Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings: Position-by-Position Breakdown
Week 14 of the 2020 NFL season is nearly upon us. For fantasy managers fortunate enough to make it into the postseason, that means it's win-or-go-home time in most leagues.
The good news is that the NFL is finished with bye weeks until the postseason. The bad news is that injuries and tough matchups can still contribute to lineup headaches at key positions.
Injury situations from Week 13 to keep an eye on include running back Frank Gore (concussion) and running back Darrell Henderson (knee). Clyde Edwards-Helaire was active but didn't play after a week of dealing with a stomach virus.
"He didn't practice this week, and I just felt like he lost some weight with the stomach virus and I pulled him back out," Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said, per Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire.
We're here to help cut through the noise for Week 14 by breaking down the best players, top matchups and potential sleepers at each key roster spot: quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end. All rankings and picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
Quarterback
1. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Aaron Rogers, Green Bay Packers
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
5. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
6. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
8. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
9. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
10. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
11. Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts
12. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Managers have become accustomed to seeing the likes of Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers at the top of rankings lists, and things won't be different this week.
And the Seattle Seahawks signal-caller has a particularly juicy matchup against the winless New York Jets, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points by opposing quarterbacks this season.
Justin Herbert will be seeking a bounce-back game against the Atlanta Falcons, who have surrendered the second-most points at the position. Tennessee Titans signal-caller Ryan Tannehill will look to continue his unexpected rise to fantasy stardom.
Tannehill, who has thrown 26 touchdowns and just five interceptions, is coming off a stellar game against the Cleveland Browns. The Titans lost, but the 32-year-old threw for 389 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
The Titans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have surrendered the third-most points to opposing running backs.
Speaking of the Browns, quarterback Baker Mayfield will be worth considering this weekend.
The Baltimore Ravens have allowed the 13th-fewest points by opposing quarterbacks, but they'll be playing on a short week. Mayfield will be at home and has played some efficient football lately—he hasn't thrown an interception in his last five games.
The 25-year-old carved up the Titans on Sunday to the tune of 334 yards and four touchdowns. He's rostered in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues and 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
Running Back
1. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
3. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
5. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
6. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
7. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
8. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns
9. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles
10. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team
11. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks
12. Devontae Booker, Las Vegas Raiders
13. Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins
14. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears
15. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens
It's largely the usual suspects atop the running back rankings this week, with PPR machines Dalvin Cook and Austin Ekeler topping the list. The latter has a particularly enticing matchup against the Falcons.
Because of his PPR prowess, the Los Angeles Chargers star deserves to be viewed as a receiver to at least some degree, and Atlanta has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.
The Detroit Lions have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, which is why Green Bay Packers rusher Aaron Jones is near the top of the list. He's a must-start, while backup Jamaal Williams deserves a look in deeper leagues.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Devontae Booker is worth a start, as Josh Jacobs (calf) isn't expected to play in Week 14.
"I wouldn't expect those guys to play right now based on what I saw last week," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of Jacobs and safety Jonathan Abram, per Levi Damien of Raiders Wire.
Jacobs' situation will obviously need monitoring.
Lions running back Adrian Peterson could be a veritable steal off the waiver wire as long as starter D'Andre Swift (head) remains sidelined. Green Bay has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Peterson is rostered in 48 percent of Yahoo leagues and 36 percent of ESPN leagues.
Wide Receivers
1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
4. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
5. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
6. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
7. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
8. Allen Robinson II, Chicago Bears
9. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
10. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
11. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams
12. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons
13. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
14. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team
15. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
16. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
17. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
18. Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans
19. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
20. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
21. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns
22. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
23. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
24. Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans
25. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers
Managers can essentially flip a coin between Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill for the top wideout in Week 14. Both are must-start players, and while the latter had himself a 268-yard game just two weeks ago, the former has the more favorable matchup.
The Packers are facing the Lions, who have allowed the sixth-most (tied) points to opposing wide receivers in 2020.
Titans wideout A.J. Brown isn't quite on the level of Adams or Hill, but he also has a tremendous matchup in Week 14. He'll be going against a Jaguars team that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.
Minnesota Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson should both be quality plays against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have allowed the ninth-most points to opposing receivers.
Jefferson, who has already topped the 1,000-yard mark, likely has the higher upside, while Thielen has the better PPR floor.
Thielen has caught eight passes in each of the last two weeks.
Those hunting on the waiver wire should take a long look at Houston Texans wideout KeKe Coutee. He has replaced the suspended Will Fuller V as Houston's No. 2 receiver and is coming off a 141-yard performance.
Coutee is rostered in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues and 12 percent of ESPN leagues.
Tight End
1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
3. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers
4. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
5. Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
7. Evan Engram, New York Giants
8. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
9. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings
10. Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers
11. Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons
12. Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
Travis Kelce remains the preeminent tight end in fantasy football, but Raiders pass-catcher Darren Waller is proving he at least belongs in the conversation.
Waller had a 200-yard game in Week 13, and while he probably won't reach that number again in 2020, he's a must-start the rest of the way.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews isn't quite elite, but he is firmly in the second tier in fantasy. He remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but if he plays in Week 14, he'll have a fantastic matchup. The Cleveland Browns have allowed the third-most fantasy points (tied) to opposing tight ends through 12 weeks.
The Atlanta Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends, which is why Hunter Henry of the Chargers is worth a start. He had just one catch for five yards in Week 13, but he had 67 yards the previous week and scored in each of the two games before that.
Quality TE sleepers are typically difficult to come by this late in the season, but Dallas Cowboys pass-catcher Dalton Schultz is worth considering. He'll face the Cincinnati Bengals, who are also tied for the third-most fantasy points allowed at the position.
Schultz is rostered in just 20 percent of Yahoo leagues and 30 percent of ESPN leagues.
Fantasy points allowed from FantasyPros. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.