clear-cut lead back, Baltimore’s muddied-up backfield is a stayaway in a tough matchup against Pittsburgh’s seventh-ranked run defense.
Rachaad White and Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers @ 49ers (Vinnie Iyer). The Niners just shut down Miami’s dynamic RB duo, and they just don’t allow much in the way of rushing or receiving production to backs. The split makes both less appealing.
James Cook, Bills vs. Jets (Matt Lutovsky). Cook might be on his way toward being a fantasy playoff difference-maker as Buffalo’s 1A back, but we expect him to hit a speed bump against the Jets. New York allows the 12th-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs, and given the uncertainty surrounding Cooks’ touches (especially near the goal line), we see him as a very risky flex.
WEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 14 Fantasy Busts: Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones, Giants vs. Eagles (Musial). Jones enters Week 14 as the overall QB11, but it’s unlikely he posts a top-11 finish this week against an Eagles defense allowing the fewest FPPG to QBs (11.7). While a negative game script could lead to Jones attempting a high number of passing attempts, Philadelphia’s lockdown secondary can hold him to a low completion percentage while potentially picking him off once or twice.
Derek Carr, Raiders @ Rams (Iyer). Carr surprised us by solving that other L.A. team last week, but the game script here is bound to be run-heavy. Despite Geno Smith’s big game against the Rams last week, L.A. has been pretty stingy vs. QBs this year.
Deshaun Watson, Browns @ Bengals (Lutovsky). To say Watson was “rusty” in his season debut last week would be an understatement. Given his name value, owners might be tempted to give him another shot in a potential shootout with the Bengals, but after what happened last week, we don’t see Watson breaking out against a Cincinnati defense allowing the sixth-fewest FPPG to QBs.
WEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 14 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers
Darius Slayton, Giants vs. Eagles (Musial). Coinciding with a rough game from Jones, Slayton’s going to be tested against an Eagles pass defense that sports PFF’s fourth-highest coverage grade (84.2). Slayton has racked up double-digit PPR points in three of the past four weeks, but with offense likely hard to come by for New York, don’t be surprised if Slayton has an underwhelming fantasy showing.
D.J. Moore, Panthers @ Seahawks (Iyer). Sam Darnold helps him, but this matchup doesn’t against confident young corner Tariq Woolen.
Michael Gallup, Cowboys vs. Texans (Lutovsky). Gallup posted two TDs last week, but that came with just four catches and 23 yards. We don’t expect an encore against a Houston defense allowing the fifth-fewest FPPG to WRs. Dallas should be content with running all over the Texans and give all non-CeeDee Lamb pass-catchers the week off.
WEEK 14 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Week 14 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends
Dalton Schultz, Cowboys vs. Texans (Musial). Given the lack of consistent TE production in fantasy this year, it’s tough to leave Schultz on your bench, but he’s not a sure thing this week. Houston has actually defended tight ends at an above-average rate. Dallas could lean heavily on the ground game, and as hefty 17-point favorites, there’s also a chance that Schultz doesn’t play much in the second half if Dallas mounts a big lead.
Noah Fant, Seahawks vs. Panthers (Iyer). You can’t spell “fantasy” without Fant, who’s been getting consistent targets over the past four weeks, but Carolina is strong against the position, allowing the eighth-fewest FPPG to TEs.
Dawson Knox, Bills vs. Jets (Lutovsky). Are fantasy owners still starting Knox? He’s owned in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues, so someone must be starting him. If you are, stop. He’s caught just two-of-three passes the past two games, and even though he’s always capable of a short score, there’s no need to take the risk against a Jets’ defense allowing the 12th-fewest FPPG to TEs.
WEEK 14 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 14 Fantasy Busts: Defenses
Minnesota Vikings @ Lions (Musial). Minnesota is in for a challenge against a red-hot Lions offense. The Vikings’ pass defense has looked shaky all season, and it’s allowed Mac Jones and Mike White to pass for over 365 yards in back-to-back weeks. If Jared Goff doesn’t throw a pick-six, the Vikings’ D/ST will have a rough Week 14.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ 49ers (Iyer). Rookie Brock Purdy might seem like a green light, but the yellow comes with San Francisco’s offensive weapons and the red comes with its run-heavy attack.
Cleveland Browns @ Bengals (Lutovsky). Cleveland won some matchups for fantasy owners last week, but the Bengals are much different animals than the Texans. Cincinnati has allowed just six sacks and two takeaways while averaging 31.5 offensive points per game over its past four contests. Pass.
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